The Woods

Marina had the right idea. Heading towards shore Miles hoped they weren't being followed. Glancing up at the cliff Miles discovered...nothing was there.
" Marina stay low! "

Knowing her phone was waterproof, Marina pulled it out, sending a short message to Damon. She then dove beneath the waves.

Another bone chilling howl ripped through the air.
" What the hell is this place-the zoo?" Miles swam faster, catching up to Marina as they neared the shore. He spotted Marina pulling her phone out. Between sucking in water and air Miles spoke again, " Calling prince charming? Afraid I can't protect you, your highness? "

Marina reached the sand. She began wringing water out of her clothes before responding. "If Edward were home or near, he would already be here. He would have known something was wrong." She shook her her head. "So, no, not him. My brother." She paused, belatedly tacking more on. "Brother by choice, not blood."

His eyebrow quirked up at her correction. Things we about to get interesting.
" Well than shall we wait for him or would you like to go home? "

"I would like to go home." Marina paused for a moment. "Not knowing what that was, I just... Damon is two hundred years old, and protective. It was a 'just in case' kind of thing."

" Sounds like a plan little lady. " Miles stiffened his back and began walking. His nose told him it was safe...for now.
" Sorry about your clothes, and your sketch book. " Sincerity laced his words. While he meant what he said, he'd rather this ending than the alternative.

Marina shrugged. "It'll be okay. I expected to ruin my clothes on a tree. And I'll find someone to come get my sketch pad."

" off to the castle we go than." Miles said waiting for her to move in a direction. The wind carried a strong wolf's feminine scent. Someone was in heat, he sensed. So glad I'm outta here.

Marina looked around then started walking in the direction of her home.

[Continued in The Estate thread]

The rain began to pick up some more as Leta could feel her hair sticking to her face. Her skin started to itch with the need to shift yet she wouldn't allow it just yet. She had to ensure she was deep enough in the woods.
She stopped in her tracks, surely a mile into the woods was deep enough. Before she started undressing, a swift shadow moving caught her attention. When she looked around nothing moved again confirming it must have been an animal. Than layer by layer Leta removed her hard leather armor and felt her skin erupt in goosebumps as the rain chilled her frenzied fever.

Drake was a few hundred feet behind Leta and he was just about to call her again when she stopped and looked around, scanning the woods to make sure that there were no others in the area. He felt like a voyeur watching her undress however he took in her long lean muscular build, knowing that in a few moments she would be in wolf form.

He couldn't not call out to her. "Leta..." his low voice boomed through the trees as he ripped off what was left of his tattered shirt. If she was going to shift - so would he...

She heard his voice, like thunder in the middle of the night. Forcing the shift to happen quickly she felt her bones begin to shift and break. Hair grew to cover her being and she began to shrink closer to the ground. Her nails elongated turning to claws and her teeth sprouted long sharp fangs. With the sound of cloth ripping, Leta charged forward

Drake felt that distinctive magic pulse through the air as she shifted and it was contagious - he felt the need to shift quickly too. Shedding his pants, Drake let the cool evening air swirl about his being causing every hair on his body to stand on end.

As the air electrified around him, Drake could feel the bones shift and mutate, his legs becoming his muscular haunches, him arms lengthening to become his front legs. And from there everything shifted into wolf form. Once his transformation was complete, Grayson let out one long howl before he charged towards Leta.

His howl vibrated throughout her being. The wet ground pounded beneath her paws. The rain began to fall harder hitting the leafs and echoing around her. And the sound of foot falls behind her. Risking a quick glance, she spotted a magnificent wolf, Drake.
Her distraction cost her, as Leta stumbled and tumbled down a hill side landing in a small creek with a yelp.

Drake covered the distance like lightning when he heard her yelp. He came to a stop at the top of the ravine, only to charge headfirst down the trail and then ultimately by Leta's side. Are you okay? He licked the top of her head before sitting down in the chilly water next to her.

His warmth, his scent, and his being surrounded Leta, yet she tried to fight the attraction. She knew those closest to her always get hurt or worse, die.
With a fierce growl, Leta jumped up only pausing to whisper I'm sorry. than she sprinted towards the caves

Drake sat in the water as she took off. Sorry - for what? He was all for the pursuit of a woman, but he knew also knew when he was getting the cold shoulder from a female.

Standing up, Drake made his way back up the bank of the creek, stopping at the top to shake off the excess water before he headed off into the opposite direction. Looking over his shoulder, Drake let out a whimper and thought; You know where to find me...

He sighed and walked deeper into the woods - maybe he would find some poor bunny to play with - but at the moment that didn't even appeal to him.

Leta knew the moment Drake gave up on her. His scent vanished as his image began a blur in the scenery. Leta tried to lie to herself, and say it was for the best but failed. Even the inner beast let out a howl of disapproval.
Leta slowly began her journey back to the cave to lick her wounds, both physically and mentally. She always knew those closest to her would leave, either willingly like Drake or like Mika and through death.
She made it to the cave where they had first met soaking wet and exhausted. Judging by the rumble in her stomach she needed to feed. However the urge to do so was nonexistent. Instead she sat back to the entrance and morphed back to flesh. Her face already covered with tears.

Drake sat down in a thicket of trees and debated what to do. Go after her or give her space. He didn't want to be that overbearing Alpha that was always up in someone's business. That damn word kept popping up in his head - Alpha...

Growling, Drake let out a breath and turned and headed towards the cave. She could be pissed at him, he really didn't care. He just needed to know that she was okay.

She had started a fire and lay curled next to it. With nothing but a blanket over her Leta felt her stomach rumble once again. As she was stood her knees nearly buckled. The fight took more out of her than she realized. Leaning against the cave wall, Leta made her way towards the entrance. For a moment she swore the strong and alpha scent of Drake was in the air. Before she realized it she mental sent out a message,
Please....
She clamped down on the rope connecting him. Leta couldn't risk him getting hurt because of her. He was different, the others are nothing compare to him.
She leaned the rest of her weight against the wall, the wool blanket the only thing shielding her from the cold bit of the wind.

- love all the wolf pictures -

Drake neared the cave and he caught her one worded mental plea. Whatever the hell that meant - please - please what? This woman was going to drive him to the edge of crazy town.

He stopped at the entrance to see her leaning against the cold wall, the blanket haphazardly laying across her. Drake could tell she was hungry, tired and cold, so he slowly made his way into the cave and sat down next to her. He nudged at her with his muzzle - encouraging her to lay down.

If she wanted peace - he would stay in wolf form just to keep her warm and close his mind off to her.



(thanks, I love looking for pictures for my shifters. )

She collapsed her stomach rumbling continued, however now her fangs extended looking for substance. no matter how hard she tried, cutting the rope between her and Drake was impossible. Like cutting off a limb.
She needed to keep Drake away to safe himself, yet she wanted to bury herself deep inside him.
Thank yo...u
She whimpered tiredly.

Drake curtly nodded his head at her thanks and laid down next to her. He could hear the rumbles of her stomach and without a thought he knew what he had to do. Don't make me regret this, Leta... He snapped his jowls once before turning his head to grant her access to his neck.

And just like that, he shut off the mental connection to her - at least for now.

No she couldn't, she wouldn't! Scrambling away or at least she tried to but was too weak. When she tried to communicate with Drake the connection was blocked. He was shutting himself off like he should yet Leta was hurt.
Instead she tried verbal communication, " Drake... I can't. " Her voice was raspy with exhaustion. She sat up on her own, her back against the cave wall her hand still covering Drake's paw squeezing it gently.