The Alpha's Missing Mate

Chapter 2

2.

Angel Jacobson glanced at her watch as she climbed out of her car. She had planned to leave her house over an hour ago, but Tabitha had called to check up on her, and she'd found it nearly impossible to hang up. She knew Tabitha was lonely without her. It had been two weeks since she'd turned eighteen.

Two weeks since she'd cycled out of the foster care system. Two weeks since the Shepherds kicked her out of their house. She had known it was coming, and so had saved up her money for a decent apartment, but the town she lived in wouldn't take a chance on a girl from "the wrong side of the track". And so, she'd had to move two towns over, where no one knew her. She'd found a decent apartment that didn't wipe out all her savings. She'd had to leave her job at the local grocery store when she moved as well, and it had taken her searching for nearly a month before the move to find something that allowed her to finish school, and paid well enough, she wouldn't have to rely on the charity of others. She still had nine weeks until she graduated, and then she planned on attending college. She had already been accepted, already had a scholarship waiting on her. She just had to finish high school first.

The night was cool and quiet as she made her way into the dark woods. She anxiously looked up, trying to gauge how much time she had left. Just a few more minutes and she'd be in the clearing. She had found it a few days ago while she was exploring her new home. She broke out into a quick jog as she saw the moon was almost over the trees. She hurriedly pulled her shirt over her head, only breaking stride once she was in the sanctity of the clearing. She dropped it to the ground, even as she reached for the clasp of her bra. She quickly kicked off her shoes and lowered her jeans and panties onto the pile of clothing forming at her feet, not even taking the time to undo the fly. Her socks soon followed. She fell onto her knees as a ripple of pleasure coursed through her body. It had almost been too long.

The stars twinkled high above her in the inky night sky. A gentle breeze rattled the limbs of the trees surrounding her. She shivered as the cool night air caressed her bare skin and she felt the first telling tingles kiss along her nerves. She glanced up at the bright round orb above her that bathed the area in silver. Looking down again, she couldn't help but admire the way the moonlight played in her long blond hair as it tumbled down her arms and pooled around her hands pressed against the ground. Another ripple of pleasure coursed through her and she closed her jade green eyes in anticipation.

She felt her bones shift beneath her skin and a small smile spread across her face. She knew without looking that the fine hairs along her arms and legs thickened and spread to cover her entire body. The joints of her body shifted position and she felt her ribs spread as her organs shifted within her body. Her arms and legs shifted even as she felt her face begin to morph, her jaw lengthening and her nose growing into a long muzzle. Her ears shifted position, changing shape and swiveling as sounds became clearer, sharper even in their new place on the top of her head. A slight pressure at the base of her spine suddenly relaxed and she knew her transformation was complete as her tail was finally released from her wolf's body and covered in fur.

She slowly stretched her new shape, sighing in relief as the slight stiffness left her body. Opening her eyes, she sat on her haunches and opened her mouth, her tongue lolling out in a wolfy grin. The early spring breeze carried different scents to her sensitive nose. She could identify several animals just by their scents. Rabbits burrowed in their warrens, squirrels in their nests high in the trees, mice scurrying in the previous fall's dead fall deeper in the woods then her heightened eyesight could see. Another scent was there as well, but she was unable to identify it. It was something she'd never encountered before, and she pushed it to the back of her mind to explore later.

Right now, she only wanted to run and hunt.

She bolted forward, excited about the freedom after several weeks of being unable to sneak away. She might be on her own now, but she was still new to the area, and didn't know if anyone was watching her. She didn't want to raise suspicion in any case.