Rhydian pov

My lungs burnt! I had never run so fast before and Alric was still glued to my tail a few feet away both beta's shadowing his bounding steps, I could scarcely allow myself a look back, they where gaining on me too quickly. I was a couple of miles away now, deep in the forests outlying Stoneybridge.

The scent of the girl's pack was strong in the air now, we where firmly in her territory now and Alric was still following me, I reached further into the last of my energy reserves and sprinted further away from the Alpha's longer stride.

I was so close to safety when he leaped his teeth firmly embedded into my flank, I whimpered slightly shaking him off, Alric took his time, after all I was defenceless, and I could barely see him through the thickening rain and only the occasional flash of lightening allowed me to see his eyes on me, golden and full of pure hatred.

Massive paws serrated with calluses, protruding with cracked and toothed claws designed for ripping flesh from the bones of prey.

I didn't stand a chance.

The pain was excruciating, it couldn't be imagined by the most perversely maddened person on earth, I wanted to scream, howl, cry, I felt a tear slide down my cheek making my fur sticky with salt and blood.

I allowed my knees to buckle this time and Alric backed off whether out of sympathy, compassion or allowing me to die in pain alone with no one in the world I'd never know but he retreated leaving me with my own torment and self pity.

When I was sure he was gone I struggled to my feet, the pain was indescribable I whimpered seeing the light of the girl's house through the rain I stumbled along to the girls driveway knowing she was inside alone, I could hear her quick heartbeat and the T.V blaring in the background.

I didn't realises I'd fallen until I hit the ground with a painful thud, hearing the crash of the dustbin as it fell beside me.

Get up Rhydian I did, feeling like Bambi taking his first steps, I wobbled on my four legs when there she was, I growled alerting her to my presence, I watched her jump violently.

"Hello?" she called whipping around I stumbled in front of her and growled I watched the realisation light up her pretty face. She leant in front of me and I felt my head hit the concrete.

The pain ended.

I woke with a huffing breath and a truck load of pain which was dimmed slightly when I found my head on the girl's was asleep in what was possibly the most uncomfortable position I'd ever seen her head was resting heavily on the banister of the stairs and her tiny hands fisted in the fur of my side. I felt my muzzle twitch upward through the blissful haze I was currently submerged in. wrapped securely in the girls arms I allowed myself to relax for the first time in the past 24 hours. I felt her stir and automatically shifted to accommodate her, those shocking chocolate eyes opened to me with the most tender expression I'd ever had shot my way.

"What happened to you?" she asked rubbing my head tiredly I suppressed a whimper at the sensation.

"Get caught in the storm?" She asked again fiddling with my ears. Did she know I was like her? I wasn't sure, she was speaking to me half-heartedly not seeming like she expected an answer.

"You poor thing." She said and twiddled with my fur again.

Control yourself Rhydian I felt the urge to change back to my human form and suppressed it.

Maddy yawned hugely I took a glance at the clock, just after 10 pm. She must be exhausted I nudged her in the direction of her room, she looked at me strangely and I pushed her again.

"Maybe, you're right." She yawned once more and started ascending the stairs once she was out of sight I transformed stretching the cricks out of my back and pushing the damp cloth to the gaping hole on my side, it was healing too quickly , she'd realise what I was.

I cast a glance upstairs, how hadn't she worked it out already? I smelt like a wolfblood, I looked like a wolfblood!

She can't know about wild wolfbloods how could she not? Wild wolfbloods where the things of nightmares beaten into children at a young age to stop them wandering off. How could she not know?

I took a glance around the little cottage, that didn't seem so little on the inside from the worn old sofas to the big glass windows everything screamed homey. I felt so out of place I'd lived in the forest for almost a year now trees had automatically become more comfortable to be around than houses. I shook my floppy hair out of my eyes and changed my hands back to paws. I took a glance up to Maddy's room, the door was still wide open and I could hear her humming to herself.

Don't even think about it I was already making my way upstairs to where she sat on her bed kitted in mismatched pyjamas watching something on telly that I took no notice of. Maddy grinned when she saw me and gestured for me to join her on the double bed.

