Missing Ch. 01-10

The next day was my Single Tracking competition. The fifty of us in my heat were each handed a baggie containing the clothing of our target. An hour earlier, sixty volunteers had run from the Pack House to a spot on the road five miles away. It was an all-or-nothing test; either you found your target in time or not. If you timed out or ended up in the wrong place, you lost any chance of winning this thing.

I shifted and took a good sniff of the open baggie. When the horn sounded, I headed to the edge of the woods, searching through the scents until I found her. As I followed the faint scent, I had to respect the Baxter wolves who set this up to be a real test of our abilities. The targets would run together, then break apart. Sometimes they would cross, even double back before continuing. I could hear the frustration of wolves around me as they struggled to regain her track. I followed my nose to the road and sat down at the marker, a full three minutes before the final horn. When scores got posted that night, I'd moved up to 18^th, as five wolves above me hadn't completed the task in time.

I watched Beta Brian win his match easily, then watched Warrior Steve shoot rifle. I hit the rack early, knowing I had a big run in the morning.

Buses left after breakfast for the starting line of the cross-country run, taking us fifty miles to the north to a wide-open meadow. We spread out along the starting line. "The logging road is the first twenty miles, then it shifts left at the sign to the trail leading to the Pack House," the Lead Official said over a bullhorn. "Points will be awarded based on finish order and time behind the winner. Good luck."

I didn't worry about being at the front; it was a long race, and winning the first mile meant nothing. At the gun, the group surged forward, the wolves in the lead racing for the logging road. I was in the middle of the pack after the first five miles, my wolf keeping pace on the right side of a dozen wolves.

At the ten-mile point, two wolves started running hard to overtake me. I gave them space, only for the lead male to push his shoulder into mine. I was knocked off my feet and fell heavily on my side in the pine needles and rocks. Nobody stopped to help. I wasn't seriously hurt, so I pushed myself back up. Letting out a howl of outrage, I ignored the pains as I started to run again.

I started to stretch my stride out as we hit the trail. I set myself a fast pace, not quite a sprint, with my long legs and light body. The bigger males ahead of me were starting to tire out while I was just getting started. I was moving steadily towards the front of the line as we passed the marker showing five miles left. Spectators were starting to line the trail, cheering the wolves as we went by.

I scented the male who knocked me down running just ahead of me. I kicked up my speed, blowing by him before he could react. He growled in outrage and took off after me, and I heard another wolf howl behind him.

I didn't care. I was running like the wind, and nobody could keep with me. I had the leader in my sights as we broke out of the trees for the final sprint to the finish line behind the Pack House.

I'd made it to third place when I heard a wolf running hard behind me, growling loudly and getting closer. I gave it everything I had, but he kept getting closer. I left nothing behind, only yards from the finish line when my rear leg hit something. I stumbled, rolling ass over teakettle across the finish line as the crowd went nuts.

I rolled back to my feet, furious, and snarled at the male who tackled me.

Ch. 3

Specialist Sean Woods, US Army Reserve POV

Monday, July 12^th, 1992

Baxter Pack Entrance

I turned my bright red 1988 Honda CRX off the main road, revving the engine as I put it in neutral and braked to a stop before the gate. Security was high with the Werewolf Games entering their fourth day. Four armed guards supplemented the usual Monday morning gate security, two with patrol rifles and the rest with holstered pistols. I knew my Beta would have at least two more with heavy weapons hidden in the woods. With the defensive positions pre-dug for them, they could hold off an attack long enough for help to arrive.

Since our Pack driveway was private land, it was all legal.

I didn't know all the guards, but one I knew all too well. I opened the driver's side window and smiled at Lou Masterson, one of my high school classmates. "Lou! You lazy fuck, why aren't you hanging out with the ladies?"

He shrugged. "Damn near all of them are mated, and the tall redhead won't give me the time of day, Sean. Did you pass the assessment?"

I nodded. "That was a rough cut, basically a weekend-long physical fitness test. I'm on leave for two weeks until I report to Fort Bragg for the three-week Special Forces Assessment and Selection. That should be more of a challenge." At seventeen, I'd enlisted in the Army just a week after graduating from high school. I joined the famed 82^nd Airborne Division, earning my jump wings and rising to the rank of Corporal. As soon as I turned twenty, I started the selection process for the Green Berets. Alpha Nathan McInnis fully supported my dream of being a Special Forces soldier, knowing the experience would help me train his Pack to a higher level.

