Hell's Fury

Running Away

Chapter 2

Running Away

            I couldn’t believe that my pack was dead. Every single one of them lay in a pool of their own blood. I couldn’t believe that I was the only one left. If I hadn’t decided to take a midnight run, I might have been lying there in my house dead as well. As I ran, I could feel the leaves slap me in the face as the sticks and limbs cut my arms and legs.

            The Mutts were after me and I couldn’t stop running. I had to get away. Finally, I stumble onto a small brook. I take several short sips of water to ease my thirst. I look back towards the way I came. I was surprised to see a faint orange glow in the sky. Then I realized that the Mutts were burning down our homes. I wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn’t fall.

            I had lost my home, my family and my daughter. I had found my mate when I was 24, but he died years ago while protecting our daughter from Mutts. I suspected that she was like me as well, but when she shifted, her wolf was a smokey gray, not silver. I was glad. She didn’t deserve this life of being hunted for the powers she’d give to her mate.

            But I hadn’t expected that she along with the rest of them would be killed. Hearing the faint sound of running paws, I take off again. The nearest pack was miles away, and if I didn’t get a move on, I would never make it in time. I would rather be dead than to let them take me and use me for their evil plans.

            I ran all night; never stopping for fear that the Mutts would capture me. The second I crossed into a pack’s land, I knew but I still kept running. Pack lines meant nothing to Mutts, especially if they were after something. Hearing growls in front of me, I dig my claws into the ground to stop, but I’d been running so fast, that instead of stopping, I went flying and crashed into a tree.

            They surrounded me. Since I landed in the brush, they hadn’t seen my fur’s color yet. I stayed where I was, hoping they would go away. “Come out.” One demanded. I could feel the power of a beta roll off of him. Keeping my head low, I slowly stepped out. When they saw my silver coat, they gasped. The beta took a step towards me, but I whimpered. He immediately froze.

            Even though they were in human form, I knew that I couldn’t escape them if I tried to run. It was either them or the Mutts. “Shift.” The beta demands, but his voice was gentle. I close my eyes and picture my human form. I could hear my bones pop as I start to shift back. Someone throws me a long tee shirt and I quickly pull it on. “Why did you enter our territory Mutt.” He ask staring at me. I tense and glare at him. “One, I am no Mutt. My pack was just killed by those barbaric things. Two, the only reason I crossed into your land was to get away from them. I didn’t know where I was since I was running for my life.” I say lacing my words with sarcasm.

            He had the good manners to lower his head. “I’m sorry for your loss.” He whispers, but I still heard him. “You’ll have to come meet the alpha king though, since technically you’re a Mutt.” I glare at him and he shrugs. “But I can smell the smoke on you, and your story is easy to check out.” I nod at him. “Come on. It won’t take long to reach the castle.” I go to follow him, but cry out as the ground comes rushing up to meet me. Everything becomes dark and silent.

            Opening my eyes, I find myself in a plain room. Looking around, I see a man sitting beside my bed. He smiles when he sees that I’m awake. “Who are you?” I blurt out. He chuckles. “I’m Tommy Bell.” He says softly and I gasp. “You’re…You’re the alpha king. What am I doing here?”

            “My beta found you in the woods remember? I sent my men out to your pack, or what’s left of it. You are one lucky wolf to survive that.” He tells me and I hang my head. “It wasn’t luck.” I whisper. “I woke up in the middle of the night feeling anxious. My wolf wanted to go for a run, so I slipped out of the house. I hadn’t gotten very far when the screams started. Oh god their screams. I turned back, but it was too late. I reached my house just in time to watch the Mutts murder my entire family; my mom and dad and my five year old daughter.

            “I must have made a sound because the next thing I know, I’m running from some Mutts and they set fire to our houses. And somehow, I cross your lines. I’m sorry alpha king,” I say bowing my head, “I didn’t know I was that close to your territory. I was just trying to escape the Mutts. I knew that they mustn’t catch me, and I figured that death would be better than life in their hands.” The king looks at me with confusion in his eyes. I sigh and keep my eyes on my hands. “Your men didn’t tell you?’

            “Didn’t tell me what?”

            “That I’m a pure silver wolf.” I say softly. I hear him take in a breath sharply. “No, they failed to mention that little piece of information.”

            “Don’t blame them, sir. They only caught a glimpse of my fur before I shifted back. They probably thought they were seeing things.” He nods slowly and stands up. I couldn’t help it, I flinched away. He freezes. “I’m not going to hit you. My mother raised me better than that.” I give him a weak smile and apologize. I watch as he leaves. Now how in the world will I get out of this hole? I ask myself, staring at the window.