Don't you dare…I'd already jumped to slouch at her feet.

The girl laughed at something on the TV and I found myself laughing with her … I was so going to pay for this was the only thought as Maddy's fingers twiddled with my fur but I honestly don't care.

I'd live a lifetime of misery if I got to hear that laugh again.

/

Maddy's Pov

The shrill beeping of the alarm alerted me to the ridiculous time of day.

"It can't be morning already can it?" I stretched to rub my eyes and reached across to hit the alarm off the nightstand.

I jumped violently when I felt something wet on my stomach and snapped my eyes open, the honey wolf buried his head further into the duvet as I watched. I couldn't suppress a giggle at the sight. "You're just a big softie aren't you?" I questioned when he held my gaze with those amazing golden eyes.

"I need to get ready for school."

/

Rhydian's POV

"I need to get ready for school." Maddy told me. School! I guess my days with the girl would have to be cut short, a plan immediately started to form in my head, I hadn't been to school since I'd joined the wild, I'd be a year behind with work, I would need to have access to the school computers since I was pretty sure social services would cart me off to the other side of the country if I contacted them.

I watched the girl again where she was tugging the brush through the tangles in her hair she was stunning. I watched her for the rest of her morning routine, brushing her teeth, applying the smallest amount of makeup, tucking her long hair behind both ears.

Maddy moved to lift her top over her head; I immediately buried my head deep in my paws, dear lord.

When I glanced up again she was fully dressed in a school uniform with her bag thrown over her shoulders.

"Be good." She told me I grinned to myself.

"Stay in the house." Maddy continued. "If Shannon sees you." She shivered at the thought.

The girl leaned over and placed a light kiss on my snout. I growled and the small girl shot me a look.

"See you soon." She said finally and ran down the stairs I heard the door slam shut.

She kissed me… Me! I don't think I'd ever been kissed before, not even by mum… she didn't seem like the kissing type…Maddy certainly was amazing she was stirring up all sorts of forgotten feelings deep inside me… the wild wolfbloods always said human feelings made you weak… so why did I feel on top of the world?

Without a second thought I changed back to stand on two legs and stretched walking down stairs to grab a handful of popcorn from the bag the girl had left on the sofa secondly I grabbed a brush from the mantle piece and ran it through the mess that was my hair I grimaced, I really needed a shower.

I pulled off my shirt and jeans and placed them in the wash, thankful that I remembered which buttons started the machine and ran upstairs to where I guessed the bathroom was situated.

After the water of the shower had turned cold and I smelled like Maddy's shampoo I ran to pull my freshly washed clothes back on. At least I didn't smell like the wild anymore I took a quick glance in the mirror, better than nothing. I went to the door and twirled the handle open to the light rain.

Mission join Bradlington high was go.

The school yard was swimming with people dressed similarly to Maddy most hung in big groups of friends the three in the corner caught my eyes though, The girl was sat with two friends on one of the benches near school, Shannon Maddy's best friend was something of a subtle beauty, all the underlying splendour was masked somewhat by her overly large glasses and her obsession with finding the beast that roamed the moors of Stoneybridge but it was there, obvious to anyone who looked the schoolgirl's long auburn hair flew in curls down her back and her brains where certainly something of beauty.

I shook myself out of my stupor, anyone my eyes would have found stunning before where now dimmed in comparison to Madeline Smith.

Maddy's other close friend Tom was sat beside her, a bit to close for my liking I suppressed a growl realising I was being ridiculous. She didn't even know I existed in this form at least.

I took the first step toward the girl then took two steps backward, id get no where barging up and introducing myself, I'd have to actually make myself exist first, in the school's eyes at least.

The computer was unguarded, not unusual for a school as small as this one at a click of a few buttons I officially existed due to join school later today.

Later I'd actually meet the girl, officially, as me.

/

Maddy's POV

"Hey." Shannon said as she perched beside me on my desk.

"Hey Shan, how you doin' ?" I asked not knowing what else to say.

"good, where'd you go on Saturday Mads?" Saturday? Oh crap!

"I had a really bad blister." I lied realising I still didn't know how I'd got home.

