Aeriela.

It made it to the town I was a day and half ago. The old couple could only take me two towns away and I had to get picked up one more time before I decided to walk away when the creepy man hit on me. Since I knew where I was going it made it easier to go where I was supposed to. 

As I walked into the woods I been in the other day where I met Uncle Ramses I was praying to myself that I hoped I was doing the right thing. I had this feeling that I was since with Uncle Ramses, I know at least it's where I belong. I may be the weakest but I knew how to survive the pack life. I was just glad Uncle Ramses found me and was willing to forgive me. He was fight, we were family. Mat said we were sister but the thing is—we aren't sisters. We weren't blood. 

Blood is thicker than water. 

I saw Uncle Ramses when I made it to the river. His back was racing me until I got a few feet away and he turned around. He smiled down at me and hugged me, "I knew you would come." he said. When he pulled away he cupped my face in his hands, "I knew you would come back. I promise things will be different." 

I smiled at him, "Thank you, Uncle Ramses. For letting me come back." 

Uncle Ramses looked at the bag on my shoulder, "Is that the human things you want to bring with you?" he asked. I nodded my hand as I looked at it before looking back up at him. "Let me see it." he said, confusing me. "I want to see the stuff. I don't want anything that I don't think should be in the pack to be with you." 

"But—" He snatched the bag from me and I scoffed but let him do what he wanted. He crouched down to the ground and searched through the bag. He put out the books, some clothes, jewelry,deodorant, and other some of my things of mine I brought. "Happy now?" I asked him. 

He messingly through the stuff back in and stood up handing me the bag, "I just had to make sure. I don't want the young one to go near any of those things. Might make him curious of the modern world also." 

I breathed out heavily, "It wasn't so bad, Uncle Ramses. The wolves and humans yes but the things I got weren't bad—" 

"Aeriela, that stuff doesn't belong with us." he said. "We don't need those things. I'm only allowing you to have them because you are my niece." 

I nodded, "I know." 

I heard someone behind me until he walked passed me and my blood went cold as I looked at Aydin His dark blonde hair was pushed back as usual with his ripped jeans and old t-shirt. He was bare foot but all of us walk around without shoes but his feet were dirty. 

"Aeriela." he said. 

I stared at him for a moment before I looked at Uncle Ramses, "Why is he here with you?" I asked coldly. 

Uncle Ramses sighed heavily, "Aeriela, I had already promised Aydin you two would be together before I promised you that I wouldn't make you." he said, making everything crash down hard onto me. My jaw dropped as I looked at the both of them, shaking my head. "It'll be different though." he quickly said. 

"I promise to wait until your ready." Aydin said, smiling but it sure seemed wicked. I brought my hands up to my bag, pressing it against my chest as I lowered my head feeling so stupid. "You'll be my mate but I will wait for you. The pack will expect us to be the ones to bring in a new pup but we will talk to them to wait." 

I scoffed as I lifted my head back up, "And they'll want us to keep having children. Uncle Ramses can't have pups, that's why he wants you to be leader when he's gone. I won't be with you just to have pups for the pack." 

"That is the rules." Uncle Ramses said. "As leaders, that is both of your jobs. Aydin takes care of the pack, makes sure it's safe and fed. Yours is to birth pups." 

I scoffed, "I don't want to do that! It is after spring, I'm now sixteen. I'm too young—" 

"You should have been a mother by now!" Ramses said. "You spent to long in the modern world. They made you believe you were to young—" 

"My mama was fourteen! She died giving birth to me because of her body wasn't ready enough." I coldly yelled to them. "I learned a lot of things. My body was to small and weak before I left. I could have died also if I had a child." 

"Well your body is now strong and ready." Aydin said, making me groan since I wish he would just leave! He stepped towards me, "Aeriela, I promise to wait until you are ready though. Ramses is still strong, he won't die for awhile and we have time." 

"I don't believe in your promises, Aydin." I coldly said. He bared his teeth as he growled and I breathed heavily out of my nose, "You lied to Melinda,hurt her." 

"I never hurt you though." he said coldly. "I never did anything wrong to you. You are very selfish and spoiled. You think of no one in the pack but yourself." 

"I blame myself for that." Uncle Ramses said. "I was to easy on you, I shouldn't have." 

I couldn't believe this—how stupid of me! How could I believed Uncle Ramses would actually change things? Of course he would still make me be with Aydin. He thought it was the best thing when he couldn't be more wrong. I don't believe Aydin will be patient and wait. I knew him, he isn't a patient wolf. No wild wolf was patient in anything. I made such a huge mistake—how many more mistakes am I going to make before I finally do the right thing? 

