Shadow Claw: The Life Story - The First Chapter

Ch. 25 - A Game Called Circling

"And I don't want the world to see me, 'cause I don't think that they'd understand." I sang quietly, padding through the forest at a slow pace.

School had ended for the summer only an hour ago, and I had already said my goodbyes to Jenny and James, promising to visit them some time. I had spent most of my time dawdling, but I knew that I would have to get to the pack by sundown or Shade'd have search parties out looking for me everywhere.

"Shadow." His deep voice rumbled behind me, causing my body to lock up - frozen with what I could only call utter fear. I despised Shade's guts at that point, wanting to rip out his throat. However, if I did that, I'd have a whole Claw pack to answer to and possibly the Light Claws - dangerous, stupid mongrels.

"You've been wasting time. You could have been at camp by now." Shade circled me with eyes like a hawks; I did not miss how his jaw was clenched and his muscles were locked with tension. "I can't imagine why you would think that, Shade." I hissed his name, expressing my clear dislike. He just huffed in his gruff voice and padded past me, flicking his tail in my face. I snarled, but held my breath when he whipped round and stared me down like a bad child. I was forced to lower my ears and head from the sheer mass of power radiating from him like waves from the sea.

"Hold your tongue, or I'll do it for you." Shade snapped, a glint in his dangerous eyes turning back around. "As a safety precaution for your type, you will be stripped of your ability to fly." I tensed, what was he going to do to my precious wings? I growled lowly, but he growled back louder, "Relax, Shadow. I'm not going to take your wings, just your ability. A cut in the bone then a placement of metal - hardly painful." He mused, checking I was following him.

"Hardly painful!?" I spat, not being able to hold my temper any longer, "You're a sick being and I want nothing to do with you, or your god damned pack!!" I snarled venomously.

Shade had me pinned underneath him in a split second, his breath hot on my face, "Listen here, Shadow. You are going to be my Alpha Female whether you like it or not. You will bear my kits, you will submit to me, you will let me do what I please with you - whether. You. Like. It. Or. Not." He hissed in a powerful voice. Tears were already seeping out my eyes, "O-okay." I choked out weakly.

Okay?! What what I thinking?!

I was weak and I knew it. I was feeble and he knew it - so he took advantage of my weakness and used it for his own reasons. I should have left through the days that came, but I found the strength to stay because somewhere deep inside me, I felt that I could change Shade and bend him to know how to love again.

*
"You are to sleep in my cave now, Shadow. Dinner is at seven when the hunting party get back." Shade informed me, watching me sulk in the darkest corner of his cave. It had turned out to be quite comfortable until Shade decided to lay next to me and cuddle me. I had growled at him, and he had just cuffed my ear sharply and left for pack matters.

"Come now, don't look so sad, Shadow." He nudged me gently, though there was an air of desperation in his voice and eyes. I whimpered, turning my back once more. This had been going on for about ten minutes.

"Please let me in, you know I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry." He murmured one nice thing - the first nice thing since the last time I saw him. I lifted my head slowly, blinking at him with lonely eyes. "Yes you did." I sniffled, flattening my ears, "You even made me choose between-"

"-I know. It was a stupid thing to do and, in all honesty, while you were gone, I had problems too. My father was stressed with all the things he had to do before retirement and he even yelled at my mother too. I got pretty wound up and lashed out... well, at you. I just want another shot but I don't know how to let you in." He ended with a sad and broken look on his face.

I gazed at him with a new found respect, then licked his cheek and buried my muzzle in his thick mane of neck fur. "I'll give you a second chance. Baby." I lowered my ears as I blushed while I talked. Good thing I had dark fur to cover it up. I felt Shade smile and lick my head, "You don't know how much this means to me." He whispered softly.

I guess we all have skeletons in our closet  - I still do. I guess mine was falling for the players who would always let me down.