"I've missed fucking with you. Get going; the Alpha wants to see you and put you to work."

"I bet he does," I said with a smile. The gate slowly opened, and I waved at the other guards as I drove past. I had to park in a grassy area a few hundred yards from the Pack House, as the paved lots were filled with recreational vehicles and trailers. I got out, putting on my dark green uniform jacket and black beret. I hoisted my rucksack onto my shoulder and started walking in.

"Hey soldier, need a lift?" I smiled at Ginger, one of the mated Omegas in the Downeast Lakes Pack I'd met a few times. She was driving a golf cart.

"Sure," I said as I climbed into the passenger seat. "How are you?"

"Busy," she said. "Find your mate yet?"

"No, but it's only been a few years since I came of age. It's all right, Ginger. I don't want a mate right now with everything going on in my life. It wouldn't be fair to her to expect her to sit around while I'm in my Green Beret training and deploying around the world."

She just gave me one of those all-knowing 'mmm-hmmms' as we came to a stop in front of the Pack House. "Sally is inside at the Information Desk, and George is out at the rifle range."

"Thanks, Ginger. See you around." I grabbed my rucksack and walked up the stairs to the tall double-door entry to the Pack House. The doors were open, with security guys posted on each side. The ten-foot-tall doors looked like solid wood, but it was a carved wooden veneer over armor plating that could stop an RPG. Our Pack House was a well-designed fortress.

I heard a squeal as soon as I walked inside the marbled entryway, and I barely had time to drop my bag before my Mom leaped into my arms. "My baby is home!"

I spun her around once before setting her down, happy to see her again. "It's good to be back, Mom." Sally was Luna Adrienne's secretary, and she loved her job. Her boss was only nineteen, having met the Alpha at the previous year's Scratch n Sniff. Adrienne was still getting used to being a Luna, so she relied on Sally for everything. This conference had her jumping around like a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest. She looked exhausted, and the Games had a week yet to go.

"You look so handsome in your uniform, just like your father," Mom told me as she straightened my tie. "The Alphas are in his office. I'll get someone to take your bag to your room, and I'll see you at lunch."

I'd talk to her about getting more sleep then. "Thanks, Mom."

I made my way up to their office, greeting Pack members and friends along the way. Even the visiting Alphas deferred to my uniform. Those werewolves in the military or law enforcement had a unique status among our kind. We were able to move freely throughout Packs in the performance of our duties, though we would notify the Packs when able that we were present. If we were on leave, we'd seek permission. Interstates and airports are considered open territory, so I didn't have to get any permission to drive up from Fort Bragg overnight.

I arrived in the outer office and let the Alphas know I was here. It took ten minutes before the doors opened, and a half-dozen Alphas and Council members filed out. I stood and bowed my head respectfully as they passed, only looking up to answer Chairman Platt's question about how I was doing in the Army. When they were gone, the Alpha summoned me inside.

Alpha Nathan McInnis was an imposing man, standing six-foot-five and over two hundred and fifty pounds of muscle. He was a young Alpha at twenty-four and in his physical prime. He was still growing into the job he'd taken over almost three years ago. His mother died of cancer, and his father followed her into death by suicide hours later. It was a dark time for the Pack, but most mates couldn't handle living without their other half.

Luna Adrienne stayed sitting on his lap behind the jarrah desk, probably calming her mate down after the meeting. The North American Council normally wouldn't have let the Games come to a Pack ruled by a newer Alpha, but Chairman Platt insisted the other Packs would provide all needed assistance. Construction of the expanded Pack House and the facilities for the Games continued until a few weeks ago.

I walked to the front of his desk, standing at attention with my eyes lowered in respect. The problem with this was that it focused my attention on my Luna's shapely figure, accented by the tight dress she had on. She was gorgeous, with a delicate face framed by dark red hair that went in waves down to the middle of her back. There wasn't a single male in the Pack who wasn't disappointed that she didn't have a sister.

