Chapter 3 – Can't smell my way out of a werewolf base

Blasted blinds. What use were they, if it couldn't even block out the harsh rays of the sun that so eagerly greeted my eyes every single morning.

I rolled out of my thick blankets, noticing the absence of a particular alarm clock. "Maya?" I leaned over the edge to find my friend's bed neatly fixed, her stuffed animals lined together as if in conversation. She'd been gone for a while then.

I found Jorell in the kitchen, sipping a cup of coffee. Upon my entering, he stood up to make his way towards the stove to turn the fire on. "Want some eggs?"

"Yes please. Thank you," I mumbled shyly while shuffling my feet. I was reminded of a similar situation and couldn't help but grin softly. How different things could change in the course of a few months.

He laughed as he flipped the eggs over-hard in the pan, much like those talented trickster chefs on television. "What's this? I think I remember such a situation… déjà vu, my boy." Jorell caught my smile as he whipped around and slipped the eggs onto my plate in one sleek motion. "You seem to remember too, I'm guessing? "No need to be shy, sonny! A hearty breakfast in the morning is what gets the day going."" My father repeated the words he'd first said when he'd caught me guiltily searching their pantries for food.

I rolled my eyes, mumbling once more. "Who calls anyone 'sonny' nowadays?"

"I do sonny, and you seem to be taken with the name-calling so we'll have to call you sonny." He paused, stroking his beard in thought. "I used to have a dog named Sunny."

"I am quite honored to receive the noble name of your dog called Sunny, my king," I chuckled sarcastically.

Jorell returned my smirk. "My dear prince, such a name is well deserved of you."

"By the way, do you have any idea where Maya went? She wasn't in my room when I woke up." I salted and peppered my eggs before shoveling them into my mouth.

"Maya needed to pick up some stuff from her house, feed the fish, water her plants, the usual. Don't know when she'll be back."

"Thanks Dad." I slid my empty plate into the sink, grabbing for the trash bin below it. "I'm going to take this out."

I left the kitchen and went through the living room, towards the door of the garage. I hauled the trash bag after me through the side door into the backyard, opening the gate to toss the trash into the bin outside.

I was struck with momentary alarm when I found three people staring at me from across the street, feet planted on the forest grass as close to the concrete sidewalk as they could get.

Not again. They just kept showing up, didn't they? I hesitated at my spot before the trash bin. Should I go back in and wait for Maya to arrive? Jorell had said that he had no idea when she'd return. If my parents came outside…

I recalled the words that Maya had whispered to me before she fell asleep. That means your parents could be put under possible danger as well, if they're ever involved. And they will be if you stick so close to them. No. I couldn't just stand idly by, knowing that there were dangerous people lurking outside the house. I'd have to get a safe enough distance to ask the strangers what they wanted.

I treaded across the lawn towards the curb, breathing in slowly and readying myself for confrontation. I could see each of the strangers more clearly now. The tallest was a sturdy, tanned man sporting brunette hair pulled away from his face with a red sash. Everywhere on the surface of his skin were lighter scars, marked by what looked like blades. The second man was only a little shorter than the first and just as tan, but absent of any scars. He was slouched forward with his hands in his pockets, lazily scuffing the grass with his sneakers. It was a wonder if he could still see anything with his mess of thick copper hair falling over his eyes. What piqued my curiosity was the presence of the third visitor, a tall ebony skinned woman with a waterfall of black hair tied high upon the crown of her head. She stood proudly in what looked like some sort of traditional clothing, a hand comfortably placed on her hip.

I waited for a few more minutes to see if they'd speak up first. They did not. So I raised my voice and called out at them. "What do you want?"

The two men glanced at the woman before she stepped forward in my direction. She continued to walk across the street as I stared at her with unease. Wasn't she crossing the witch territory? After Maya's explanation, I'd thought that they wouldn't dare cross again. I shuffled back with my fists up. "Stop! What do you want? Tell me, from where you are."

The lady paused and took the same standing position she'd been in earlier. "My name is Naku." A commanding voice emanated authority from the few words she'd spoken. "High Warrior of our clan, Cineribus Caelum. Our Alpha requests your immediate presence. Do you really wish to wage war with us, you alone?"

"What? What is this about war? I'm not waging war. Is this –" I hesitated, recalling the words I'd spoken so vehemently yesterday towards Cale. "– about the threat I made… yesterday?"

Naku nodded. "It is." Her features seemed to soften from its stoic expression. "I did not think you really wanted to hurt us, but the others are upset. I presumed you were merely agitated by the recent attacks by some of our clan members. I myself am sincerely sorry for not having better control of my men, though I hear you won't accept such apologies unless directly receiving it from the instigators." I caught sight of a small, bitter smile that lasted merely a second. Her eyes flickered towards the copper haired man in hidden distaste before she faced me once more. "A foreign dominant and a female high warrior is hardly respected amongst so many male leaders. For that reason, and lack of my leadership, my men do not respond very well with me."

