Runaway

chapter 1 ALEX

OFFICAL TEASER
~Alex~
My life consisted of living independently; that's how it had been since I got away from the monster I called my uncle or the so-called guardian of my adolescent period. Currently, I am fully grown, struggling to eat, and staying out of the way of alphas, betas, and any unwanted rogues.

In a world entirely of werewolves, I stand as the only known panther shifter...well, that I know of, at least. I was probably considered the same as elves, vampires, and goblins......a myth.

I felt my panther's unease. *We need to rest* I heard Cleo as always in my head. No one could listen to her except me or someone I mate with; she called herself Cleo, which made it easier to identify her. Mates is short for soulmates for wolf shifters; I'm not sure I have a mate, being panther and all.

Nodding slightly, I began focusing on my surroundings; nothing was stuck out of place, as it was another scenic patch of woods. My stomach rumbled, reminding me that I needed food and was tired of raw meat. Finding somewhere to get some human food is next on my to-do list right now. I've only had what I could kill in the forest; human food was becoming rare for me to indulge in.

Deciding to find a small store somewhere, I started looking for a road to lead me in the right direction *Careful, no big stores or large bodies of people* I hear Cleo state; she was always matter-of-fact, which I liked. She was a worrier, but she was the only real family I had.

Nodding my head, she stayed silent. I couldn't tell if this was a territory, unclaimed, or rogue land.

An alpha rules a certain territory; other wolves then play follow the leader to him. Unclaimed land has no connection to anything or any species, and rogue lands are home to unwanted wolves or loose ends, as my uncle used to call them to his guests.

My uncle was another story.

He was my abuser, my torturer, and the reason I have not stopped running since I was 18. my uncle came from a wealthy pack looking to overtake the multipack system; I don't know much, but I overheard things from my room when my uncle would have his friends over. They would play cards, drink, and demand I cook them food. He always said anyone would love my panther's head hanging on their wall, and I believed him. I hadn't seen another one of my kind in my whole life.

My parent figure was my mom, who I assume was a wolf, though I'd never seen her shift. One day, my dad came home throwing up, and that's the last memory I had...he died an hour later; my mother then stopped eating and died shortly after him as a result of heartbreak; this is something that happens to mates. I'm not exactly sure about the whole story with my parents, considering I only had parents for a few years before I went into government care; I have barely any memories of them. Honestly, most of my memories were filled in by my uncle after he adopted me a few months after I landed in the foster system.

Once I found a road, I shifted back into human form to follow it to a town. The only fortunate thing about being a panther was that I could turn back into human form in my clothes after I shifted, unlike wolves, who bust their clothes while shifting into their wolf spirit so they come back naked. I wasn't jealous of that. It took me only a bit to discover what led to a small-looking town. I ignored the details, considering it was an in-and-out situation, not trying to stay long or draw attention. The first store I recognized was a quacky mart.

Brushing off the same outfit I had worn for the past few months, clothing was always the bare minimum with me, always stolen When one of my garments was worn out. Currently, my get-up was black leggings, a faded blue hoodie, old socks, and some beat-up tennis shoes. Walking inside, the lights threw me off instantly; I was not used to artificial lighting, but I continued forward so as not to look suspicious. The cashier glanced over, not seeming to care. Before looking away, I reminded myself to stay calm as my legs carried me forward.