I am Rogue [Book 1]

Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

               “Mother! Someone, anyone, help me!”

               The heat from the flames licked my skin as I tried to get someone from the pack to come aid me, my home burning before my eyes with my mother no doubt inside suffocating from the black smoke. I raked my nails at the side of the door that wasn’t inflamed, panic momentarily stumping me from remembering I was a werewolf, to remember I had the strength to break down the door. Instead I was terrified by the burning flames that threatened to take everything I held dear to me.

               I bolted upright from my bedroll, sweat glistening along my wiry limbs and chest. Little Rosie slept snuggled in her own make-shift bed to my left, allowing me something to focus on as I got myself under control. Taking long deep breaths, I waited for my heart rate to settle before rising and leaving my tent, the air outside cold compared to normal due to my sweaty clothes and flesh.

               It had been seven years. Seven years since I lost everything that had ever mattered to me. Seven years since I turned rogue from my birth pack, seven years and the nightmare of that day continues to play on my mind. That terrible day I learned just how much an Alpha’s love could be worth.

               Shaking away the memories, not willing to relive them again, I stretched my arms over my head and let out a tired yawn. Though now wide awake, my body couldn’t deny its willingness to slumber longer snuggled up next to little Rosie. The kid was like a miniature heater you could snuggle, though most werewolves were. Benefit to having a higher body temp than most, though the downside was that in really cold weather, the air seemed almost frigid.

               Lifting my cotton black tank top over my head, I discarded it below a nearby tree, my elastic band shorts and underwear soon following, falling into a combined crumpled ball. Taking a deep breath, I threw my head back, my eyes eating at the thin sliver of silver moon as I called on my inner beast to awaken from her slumber and form my flesh to her image. The sounds of my bones cracking, my flesh tearing, and my moans of pain leaving my lips filled the air until there was nothing but the pleasurable whine of my charcoal furred wolf. Skimming my warm thick tongue across the top of my left front paw, I then stretched my forelegs out in front of me before standing and shaking out the last few kinks that touched my muscle and bone before taking off for a relaxing run.

               It wasn’t long before I was lost in the joys of my animal form, playing with the nocturnal wildlife that dared to come my way. I found myself jumping, stalking, and yipping at anything from small insects to larger furry prey, oblivious to how far I had gone from the temporary territory our group was staying in. So of course, when I heard nearby rusting, I didn’t even think to check before pouncing onto the assailant playfully, sending us both rolling through crackling leaves.

               Yipping with joy at the idea of a new playmate in my current state, I didn’t realize I couldn’t recognize the scent, playfully nipping at the new wolf’s fur and even going as far as to flick my tongue across its muzzle before another wolf flew through the bushes, knocking me away from my new-found friend and moving to stand in front of me. Rising to my feet, my eyes widened as the familiar scent of Nyx settled over me, his loud snarl at the wolf I had been rolling about with for only a few seconds causing me to press my muzzle to the ground.

               “Aim… You alright? Do you know who the hell that is?”

               “I just needed to go for a run, I hadn’t realized, lost in my playfulness that I had pounced on a stranger.”

               “Damn it, Aim! I passed pack markers about twenty-feet back following after your scent. Rosie came into my tent crying that you had vanished. Do you understand what that means?”

               Whimpering at the emotions filling my head from my accepted Alpha and friend, I crawled across the ground, careful of my underbelly and nuzzled his left shoulder. The action seemed to catch the attention of the other wolf, who I now scented as a strange male. Seeing the affectionate display, he seemed to cock his head to the side, then lower it and snarl towards Nyx as if challenging him over something.

               Nyx jerked, his muzzle butting against me while his eyes remained on the wolf in front of him. The message was pretty understandable. I was to turn my ass around, run as fast as I could while looking for a way to cover my scent and head back to camp. Though I was a fighter, Nyx was still my chosen Alpha, and right now he didn’t want me taking part in this fight of dominance between two males.  With one last look at both males, I turned and fled the way I had come, crossing through the first body of water I could find to cover my scent trail and soaking my heavy fur.

               “I’ll be back soon, Aim. Take care of Rosie until then.”

               Silently praying for Nyx’s safety and asking forgiveness from the wolf who was trying to go up against him, I turned into our campsite and ran straight to Nyx’s tent, little Rosie cuddled up with my horrible flower print covered pillow waiting for me. Shifting back, I grabbed one of Nyx’s shirts that fell to my mid-thigh along with a pair of his clean boxers and crawled into bed, curling around the sleeping child and hoping that when my eyes finally fell closed we could keep both our nightmares away.

               An hour later, I awoke only for a moment to feel Nyx join Rosie and I on his bedding, his arm draping protectively around my waist, sending me both relief that he was safe and comfort that he was home.

[Image of Rosie in Media]