She chuckled at my responding frown. "It's not so bad. Pardon me, I don't mean to be rude, but I believe myself to be lucky that I am a dominant."

"And not a submissive? I guess it doesn't bother me hearing it from you. If it were any other though, I don't think their jaw would still be intact." I smiled in assurance as the shorter man snickered from behind Naku. I glared at him before continuing. "Why does the Alpha need to see me? Just because of the threat?"

"Yes. And also for your safety, he might ask you about your loner circumstances. Have you been here long? It's curious that we only start noticing you now. Anyhow, please follow us. If you'd prefer, you may walk with me. I don't take too kindly to Jonah either," she muttered, winking affectionately in my direction.

"How long would I be gone?" I glanced back at the house, filled with uncertainty. Maya hadn't returned either. If she came back to find me gone, how would she react?

"Possibly a few hours. Do you have guardians that you need to notify first?" Naku nodded towards my driveway. "Go tell someone if you need to. I will wait here and send the others ahead. They were only here in case I "couldn't protect myself from a weak lunatic submissive,"" she sighed with a shake of her head. "Hurry along now."

-/-

Naku walked at a leisurely pace, often sniffing the air without pausing. We were wading through a flood of fallen leaves, the balding trees a sign of the approaching cold. She seemed comfortable despite being in the presence of a "lunatic submissive", as they called me.

"Are you just showing me the way to your uhh, hideout? That's it? No blindfolding or stuffing my ears?" That's how they always did it in movies and books. The protagonist would be led through unknown lands, held captive without sight. He'd be seeking for anything that could help identify his location in order to make his grand escape.

Naku laughs, almost as if she can read my mind. "You exaggerate. I doubt anyone could find their way into our living area, unless they can track the specific smell that leads to my clan's town. There are fake scents posted everywhere and can be confusing to the inexperienced sniff."

"Still, how can you trust someone so easily, especially… well, me?" It was something I found quite puzzling. Why was it so unsettling that I had free range of my movements? Maybe Naku was confident in her abilities, deeming me unworthy of a real fight. I soured at the thought. If she really saw me as a weakling, then a friendly fight could change that. My thoughts deviated to something else she'd said. "What's a sniff?"

"A sniff is a werewolf that specializes in smell. They are very good trackers, but sometimes lack physical capabilities of a true tracker. A tracker is able to locate their target through scent as well. The difference is that they usually are more closely associated to hunters whereas sniffs are a lower rank and are often submissives, to put it plainly." Naku glanced at me with a raised eyebrow. "You don't know this? Pups know even this much."

My head swiveled fiercely in reply. "I don't know about any of this stuff, to be honest. Heck, I didn't even know I was a werewolf until a few days ago! You can't expect me to know all this."

"What?" Naku halted abruptly, sending a few leaves scattering at her feet. "You didn't… know? That you were a werewolf?" A look of pure disbelief passed over her features as she scrutinized me. "How could you not know? Even a loner werewolf would know as much."

I threw my hands up in exasperation. "I'm not a loner werewolf either! You people are so confusing, spouting random things and leaving me to decipher how it all connects! It's true; I didn't even know that there were such things as supernatural creatures exactly two days ago. All of a sudden I was attacked and being called a submissive and pissing people off."

Naku shifted on her feet, her hands clasping her chin. "I don't understand… Ezra right? Is it alright if I call you by your first name?"

"Uh sure, why not," I blinked in confusion. Was she trying to change the subject?

"In my culture, we don't often call others so informally by their first name, unless we are very close to the person. Saying 'Walker-san' is sort of a mouthful for me." She waved us forward, picking up her previous pace. "Anyway, I'm still trying to understand your situation. You were oblivious to the fact that you were a werewolf, until about two days ago? Then does that also mean you have no idea about how our clans work?"

"Exactly," I sighed. "You are probably the first werewolf I'm having a full conversation with. Cale isn't much of a talker." When we share a smile, I know she's caught my joke.

"Well then, I'm quite honored to be one of your first werewolf acquaintances. You're lucky to meet me," Naku giggled. It wasn't a girly laugh but a pleasant, kind sound. I noticed that the girl was taller than me by almost a whole head. I wouldn't exactly call myself short either.

"However, this means that we're going to have to try to explain this whole situation to our people. You not being able to realize that you were one of us has been unheard of. When you threatened us and fought back, we were quick to assume that you were the usual rebellious loner passing through. Which reminds me, you seem to have a home. Do you live there?"

