Happy New Year everyone! 

To celebrate, here is a brand new chapter! I really hope you like it! 

This chapter is dedicated to Notinspired2! I'm super excited to start reading one of the books you mentioned!!! 

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Saffron

The forest between school and the pack house is beautiful. We're surrounded by trees and birds chirp overhead as we walk. If I focus—I mean, really, really focus—I can hear leaves rustle in the wind and the faint sounds of running water. I take a deep breath and catch the scent of a fox that's somewhere upwind. Two squirrels jet by, chasing each other up a tree trunk, making me smile. This place is heaven—or would be, if Kaitlin would just stop talking for one second.

"Oh my Goddess, and then she said 'how could you, Kaitlin?' and I said 'listen here, biatch...'" Kaitlin goes on and on until my head starts to ache. I try to enjoy the walk and just ignore her high-pitched, nasally voice, but it's a losing battle.

The only good thing is that Kaitlin's talking to Jess and Zara, not me. I haven't said a word since we picked up Nicki and her friends from the elementary school. I don't think anyone would notice if I put in headphones and blasted music to block out Kaitlin, but I don't actually own headphones, or a phone. If walking home with Kaitlin becomes a thing, I know exactly what I'll be doing with my first paycheck. After I give a large chunk to POW, of course.

I glance at Nicki and her friends, Nisha and Joshie. They're far enough far enough ahead, and too busy giggling, to be annoyed by Kaitlin. Would it be weird if I tried to join them? Would Zara and Jess even notice?

I glance at my new friends. Jess is nodding along as Kaitlin talks, like she actually cares, and says things like 'OMG' and 'really?' in all the right places. Zara chimes in too, occasionally, but she looks all dreamy, probably thinking about Jasper.

Me? I have to fight the urge to scream at Kaitlin to be quiet. Or gouge my eyes out. Or kill something—assuming Kaitlin doesn't talk us all to death first.

I debate shifting and running the rest of the way home to get away from the pain that is Kaitlin when she suddenly stops in her tracks. "OMG. You guys! I left my math book in my locker." She gasps and covers her glossed lips with her hand like she thinks she's on some TV sitcom. "We, like, have a test tomorrow."

"You can borrow my book," Jess offers.

"Or mine," Zara adds.

"I don't have one," I chime in. I was in Mr. Hank's class for a total of ten minutes yesterday, and this morning I slept through my first class. If I did have a book though, no way would I ever lend it to Kaitlin. I should probably borrow someone's though, if we have a test.

"That's so sweet," Kaitlin says, I'm assuming to Jess and Zara, "but I need my notes." She blows us some air kisses and turns back the way we came. "See you at home."

She skips away and I cover my sigh of relief with a cough. Jess rubs her temples, like Kaitlin was giving her a headache, which makes no sense since she's the one who invited her. Zara, meanwhile, looks like she's off in Jasper-land.

After a few more minutes of walking, we reach a clearing. Nicki giggles and runs into the knee-high grass with Joshie and Nisha on her tail. She throws her hands in the air, tilts her head up to the sky, and starts to spin. Her friends join in, letting the sun hit their faces as they spin faster and faster.

I know it's childish, but I run into the grass and join them. It's such a beautiful day and everything in my life finally feels right. Kaitlin is gone and I have Wolf friends and a sort-of boyfriend. I live at a pack house, like I've always dreamed of. POW doesn't plan to keep me a slave forever and I never have to worry about fighting Dad again. Life couldn't get any better.

I spin and spin and spin until I smell them. Wolves. Strangers. I stop spinning, and take a few seconds to let the dizziness pass. Then I squint into the trees, trying to spot them.

"Can we play tag?" Nicki begs, running over to Zara.

"Sure, Nick, but only when we cross the border. Remember what Alpha says."

"No shifting on human territory," the kids all yell at once. "We know."

Nicki whispers something to her friends and the start to giggle while Zara and Jess share a smile. They're all acting so normal, like they're not the least bit worried about the strange scents. Why should they be? It's probably just a few pack Wolves I haven't met yet, walking home from school, same as us.

"Wait, you're sure we can't shift here?" I ask, zeroing in on a flash of gray fur up ahead.

"No way. If anyone saw us..." Zara trails off, looks in the direction of my gaze, and takes a sniff.

Suddenly, she grabs Nikki's hand and I immediately reach for the nearest kid—Joshie—while Jess takes hold of Nisha.

"Come on," Zara starts herding us back the way we came, "before they spot us."

Except it's too late. Already, I see flashes of white and gray fur as the wolves give chase. We only take about a dozen steps before they surround us—two large growling wolves. One is a familiar shade of gray, the same shade as Dad and most Rogues, but the other is a shockingly white wolf the color of snow.

Zara steps in front of the kids, protecting them, and Jess moves to stand by her side. I do too, forming a three person barrier that will hopefully keep Nicki, Nisha and Joshie safe. I glance at Zara, waiting for her to give the order to attack, just as a guy steps out from behind the trees. He looks oddly familiar, with his pale face and his shaggy black hair sticking out every which way.

I know I've seen him before, but where? If it was at school, you'd think I'd remember. This guy would literally stand out anywhere, with his gaunt face, too skinny body, and way too large clothes. He's either lost a bunch of weight or he borrowed the mud-splattered jeans and torn, wrinkled t-shirt from a some really big homeless person.

"You're not going anywhere." He leers at us and gives us a disgusting once-over. Actually, the once-over seems to be aimed mostly at me, but then his gaze shifts down our defense line to take in Jess and Zara.

I wait for Zara—the Beta female—to give the order to attack, when two more figures step out of the trees. I barely pay any attention to the kid, my relief is so great at the sight of the man next to him.

He's wearing black jeans, a navy t-shirt, and a black leather jacket, all of which fit him well and look like they were borrowed off POW, instead of a homeless person. I've only ever seen this guy wearing reflective sunglasses as he watched me through his car window, but it's obviously him. Those same sunglasses are perched on his head and I recognize his tanned skin, with a day's worth of stubble, and his hard angular chin.

I inhale, and a whiff of his scent confirms it. He's the same wolf who's been following me and Logan on our runs. POW's guard.

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OMG!! Can you believe what just happened?

What's going on?

What do you think will happen next? Any guesses?!?!

By the way, did you know that my other werewolf book, Hunter's Luna, is up to chapter 6 now? I update it every weekend, and it's ranked #852 in werewolf today!! Cue fireworks! 

♥ You know the best way to wish all your favorite Wattpad authors a happy new year? Go on their stories and vote vote vote! ♥