Love Like Winter

A gelid breeze brushed through tangled locks of his brown hair, bringing with it the musky smell of the forest and the remarkable mirage of freedom. The dark hairs on his chest perked up in response to the cold, and his sharp brown eyes darted out across the clearing, taking in the crowd of people that stood at his mercy. His taut chest was bare for the world to see, bronzed from hours spent running in the sun, and flecked with dark brown hair that revealed what his animosity.

He sucked in air through his nose, saliva dribbling down his throat at the musty smell of meat that filled him, and he felt his chest tightening in desire. His teeth pressed against his mouth and he swirled his tongue against them, taking in the rough, jagged texture.

A man stood at the top of the clearing, his hair a swirled mixture of charcoal and grey that ran in tangled locks down his back. Wrinkles adorned his face as he looked at his surrounding with wild, wise eyes, his mouth taut with authority. “You will all know my son Aiden,” he said simply, his voice echoing around the grassland with a husky, earthy undertone. Aiden watched him with dark, silent eyes, his burly arms hanging by his side as he curled his fingers in fists. “As you know, he is to take my place as Alpha of this pack. However, he will need an Omega to stand at his side.”

Murmurs broke out about the crowd, filled with whispered assumptions of who would stand at his side. The young man stood in a tense stature, his nostrils flaring as the wolf in him growled lowly in approval of receiving his mate. Mates in packs were desired; they were looked on in admiration and treated with undying respect. They were worth more than any human form of wife; once the ceremony had taken place their souls and wolves would be bonded irreversibly and their lives would be endowed always to each other. It was an honor to receive your mate, and his wolf felt no different. It nipped at the edge of his consciousness in anticipation, the hairs on his chest lengthening into thick curls as the wolf pressed forwards.

“After a long process of questioning and debating, the elders and I have come to a conclusion about who will stand by my son’s side to lead this pack. She has been chosen not only for her stature in this pack, but also her beauty and integrity to lead us as her own.” The Alpha looked about him with sharp eyes that twinkled slightly with excitement, watching for the responses of his followers. His graying hair danced as wind rushed against his face, and his lips pulled into a tight, observant smile.

Aiden watched his father, the wolf inside him huffing with impatience. A rumble set about his chest and his eyes flashed with gold, saliva dribbling down the back of his throat as bloodlust whirled in his veins. His fingers curled and his nails dug into his flesh, and he ignored the eyes that were on him as he waited anxiously for the announcement.

“I have great faith that this woman will lead our pack with pride, and will assist Aiden in his endeavors as Alpha of the West Pack. My son’s mate, and consequentially, our new Omega, is Isabelle Forelli.”

The gathering of wolves broke out in howls of approval, and Aiden blinked slightly in surprise, his wolf howling in response inside his chest. It pressed anxiously against the threads of his consciousness, hungry for the forest and meat and to be united with its mate. A low rumble rippled through his chest as Aiden fought to control the beast inside of him, and his nails shrunk back from their claws. There will be a time to celebrate, he promised it lowly, and the wolf growled in reluctance.

A woman stepped out and the crowd erupted in cheers, causing a fluid, toothy grin to pull up her rosy lips. Swirls of chocolate hair cascaded wildly down her shoulders, her glinted green eyes sparkling as she looked out around her. Her chest was pressed upward in pride, her eyes swirling with animosity as she looked towards her mate. She had kept her eyes on him for years, and now it had all paid off. Her wolf howled in lust as she looked at the future Alpha, her emerald eyes swirling with gold as a slight smirk formed on her closed lips.

“Let us celebrate by hunting,” the older man announced, and the men and women howled in excitement, crouching on all fours as they changed into their wolf forms.

Aiden tilted his head back to the darkening sky and let out a rippling howl, his chest rumbling in absolute need. The wolf in him was raging, fighting against its barriers, pushing against the edge of his chest as it fought to take over. It wanted out of the prison; out of the holding he was trapped in. It wanted full control and it wanted the feel of earth under its paws and blood on its tongue. His heart thumped as the wolf howled inside him, a low growl leaving his thin lips in response. Surrendering to the beast within him, he fell to the floor, hair sprouting from his flesh as he transformed into the monstrous black wolf that was a part of him. His bones popped as they molded into shape, his hands forming paws and his mouth lengthening into a harsh-looking snout.

His jaws snapped as he pulled his muzzle back into a snarl, his jagged, pointed teeth dribbling with saliva. And then, with a glance back to the pack of wolves waiting for his move, he turned to the forest and ran, a howl echoing through the air.