I smiled softly. "Yes, I have a home. I want to stay there and never have to leave them."

I felt Naku's stare. When I turned to face her, her expression was that of almost… sorrow. She turned her head away before I could speak. "I apologize, but I can't promise anything," she half whispered. "If it's any comfort, I too was driven from my home. My people were a dying clan. It was only expected that I'd find myself half way across the world in another pack that could hopefully provide me protection."

Instantly, I was hit with guilt and shame. I still had my family here, could still see and touch them, but I was whining about how I didn't want to leave them. On the other hand, Naku had been forced away from her lands, a home millions of miles away, from what she implied. I had no idea what to say.

"Don't be sorry." She ruffled my hair, the motion giving her a nostalgic smile. "I used to do this to my younger brother. He had long hair like you."

I hesitated, unsure if I had any right to ask her my next question. "Where are they now?"

"Out there, I'm sure. I have faith in their strength. I also have a question for you. You now know what you are. The guardians you live with, do they know?"

"They don't. I'd like to keep it that way." I could never tell Alma or Jorell. Would they call me a monster? The thought hit me for the first time. Dark memories threatened to resurface. They'd been right – I really was a monster, yet I had denied it all along. "They were kind enough to take me in and I don't want to take advantage of that by causing them any trouble," I continued quietly.

"What about your real parents? They should be werewolves as well."

"Don't know them."

There was an awkward silence that lasted for several minutes before I decide to speak up. "You don't have to be sorry. In a way, I'm glad for what happened, because I was able to meet the amazing people who actually care for me now."

Naku patted my shoulder. "That's a good way of seeing it. I believe I am fortunate as well. This clan's ways are different from my own and I like it. Plus, I have already made a new friend today." We chuckle in unison, this time receding into a comfortable silence with the forests' quiet assent.

-/-

When we enter the clearing, I tense up to find all eyes on me. There are simple homes scattered through out this wide clearing in the forest, stretching out as far as I can see. Everyone had stopped what they were doing before I'd even entered the clearing. Children had promptly ceased their play. 'Eerie' was an understatement. It was damn freaky.

Naku held her head high, resuming the strict posture I'd first met her with. I realized that during our talk she had relaxed considerably. Now, she was even taller than just a head. She glanced back at me to follow her. Of course I did. Her 'people' seemed just about ready to maul me at any sudden action.

She led me through a dirt path that divided what seemed to be the clan peoples' homes. At each house we passed, more people closed in on us from behind, blocking any chance of escape from whence I entered. My eyes shifted in agitation towards those who came too close to my vulnerable backside.

The crowd of people amassed an amount of almost thirty or forty people. Suddenly, they all stopped moving and merely looked forward. I felt Naku pause as well, so I turned to find out why.

My eyes found a startling hazel green that edged into grey, staring straight into my soul. As cliché as it sounded, the man's eyes I found myself falling into were so deep, so intense, that I almost forget the reason for my coming here. There were no words to describe its surreal beauty. The temptation surged in my fingertips, to touch the eyelids that had momentarily closed over its treasure.

Naku's light cough for my attention snapped me out of the daze I'd been put under. I silently cursed at myself under my breath for having been caught off guard. This time, I took a better look at the people before me without looking into his eyes.

The man who'd been staring steadily back at me, albeit with an almost strange look in his eyes, stood as tall as Naku. His short black hair reflected a silver blue in the sun, a thin ponytail cascading down from the nape of his neck resting comfortably at the dell between his tanned neck and shoulder.

I was regarded by the stranger with an expression unrecognizable to me. I'd been studying the beautiful being before me so closely that I'd somehow blocked out another presence that caught my attention as it grunted, eying me with distrust.

A blonde haired giant was staring me down with a look of disgust. I was instantly hit with annoyance; the 'wonder daze' I'd been in before evaporated quickly. The man had the hugest muscles I'd ever seen, practically covering his whole body. He reminded me of a stocky ax-wielding modern day Viking.

My glaring fest was cut short as the other man spoke up. "You are Ezra Walker? Welcome." He took a small step forward.

Not a very warm welcoming, but I didn't dare say it. I hadn't forgotten the pack of people behind me, who hadn't inched closer at all. I could read that the two men before me were probably important. I had to be more careful with my words after the blunder I'd already made in Cale's message.

"Why do you threaten our family?" The guy's expression had been passive the whole time, not a flicker of emotion since I'd first seen him.

"Because you threatened mine." I could hear quiet gasps and outraged murmurings start from the audience behind me. Typical.

The giant cried out, a booming grating voice that resounded through a startled silence. "How dare you speak in such a manner to our Alpha! Do you know who you are speaking to?"

