14.

"Hey, Winnie Wait up." I stopped and waited for Alexis to catch up.

"What are you going to do if they do banish you?" I shrugged my shoulders.

"Not care? I can be a rogue? I can apply to another pack. Furthermore, I'm smart and useful. I'm sure I would be accepted in any other proper Pack. Maybe my mate is from somewhere else and I'll find him?" She sighed heavily.

"Don't worry about me, Lexi. I will be fine. This is just a new thing and I'm still just really mad at the whole situation."

"I understand. So let's eat, finish up these tests, pack, and leave for the foreseeable future."

I nodded and hurried back to the library. As I ate the mystery meat and some random vegetable that jiggled on my lunch tray, I hurried through the rest of the math Testing.

The English, Wolf lore, history, and ancient tales were simple enough to finish. It was all information we'd been told since the day we were little pups.

Alexis and I handed the folders to the Dean and left for our separate homes.

"Do you want a ride?" she asked. I shook my head.

"Nah, I think I'll run."

"That's a 10-mile run, Winnie."

"I'm not going to run in my human form Lexi."

"Oh. Okay. Yeah, have fun. I'll be at your House at 6:00?"

"Make it 5:00. I want to leave before everyone wakes up."

"Sure thing!" I turned toward the woods and ran across the field, feeling my bones cracking and stretching as I forced onto all fours.

Silver fur sprouted from my body as my wolf took over. She was happy to be out and to run. The smells, sights, and feelings of the earth beneath my paws were heightened.

About a mile from our house I stopped short and sniffed the air. It was a strange metallic smell that assaulted my nasal cavity. It was almost overpowering and burned. My wolf whimpered a bit, but I urged her on.

Let's get home. We can tell dad. He can get a patrol to look for the smell.

She whimpered again.

We can't deal with it. Let's go home. Dad will handle it.

As I emerged from the woods behind our manor I shifted back into a human. My inner wolf still whimpered as the metallic smell seemed stuck in my nose.