Phoenix

Chapter 2

 Darnell's POV:

 I've wandered closer to this pack than I wanted. I'm not sure why, but I feel drawn to it. My phoenix, Blaze, had insisted we enter the pack, but that is where I put my foot down. I refuse to step foot inside a pack. 

 Now, to address the question you might be asking yourselves. What do I mean by, 'phoenix'? I am not a wolf. I am a rogue and I am Omega. But, when I shifted, I discovered I was a phoenix. The mythical bird of fire. I don't understand or know how or why. But, this is what I am. I've learned I'm pretty powerful. I can change my scent to match a wolf's scent or any other scent I want. And, seeing as I'm a bird of fire, I can be dangerous. The other rogues are all afraid of me. They learned the hard way not to mess with me. 

 When I shifted, I discovered why I had this fiery orange mark on my face. It kinda looks like a jagged streak of lightning. Blaze told me it's called, The Mark of the Phoenix. So, apparently, it's a sign of what I am. 

 So, if I'm so powerful, why do I not want to enter a pack? Simple. I don't trust wolves. My parents abandoned me when I was just six years old. They were werewolves who abandoned me because I was different. Because of my stupid birthmark! 

 I could feel my skin heat up as I thought about the night I was abandoned. I stared at my reflection in the stream, anger rising within me. My eyes burned a fiery orange-red color. This happens when I have strong emotions. My eyes burn a fiery orange-red and my skin heats up. I was so involved in my thoughts, I'd forgotten I had changed my scent to a wolf. And, I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings or my phoenix, who was trying to get my attention.

 Before I knew it, I was attacked from behind. I looked at this rogue up and down. I rolled my eyes. "Seriously? Again? Don't you ever learn-" I was cut off by him snarling and swiping his claws in my arm. "Gah!" I shouted in pain. I frowned at him, my anger rising. "I warn you. Don't get me mad."

 Did he listen? No. He growled ferociously and before he could go for my neck, I kicked him off of me. I stood up, panting. I looked at him, a serious expression on my face. "I told you before. You'll regret getting me mad. Now stop before you get yourself killed."

 He only growled and before I could do anything, he ran forward, biting down hard on my leg. 

 "We need to shift, Darnell! If we don't he'll kill you!" Blaze exclaimed. 

 I don't usually like shifting. I don't shift very often at all. Only when it's absolutely necessary. And this rogue, he's been bugging me as often as he can. He's not leaving me any choice but to shift. 

 "You're right, Blaze. Let's do this." I closed my eyes and shifted into my fiery phoenix. The rogue jumped back, his eyes wide in fear. I let out a loud screeching roar. I flapped my wings and raised myself into the air. I could see his face and leg were burned, his fur singed. 

 He lowered his head, submitting to me. I nodded, shifting back. My skin was still hot and my eyes were most likely still fiery orange-red. "Leave. And don't ever let me see your face again or I will not hesitate to kill you." The rogue nodded quickly before limping away quickly. When he was out of sight, I turned back to the stream, but fell to the ground, grunting in pain.

 "You need to calm yourself down! Your burning skin is agitating your leg!" Blaze told me. 

 I nodded in understanding. I shifted my body and sat down. I groaned at the sight of my aching leg. It was covered in blood. It was the same leg that was injured years ago when I was seven. I had somehow managed to stop the bleeding and take care of it back then. Sorta...It never healed quite right, so I ended up with a limp. I looked down at my arm. It hurt and was bleeding.

 I groaned in pain as I took off my shirt and ripped it in half. I wrapped one half around my arm as best I could. Then, I wrapped the second half around my leg. Not the best bandages in the world, but, they'll have to do...

 I tried to stand up to go back to my cave that I'd been living in, but I just fell back, yelping at the extreme pain in my leg. Great. Just great. I can't move. What am I supposed to do now?? Crawl do the cave?? I'd never make it. Shift? I'd probably accidentally set the woods on fire. Not to mention shifting would only agitate my arm and leg. I sighed heavily. Was this it? Was I going to die?