The Grim Lost

No Voice

(Kristiana's P.O.V.)

The forest floor was rough beneath my paws as I finally collapsed for some rest under a fallen oak branch. My heart clamored in my chest. I didn't know if they were still chasing me. If they were, I didn't have the strength to run again. They told me if I can't talk, then I might as well stay in my wolf form. The whole pack hated me. My own mate didn't want me. The second his eyes landed on me, he declared that his rejection was final. No one wanted the pathetic mute for a mate.

"We know you're here, runt!" the alpha's voice snarled from a few yards away. I curled up smaller and tried to silence my breathing. Tears threatened to fall down my snout but I resisted. I could do this, I needed to. The alpha's dark brown coat came into my line of sight. Biting back a yelp, I was more happy than ever before for how dirty my fur was. I blended. Like a chameleon.

When they moved on in their search, I crept out of my hiding spot and ran in a different direction. I couldn't go back to the pack... They'd kill me. Shaking my fur out, I jumped down onto a cliff ledge and shimmied into a tiny cave. There. Safe at last. Maybe resting was a good idea. My head slouched down, facing the opening of the cave. No one came this far from pack lands without permission.

Squirrels scurried across the ledge, chittering about acorns. It reminded me that I hadn't eaten in a few days. Calculating my strike, I attacked the first squirrel, getting blood all over my maw. I nudged the skin and bones away from me and out over the ledge where they fell. As night arrived, my eyes began to glow in fear. I needed to get as far away from my old pack as possible. I knew once the adrenaline wore off I was in for a massive panic attack. Squirming out of the cave, I continued down the cliff and bolted once I hit the ground. Time got lost around me, seeming to distort until the sun rose again.

I panted heavily, I could feel the last of the adrenaline leave my body. It felt like my heart had completely shattered. Suddenly, air was impossible to get. All I wanted to do was cry and get somewhere safe. My body was trembling hard. I laid down and covered my snout with my paws, closing my eyes tightly against the too-bright light. Something pressed up against my side. My ears pricked up but over the sound of my own heartbeat, I couldn't hear anything. It was like a weight was sitting on my chest. The pressure at my side didn't ease up. I knew how to calm down, control my breathing. I blew out as much air as possible then forced a deep breath. Immediately, it was as if the weight got pushed off my chest.

Opening one eye to see what the pressure was, I saw a wolf with raven black fur. There was a slight blue shine to it in the sun... I scrambled away and hid in a bush. The other wolf just watched me patiently. Slowly, it made advances; shuffling mere inches every few minutes unless I reacted. Who was that? Did one of them find me? There was no visible hostility, no undertone of deceiving actions... a stranger? His scent marked him as a male. I watched his glittery golden eyes.

When he was no more than a yard away, he shifted. I observed him carefully. He was lean; muscular even. His eyes lit up green as I moved to poke my snout out. Kneeling, he held his hand out. Tentatively, I inhaled his scent.

"C'mon," he said soothingly. "Shift so I can see you."

I lifted my electric blue eyes to meet his gaze; I didn't see any reason against it. Taking a deep breath, I felt my bones contort and move back into human form. I had to grit my teeth against the pain. The last time I shifted was over a week ago. I liked my wolf form, when it was clean, my coat was a shimmery silver. But recently it had become a dusty light brown. As I looked down to see my old raggedy dress, I refused to move.

"What's your name?" the man asked, reaching toward me. I squeaked and shoved myself back into the middle of the bush. He held his hands up to show they were empty. It was obvious to me that he wanted me to trust him but I couldn't. Not after what happened. My own sisters disowned me.

My slender arms hugged my knees to my chest. I probably looked emaciated. I didn't know, I couldn't see myself at the moment. My eyes were locked on every move he made.

"You must be starving, I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere, okay? Please," he said before shifting and leaving. Must be someone of authority. A beta, maybe? He didn't give off alpha vibes. I was too frozen to the spot to move. It was cold. The breeze ruffled my seriously tangled hair. The dull greyish blue of my human eyes snapped over to see he had returned with a small deer, dragging it by the antler.

The sight was repulsive. I couldn't eat that like this. The shift back to my wolf was a relief. As a wolf, my chances at fighting were better. He nudged the corpse toward me then sat a few feet away, watching. Waiting. I crept out and began to eat, only stopping when the entire left flank was gone. I licked my paws off, trying to clean my maw of some of the blood. The state of my fur disgusted me. Filthy. I sneezed and covered my snout. He chuffed then motioned for me to follow him. When I didn't move, he shifted so he could talk.

"Do I get a name now or do I have to carry you?" There was a superior air to his tone. Definitely beta. Sucking in a deep breath, I covered my ears with my paws and shifted. I kept my eyes covered but allowed him to pick me up. Surrounded in his scent. I tried to hold my breath but the second I did he pressed his nose into my hair to sniff. The feeling made me squeak, letting the air out of my lungs.

The walk wasn't very long though it felt like an eternity. Instantly, we were enveloped in bodies. People asking questions. I didn't like it. As I started to shake, I heard him growl for everyone to get back. It confused me. Why was he protecting me? I was just a lowly omega. I was nothing. His voice murmured comforting words to me. I was curled up in his grasp.

Get out of there. We need to keep moving. We don't belong. My wolf pleaded. She had been silent since our mate rejected us. I knew she felt shattered. We hoped there was finally someone who would protect us.

Where are we supposed to go? We're too weak to even fight a random stranger! I replied to her.

"Hey," his soft voice in my ear made my heart skip a beat. He set me down on something soft. A bed? I opened my eyes to look. We were in a small hut with a fire in the middle. I looked around, looking back when he waved his hand in front of my face. In his other hand he held a charcoal pencil and a pad of paper. "If you won't tell me your name will you at least write it down?"

Reluctantly, I complied but only wrote the first four letters. He attempted to read it upside down. I bit my lip and slid over a bit. It was like I had pulled him with a rip cord. His thigh touched mine, sending tingles up my body.

"Kris?" he asked. I nodded slowly. "Nice to meet you, Kris, I'm Raiden."

A blush inflamed my cheeks. I felt his hand reach under my chin to tilt my face up to look at him. He didn't let go until I met his beautiful green eyes. My heart stuttered at the contact. Yes, he had carried me but somehow it felt different.

"Can you talk?" Another question. I pulled back, looking down to hide the tears that threatened to fall. My voice was stolen from me before I learned my first word. So, no, I shook my head. Suddenly his arms were around me, holding me against his broad chest. I froze. No. No no no. The trembling began again. He hushed me, running one hand down my back while the fingers from the opposite hand ran through my hair.

I pushed myself up away from him, ignoring the sharp pain in my chest as I did so. He growled. Squeaking as he forced me up to look up at him, I came eye to eye with his wolf.