I had no idea how the Alpha got anything done with a stone-cold fox like Adrienne as his mate. Hell, how did the other Alphas focus on anything else with her in the room? Maybe Alpha Nathan used her to keep them off-balance? I'm sure it would work, especially with some of these old fossils.

Redheads were my Kryptonite. If I had a woman like that, we'd never get out of bed.

I quickly focused my attention on the woodgrain of the desktop as the safest option. "Warrior Trainee Sean Woods, reporting as ordered, Alphas," I said with a firm voice.

"Welcome back, Corporal," the Alpha said.

"You have changed since you were last home," Adrienne said. "You've put on muscle." I just nodded, knowing that most things I wanted to say would get me in trouble. The Army had taught me that not everything I think I should say needed to be said. "How long are you home?"

"Twelve days, Madam Alpha. I need to report back to Fort Bragg in two weeks for Special Forces Selection."

"I have every confidence in you, Sean. I expect you to do three things during these Games. Help your father with his duties, and learn everything you can from the best warriors in the world."

He didn't continue. "And the third thing, Alpha?"

"Have fun, Sean. Your training is going to be all-consuming for the next year. Enjoy your time at home."

"Thank you, Alphas." I did an about-face and walked smartly out of the room, continuing to the stairway and out the door. It was a short walk to my parent's house, where my bedroom looked just like it did when I left for the Army. I changed into athletic gear as I linked my Dad. "The Alpha said I should help you; where do you need me?"

"I got some reports about things getting chippy during the cross-country run, with wolves getting knocked off the trail. Get out to the two-mile point where the trail takes that hard left before they do, and keep an eye on them as they pass the dropoff. I don't want these idiots hurting anyone."

"I'm on it," I replied. I went into the woods and stripped, placing my clothes in one of the boxes. Shifting into my black-over-grey wolf for the first time in months, I stretched before heading out through the trees. I didn't want to run the trail while the event was in progress, so I looped through the familiar woods instead. I found a spot overlooking the trail bend, the dropoff on the far side, and laid down with the wind blowing into my face.

The sound of paws hitting the ground had me looking up the trail a minute later. The leader was alone and breathing hard. His big paws kicked up dirt and grass as he took the wide turn. Another tracker was ten seconds behind and looked to be winded as well. After almost fifty miles of running hard, they had to be struggling. It was thirty more seconds before a group of five wolves showed up. My eyes went to the rust-colored wolf that was gaining on them fast.

The group hugged the inside of the trail, not risking the drop that could come if you lost your footing on the far edge. They had to slow down, but their chaser didn't. I tilted my head when I saw the red wolf was a female with long legs and a narrow waist. She looked like a greyhound as she took the turn at full speed, speeding past them on the outside before they could recover.

I heard a growl, then a howl, and then the smell hit me.

Cherry smoke, gardenias, and honey. MATE MATE MATE! My wolf was going nuts in my head, and I was up and moving before I realized what was happening. I ran down the hill and turned onto the trail, running hard after the best-smelling thing in my entire life.

I'm more of a fighter than a runner, but I was on fresh legs and had all the motivation in the world to chase her down. I blew past the group of males, growling at one when I noted MY mate's scent was on him. I was gaining on my red-furred temptress as she broke out of the woods to the grass.

The final sprint to the finish was only a hundred yards. I growled loudly, confused as to why MY MATE would be running from me! All I could think about was pinning her below me and marking her as MINE.

Hundreds of spectators urged us on as I raced after her towards the finish. The leader broke the tape, followed a few seconds later by a second wolf. I didn't care about a race.

I managed to stick out a paw and swipe at her rear leg, smacking her right leg to the left enough that her back legs got tangled. Since we were running at a full sprint, she wiped out with me close behind her. I slid on my back for a while, finally stopping when I hit one of the spectators.

My mate was already on her feet, growling her fury as she limped towards me. She was six feet away when she froze, her head turning to the side as she looked at me. I got to my feet just before someone kicked me in the ribs, knocking me ten feet away from her. "STAY AWAY FROM HER, YOU FUCKING GOBSHITE!"

I snarled at the big male who'd blindsided me. I started to get up, meaning to attack him, when my mate moved in front of him and whined. My ears dropped, and I moved towards her, taking a deep sniff of her neck as she buried her nose in my fur. Our wolves moaned in pleasure as we both tried to catch our breath.

