I am not Rogue

Chapter 3

The fight only lasts a minute. The mange wolf ran off, more concerned in its own life then rescuing the others. Floria and blue eyes lay dead, their human form covered in bites and their necks snapped.

The Beta's tan wolf holds Blondie by the throat. Blondie whines, baring his neck before shifting back human. "Wait, wait!" He pleads. "If I tell you some information will you let me go?" The Beta growls, still holding Blondie in his jaws. Taking that as a yes, Blondie blabbers on. "There was a she-wolf! She's planning on attacking you! She had a bomb in her backpack and said she wanted to kill you all! She went that way!" He lies, pointing straight at me.

I resist the urge to growl angrily. Of course he'd sell me out for his own life. Of course he'd make up some ridiculous story, a bigger threat to the pack then he is. Blondie's smart, I'll give him that, but not smart enough.

The Beta rips his head off, thrashing his head to tear the flesh from flesh. The Beta throws the head to the side before shifting back into human form.

"I didn't say yes to your survival." The Beta smirks. "Find the she-wolf, if she actually exists." He chuckles lowly, wiping the blood from his mouth.

The wolves around sniff the forest floor, nosing and pawing at the dirt. The Beta walks off, back into his territory. The wolves wander the area, sharp and alert.

A brown wolf trots in my direction. I know my scent's not very strong in human form, and I'm breathing ever so softly. My plan was to wait it out, they won't sense me, but this brown wolf is getting uncomfortably close. It won't be long until he finds me.

I watch the brown wolf intensely, praying he won't notice me, as I try to slip away. A snap echoes in the quiet. I look at the stick beneath my foot and curse. "Shit."

The brown wolf's head swivels to me. It's blue eyes peering at me. His ears rotating, listening. I still, he's noticed me. Through the leaves I see the wolf snarl.

The wolf pounces and I shoot out of the bush, meeting him halfway. I tackle the wolf's midsection and we fly to the ground. Dirt splays as the wolf's back slides across the ground into the open.

The remaining wolves that were searching the area snap their heads to us. Before anyone can react to my presence, I let go of the brown wolf and sprint off into the Moonstone's territory.

My heart pounds along with my bare feet. I swat at branches as I run through the forest. My limbs swing violently as I sprint. Adrenaline floods me, body tingling. I push myself, run for my life, faster than I've ever run.

I don't need to look behind me to know the wolves are there, chasing after me. Paws thunder with my feet, snarls and growling snap in the air. Claws ripping up the ground. Panting.

A wolf nips and my heel, just scraping. My head feels light, my chest burns from running too fast, too long. My limbs hurt.

The wolves can sense my trying state. I can smell their building confidence as their jaws snap at me.

I need to lose them.

My head swirls as I survey the unfamiliar land as it blurs past.

A wolf grabs onto my backpack with his jaws, slowing me down.

My backpack. The wolves think I have a bomb in my backpack! If I get rid of it, surely I'd lose some wolves as they'd want to investigate it.

But I need my backpack, it has all my survival needs in it.

The wolves close in and I make my decision.

Removing my backpack, I sling it off to the side.

Three of the eight wolves separate to the backpack. I smile, I just need to get rid of these five wolves now.

I use my technique of escape, that I always use to escape.

Running up an elevated log, I jump to a nearby tree. I leap and swing, tree to tree, shaking pine needles to the ground.

The wolves run under me, jumping and nipping. I gradually climb higher and higher, until I can't see the wolves below me through the branches.

I stop, clinging high up in a pine tree.

A howl indicates that the wolves have lost my trail and I sigh exhausted.

I wait, catching my breath. My heart slows and my head clears. It won't be long until they come back and catch my trail.

Slowly I lower myself to the ground again, not before making sure that it was clear. I listen intently, and when I hear the trickling sound of a stream, I smile.

Setting out in the opposite direction of the river, I make sure to push slightly harder on the ground. I rub my wrists and neck on different trees, making sure my clothes snag on branches and my footprints could be seen.

Satisfied with my fake trail, I carefully track back to the stream.

Kneeling down beside it I grab the mud, smearing it on my neck and arms to cover my scent.

I'll use the stream to get through the territory, it leads right through and it will cover my tracks. The only problem is that it leaves me with no cover.

The icy water curls around my feet again as I start my track, a cold reminder for the upcoming winter. I've heard it's going to be the coldest winter yet and I can only hope that I can make it to California in time for the warmer climate. Make it to Grace's house. Before I freeze to death.

I debate shifting, being a wolf would help me get there fast, however, as a wolf, my scent is much stronger. I shake my head, focusing on the task at hand, keeping a low profile and getting the hell out of this territory.

I continue on, walking through the stream waist deep.

"Do you think I'm dumb? Did you honestly think that fake trail would fool me?" A humourless chuckle follows. My head snaps to the Beta, who stands at the edge of the stream.

I flume, but I keep my facade cool and calm. Innocently, I ask, "Well it fooled your fellow pack members, plus, aren't Beta's supposed to be doing more important things? Rather than chasing after one measly she-wolf?" I smirk and arch a delicate brow.

"Don't disrespect me!" He growls. I deadpan, "Or you'll what? Through a tantrum?" I snicker.

He throws himself at me, snarling and growling. I wasn't expecting his tantrum. Tackling me around the waist, we're both sent backwards into the cold water.

The water swirls around me, freezing my limbs. The cold pierces through my skull, aching.

I push myself to the surface, the current ripping me downstream. Claws puncture my skin as a hand grasps my wrist. Pulling back my fist I punch the Beta's face, the sound of his nose breaking is dulled by the rushing water. Momentarily stunned, his grip loosens and I take the opportunity to smack my heel into his solar plexus. He wheezes, trying to keep ahold of me as he's pushed away. He desperately try's to hang on to me. His claws tear through my shirt and into the flesh at my shoulder, cutting deep and tearing before the water pulls us apart. I watch him slip away and I grin smugly ignoring the heated pain in my shoulder as he growls.

I try, unsuccessfully, to plant my feet firmly on the ground but the slippery surface of the rocks and the increasingly strong current keeps swiping me off my feet. I yelp as a rock slices my foot.

As we're both getting ripped down the river, I try to keep my head above the water as the Beta try's to swim to me.

"You're not getting out of here alive!" The Beta snarls. I grin, raising my head defiantly. "Watch me."

Our snide bickering stills as violent crashing white water sounds. As the water tears us around the corner, my smile drops. Rapids. Really dangerous looking rapids.

I glance at my companion, only to find him staring at me. We share a look of dread before facing the oncoming danger.