Adjusting - 7. Chapter 6 - Scents

The next day started out as a fairly normal day for the average wolf. Wake up, say hello to the occasional wolf that passes by, and join the rest of people who live in the house you do for breakfast. This may have been regular routine for moat wolves, so it of course was completely abnormal and strange for me.

When Alex came into my room and woke me up, I flipped out of bed and into a defensive position. After half a second, however, I was fully awake and I relaxed my body. Alex wouldn't harm me.

As we walked downstairs together, I curled in on myself in an attempt to hide from everyone else in the hallway. I had no such luck. Instead, I was greeted by almost every wolf that passed us. Although they were nothing but kind and welcoming, I couldn't help but be on guard. Last night's events and my own past forced me.

Once we were in the dining room, I ignored everyone else and focused on the one thing I really wanted to: food. After going for so long without anything but dirty ponds and leftover scraps from other predators, you learn to appreciate food and water above all else.

I quickly collected my food and began eating, loving the taste of pancakes and sausages. I heard Alex chuckle at my antics, but I didn't care. I would worry about him after I cleaned my plate.

When I was almost done and had slowed down on eating so as to savor the taste as long as possible, I began to listen to the conversations going on around me. Most were uninteresting or didn't make sense, but one particular conversation between Alpha John and Brian across from me.

"I know that it's getting worse, but what do you expect me to do about it?" Brian was whispering angrily to his father.

"Track them," Alpha John said while continuing to eat. He had an air about him as if he couldn't care less about his conversation with his eldest son.

"Oh yeah, that'll work. It's not like they hide their scent or anything," Brian grumbled.

He turned away from the Alpha and was about to eat again when he suddenly froze and looked up at me. I blushed heavily and dropped my gaze, embarrassed and scared at being caught eavesdropping. I hastily finished my food and told Alex I was going to the bathroom before standing up and quickly making my way out of the room.

Once in the bathroom, I locked the door and went over to the vanity. I grasped the sink and looked into the mirror, fear in my eyes.

Brian was unpredictable. Sure, he couldn't be so brash as to kill off the newest member of the pack, as he would be directly undermining the Alpha. Still, I knew of torture from my past that left no easily visible marks and could have the toughest man trembling on his knees.

When I had gotten my act together and was once again breathing regularly, I unlocked the door and headed out, setting course for the dining room.

Suddenly, a hand wrapped around my wrist and I was yanked aside into the large kitchen. I gasped loudly and struggled at the hand holding me before glancing up at my captor. I saw it was Brian and quickly gave up, knowing there was no way I could break free from the future Alpha.

I ducked my head, showing him my submission, and he let go. I backed away a few steps and kept my head down, not wanting to see his glare.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said sounding exasperated.

I hesitated before looking up at him. His hazel eyes stared down at me blankly, giving me no indication to his emotions or thoughts. After a moment of us staring at one another, he broke the silence.

"You were a rogue."

It didn't seem to be a question, rather a statement, but I nodded anyway.

"Do you know how a rogue might hide their scent?"

I hesitated, not sure if I should tell him the truth. If I did, I was sure that if anything ever happened, he would be able to track me down in a heartbeat.

Then again, I was finally a part of a pack again. He would know I was lying, and withholding the truth would jeopardize everything from being in the pack to my curious friendship with Alex.

"Yes," I finally whispered.

"Alright," he said. "Follow."

I whimpered slightly and did as I was told, trailing after him with my head down as he led me back into the dining room.

"Dad, Greg, and Blake. We need a meeting, now," he said, power oozing from his voice.

"If Adrian is a part of it, I'm coming too," Alex said while standing up.

"You aren't Alpha or Beta, so you stay here," Brian growled.

"Enough, Brian. Alex may come too, he will keep Adrian calm."

Brian glared at me before spinning on his heel and marching off. Alex immediately came over to me and enveloped me in a hug, calming my anxiety instantly.

"Come on," he said. "Let's go."

He took my hand in his after pulling away and we walked after the others through the house. We eventually stopped at a door on the other side of the house that had already been opened. The four men were inside. We entered and Alex shut the door before leading me over to a loveseat and sitting beside me.

The Alpha was seated at a large wooden desk with Greg beside him. Brian sat with Blake on the loveseat next to us. The room was bathed in dark woods and deep reds that gave it a comfortable feel.

"So, Brian, why did you call this meeting?" Alpha John asked.

"Adrian said he knew how the rogues could be hiding their scent."

All eyes turned to me, and I sank into Alex's side. He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me tighter against him.

"Is that true?" Greg asked. I was guessing that he and Blake were John's and Brian's Betas, respectively.

"Yes," I said softly.

"How?” Alpha John asked.

I took a deep breath before saying, “Before, when I didn't want to be found, I would take the pelt of a wild wolf and wear it on top of my own. This way, the human part of my scent would be overridden by the scent of my own wolf and the wild one, and I would smell like a wild wolf."

"Remarkable," Alpha John said.

I looked up at him with surprise.

"Did your parents teach you that trick?" he asked.

I shook my head. "My parents were in the Moonlight Pack their entire lives."

"My condolences," he said, truly sounding sorry. "How long ago did they die?"

"They died when I was eight," I said quietly, "so I think it's been twelve years."

The room was silent for a moment and I thought about my parents. Or, what I remembered of them.

They were so incredibly kind to me. Neither had a significant position in the pack, but it didn't matter to me. Mommy would swim with me and Daddy would play hide-and-seek with me and all the other pups.

I remember one day, they sat me down and asked me if I would like to have a little brother or sister. That was a few days before they died, and I couldn't help but wonder when I got older if she was already pregnant or if they were planning to try for a baby.

"Alright, I'm sorry for your parents, but I'm going to go. It's great that we know how they hide their scent, but we're no closer to finding out how to track them,"

Brian stood up after his outburst and started to walk towards the door.

"I know how to track them," I said. "I've done it before."

Brian froze and turned around to look at me.

"It's simple," I told him. "You find the scent that has a hint of blood mixed in with an extremely strong wild wolf scent."

Brian seemed doubtful. "And if we were to go outside right now, and a rogue was out there using this trick, you'd be able to track them down?"

I hesitated, chewing on my lip. Could I track down a violent rogue I'd never met on the first try?

"Yes."

Brian suddenly smirked.

"Great," he said. "Let's go find us a rogue."