"For fuck's sake, he's her MATE?" The muscled guy felt like Alpha-blood but wasn't an active Alpha. I stared him down; I didn't care WHO he was. He better not get between my mate and me, or I'd take him down.

"Get them out of the way, guys. I have a race going on here," my father told the group. "Congratulations, my boy. Now take her home before your hormones make everyone lightheaded."

I nudged her shoulder, getting her to walk next to me. As we went to my home, I made sure to lay my scent down on her sides by rubbing against her. There were hundreds of unmated males around, and they better not give her a second chance.

Mom was holding the door to my house open as we arrived. She had a big smile on her face and bounced up and down on her heels in her excitement. "I can't believe you found her!" I led my mate through the door and into our small living room. "Go change and, you know, do what comes naturally. I'll come back when you are done."

"Thanks, Mom."

"What is her name?"

"I don't know." I pushed the door closed to my room as she jumped up on my bed. Shifting, I stood up and gazed at her. She was still breathing hard from the run, so it took a minute before she changed back for me. In place of the long-legged wolf was an athletic, long-legged redhead with a narrow waist and freckles on her chest. "I'm Sean, Sean Woods. I'm a warrior here in the Baxter Pack."

My mate pulled my pillow in front of her body as she stood up. She was still pissed off at me, and she had a decent punch when she hit my shoulder. "That's for interfering in my race! What if I'd gotten hurt and couldn't finish?"

"I'm sorry. My wolf took over, and nothing mattered other than catching you."

She thought about it, then rubbed my shoulder. Tingles flowed down my arm, and I relaxed into the sensation of the mating pull. "Tracker Bonnie McDonald, from the Dublin Pack in Ireland. We are mates?"

"We are," I said with a smile as I moved closer. Bonnie looked down at my body, her eyes getting wide as she saw ALL of me. My arousal was obvious. Our wolves were eager to join, and her body was already preparing. The scent of your mate would do that. "Come here, my beautiful Bonnie. I can't wait to complete the bond."

"We can't," Bonnie said as she turned away. "I'm sorry."

Ch. 4

Bonnie McDonald's POV

I hated to do this to the man Luna had made for me, but I couldn't let him mark and mate me right now. The look on his face made my wolf howl in pain, and it felt like a knife was going through my gut.

"You're rejecting me?" He could barely say the words. His face fell, and I could see the heartbreak on his face.

"NO! No, I'm not rejecting you, although I will understand if you don't want me after what I have to say." By Luna, this was hard. It had to be, though; I'd been dreading this talk since I came of age.

The poor guy was getting emotional whiplash, and his wolf was reaching out to me.

Our wolves would take over if I didn't get control of this situation soon. Instinct would take over, and I'd be marked and mated seconds later. I was holding back, but my wolf was eager to mark him.

He moved quickly to the edge of the bed, his hand reaching for mine. I could feel the tingles rushing up my arm from his touch; we were mates, there was no doubt. "You are MINE, Bonnie, and I am yours. Nothing else and no one else matters to me. I loved you from the first moment I laid my eyes on your wolf."

"What, twenty minutes ago? Where were you on Friday when I arrived?"

"I'm active duty Army, home on leave," he replied. "I got home maybe an hour ago, and my Dad sent me to monitor the trail. As soon as your scent hit me, nothing in the world would stop me from finding you and making you mine. It's that simple, Bonnie."

"Life isn't always that simple, Sean. I need you to listen to me, Sean, because these things are important to me."

"Tell me, Bonnie. Tell me why we can't be mates, and I'll tell you why you're wrong." He was shaking, trying to keep his wolf under control. I pulled him closer, keeping the pillow in front of me as he placed his head on my thighs. I ran my fingers through his sandy-blonde hair as he scented my core.

The contact and my scent calmed him down enough for me to continue. "I'm eighteen years old, Sean, and coming here was my first time on an airplane. I'm one of the few women in these competitions, and I'm doing well. Since I beat you to the finish line for third place, I won an event medal, plus I have a good shot at the overall Best Tracker medal. The Dublin Pack paid for me to come here. It wouldn't be honorable to do this to them."