The Rejection (NEW VERSION)

02 | On the Run

Skott — Wolf

two

My paws pounded against the forest floor as I wove around trees and leapt over logs. I concentrated only on my breathing and the sound of the wind rustling the trees above. The sun was glittering through the leaves and creating different designs along the grass and dirt. I inhaled the soft scent of nature and decided that it was time to rest.

It had been three days. Three days since I had left, three days since I had eaten, three days since I had been in human form, three days since I had last thought about him. Proper sleep was nearly impossible, considering that finding unmarked land was like finding gold, but it was also littered with rogues. Technically, I suppose you could call myself a rogue, but I wasn't a savage like them; I hadn't let go of my humanity. I was simply a lone wolf. I had no home, no place to go, and no one to go with me. The only person I could count on was myself.

               I laid down and cried.

               My legs collapsed beneath my weight and the tears rolled from my eyes. I cried for leaving my family, for abandoning my friends, and for my broken heart. I felt like an empty shell, a hollow being with no purpose in life, but the thought of having to stay in that town was worse than anything else.

               I was famished and exhausted. Whether or not I was on unmarked land wasn't an issue at that point; I didn't care. In fact, I prayed to be trespassing onto someone's territory just so they could lawfully kill me.

I didn't want to live anymore.

I had no reason to.

Living in the disgrace of being a rejected mate was the worst nightmare any werewolf could imagine. I mean, the single person who was supposed to be made specifically for you, didn't want anything to do with you. What was the point?

So, as I laid there in the dirt and leaves, I wished for death and drifted to sleep in my tears and self-pity.

• • •

An earth-shaking growl startled me awake. I had fallen asleep when the sun was bright and shining, but I had awoken to its place being stolen by the moon. It illuminated a dim light through the trees and sent eerie shadows to envelope the forest. After I had shifted, I soon learned that my senses were all heightened to animalistic degrees, so the dim light didn't phase me. Every tree, every leaf, and every twig was sharply outlined, even the feral-looking wolf who stood before me. My eyes were so sharp that I could see the drool dripping from its snarling mouth.

               The wolf was the color of copper. It's fur was matted down and covered in dirt and mud, like it hadn't bathed in years. From its appearance alone, I could tell that it was a rogue wolf and not an Alpha defending his territory, but that didn't make it any less threatening. In fact, rogues could be considered more dangerous than an angry Alpha because of their lack of humanity or understanding.

               I jumped to my feet quickly and took a couple steps back. I held back a whimper, but never broke eye contact with the animal. I had no idea what I did to make it angry, but apparently it was bad.

               The rogue growled again and snapped in my direction, it began to take slow and calculated steps to the right. I followed and took the similar steps to the left, to keep the distance.

               I had no idea what to do.

               During the previous three days when I had came in contact with rogues, they were either too preoccupied with something else to even bother with me or way off in the distance. There hadn't been one determined enough to attack me.