"Speaking of manners, I hear that it is proper to introduce oneself on first meeting and that raising your voice is often rude to the person you're trying to 'welcome'." The fake Viking seemed to boil, his face shifting into a blistering red. "Since you've introduced your friend, it is only polite that I respond. Nice to meet you 'Alpha'. My name is Ezra, though everyone seems to already know that."

For a split second I thought I could see a hint of amusement at the corner of the Alpha's lips. But it disappeared and I thought that maybe I'd just imagined it in my hopeful state. Wait, what? Hopeful? Me? Why was I hopeful to… appease someone I'd just met? I pushed it back into the depths of my mind, annoyance edging in.

"I apologize for interrupting. Alpha, there's been a misunderstanding. It might sound unbelievable, but I beg of you to listen to Ezra's situation." I'd almost forgotten that Naku was still standing besides me until her voice quickly cut off the response the muscled man had been about ready to scream.

"A misunderstanding?" The Alpha's voice was low and soothing, different from what I'd expect of a leader. Somehow his voice was able to retain a trace of kindness despite its stoic authority.

Naku dipped her head slightly before beginning her explanation. "Ezra Walker is not a loner werewolf." Confused mutterings erupted from our audience. She continued over the sound, her voice ringing clear. "He has never deserted any clan. In fact, from what he knows, he never was bound to a pack. As strange as it might sound, this is the truth. You may even ask him." She nodded in my direction without removing her eyes from the Alpha. "It wasn't until two days ago that he found out about his true heritage. How he found out, was from piecing together information from the events of his being attacked. I think he had help in understanding though, because he isn't in any state of denial."

"I don't need to be in denial," I added. "I've seen men morph into wolves before me. I know I wasn't hallucinating or imagining things, so I must accept what I've seen with my own eyes. It's the only reasonable explanation to any of this." I waved my hands at the crowd. "I'm guessing that you are the leader of all these people behind me. I didn't mean to threaten them. It was only in agitation at the prospect that my own family could be hurt. Sorry."

The Alpha stared fixedly back at me with a brooding look. "We haven't yet apologized for attacking you, but you are apologizing? You don't need to be sorry for being protective of your loved ones. I understand, because all these people here are also those I must protect. When you join our pack, I hope this incident does not bring up any bad feelings."

I almost felt disappointed in my next words. But even though the Alpha really seemed to care for his pack, it didn't change any of my decisions. "I'm not joining your pack. I want to make that point clear. I won't bother your people and I hope you will do the same for my family and me." I honestly didn't see why they were all so set on me joining.

The Alpha narrowed his eyes at me. It was the first time that any emotion had been directed at me, but it wasn't anything nice. "You must join. Even if we have to force you."

"No." I stood my ground, glaring back at him. What would it take for them to just leave me alone?

An idea struck me. What if… "Let's make a deal then." His handsome features scrunched in suspicion. "I hear that there are warriors here. If I can beat every single one of them, each in a one on one battle, then you'll drop your proposition. If the problem is that I need protection to the point of forcing me into your pack, then I'll show you that I can protect myself. I will fight them and I will win." No matter what it takes.

A/N: I wrote the next chapter in the Alpha's point of view but I'm not that satisfied w/ it. Should I post it up & see what you guys think about it? If it ruins the flow of the story or something like that & you have a reason to dislike it, I'll probably rewrite it. Suggestions are welcomed; alert me of any mistakes! Please Review! Seeing your reviews while I was overseas made me so, so happy, thankful, & overjoyed. Thanks so much to those who favorited and added Anti Alpha to their story alerts & me to their author alerts even though I don't even deserve it, I love you guys. I know who ya'll are because I'm a freak & saved all my email alerts from FP haha. & Merci beaucoup to wallawallabingbang (I took your suggestion and wrote a diff POV next chapter but I don't know how well it'll turn out to be! I prefer one POV stories but I'll give it a trialrun), KorynMarie- (Ty! I had so much fun traveling but it feels good to be back!), Poptart Guava King (Yeee we can be nonweirdos together!), SneakySpy (Hurrah! I'm excited too- must. write. faster!), Esquirella (Ohohoho that's right, he can never escape~), Tammy (ILY I'm so glad you like it, you don't know how happy it makes me to read that.), Insanity's Childe (He's a confused dude.. or will be in more ways than one muahaha), and last but not least DeuxMachina (Oh my god your review is… magic. Seriously. & I agree w/ you, I just hope I can take Ezra on an adventure! The fact that you love my characters, you are my hero because I love them too. lol you make me nervous, if the start is great I hope I don't disappoint w/ the rest but I promise you, I will try my hardest!) This feels like a short chapter, maybe cuz not that much happens. And if you can think of better chapter titles, by all means suggest away!

Till next chapter…