Omega

Prologue

I jumped out the back of the pickup waving a quick goodbye to my friends as I ran. With a step on the wall as momentum, I hoisted myself over and landed into a sprint. I was so late. Curfew had been almost two hours ago but I lost track of time. This would probably be my last chance to spend time with my outside friends before my junior year of high school ended. I knew we would all be swamped with work soon. I could have made it home in no time, but the blouse I was wearing was my favorite from my vintage collection. It was also ridiculously expensive, and since I most likely would never be able replace it, here I was running as fast as my two legs would carry me. I could not slow down though the wooded grounds surrounding the town stretched for miles. The pack had set a two a.m. curfew a few months ago when rogues were reported roaming the outer edges. Enforcers were no doubt patrolling the area by now. Any person out past curfew was seen as a hostile and was dealt with accordingly from what the rumors were and I did not want to find out what "dealt with accordingly" actually meant.

Even with my heightened speed, it was a good five minutes to civilization beyond the wooded outskirts and I could feel my legs starting to protest. Why I decided to wear, albeit cute, heavy wedges really escaped me at the moment. The small speck of light in the distance told me I was approximately three and a half miles off from actual streets, but I was more concerned with the snarl I heard about a mile to my right. I stilled putting myself in the shadows. I heard another snarl in the distance followed quickly by a yelp. Opening my mind, I waited to see if I could sense the obvious wolf close to me as a pack member. It wasn't. But some were, at least but something was different about them. I had no idea where they were or how many, just that they were out there with me. The wolf was still in the same space, and I did not know if it was aware of me or not so I did not move. I figured I was safe if I went unnoticed relieved that I had stayed in human form. It was harder to smell me that way according to my wilderness survival course- Were Way edition.

It was a minute later when two more growls came from behind me getting louder by the second. They were obviously running toward me and they were not friendly. Well, so much for staying hidden. I couldn't stay where I was, but I couldn't shift either; they would spot me for certain if I did. I would be fine for a minute or two but there was a half-mile clearing before you got to the innerwoods of the town and that would leave me exposed. I waited a few more seconds to see if the wolves would change direction, but all I heard were added thumps as more paws hit the ground at greater speed. It was now or never. Filling my lungs with air, I hauled faster than I had a minute ago dodging tree limbs and roots that would slow down my speed. I knew running would alert the rouge that had been staying idle to the right of me as a jaw snap filled my ears before another set of paws joined the ones already in pursuit. I kept looking ahead; if I could get to the clearing I could see my attackers coming and hopefully defend myself better. I saw the clearing fifty yards ahead of me before I heard a whimper followed by another yelp from behind me. The number of paws chasing me decreased significantly but the ones to the right kept coming closing in at two hundred yards. They would reach me before I passed through the clearing so I got ready to shift as soon as I got far enough into the open space to defend myself. I had never fought a rogue before, but there was no way I was being mauled without a fight vintage shirt or not.

I didn't hesitate before running into the clearing; any opportunity for the rogue to catch up was an advantage I could not afford. Whipping around prepared to shift a moment later, I reached midpoint with the rogue just entering the bare field. But I had no need. Because as soon as my eyes fell on the dark brown wolf headed towards me foaming at the mouth, a blur of deep grey that resembled a shadow at sunset collided with it knocking it over from the side. The brown wolf bucked the now more discernable grey wolf off trying to gather its bearings to defend, but it was too late. As if it was never hit, the grey wolf landed on its feet and charged forward seizing the rogue by the throat ripping it open while simultaneously stomping his paws onto its ribcage to hold him steady. The copper scent of blood filled the air as the grey wolf hurled the flesh into the woods and wiped his snout clean on the grass. I had not moved, not out of fear but something else paralyzed me. It felt like a humming in my body. I stayed perfectly still but my insides were vibrating. It only got worse when hazel eyes set themselves on me.

The grey wolf's gaze was unyielding and intimidating. His fur looked smooth and silky in the moonlight. He did not snarl or growl but looked more dangerous than the rogue lying dead just behind him. He stalked towards me with deliberate steps and the motions in my head increased. There was a whirring in my head, a whooshing as if I was caught in a strong wind and then a tornado. My body hummed all over with a jitteriness I had never felt before. At first I thought it was fear, but I realized I was not afraid. He stopped ten paces away and waited calmly, but I knew he was ready to attack at any moment. I stayed still. For some reason, I felt no urgency to run though I could tell the wolf staring at me was dangerous. Aware that the wolf before me had just basically decapitated an enemy, I opened my mind to see if he was an enforcer or just had a personal vendetta. I could definitely feel him but not in the way you would feel an enforcer. Enforcers usually give you a sense of protection; instead I felt more danger and the whoosh heightened. It could be because I was still pretty much new to the pack but something told me it was not. The ashen wolf cocked his head to the side in an almost sardonic fashion and inside my head I heard a deep velvety voice that I knew I'd never forget. That was an amazing voice. If I could run my tongue over that voice I would. It oozed charisma, amusement, and dread all at once.

"Run."

So he was definitely pack at least at one point; it was the only way for us to communicate. It was a command but it seemed like he was more so taunting me. His eyes held an excited gleam as if waiting for me to obey. I held my ground. His head cocked further to the side as if he was studying me.

"Why do you not run?" He seemed genuinely perplexed.

"You'll chase me if I do." I replied somehow knowing that staying still was what kept me calm and safe.

"I'm pack." I told him hoping it would get me out of the trouble I found myself in. His answer told me it wouldn't.

"You're late."

All I could do was say, "I know. My bad," and stay still while he figured out if he needed me to run to chew my head off. Suddenly, multiple howls resounded in the distance drawing the wolf's attention with an angle of his ear. I figured it was more of the pack because he did not seem in a hurry to move. We were at a standstill for a few more seconds before I heard his voice again.

"You should be gone by the time I get back. If you are not, I will kill you."

I didn't respond only nodded in understanding. He disappeared into the woods in a flash and suddenly the whirring, the humming, the tornado stopped, and my flight mechanism kicked in once more as I continued my run home. I knew I was safe when I jogged under the street lamps but I could not comprehend why I felt more secure standing in the middle of a field with a deep grey wolf watching me ready to strike.