Uncle Ramses grabbed me by my arm, holding me in place. I cried out, lowering my gaze, "I'm forgiving you Aeriela, I'm letting you return back to the pack. No one ever gets a second chance like you do. I'm letting you bring these human things into the pack. The least you can do is be with Aydin." he coldly said, making my eyes water up quickly and I choked on a sob. He soften his voice up, "I can't spend the rest of my life taking care of you. You need a man to take care of you and be your mate. Aydin will do that. He will make sure you are safe and always fed." 

I pulled away, "No!" I cried out, tears going down my face. "Why can't you understand I don't want this! I don't want to be with Aydin, I want to be by myself. I can take care of myself, I don't need him." 

"You are already promised to him, you can't change it." he said, making me cry more. He reached for the bag on my shoulder and I quickly stepped away. He growled and grabbed it, pulling it off my shoulders. I went to grab it back but he gave it to Aydin and he grabbed me. He held me back from my stuff, "You need to calm down,Aeriela. It is not the end of the world." 

I sobbed, "Uncle Ramses please!" 

"Tear it all up." he ordered Aydin. Aydin grabbed a book and started ripping at the book. 

"No!" I screamed, reaching out to grab my stuff but he pulled away. "Stop it, please!" 

"Promise you'll be with Aydin." he said, making me scream in frustration. "If you won't, he'll just ripe it all up!" 

Aydin grabbed a shirt Mat given me that was her and my back stiffen as the noise of it tearing. He grabbed another shirt and started to tear it, "Wait!" I yelled and he froze. "Okay—I'll be with you. Just stop it, please." 

Aydin looked at Uncle Ramses and Uncle Ramses nodded. Aydin dropped my stuff and Uncle Ramses let go of me. I fell to the ground and crawled over to my things. Tears went down my face as I grabbed the ripped children book with fairy tales in it and just threw it into the bag. Aydin grabbed me by my arms and lifted me from the ground, pressing my back against his chest, "You're making the right decision, Aeriela." he said, making me cry harder. 

I heard both of them growl suddenly but I ignored them. Probably just a deer around. 

Mat 

I heard something that made me stop running. My ears perked up as Killian stopped a few feet ahead when he realized I stopped. He turned to face me and walked over towards me, nuzzling his head against mine. I swear I heard a girl scream. 

The is in the same area Aeriela had been in two days ago. I closed my eyes and focused on the sounds around me. I heard birds and bugs but I focused deeper around me. My ears twitched and I heard a screaming again from the east—the right of me. I opened my eyes and Killian must have heard the screaming also before he was looking in that direction. 

We both ran towards the directions. I forced my paws to move faster as my anxiety raced since the scream sounded so much like Aeriela. Is someone hurting her? 

We ran for two miles until we got close. I saw two familiar wolves I haven't seen in such a long time and Aeriela. Aydin was holding Aeriela against his chest with her crying as she held tightly onto her things. Ramses and Aydin both turned their heads in our directions, making us both freeze in our spots. I looked right at Ramses who had a cloth eye patch around his right eye that I had stabbed him with. He looked right at me and his left eye turned amber and sapphire. 

Aeriela looked up and turned to our direction. She gasped loudly, "Mat!" she yelled as started to move from Aydin grasp but he just grabbed her. She gave me a begging look, "I'm so sorry! I made such a big mistake—ahh!" she screamed when Aydin put his hand over her mouth. 

I shifted back into my human body with Killian, "Aeriela," I started to stepped towards her but Ramses growled like the wild wolf he was. I breathed out heavily, "Did you know they were here?" What is going on here? How was Ramses and Aydin both here? Was. . .was Aeriela lying to me this whole time? 

Aydin yelp loudly and pushed Aeriela away. He brought his bleeding hand up to his face and growled. Aeriela started to run in my direction but Ramses grabbed her and made her fall. She started to get up but he put his dirty foot on top of her and pressed her down. 

"Please Mat, it's not what it looks like!" Aeriela said loudly. "Uncle Ramses found me when I ran away and asked me to come back! He knew we were here in Texas and came looking for me. I made a mistake though— 

"She was coming back." Ramses said with a growl. "As my niece, I was willing to forgive her for her betrayal. 

"You forgive her?" I coldly said. "You're lucky she forgave you! You're a monster 

He snorted heavily, "And your a traitor to who you are." he said, making me roll my eyes. "Apparently Aeriela isn't happy in your tamed pack or she would have never ran away. I'm just lucky I came on the right time. 

"No, I don't wanna come back with you!"Aeriela said. "I made a mistake choosing you! I shouldn't have believed you when you said I wouldn't have to be with Aydin." 

Ramses pressed his foot down on her head and I growled. "You shouldn't be so naïve, Aeriela." Ramses said. "You're right, you shouldn't have believed me. But, you are still my niece and will come back with me. You will be with Aydin and forget all about living in the modern world." 

I growled, "I don't think so, Ramses. She is now my family and I won't let you take her." 

