Dagger ran after Zachariah and Henry, keeping pace with them as tree's zoomed by. He felt free with the wind rushing through his fur, the feeling of the dirt under his paws. Howl's echoed around the woods, the moon still glowed brightly in the night sky.

Zechariah looked back at Dagger, his tongue was hanging out of his mouth. Dagger wanted to laugh at the funny sight, but snorted instead. All a sudden Zechariah and Henry stopped. Dagger stopped just behind them. He poked his head from around their large bodies and had to suppress the urge to turn tail and run.

Thousands of other wolves were gathered around a clearing, they were sitting, standing and howling at the moon. Zachariah nudged Dagger with his head. Dagger turned to look at the pure black wolf. He felt a wet tongue wash over his cheek. Dagger felt an urge to return the gesture, so he did. Heat radiated off of Zachariah, almost like he was blushing. Dagger silently fist pumped the air for embracing the other shifter.

Henry let out an echoing howl. The other wolves in the clearing turned to face Henry and the boys. They answered the howl with one of their own. The vibration of the muscle notes that danced through the air warmed Dagger's heart. Henry and Zachariah took off at a jog like pace. The other wolves ran after them, their pace speeding up as they did so. 

Dagger took one last look back at the way that they had come. A pull from his heart told him to catch up with Zachariah and the pack, but his mind told him to turn around and go back to his god forsaken house. Dagger let his heart win and ran after the pack. 

···

Expertly running through the pack of wolves so he was next to Zachariah, Dagger panted slightly. Zachariah loved that Dagger wanted to be close to him while they were running. Running was freedom in their wolf form, but it was also a chance to connect with other wolves. 

His heart had melted when Dagger had returned Zachariah's affectionate gesture with one of his own. Zachariah was truly falling for Dagger. That's how it is for werwolves. They fall in love easily, usually the feeling wasn't returned. At times, yes. The feelings were returned. When those times came, the wolves would mate and have puppies. Not a lot of same sex matings happened, but Henry. Who was alpha of the Blood Crest pack, had no problems with same sex matings. In fact Blood Crest had the largest number of same sex mates in the world. 

Zachariah was starting to want Dagger as a mate. But for what ever reason, Zachariah doesn't think that Dagger will return his feelings. That thought alone left a dark hole in Zachariah's heart.

Zachariah shook his head, clearing it of his depressing thoughts. Now was not the time to realize and broad over feelings. Now was the time to feel free like he has never thought before, leading his pack in the monthly hunt.