Nola
She lets her howl die out as she expands all of her senses into the night. But she stops dead, the golden hair on her hackles rising and her lips pulling back to emit a low growl. Her howl had not stopped with her.
Shit! There is another werewolf here. A very masculine werewolf...
Nola's fear spikes almost as much as her arousal at this realization. That howl, which conveyed the great strength of this mystery wolf, is calling to her. Her wolf instinct is straining to pursue him. Her heat is practically demanding it. But she doesn't give in.
There is no way this will turn out well. I will have to fight him off and flee after tonight.
How did I not sense him?? Even now I cannot sense his emotions! He is definitely close enough for that, if not my other senses yet.
She didn't know what to make of the situation and was frozen with fear and indecision to the same spot she had changed in.
Why did I have to howl like that?? I thought the area was safe but I wasn't sure. I am sure he could tell from my howl that I am in heat. And now he knows exactly where I am. Shit!
This thought finally gets her moving.
She breaks into a run, much faster than her other form, away from the male wolf. Her wolf senses continue to stretch as far as possible in order to detect any sign of him approaching. Making sure to steer away from the village, Nola tries to put as much distance between them as possible, even as every instinct she has screams for her to go back.
Another powerful howl sounds from her pursuer.
Oh he sounds so powerful...and just so...
Nola's step slows, her body making to turn back to him.
NO. I will not let this happen! He already sounds closer than from the cabin. And I still can't sense him!
She snaps back around and picks up her pace.
She tastes the air as she runs, strains her experienced nose to catch any stray scent, turns her ears to catch any sound of approach, expands her mind to feel for the wolf's feelings and intent. The sound of a large creature following her sets off her alarms and presses her to run even faster.
He is still a bit back. I can find a way to out maneuver him...
Nola continues her flight through the trees. The sound of his heavy steps is slowly drawing closer. She tries to think of a way to escape this situation, but her mind is shrouded. The ache in the center of her being continues to grow hotter and fill her with unquenchable desire. She wants to flee. She wants to go back.
Ahh! No. I won't get the relief I need anyway. It isn't like he will be my mate!
But her heat has considerable control over her body. The smell of her arousal, made even more powerful to broadcast her fertile state, has been growing stronger since she heard his howl. She is even more frustrated with herself at this.
I can run all night but my scent will lead him right to me.
Nola knows she will have to face this strange wolf and fight him off, which she has had to do before. But she is caught off guard by her inability to sense his mind. It has never happened before and she doesn't know what to expect from the one who is blocking her.
And I don't know if I will be able to fight him off with out being able to sense his intentions. He sounds so powerful.
As if echoing her thoughts, he looses another howl. This one is much closer to her. Too close.
Oh boy he is close...he must run so fast...mmm...
A low rumble, not quite growl, sounds in her chest as Nola once again slows and begins to start toward this masculine howl that seems to call to that inner spot she can't grasp.
If I must fight, it might as well be now.
Her flight had kept her from smelling or tasting much of anything behind her, but her pause gives the wind a chance to carry her pursuer's scent to her. She goes crazy over the smell, her wolf fully taking over for the first time since the shift. The spice-honey-leather essence she is treated to is fully wolf, powerfully masculine, and wholly intoxicating.
Mine.
Her understanding comes so quickly she doubts her certainty.
There is no way.
Then another breeze carries more of his scent. She can't help but reach toward its source, her mouth opens wider as her tongue rolls out to better taste the air, her ears perk up hear his approach, her tail relaxes and begins to swish back and forth.
Nola lets out a second howl. This one calling to him, challenging him to take her. To claim her. She then launches herself back into her flight, though this one is not driven by her instinct to evade but her instinct to mate.
She hears his answering howl behind her, much closer than before she paused. Her wolf senses are fully in control, driving her to not give into his chase easily. He has to prove himself. Though she is well prepared for when he does catch her, and she does not doubt that he will.
Her arousal has increased even more, more than during any of her past heats, in anticipation of joining with her mate. She can feel how moist and open she is, inviting her mate to take her. Her juices are beginning to run into the fur on her inner legs.
Her inability to read his emotions has slipped to the back of her mind; she is still wary of what it will mean but is no longer fearful of him.
It will actually be quite nice not to have that power over someone. But will he be frightened of me when he finds out what I can normally do?
Her wolf pushes the unwelcome thoughts back down and brings her focus back to the pursuit.
She can hear him even closer now, though he doesn't seem to be treading as heavily as before.
He is going to try sneaking up on me.
This thrills her wolf and renews her vigor. Her speed increases and she sharpens her senses in an attempt to detect him before he moves in.
Her nose isn't offering much insight into his position and she can only scan so much area with her keen eyesight, and not behind her. She is attempting to keep track of his movements by the sound of his passage through the forest, but is soon having trouble hearing any evidence of him behind her.
Has he given up? Does he not feel the mating call as I do?
Nola is dismayed and slows her pace slightly. She stretches her senses into the trees.
Nothing.
A huge force hits her from the side and tackles her to the ground.
Nola slips from his grasp, her momentum rolling her a few feet away. She finds her footing and prepares to flee once again, though she takes a moment to admire the one who has been chasing her.
He is a powerfully built black wolf. Almost twice her size, and she is not considered a small werewolf, he is bigger than any wolf she has met. His scent fills the area and she feels herself salivating. They lock eyes, both of them frozen. She feels spellbound by his gaze. His eyes are a swirling of blues and greens that remind her of her own.
His masculine scent mixes with her feminine arousal and the combination is heady. Every fiber of her being is begging to be taken by him. She can't help but let out a whimper at her need. His answering growl shakes her to her very core and conveys his need to claim her.
She no longer has any doubts. He is her mate.
Her instincts press her to continue the chase, follow the mating ritual, so she turns to run. His hulking form crashes into her before she can take a second step, this time keeping a hold of her as they wrestle to the floor of the forest.
Cedric
Cedric's wolf has full control as he responds to the howl that joined his at the shift. He does not waste a second of consideration before running towards the female werewolf. His instinct to breed is strong and this female is ready for his seed.
The howl had caught him off guard, he was almost sure no one was in the area.
I should have checked out the other cabins.
It was an even bigger shock that there was another werewolf in the area. He had avoided his kind since he left his pack. But these thoughts were in the back of his mind as he kept a fast pace towards the origin of the howl. Three thoughts were driving him.
The howl had been female. The female is in heat. The female has challenged him.
He can't help another howl from ripping through the night, announcing his pursuit and intent to couple. He is aware that the chance of actually managing to couple with this other wolf is slim, she would do her best to fight him off if they did not sense the mating call. He didn't care.
Cedric is quickly approaching a cabin closer to the village. His wolf scents something that invokes the thrumming in his chest he usually only experiences during a full moon shift. The vanilla-flowery-honey essence grows stronger the closer he gets to the cabin. Something clicks within him.
Mine.
He releases another howl, this one expressing the discovery of his mate and his need to claim her. His instincts throw his full body and mind into the pursuit.