The Traveler: Artemis

Prologue: On the Road

My name is Artemis and I'm a werewolf. I know ironic, right, named after a moon goddess and bound by the moon.
Sooo...cliche.
I'm a traveler or more commonly known as a rogue. I have no pack to protect me and no home to return to.
You see, I was an orphan. Found in the woods next to my dead mother's body at about 2 or 3 years old. Not the best way for my life to start out, but I seem to attract the unluckiest of situations. Given that I have no memories prior to being found, I suppose it's the only beginning I have.
After getting cleaned up and a few hours of people trying to figure out where I was from, I was placed in the local orphanage or group home, as they call it, and raised there till I was 13.

That was my first shift. It scared the shit outta me and I was absolutely terrified someone was gonna have me hunted down or used as an experiment, so I packed a bag and ran away.
I didn't have much to pack anyway and I wasn't leaving anyone I loved behind. I was a nuisance to everyone, because I was different and I just didn't have friends. I was too weird for them I guess. Didn't bother me none, I didn't care if they liked me or not. The place and the people always felt kinda foreign to me anyway.

Since then, I have lived day to day. Staying alive and what not. When I turned 16, I got a car and a license, since I took all my important papers when I left, like a smart little runaway.

I mean they did get a bit suspicious,  but I never stay in one place long enough to get caught, though I been in trouble plenty of times.

So, at the grand age of 21, I live in my old dusty black '69 mustang and travel from place to place, doing odd jobs to stay alive.

People always seemed to notice I'm different. It's the eyes. Those thunderstorm grey eyes with that bright silver sunburst in the center. People swear they glow, I promise they do not, at least I think they don't.
It could also be the hair, too. Not alot of people with hair down to their butt, and a natural section of platinum blonde covering their right side. It's  a stark contrast to the rest of my hair, which is raven black.

I promise, I don't dye it. It's always been that way. Not that I dont like Rogue's hair in X-Men, but in real life, you get stared at constantly. It's really annoying.

As I travel, it's a known precaution amongst rogues, to stay away from Pack lands. Each pack has their territory and they aren't exactly accepting of wolves not in their pack, prancing around their land. As I don't wanna be hunted for entering, I steer clear or try to anyway. Learned that one, from a great deal of trial and error and having a really good nose.

Today, was like any other day. I was in this small town working as a garage hand and handyman to get some money in my pocket. I never mind getting dirty, it's just a natural thing now. But, now I got just enough money to do some more traveling. And two months in the same town is a bit too long for comfort.

There's a Pack nearby, so I decided to take the road nearest their territory, but not in it.
Why, you say? Well, privacy reasons. A wolf's gotta run sometime. Can't just stay cooped up on two legs much longer or me and my wolf will go absolutely nutty.

Oh, right. Did I mention that I have another kinda person in my head? That's my wolf, Apollo. I know, another ironic name, but I promise that's the name they gave me when we met.
I suppose you wonder why I use they/them when I'm talking about us.
Well, it's weird, but simple. I am a girl, born a female, mostly a tomboy. Apollo, is a boy. I know, that's not possible,  but I'm not kidding. On two legs I'm a girl and on four, I'm a boy.
Weird, right. But I'm used to it and I enjoy being unique.

So, I'm on my way out of town. I turned onto the road lining Pack lands, so I could go for a quick run, before I don't have the chance to again.

But, right as I got far enough away from town I smelled it.
The battle.
Blood, wolves, and death.
Heard it too.
Screams, howls, snarls, and whimpers littered my sensitive ears. But, one thing stood out. A cry. A child.
I looked for the source and there he was racing away from the battle on two legs. Terror in his eyes and fearsome foe trailing after him.

I couldn't ignore it. Not this. Not a child.

Thanks for stopping in. This my first book on here, so I hope in doesn't suck.
I'm gonna work on it in my spare time. Hopefully, I will have Chapter 1 before the weekend ends.