My Rogue

Chapter 14: The Climb

Mika's POV

"Mika, you shouldn't do that," the small boy called from below me. "Alpha will be angry."

I looked down at the nagging voice from up the tall tree I had climbed up, proud at my greatest achievement. At the mere age of ten, I had made it higher than any of the other pups so far. I could only imagine their faces; the bastard Mutt, strongest of them all.

"Calm down, Noko," I shouted. "I'm almost there, then I'll get back to work!"

"Mika, you'll get hurt!"

I tuned out the young boy below, his voice no more than a whisper in my ear. I could go higher. I know I could. I'd make it do none of the other pups could ever laugh and call me weak again.

For some reason, they liked to pick on me. Everyone, really, not just the pups. Not to mention the Alpha. I had to prove to them I was just as good as the rest, I was pack.

Wolves don't normally climb trees, were far from cats after all. So, it was always a competition amongst the young pups, who could climb the highest. With all the chores, cleaning, and other work the Alpha put on me, I never had time to join. Not that the other kids would let me anyway...

Needless to say, when I finished washing the clothes a little early and noticed that the Alpha had yet to return from his run, the curiosity in me couldn't stop a 10-year-old from giving it a go.

So, for the first time in my life, I took a break from my work. The laundry wasn't going anywhere, all I had to do was hang the sheets to dry. So, I climbed.

And I climbed.

And I climbed.

I climbed all the way to the near top. My small size made it easy to balance on the branches where others had fallen. The tallest tree, I could nearly see our entire territory from up here. I stood high, a new sense of empowerment filling my heart. Always trapped in that closet of a room or busy doing chores, but not here. I stood like a king at the top of this tree.

"Mika! Get down!"

I could still here my friends voice. Nokomis. The only kid who was actually nice to me. He was a quiet and gentle kid, always being ignored by the others so naturally, we got on well together. I gave a deep sigh before drawing my mind back down to the ground, to the world where I belonged.

Always at the bottom.

I started to make my way down and it became clear very quickly going up was much easier as going down. I hadn't expected that...

I was taking it steady, I could practically feel Nokomis' breath catch every time my foot slipped. Wolves were tough, sure, with our rapid healing. But pups were still fragile and wounded quite easily, especially before their first shift where they connected with their wolf. Not to mention a fall from this height would be enough to damage a fully-grown wolf, let alone a pre-shifted pup such as myself.

Suddenly my nerves shot up.

I took a deep breath as I urged myself to continue down, not realizing I had stopped from the shaking of my legs.

All was going well until my hair suddenly stood up on end. Shivers ran down my back and fear crept its way onto my face.

"Mikaaaa," Noko said, clearly rattled as well.