Pathways

Darren had left me to do ‘official’ business with Roe after we had gotten back to the village. We didn’t say much to each other after he talked me into leaving with him, but he did ask me to take as little stuff as possible with us. I didn’t blame him for asking that though, the more stuff I brought the harder it would be to travel back to him back. We already had a day journey ahead of us and that was before we factored in that we are going to have to walk as humans. Its not like we can carry supplies and my things as wolves. So because of this I’m in my sad excuse of a house now, debating on what was worth taking. The sad part was, I was perfectly fine with leaving most of it behind. There were only two things that I absolutely had to have. One, my fur blanket which was given to me by Roe when I was a child-like a baby blanket- and two a locket that was around my neck when they found me in the woods.

To my surprise I actually had a few visitors before I left. The butcher came with a couple made up dinners for Darren and I. He said he as said that I was leaving and actually gave me a hug. I actually hugged back, which was a huge step for me. Because he was the first to stand up for me-and because I had nothing better to do with them-I gave him all the books that littered my room. I knew he had two girls that were a couple of years younger than me and he told me they liked to read. So I figured at least the books wouldn’t be thrown away.

Another visitor I had as the lady who first spoke up against me. To be honest I wasn’t to friendly to her. She tried to apologize and I had to work really hard not to flip her off. I got that she missed her son and everything, but I was a part of this pack and she shouldn’t be so willing to try to kick me out than be so open to coming here. This was still my cabin and I didn’t want her here, honestly she would be one of the ones that I didn’t care if I ever seen again.

Last-but certainly not last- Roe showed up. He actually sat with my for a while, running his fingers over the wood and giving me sad glances now and then. I was hugged by him as well but for him when I hugged back if was more than the butcher. I knew I would miss Roe. He was the closet thing I had to a family. I found myself wondering if he was really letting me go just because of Darren, or if he would’ve done it either way. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway, it he had asked me to I would’ve left. Roe gave me something as well, but this was something that wouldn’t matter if I was wolf or not. He gave me my freedom. Roe told me that he gave me permission to come back here whenever I wanted or needed and that his pack would always be on my side.

After he stepped out of my cabin I did as well, closing the door behind me as well as my life here in his pack. Darren waited for my outside on the road where he was being battered with the slang of our pack. He didn’t know it, but the people here with basically cursing him out and telling him to take that damn mutt with him. I sighed a looked up at Roe who was glaring at them. Roe turned to give me a quick kiss on the forehead then a hug and he then turned to Darren.

Darren shook his hand and the exchanged words that only they could here. I got most of it though simply from the movement of their mouths. Roe wanted Darren to take care of me because I was the closet thing to a daughter he had, and Darren agreed that he would take care of me. I took a deep breath and looked up at the sky once more, it was going to snow soon. There were dark clouds starting to hang over us, and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. This wouldn’t be a good day to travel, but Darren insisted that he needed to get back soon.

Twenty minutes later we were heading down the trail through the forest. Myself carrying a giant fur blanket and a back pack of food on my back, and Darren with the tent over his shoulder. We were ready to sleep outside in human form but I don’t think mother nature really cared about what we were ready for.

My feet crunched noisily on the ground with the hide boots meant to keep my feet warm. They was really the only noise I could hear besides the chattering of Darren’s teeth. He didn’t like it up here in the cold, he wasn’t use to it yet. I’ll admit that neither of us were made for these conditions, but I was at least accustom to it. Even shivering like a maniac he looked beautiful. His amazing eyes were half closed to shield himself from the wind and his blond hair was tucked away underneath a black winter hat. I smiled to myself, how could this man be my mate? Also, how was I so interested in him even though I’ve barely met him?

He shivered a bit again, poor guy. I looked up at the sky again, it was starting to snow a bit and the sun was going down quickly. We should’ve waited until tomorrow to leave…

“You can use the blanket if you want, Darren.” I hummed, holding it out to him. He smiled down at me and took it, un wrapping in the leaning over to drape it over my shoulders. A mad blush started on my cheeks, did he really just do that?

He stopped walking a slung the tent over his back to drop it to the ground. “We’ll stop for the night, I don’t want to be caught in a snow storm.”

I moved over to help him set up the tent but he just shooed me away, asking me to get some wood for a fire. I did as he asked, knowing that it was probably something we needed, but I stayed in sight of the tent. I wasn’t so much worried about myself, I was worried about him. He wasn’t use to it out here, he didn’t realize that everything blended in with the environment.

My eyes looked around at the trees, searching for danger. Luckily I didn’t see any, but I’m sure that wouldn’t last for long. I gathers enough twigs for a small fire and rushed back to the tent area. Seeing that he had already set it all up and that it was apparent that we would be sleeping extremely close in there. He flashed a crooked smile at me and took the twigs, starting the fire. As he did that I leaned inside the bright red tent and laid down the fur blanket and bag of food. Knowing that it would be safer in side the tent with us. I really didn’t want to go hunting now.

“Rose, I was thinking that by tomorrow we’ll be there.” He informed. Striking a rock together a couple of times to create a spark that set the twigs ablaze. Once he was satisfied about the fire he looked up at me and scratched the back of his neck. “You see…my pack wanted me to find my mate really fast for me, and it was a surprise that I found you when I did. They will examine you thought, and will probably complain about your size. You’re small, darling. A lot of the women in my pack are fighters so when they see you they will probably make a statement about it, but don’t take it to heart.”

I sat down on the inside of the tent out of the wind, right where I could see him. I nodded, secretly thinking that there would always be something wrong about me. “Okay. Will they approve of me then?”

He snorted a little then made his way over to the tent, crawling inside himself. With both of us in here it was kind of cramped. He didn’t seem to mind though, he simply pulled me into his side and soaked in my warmth. “I don’t give a damn what they approve of, you’re my mate and no one can change that.”

I sighed a little and allowed him to wrap his arms around me. “I’m scared it’ll be the same thing that was at Roe’s pack, that they’ll hate me.” I admitted.

He looked down at me with hurt in his eyes. “I won’t let them treat you like that, ever.”

We talked for a little while after that and eventually the snow got to bad to keep the front of the tent unzipped. By then I was comfortable with laying against his chest. Not only was it warm but his scent allowed me to forget all my fears. It seemed that way for him as well. He began opening up to me then, and that’s when all my questions began.