Of Runt (Redone)

Chapter Thirty~Three

  My entire life I was taught to always respect our leaders. To respect everyone because their status was above my own. I do not give commands, I take them.

When I disappoint our leaders, when I fail them I am supposed to let them punish me however they see fit. Beating, scoldings, burnings, belittling. Whatever they wanted.

Many had used that to their advantage. Irwin and his friends mostly but it was so integrated in my being that it became my nature to always work in their favor. I worked to please or to stay unnoticed. Over these few months being unnoticed has become increasingly difficult.

  I lived with the Alpha, I was friends with his brother. I worked in the pack house and occasionally had lunch with the beta, who was going to be my sisters brother-in-law.

However I kept interactions with our Gamma to a minimum. He was a more traditional wolf. He thought I was beneath him even after the trails. He was one of the ones who thought that since I was cursed to be runt I should stay as runt.

Sometimes I wish that was a true option. To be Of Runt and to stay under the radar where I no longer was mixed up in cults, witches, and killers. I was a runt doing normal runt and tracker things.

Where I never had to worry about my patrol mates actively trying to help me. They saw me as runts before this as well and always left me to fend for myself. Such as the war that started all of this.

Then after having Arches blood coursing through me to have my wolf wanting her true role. She no longer wants to be runt. I know I can go against Arches to an extent as long as it isn't flat out defiance.

However I find out I still cannot go against the gamma. His furious gaze making me feel little, my wolf no longer wanting to rise in me. Gamma Henry is screaming at me, which I'm fine with. I'm used to that. He's screaming until he's red in the face and his voice cracking from overuse.

I stand there with a towel wrapped around my middle taking every word. Spit flies from his mouth as the veins in his neck start popping out from the skin. At this rate I'm surprised he hasn't lost control of his wolf.

By the time Archer and Beta arrive Gamma is still on his lecture. Beta Garrett looks completely healed from his burns, tan smooth skin with no scarring. However once Archer finds me he looks me over before turning his furious gaze to Catori.

This is when my wolf finally rises in me, I step between them holding angry gazes with Archer. The three men have brief looks of surprise. "I was the one who decided to go against orders, she followed me."

"I doubt she listened to you," the Gamma seethes.

I step closer to him, narrowing my gaze. He straightens himself up, trying to seem bigger. "That is what happened. I caught the scent and didn't want to lose it waiting on you. Catori volunteered to come with me so I wouldn't be alone. You can punish me if you want but you will not punish her for being a good packmate."

"I told you that you should have let her die. Now look at her being a disrespectful bitch-"

Several gasps echo as the sound of his nose breaking under my fist echoes in the room. "Call me a bitch again," my wolf seethes as we step closer to him. "You're only bitter because despite you being a born Gamma, I, a runt, am more important than you ever will be."

We should have expected a retaliation but the moment his hands find my throat, well, I wasn't expecting it. He easily lifts me from the ground by my throat. I dig my nails in his hands, kicking out towards him.

I fall to the ground gasping for air as Archer twists Gammas arm behind his back. A sickening sound of his arm snapping has my stomach turning. To my surprise Catori moves to stand before me as Archer snarls at the Gamma.