His Rogue Luna

Twenty

Solivagant
(adj.) Wandering alone.

I couldn't sit in the house any longer, twiddling my thumbs with the other females. The attack was more serious than I thought as almost all the males had disappeared to fight, leaving only a few to look after the pack.

I was expected to go around and comfort everyone that had been gathered in the hall, but since most of the pack members avoided me fearfully, I decided I wasn't needed here.

I refused to be a sitting duck any longer.

So I took off by myself into the forest, shifting into my golden brown wolf. My instincts guided me north, and I noted how it was empty and void of any guards.

I walked for a while, just listening to the sounds around me for anything out of place. The snow was thick and soft, masking the sound of my footsteps. 

Suddenly, I heard several footsteps approaching fast, growling and snarling echoing through the forest. I tensed and readied for an attack, counting four wolves from the sounds of their paws.

I cursed mentally, wondering why there were no warriors guarding the northern section.

The wolves quickly appeared in sight, pausing a distance away and assessing me. There were three males and one female, each of them having different fur colours.
One of them tilted their head at me, noticing my warm fur colour. It stuck out clearly from the whites and greys of the pack wolves and the colour was out of place in a such a wintery and pale landscape.

I relaxed my stance, trying to appear more friendly. I focused my mind to push my thoughts into theirs.

Who are you? I asked. They seemed startled at the sound of my voice.

Who are you? What are you doing in my head? One of them snarled back.

I'm Artemis. I was a rogue until I joined the pack. I explained.

Impossible. Rogues aren't allowed to join packs. Another spoke up.

You're right. I was forcibly joined in because I'm supposedly mated to one of the pack members. I sighed.

You're still one of them and we won't let you stop us, another hissed.

I'm not doing anything. I just want to know why you're here. I replied, keeping my tone calm.

Revenge. They have my sister. A voice spoke up. It was the mottled grey wolf that stood at the front, leading the rest.

They have no one. I freed them all three weeks ago. I stated.

Don't lie to me. You're lying, he snarled, his wolf taking a threatening step forward.

Erica is your sister right? I asked. His next step faltered, his snarl dropping. I freed her and several others, including my friend that I was captured with.
I showed them some of my memories, letting our escape play out for them to see in their mind. I showed them how we all ran until I was caught and how they howled for me.

They're South now, near the mountains. If you want to find them go there, I ordered.

They looked at each other, communicating silently before turning back to me hesitantly.

I heard several paws suddenly approaching, fast and hard. The warriors had finally decided to arrive.

Go now before they kill you. Just head south to the green mountains. Look for a woman named Diana, she can help you if you want, I urged.

The sound of growling and snarling must have pushed them to move as they quickly turned around and retreated. The mottled grey wolf who was Erica's brother stood a little longer, watching me.

Go. I'll be fine, I assured. Some of the warriors came into sight, chasing him away before he could respond. I watched him run away, my chest filling with the urge to follow him.

Some of the wolves turned to face me questioningly, their gaze accusatory with questions they wanted to voice. I ignored them, turning around and heading back to the pack house.

I slipped back into my room, deciding to shower to clear my head from all the racing questions. Just as I slipped on a pair of light blue jeans and fluffy white sweater did my door burst open.

Aurelius stood there, his eyes pitch black and wild.

"Come down to the hall now," he growled. His voice was deep and rough, completely unfamiliar and it filled me with dread. I followed him down the stairs and to the great hall where most pack members were gathered.

Their murmurings hushed as we stepped in, their eyes glued on me.

"Tell me again what you saw," he hissed to a nearby warrior. The warrior was trembling slightly, shooting me a quick glare.

"Alpha, I saw the Luna in the forest, in her wolf form, standing with four other rogues," he swallowed, his lips twisting with disgust when he looked back to me.

"Is this true?" Aurelius asked, turning to me.

"Well yes," he snarled at my response and my confusion only grew as did my own anger. "I was trying to protect the pack," I defended. I didn't do anything terribly wrong. I did sneak out without telling anyone which in hindsight might not have been the best idea in the world but nothing happened and I managed to stop those rogues from advancing deeper into the territory without any bloodshed.

"So you were part of this then? I knew it," he punched a nearby wall, leaving a large hole in the plaster. The sound startled some pack members, making them jump.

"Part of what? What are you talking about?" I asked, exasperated and frustrated at the lack of clear communication.

"You were colluding with the rogues. You helped them plan this attack didn't you?" He accused, stepping towards me to loom over me. I pressed my hands to his chest and pushed him away, making him stumble.

"No Aurelius. I was not colluding with the rogues. I just wanted to help," I hissed.

"You wanted to help? Then why did you abandon us all and leave us defenceless?" A voice asked from the crowd. Turning my head, I saw Aerin's familiar smug face and I growled at her. The crowd murmured, some voicing their agreement with her words.

"Defenceless? We were all left defenceless the moment your alpha decided not to train every pack member with basic combat skills," I growled at the crowd.

"I left because none of you wanted my company or help. It was a good thing too that I left because the northern section of the border was completely unguarded. Had I not intercepted those rogues they would have charged in here and torn all of your heads off!" I roared.

They had quietened but I could still see the doubt in their eyes as the glanced at each other unsurely. I scoffed at them.

"I risked my life for you all, and this is how you act? I'm disappointed in you and your alpha," I spat. I just didn't understand what was going on with this pack and Aurelius for them to hate me so much and think so little of me.

Whatever it was, they needed to sort it out fast because if they all kept this up then there would be no need for me to stick around.

My head was pounding so I decided to leave them to their own shit. I stumbled out the room, the pain in my neck all of a sudden flaring up. I steadied myself on a nearby table, hearing a voice calling my name.

I felt something warm trickle down my neck and I raised a hand to feel something sticky. Drawing my hand back, my eyes widened at the red substance covering my fingers. I cupped the mark where I was bitten, feeling more liquid gush out at an alarming rate.

I could no longer feel my limbs and dark spots quickly clouded my vision before I fell unconscious and collapsed onto the floor.