The Lone Wolf

Chapter 1: Katniss

I run through the forest, trying to get away from the four rouges that chase me, but on two legs, there is no way I can out run the four whose paws beat the permafrost as they case me, trapping me up against the Twelfth Star's boarder. I stop at the boundary line and start shaking. These are the same rouges that killed my father and little sister. It's either die at their hands or at the hands of the Twelfth Star's next boarder patrol.

"Cross the boarder," Taylor, my inner wolf says.

"Are you nuts?" I ask her. "The Alpha himself will tear out my throat if I trespass."

"Smell the boarder," she says. "You'll know why." I take a deep breath and instantly know what she's talking about as a delicious scent of cinnamon, dill, and fresh bread hits my nose.

"That's not," I start but Taylor cuts me off by answering.

"That's your mate," she says. "He'll keep you safe. They won't hurt you." I hesitate and she sighs. "Do you really like the alternative?"

I run over the boundary and climb the closest tree. This bull crap about not being able to shift really sucks. I wish I could just bare my teeth and fight them instead of having to hide up a tree. But as a human, I stand no chance against four nearly fully grown rouges. The four of them circle the tree, obviously not caring that they just crossed a pack boarder.

"Kill her Cato!" A dark brown she-wolf snaps to the golden male who is crouching on the ground, Getting ready to try to jump up in the tree and grab me. He's the largest of the four and his icy blue eyes were the first to spot me in the tree I call my home, yanking me down from the branch I usually sleep on, leaving me with bite marks in my calf. I still don't know how I got away from him. But it looks like he's about to get me again.

Suddenly, three healthy Twelfth Star wolves appear over the rise, causing the four rouges to turn to them, leaving their backs to me. The large brown one is obviously the one with the most authority, even though I would guess from his posture that he's not the Alpha. Probably Beta. If I remember correctly, Betas usually lead border patrols if the Alpha doesn't.

"Look what we have here," he says, his bright grey eyes shining with boldness, "Looks like the rouges have brought a little game of tag onto our territory." He looks to the firery red wolf to his right. "I don't think Alpha Peeta would appreciate this too much, would he Darius?" The red wolf shakes his head and the Beta turns to the grey wolf on his left. "What about you Thom?"

"No Beta Gale," he says. "I don't think he would like this at all." The three advance and the skinnier rouges start backing away. The Beta stops beneath my tree, but the other two begin to give chase, nipping at the rouges' tails for good measure as they chase them off the territory.

"Get down here," Gale orders as he looks up at me. "I promise, I won't hurt you." I climb down and stand in front of the brown Beta. I bow my head in respect and submission.

"Thank you, Beta," I say. "You saved my life." I start to walk towards the boarder and he steps in front of me, blocking my path and letting out a low growl.

"You aren't leaving," he says. "You are now a prisoner of the Twelfth Star. You are being escorted to the Pit to await Alpha Mellark's decision of what to do with you."

"But I mean no harm to your pack," I say. "I only came here because the others chased me here."

"And I'm sure the Alpha will release you if that is the case, he's very fair," he says. "Now come on let's go." I bow my head and follow him. There's no point in trying to run. I'm half staved, half frozen, and unable to shift. What chance do I stand against the Beta, the second most powerful wolf, third of there's a Luna, although if there was, I'm sure he would have mentioned her when he mentioned the Alpha.

We walk for what seems like hours and when we come upon what they call the Pit, I'm nearly collapsing with exhaustion. The Beta stands beside me and allows me to use him to stand as a man with dark hair and grey eyes stands before us, ready to take me into custody.

"Got a fresh one for you Haymitch," The Beta says.

"A female," he says thoughtfully, "They usually aren't as bold as to cross our boarders."

"Well she was chased onto the territory by four others. She didn't shift," the beta replies.

"Really?" he says. "That takes some spunk."

"Yeah, yeah," the Beta says. "Just take her into custody until I can go get Peeta. Then she's his problem."

Haymitch grabs my arm and leads me into the sinking hole that is the Pit. He put me in a cell and throws me a sheet of burlap. I quickly grab it and wrap it around myself, curling in a ball. I think again how angry I am that I can't shift. If I could, my thick fur would at least seal in some heat. Instead, I'm huddled on the ground shivering.

I must fall asleep because I'm awoken by the siding of my cell door I open my eyes but don't dare look up. I can tell by the power that leaches from him that this is the Alpha. As a rouge, looking him in the eye would be considered a challenge and would end up ending my life. But then it hits me. The delicious, intoxicating scent I smelled before. The scent that led me here. And it's coming from the man who stands before me.

"So your the rouge that Gale captured, hiding in a tree?" a surprisingly kind voice asks, sending shivers down my spine.

"I prefer to be called a lone wolf, but yes sir, I crossed you boarder to escape the four who were chasing me," I say looking down submissively.

"Well, Lone Wolf," he says. "Why didn't you shift?"

"I don't see why that is any of your business," I say. "But if you must know, it is because I am still to go through my first shift Alpha."

"Can you look up?" he asks. I hesitantly look up and see a boy about my age, medium build with blonde curls that sweep across his forehead. And when my dull grey eyes meet his startling blue ones, I realize that he is most defiantly the owner of the scent that called me here. He is my mate. "May I know your name beautiful?" he asks softly, an extremely gentle tone that caresses my ears.

"Katniss Everdeen," I say. "Lone Wolf, formerly of the Miner's Seam until my mother dragged me away and ditched me in the uncharted forest."

"And I'm your mate," The Alpha says. "Peeta Mellark, Alpha of the Twelfth Star."