Love Is Flower Like

Chapter 28

Edited 05/31/21

Meadow's punishment was harsh and took a toll on her health. The other members of the pack were worried about her; even Jared was worried about her. She had to run patrol nonstop. Through her hazy and lethargic mind, she could remember the words Sam had said to her when he dished out her punishment. He had told her that if she liked running around so much, then she could run patrol enough for everyone in the pack.

4 days.

That's how long she had to patrol. She was thankful Emily would stand outside with food and water in her hands so Meadow could eat. Paul had tried to argue with Sam about her punishment, but Sam shut him up with his Alpha voice. He did the same with anyone who opposed his punishment. Meadow had seen the contempt and unease in her packmates' eyes and knew she had to do something before anything escalated. So, with her head held high, she walked out of the house, took a running start, and shifted on the fly.

Now on her fourth day, she was ready to keel over. She hadn't spoken to anyone since she started, and they haven't heard from her. Well, for the most part. Patrolling for days gave her time to think and think she did. She finally figured out that she could cut her thoughts off from everyone. It wasn't without difficulty. There were times she could do it without putting effort into it, and there were times when she really had to concentrate.

She practiced her newly found skill, letting thoughts leak out when the others needed confirmation she wasn't passed out somewhere. The trick was to clear your mind and not think at all. She just had to sort through her unconscious and conscious thoughts. Conscious thoughts were projected, and unconscious ones weren't. Because she knew everyone in the pack could hear her thoughts, all her thoughts came out as conscious no matter if they were. Once she stopped focusing on that aspect, she progressed.

A nudge on the left side of her body shook her from her daze. Paul nudged her again with his snout and whined before pushing her in a different direction. She stared at him in confusion before she realized she had been straying from her patrol path. She sent him a tired but thankful nod. A few moments later, she felt a shimmer in her mind and heard Sam's voice for the first time in four days.

Go home, he said, indicating that her punishment was over. With a small sigh of relief, Meadow ran back home with the last of her strength and shifted back into her human form. She wasn't used to walking on two legs, so she stumbled throughout the house. Without changing into clothes, she laid on her bed and fell into a deep slumber. She woke up on the forest floor.

It was murky and fog clouded her vision. She heard a howl in the distance and began running in that direction on two feet. Another howl sounded, this one pained and full of desperation. She took another step before she phased and continued in the direction of the howls. As she was running, something brushed against her side and made her keel over. She stood up in a hurry and huffed as she looked around her. It was still too foggy, and the sky was quickly darkening. She heard another howl, this one closer, and began running again. She heard a snarl on her right and looked just in time to see a big, dark mass rush at her and knock her over. It snarled in her face and held her to the ground. She yelped in surprise as she recognized the wolf to be Sam.

What are you doing?! she asked desperately.

Something I should have done sooner, Sam replied. His voice was not his own. It was raspier, deeper, and menacing. Meadow panicked and began to thrash around to loosen his grip on her. Sam growled and reared his head back before he leaned forward with an open snout. Just as his teeth pierced her skin, he was bowled off her and sent careening in the distance. Meadow stood on all fours and wildly looked around. She noticed movement in front of her and she stilled. It was a man with copper skin and long, black hair reaching his waist. He had a simple headdress made from animal bones on top of his head and knowing, mahogany eyes. She recognized him from pictures. Ephraim Black.