The Runaways

Together for Never

A huge thanks to Midnight Princessfor making the awesome cover!! :)

Kate Todd as Terra -------------------------------------------------------------------->

***Terra's P.O.V.***

More than anything in the world, I wish I could sleep in my own bed. I wish I was able to go home and act like everything is normal. But right now, nothing's normal. My life is complicated, more than anyone’s life should ever be.

The browning pine needles and recently fallen leaves are itchy as I lay down on them and they are nothing compared to an actual bed. They are the best thing around to keep us warm at night, considering we don't have a set home. We live in the surrounding forests, invisible to most and we keep to ourselves. Usually we sleep in trees, but with the cooling weather and the leaves falling off, the treetops aren't as safe as they used to be. They won't hide a bunch of teenage girls from danger when all their leaves are on the ground.

About six months ago, I ran away from my home. The only thing I have is a small drawstring bag which I have securely in between my shoulders blades at all times. I never go anywhere without it considering it has an extra set of clothes that I may need. I keep a few other things in it too, but I’m the only person who ever sees that stuff.

I nestle into my makeshift bed and close my eyes to let sleep take me. I’m completely exhausted after another long day. Being a rogue is more exhausting then I ever thought it would be.

Not even five minutes later, I heard soft footsteps approaching me. I take in a deep breath and only smell the forest around me which can only mean it's one of my friends.

I open my eyes wearily and looked into April's bright green eyes. She gives me an apologetic look in return.

"Sorry to have to keep you up Terra, but Charlotte wants to speak with all of us." I sigh.

So, after I ran away, I met up with a group of she-wolves who had also run away from their packs. Including me, there are eight of us; Charlotte, April, Violet, McKenna, Morgan, Annabella, Bryn and me. We all have our reasons for leaving our homes, but out of respect for each other, we don't bring it up. None of us ever want to go back to where we ran away from or risk being found, so we mask our scent. This way, we can't be found by anyone looking for us. We all have someone who hasn’t given up, but when our group doesn't want to be found, it's like we don't even exist.

I stand up and stretch my stiff limbs.

"Do you know what Charlotte wants to talk about?" I ask April.

"No. She wouldn't tell us without you present." Oh, and Charlotte is like our Alpha. She's in charge and makes all of the major decisions. She was in charge when I first met them and I think it probably has always been this way, but we love her and look to her for guidance, even though she isn't much older than the rest of us.

We enter a small area without any trees and the group of girls all turn to look at us.

Charlotte, with her strawberry blond hair in a loose ponytail, looks more tired like the rest of us. I swear she never sleeps because she's keeping us all safe. We're a big group of she-wolves and it's hard to keep our presence a secret.

"Good, we're all here now." She begins as Bryn scoots over for me to sit on a tree stump with her. "There have been a few... incidents this past month involving other packs along the border of the unmarked land that we're currently on that need to be avoided from now on." She looks pointedly at McKenna who shrugs, making her dark brown hair fall into her face. She brushes it back from her face, showing the caramel highlights underneath.