"I think it's time to head back, the others have been worried about you" Smith finally said getting to his paws.

The night had passed and the sun was beginning to add it's golden glow to the forest.
Anya nodded, she felt better now that someone knew her secret, but she knew that she would inevitably have to tell Lewis.

"Were the others upset when I was taken?" She asked as she walked at Smith's side.

"Of course they were, everyone was. Even Turps, Sam, Teutron, Perkins and the other humans at the office were sad that you left" Smith explained nudging Anya softly.

"I missed them all too" Anya replied with a smile.
"Finally a smile!" Smith cheered making Anya chuckle, "I finally feel like me again" she said with a slight skip in her step.

The two continued to walk through the woods, catching up with what happened while Anya was absent.
"Your presents are still at my place, we didn't have the heart to throw them away" Smith said and Anya sighed, "I can't remember the last time I got presents".

"No presents! Well there are at least a dozen at my place" Smith cheered, bouncing on his paws, earning a roll of Anya's eyes.

"Well aren't you two a sight for sore eyes!" Trott chuckled as Anya and Smith padded over to where he and Ross were sat, enjoying the early morning sun.
"I'm sorry for being a dick guys" Anya apologised her ears falling back against her head.

Ross chuckled nudging Anya with his paw, "Hey no apologies, your like our little sister, we should be ready to deal with your little temper tantrum".
"Thanks guys" Anya smiled rubbing sides with Ross and Trott to show her gratitude.

*BANG*

"AHH!" Smith howled falling to the grass with a thud.
Anya crumpled also the stabbing pain in her chest being transferred from her mate.
"SMITH!" Ross barked running to Smith's side as blood dripped from a wound in his side.

"HUNTER!" Trott growled with urgency spotting the unmistakable silver shine of a shotgun barrel pultruding from a nearby bush.

"What's going on? What's happening? Who's hurt?" Lewis' panicked voice broke through, the fear for his pack members showing in his tone.

"Hunters! North territory, by the berry bushes. They shot Smith!" Ross answered a paw placed on Smith's wound.

"We're on our way!" Lewis called back.

Anya couldn't move, couldn't breathe, she was sharing Smith pain.
"Anya..." Smith croaked, using her human name, he was in pain and scared, just wanting his mate by his side.

"I'm here" she groaned forcing herself to her feet before falling down beside Smith, nose to nose with him.
Smith's golden eyes were full of fear, and Anya was scared also, but she knew she has to be brave for Smith's sake.

"It's going to be fine" she said holding back the tears, Smith whined, the pain unbearable.

On the brink of consciousness Lewis along with several other members of the pack, consisting of Sjin, Sparkles*, Sips and Martyn, broke through the nearby bushes and darted towards the hunters chasing them off.

Hannah, Kim and Duncan, in human form, ran out the bushes once the coast was clear and rushed to Smith.
"They shot him!" Ross growled still with his paw on the wound.
"Shhhh Ross, It's okay, now carefully take your paw off" Hannah instructed replacing the black wolf's paw with a dense bandage.

"Smith, you need to turn back to your human form, we need to get you back to your flat as it's the closest, but Duncan can't carry you in wolf form" Hannah said softly, trying to calm the in pain wolf.

Anya watched as Smith slowly but painfully shifted and lay stark naked on the ground, a pool of blood accumulating under him. Now without his fur coat Smith shivered, the bullet wound's damage now fully viable due to the amount of blood soaking into the swab.

Duncan draped Smith's body with his coat, before picking up the tall sir and jogging back in the direction of Bristol, Hannah close behind.

"Anya?" Kim said placing her hand on Anya's shoulder. The brown wolf stirred but did not move, whimpered as she shared Smith's pain, her blue eyes glazed with pain and sadness.
"Trott! Ross! Help me get Anya back! We need to keep her near Smith, he's going to need her there with him" Kim ordered the two wolves coming to her side before hoisting Anya onto their backs.

-~-

'NEWS'
"Two illegal hunters were found by Police in the surrounding forests of Bristol City. They have been heavily fined and prosecuted for their hunting actions in the area. However as the two were taken into custody they continued to shout and scream about Wolves in the Bristol area, saying that they had shot one of these wolves before being chased by four others.
The Police concluded that these hunters were under the influence of drugs as Wolves have been extinct in Britain for thousands of years. However if you see any signs of these so called 'wolves' contact the nearest RSPCA"

<><Authors Note><>
Sorry..... The feels are real.... I apologies for any tears this chapter may have cause. (*Quiet evil laugh*)
Remember to continue to send in your Fan Art, the more the best :)
~Leigh xxx