5 Chapter four

Who knew that Russia would be so fucking cold! I mean, I have seen snow before, but this was crazy! I was just glad that as a werewolf, I don't feel much of the cold, but needed to act the part of a human that has no werewolf's superpowers.

On my way to my Airbnb, my wolf was restless, I just couldn't wait to go to the big forest I'd been longing for all these years.

So once I changed into more suitable clothes and left my things inside the apartment, I ordered another uber to leave me a few blocks away from the forest. The uber would think I am crazy if I tell him to drop me at the edge of the forest. Because... who in their right mind would go into the forest, alone, in the middle of winter, in a town you don't know? But I knew I could trust and rely on my wolf.

Once the uber stops I thank him and try to keep my excitement in check. I walk/run to the forest and once in front of it, I stare at the trees with awe. I can't believe I made it, after all these years of dreaming about this place...

I bite my lower lip to contain my yelp of excitement and making sure no one was looking, I start walking into the forest looking everywhere. The snow just made it all so much more magical.

I could hear the different animals that inhabited the forest and it made my heart flutter. Somehow, I felt some familiarity with the place. I breathe in and something inside me stirred. My wolf started becoming restless and I didn't know why. Probably because we were finally at the place we always wanted to visit, but something felt odd but I couldn't put my finger on it.

I strip from my clothes leaving them in a bag that I hide in a bush and shift into my wolf swiftly. Without being able to hold myself anymore, I raise my head and howl to the sky, and start running like a maniac.

I bark and yelp in excitement. Bumping into trees and bushes playfully, enjoying the freedom I felt.

In a clearing, I fall into my back and shake, moving my body from one side to another loving the feel of the snow in my fur. I howl.

The howl started with joy, but soon after, it became a melancholic howl. I was alone, all alone. Wolves worked as a pack, but I had nobody else like me, and it made me feel lonely. I longed for my family, for my friends I lost when I lost my memories in the incident. I longed for warmth and familiarity, but I was left alone in the world, and it was hurting me deeply.

Right then I hear a howl, and then another, and then more wolves joined the chant. My heart started thumping frantically and I start running toward the howls.

Would they be like me? Werewolves? Would they be friendly? Would they see me as a threat?

I howl, desperate, wishing for an answer and I got plenty.

My mind was in a daze. I was excited and terrified at the same time. I only had encountered one werewolf and that was when I went on my first run as a werewolf after discovering I was one. But there was more, and I wanted them to like me, to accept me, to take me in, because I had no family left.

In my haze, I didn't realize that feet away was a bear feeding on a dead deer, only realizing when I bump into it.

I back up immediately and made myself look smaller at the time the bear turned and started to growl at me.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Was I about to be eaten by a bear before meeting more of my species? I wanted to cry so badly.

I whimper and try to back up more but stop when it stands in its hind legs to growl at me, ready to pounce on me.

I close my eyes, unable to confront it when I heard more growls and barks. And those were wolves sounds!

I open my eyes to see different wolves, huge wolves of different colors standing in front of me in a protective motion, barking and growling at the bear until it backed up and drop to its four legs to leave the scene. Once the bear was out of sight, the wolves turned to me looking at me with curiosity rather than animosity.

One of them, walked closer to me sniffing the air, sniffing me, and when he got my scent crocked his head. I didn't know what was he doing but I was confident enough to stand to my whole high and barked at him, to let him know I mean no threat.

He barked back at me and told me to follow him with his head and I start walking behind him once he started walking too.

The rest of the wolves started walking too, surrounding me. Maybe they were creating a circle around me because I was alone and a female and weaker. Which made my heart warm. They were already accepting me! I wonder if the alpha would let me join to the pack.

I don't know how long we walk, but soon the forest opens up into a town, which surprised me because the map of Russia didn't show a town in this part of the forest. I would know about that, I memorized that map due to my obsession.

In front of us, there was a huge house, like a mansion, made of old-looking stones.

I stop staring once I hear bones cracking and suddenly the wolves were shifting into their naked human form. I lower my eyes embarrassed. I have never seen naked men before and it was kinda intimidating.

"Darling" I hear a woman say and I raise my head to a woman with dark hair covered in grey hair. "Here, shift so the alpha can speak to you" she says opening a big blanket wide enough that hide me from curious stares.

I shift and the woman instantly covered my body with the blanket and I smile at her thanking her. The men that guided me there were now covered in jeans and simple t-shirts, staring at me like I wasn't supposed to be there. I guess it was rare to find a lone wolf.

"Why is there such a commotion here" I hear a male voice say and when I look up my eyes lock with an old man who stops abruptly shocked while staring at me. He looked at me to head to toe like I was some ghost; he wouldn't stop sniffing the air. I look at the man with curiosity, something inside me nagging at me.

"It can't be" I hear him whisper. I look around wondering what was happening when I feel the huge body of the man embracing mine, lifting me from the floor.

"Uh-" I get out, confused.

"What is it, John?" I hear a woman's voice, and I only got to see her when the man put me on the floor pulling slightly away from me. When my eyes lock with hers, the same happens. I notice her eyes filling up with tears and sniffing she runs toward me embracing me painfully. "Oh my baby. Oh my" she cries. "You are finally home" she whispers.

Feeling overwhelmed I pull away from them, noticing how it was getting harder to breathe, my heart thumping painfully against my ribcage.

"I-I don't understand-" I say a little intimidated by their shows of affection. No one has shown empathy toward me except my adoptive parents. "Who are you? How do you know me?" I say and I regret it instantly when I see pain and despair in their eyes.

"You... don't remember us?" the woman whispered, her voice cracking.

I could feel my brain throbbing. Their faces looked familiar but not quite. Something in me pushed me to remember these people, but this was my first time visiting Russia.

"Who are you?" I insist, but wasn't expecting their response.

"Love, my baby. We are your parents, Riley" the woman says hoarsely.

My eyes open widely and a white and blinding flash appears in front of my eyes and I hold my head screaming at the pain that harbored me. I bend down, screaming and crying, feeling as if needles punctuated my brain, as if they were trying to open it. I felt cold, I felt warm, and I felt... lightheaded.

"Riley?!" I barely hear them over my screams. "What's happening?! Call the pack doctor!"

"You'll be okay, my baby"

And before I succumbed to the darkness, I could feel the memories flowing back into my mind, putting names to the faces that triggered my brain to remember.

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