Rogue Wolf

Ch 16 mark

I dropped down, landing by their spay cans. I picked up the green one, started shaking it, getting their attention.

"Jax!" One of them called out to me. He eyed the spray can in my hand. "It's too early bro."

"Shut it asswipe. I don't plan on being here then."

"Jax, this is..."

"I said shut it! I don't care who he is. I saw him move. He's nobody."

I walked around, shaking the spray can, running my fingers over various surfaces, knowing Alpha was waiting. I was ticked.

"You see my mom lately?" I couldn't resist asking.

"About a month ago, she said you were doing well."

I could have been dead for all she knew. I knew she wouldn't call the cops at my disappearance. Not that it would have made a difference.

"Well, if you see her again tell her I really am doing ok, better than I was for awhile. Do that for me?" I asked quietly.

"Yeah man. You've been missed you know. Last time anyone saw you was months ago."

"I've just been more careful where I move, and I'm out of town sometimes now. I really am doing ok," I said.

"Haven't forgotten how to move, have you?" he asked teasingly, but slightly snarky too.

I gave him a small glare.

There were three walls that blocked off the one end of the park. The concrete retaining wall in the center of the three was the tallest. There were two walls off that one, each at a slight angle on either side, and only half its height.

I started to move, came to a stop in front of the wall. Carefully I figured the spacing. I made my line and small tree right on the bottom. One one side of the tree I wrote thank and on the other side of the tree I wrote you. I crouched there a minute, filled with memories. When I started moving I took off fast.

The park was almost too small for me now. The moves I did seemed simple compared to what I'd done throughout the city. I knew what the kids in the park were capable of, and did a bit better than that. I didn't want to show Alpha all I could do, just enough so he'd shut up about it.

I resented that I was forced to perform for him, yet now that I was here there was one thing I wanted to do before I walked away from here forever. The can of paint made its way to the top of the one side wall as I ran along it, flipping off it back to the ground.

With a final run, I went up the side of that wall, using my hands to propel me up. Now I was running along the top of the side wall. I grabbed the can without missing a stride. I leaped, farther than I ever had, up along the center wall.

My previous line was still half a foot above anyone else's. my new line was easily another half-foot above that. It started further over, curved up slightly. The inverted V for my tree was higher, a bit wider, the line at the end went straight across instead of curving down. I found footing, barely, along the top of the third wall.

I came to a stop on the top of the middle of the third wall . Squatting down, I painted my name, the name they knew me by, on the cap blocks of the wall by my feet. It was the last time I'd use that name. I dropped the can down without a word, then took off on the other side of the wall.

I knew I'd screwed up when I introduced myself  to Michael. If Alpha heard Michael call me by my old name, after giving me the name Scout... I shook my head. I needed to let go of my past. This was my goodbye to the kid I was.

By the time Alpha caught up with me, we were almost back. I took him in one of the other apartment buildings, one I didn't plan on making my future escape from. It was the shortest jump across buildings. This way I would have him alone for awhile. The severity of his punishments was always less when he wasn't making a show for the guards.

We rode the elevator up together. I knew I had to play him, working it right while telling the truth in a way that hopefully benefited me, or at least got me out of the worst punishment that might come from my screw up.

Once the elevator started it's ragged ascent, I played my hand out. I started by leaning against him, letting out a ragged breath. I pulled away as he reached out, as if I didn't notice. I kept my head down.

"Alpha? What do you guys do for Christmas?"

In his hesitation I allowed my panic to surface.

"I'm sorry," I blurted out, "probably nothing, it's ok, I shouldn't have asked. It's just..." his arm was around my shoulder and I allowed myself to lean against him again. I choked out about my Christmas and the shoes for the past six years, telling the whole story so it finished as the elevator came to a stop. Hopefully if he did get me shoes, he would get me the right kind now.

"I didn't want... they were closest thing I ever had to anybody who cared, but now I have you. I didn't want to be there, I wanted to be here. I'm sorry I pulled away from you, Alpha."

All that came out as we stepped out of the elevator and made our way to the roof. I let the tears I had been holding back flow out then. I let myself feel the fear of disappointing him, as well as the touch of terror I felt that I might yet set off his rage. 

He held me, stroked me, nuzzled me. He was close to shifting and licking me and tonight I would welcome his ministrations. I had too much in me. Now for the kicker.

"I screwed up earlier, Alpha sir, I wanted our prey to trust me so I gave him my name, my old name. I don't know why. I told him to call me Scout right after. I want to be known by the name you gave me. That's why I told the kids at the park I wasn't planning on coming back. I'm sorry Alpha."

I dropped to my knees before him, crying, making sure all of my fear came out. I had fear of being caught when I finally ran, fear of my secret about changing the direction of my shift like a Royal, fear of Beta thinking he was my alpha now, all coming out through my glands and my sweat.

I reached out and stroked Alpha's leg, ready to accept any punishment he dealt out. I knew it was better that the news of my screw up came from me up front than for it to come out any other way.