"Is that a challenge?" he questioned. Aydin growled behind him and turned in the tan wolf, ready to fight with his leader. Ramses laughed, "Really want to do this again, little girl? You surprised me the last time but let me make it clear it won't happen again. 

I grinned as I turned half way around and slowly paced my aching bones that wanted to shift, "Don't make me take another eye, Ramses." 

"Mat." Killian breathed out warningly. 

"You are getting old, meaning you're getting weaker." I said as I paced and he growled. "I'm young and get stronger everyday. I hear wild wolves don't usually make it to their forties. Because they get weak and one of the wolves in the wild challenge them for role as leader. Usually their second in command." I said, eyeing Aydin for a second. "It works the same in the tame packs also, you see. So we're not to very much different from you. We're just very, very much smarter." 

Ramses snorted before he grinned, "I'm going to rip you open, starting from your stomach then to your pretty face." he said and Killian growled at his threat towards his mate. Ramses and Aydin ran towards us, Ramses shifting into the dark wolf he is. 

I quickly shifted along with Killian and we ran towards them. Ramses lunged at him and I quickly dodged him. I jumped on top of him and bit down on his neck. He rolled us and I fell off of him. He got on top of me and we kept biting at each other. I pressed my paws against his chest near his neck and I shifted into human skin. I cried out as I lifted him off me and pushed him away. 

I quickly went back as a wolf and lunged at him. I bit down on his ears and muzzle. We growled at each other as we fought, two wild leaders attacking each other as Killian and Aydin fought. Like I said though, Ramses was weaker now and fighting with one eye didn't seem to help him. I soon bit down on his neck, pressing him against the ground. I brought my paws up to his neck and I shifted into human skin. Seeing nothing but red, I was ready for the kill. 

Until Aydin grabbed me by my hair and pulled me off him. I cried out in pain as he bit into my upper arm and I brought my nails up,scratching at his face. Aeriela jumped onto Aydin back and pulled at his fur roughly. Aydin let go of me and he thrashed around. Aeriela fell off of him and quickly crawled away from him as Aydin bared his teeth. 

Ramses whined and Aydin head quickly turned to look at Ramses. Aydin ran over to his leader and shifted to human form. He helped his leader up before turning to glare at Aeriela, "When your eighteen—I'll be back for you." he said before turning into a wolf and both of them ran off. 

I breathed heavily as I reached up to my bleeding arm and watched it heal up. Killian came over to me as a wolf and licked my wound that was mostly heal. I sighed heavily as I let my head fall back, closing my eyes happy that was over. . .for now. I reached up to Killian head and opened my eyes when he turned back to his human form. "I'm okay." I said as I sat up. 

"Mat." Aeriela said, making me look at her. She looked so guilty and upset right now. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen. I thought things would be better if I left, I didn't feel like I belonged and never would. I spent most of my life in the wild. Uncle Ramses told me I wouldn't have to be with Aydin I came back but I was stupid to believe him." 

I went over to her and she looked afraid as if I was gonna hit her or something. I was angry that she ran away again and actually believed her uncle. I wanted to call her naïve and a dumb little girl. But that's why she is—a young girl. A girl who I know is gonna make a lot of mistakes in life and I spent my whole life making mistakes. Aeriela is only sixteen, she gonna need to learn a lot of things. 

My chest continued to rise and fall quickly, "Tell me if you believe staying with me is the right choice or not." I said, making her seem confused. "What is it that you want,Aeriela? To be my family or be out in the wild. Which one do you want? But know this—if you come back with me and you run off again I won't let you back in. This is your last chance." 

"Mat—" 

"Let me finish." I said quickly. "Yes, you are from the wild but you can adjust to the world. You are a strong girl, I wish you would understand that. Show that the pack you are better than someone from the wild. Stop running away when things get hard." I coldly told her and she nodded. "If you come back to the pack with me—it'll be the last time I forgive you for running away. I want you to understand you are my sister and it hurts me when you leave." 

Aeriela hugged me tightly, "I'm sorry, Mat. I promise I won't leave again, I really learned my lesson this time. I understand now Uncle Ramses isn't a good man, he isn't the same person I use to know. I won't run away again, I promise." she said. "I promise to do things to make you proud of me. I'll try to be stronger and braver like you." 

"Aeriela, I'm not that brave." I said, putting my arms around her. "If I was brave, I would have made the decision to let you go thinking it's what you want. I was so scared for you, I knew living the wild life is not the decision for you. You are different from them, you're kind and sweet. You think you don't belong in the pack but you do. When I was made Alpha, I didn't believe I deserved it but the guys did. Will, Killian, Melinda, Nate,Ulric, and I all believe in you that you can adjust to tame pack life. You think you don't have people who don't believe in you but you do." I told her and she was quiet for a moment before nodding.