"Okay…" I looked down at the ground knowing I was pushing Shannon away from me and it hurt her that I was supposed to be her best friend.

At the thought of Saturday my eyes automatically drifted to gaze out the

Window, they narrowed as they caught sight of a blonde boy sitting alone on one of the benches lining the sports field.

"Shan?" I questioned looking at where the handsome blonde boy sat, his hair was too long and blowing in his eyes, which where an amazing pale blue, it was hard to see him clearly even with my senses, because it was still raining and he was wearing dark colours. "Shannon?" I questioned again turning to where she was gazing into space I tugged on her sleeve. "Who's that?" I questioned her turning back to where the blonde boy had been only a second ago.

"Who's who Mads?" Shannon asked sounding slightly annoyed that I had interrupted her daydream.

I felt my jaw drop. "No one." I told Shannon noticing her eyes adopt a worrying expression. She nodded obviously not believing me.

Ms Grey came into the class then settling everyone down and shouting at Jimmy for sitting on the desk, the usual.

Ms Grey was juggling a big cardboard box in her small arms. She dropped them with a heavy thud on the edge of Tom's table and told him brusquely to hand them around the class.

"Okay, I want you to take one piece from each box." She said as Tom pulled three smaller containers from the lager one. I watched Tom jumping at the harsh slap of the rubber against her wrist as Ms Grey grabbed her gloves of the desk and pulled them on.

"As some of you will have guessed." Ms Grey said loudly while she drew a diagram on the board. "We will be testing your blood."

"There is a blood drive near here this weekend so I thought you should all know your blood type." She sounded proud of herself.

Blood drive? Oh no. Clammy moisture broke out across my forehead. They'd find out what I was!

"First you should take an indicator card." Miss said grabbing Tom's white card from the edge of the desk and gesturing to the four squares marked on it for the class.

"Then a four-pronged applicator-" She held up something that looked like a nearly toothless hair pick.

"-and finally a sterile micro-lancet." She held up a small piece of green plastic and tore it open; my stomach lurched at the sight of the sharp little barb, I couldn't let her jab me, I couldn't.

"Don't start until I get to you." She reprimanded Jimmy at the very girlish squeal Sam gave as he jabbed him "You still need to prepare your cards!"

I closed my eyes trying to hear through the rush of sounds in my ears. I pressed my cheek against the glacial wooden table top and concentrated on breathing.

"Maddy?" Tom asked in surprise shaking my shoulder, the rocking motion made me feel sick.

"Mads?" Shannon asked over the squeals, giggles and complaints the other students where making as they also pricked their fingers.

"Miss!" Tom shouted sounding alarmed "Maddy's feeling sick."

"Take a minute Maddy, go and see the nurse if you need to." I nodded practically running out of the classroom; I could hear Jimmy's laughing all the way down the hall.

That was too close, way too close I thought as I stumbled my way through school. I staggered to sit on the curb of the path as my feet found their way outside; the rain was helping with the dizziness. I slumped over on my side, placing my cheek against the damp freezing cement of the path. It helped a little.

"Are you okay?" A hesitant voice asked I shot my head up off the floor blushing in embarrassment there stood the boy from earlier with the awful haircut and the amazing eyes crystal grey-blue and so close, he kneeled in front of me concern evident in his features.

"Do you need any help err…?"

"Maddy." I told him pushing myself up without the help of his offered hand, the boy smirked, seemingly not deterred, "Rhydian." He told me I knew the surprise showed on my face he smiled. "My mum's welsh."

I nodded in understanding.

"What are you doing in Stoneybridge Rhydian?" my mouth formed around his name in a caress I hoped he didn't notice.

"Foster family moved here." The boy said casually. I nod, it explained the southern accent.

"I have to go sign in." He gestured faintly to the main doors.

"Will you be okay getting back to class?" I was already shaking my head before he'd finished speaking.

"I'll be fine." I thanked him and watched him walk off for a minute feeling an unexplainable need to take a deep breath. When I did it was like a slap in the face, the fierce reality came running back, and I could smell him from here Strawberry shampoo that was strangely familiar and the unmistakeable scent… wolfblood.