The forest is quiet and dark. I lose sight of everybody quickly, and make my way deep into the maze of trees.
I'm able to catch glimpses of the moon, peeking between the leaves.
She's watching.
My skin tingles the further I go and sense that it's almost time. I need to find a spot to get undressed quickly. A spot I'll be able to remember in a few hours when it's time to get dressed again.
My breaths are starting to become quick and I know time is running out. I finally find a spot between a boulder and a tree. I won't feel too exposed between the two.
I slide between them, kicking off my shoes and stumble as I try to get my socks off without treading in the muddy soil. I ball up my socks and shove them in one of my sneakers.
Next, I unzip my hoodie and add it to the pile. Then I pull my t-shirt over my head and unbutton my jeans before whipping them off. Once I have all my clothes, except my underwear in a neat stack, I take the plunge.
I slip out of my tighty whities, trying not to lose balance, and stick them somewhere in the middle of the pile.
Completely naked, I wrap my arms around myself and hop back and forth, from one foot to the other.
What am I even doing out here? This is more than ridiculous.
Suddenly, my ears prick up. The hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention.
A howl ripples through the forest.
In a second, another comes in response––then another and another.
The Mating Run has begun.
I close my eyes and feel the change start in the pit of my stomach.
At first, it's like I've eaten some too-old cold cuts, but then the rumbling spreads through every vein and cell in my body. Muscles constrict painfully as they harden and grow. My bones rattle and vibrate before they crack and reform. Thick, soft, honey-colored fur grows from every pore on my body.
My finger-nails extend from their nail beds, lengthening into claws. My neck snaps backward as my jaws elongate, this part hurts so much I cry out in pain. My fangs are the last thing to arrive, and then finally, fully shifted, I drop to all fours.
I shake out my fur, and stand proudly as the wolf that I am.
Tonight, my senses are heightened even more than usual. The world is vibrating in waves and ripples around me. Sights, sounds, smells–– everything is ultra vivid.
I lift my muzzle to respond to the howls of my pack. My cry echoes through the trees.
Has anyone heard me?
It's been a while since I last shifted and my wolf muscles have been itching for a good stretch. My natural instincts to hunt and run are kicking in. I'm salivating thinking about the night ahead. I'm free from society, chores, and homework. Tonight the only things that matter are the moon and the forest. I'm crazy eager to run. So I do just that.
I take off into the forest and I feel like I can run faster than lightning. I thought the blue moon made me speedy when I was in my human form but as my wolf, it's totally wild. I dart between trees attempting to break the sound barrier.
My limbs relax as my muscles warm up and I know this is super corny, but I feel kind of excited, kind of alive. I feel…wait.
I dig in my claws and come to a stop. Something has caught my attention. A scent...an intoxicating, familiar scent. I lift my snout and take a determined whiff.
Mint, lemon, and… cherry blossom!
Without thinking, I run toward it.
I pant and run and pant and run. My wolf heart thunders in my chest.
Finally, I burst through a line of trees into a clearing. The moon shines down in full luminescent view.
I've been here before.
Just when I'm about to keep running, another wolf leaps from behind the trees.
A sleek, black wolf descends to the ground, making a crater in the soil as it lands.
And suddenly all of my senses are going haywire. My mind is completely clouded by the overwhelming scent of this wolf. The trees are spinning in circles around me.
The moon expands and it feels as if it could squash me like a bug.
My legs falter beneath me but I manage to hold myself upright.
What is happening?
What is this wolf doing to me?
I snarl and arch my back, telling the wolf to keep its distance.
The black wolf steps toward me and barks. The sound is like thunder ricocheting in my brain. On his command the world stops spinning, the moon returns to normal, and the forest is quiet once more.
All of my focus is trained, like a precision sniper, on the black wolf.
I take another breath and step forward.
Every bone in my body is aching to charge at him. I want to tackle him, rub myself up against his side and let our scents mingle.
But I resist.
That would be...strange.
Clearly, the blue moon is messing with my senses. Why is this male wolf making my stomach do cartwheels?
The wolf huffs and shakes his muzzle. Moonlight reflects off his sleek, midnight black coat. His green eyes glow against the dark sheen of his fur.
I tilt my head to the side and realize I've seen this wolf before. I know who this is.
Jasper…?!
He huffs and lifts his muzzle but I'm not sure if he's telling me to come closer or stay away.
Does he recognize me too?
A low growl rises in my throat. My wolf instincts are telling me to protect myself until I can figure out what's going on.
Why have I ended up in a clearing with Jasper when I'm supposed to be finding my mate?
Why did his scent make me feel like I was at the top of a roller coaster about to drop?
Why is there an Olympic gymnast in my belly doing a tumbling routine?
Why do I feel like something's clicked? Like I've just slid the last piece of a puzzle into place?
My mother's words come back to me suddenly… "Then you remember the jar of pickles at the back of the top shelf in the pantry and suddenly you know for sure… Pickles! That's what I want."
I feel like I've found the pickles. My pickles.
Mom wasn't just talking about snack hunting, she was talking about how it feels when you find your...your mate!
But Jasper is a guy! And a complete jerk! He can't be...he can't… My mind floods with images of Jasper. The way he's been glancing at me, the way I can't stop staring at his arms in that tank-top, or his abs...
The way we keep running into each other.
That first day in the city when he knocked me on my ass...even then I felt it. I felt it. I...
Oh no...nonononononono… My eyes go wide and Jasper, noticing, tilts his head questioningly.
There's no way I can communicate what I'm thinking because it's too crazy, it's insane, it's impossible… I'm Max Remus, the arty kid who loves New York and hates spiders. I eat too much pizza, watch too much TV, and I don't even like pickles that much!
But I can't deny the glaringly obvious truth that's standing in front of me. Jasper Apollo, the son of the alpha, is my...mate!