As I quickly made my way through the tunnel, I did eventually turn the flashlight on because I couldn't see to run.
I was nearing the end when I faintly heard the sound of the bookcase moving in the distance along with someone yelling 'got it!'
I knew it wouldn't be long until they came out this way so I needed to get out of here. I came to another door at the end of the tunnel after following the fork and pushed it open.
It opened into a small, circular, concrete room with a spiral staircase in the middle that had light coming from the top. I closed the door behind me and locked it in place before running up the staircase. It felt like I had to have climbed at least 6 floors, but as I went the light kept getting brighter.
Finally, I came to the end and had to hoist myself up onto the platform.
As I looked around there were maps of the area, weapons, medical equipment, and a plethora of other stuff all in different stages of decay. I realized it was an abandoned ranger outpost.
I quickly grabbed a map, some extra equipment, a handgun, and a few boxes of bullets that I shoved into another bag that was on the floor of the cabin.
After that, I made my way outside and stopped to listen to the river. Werewolf hearing means my ears are pretty sensitive, so it didn't take long to pinpoint it to the north.
I took off running again before eagerly leaping off of the platform. I shifted into my wolf mid-jump and landed on my paws with a light thud.
Most werewolves don't shift until they were 16 and then they meet their mate at 18, but I had shifted when I was six.
*Flashback*
I had just got home from school and was excitedly telling my mom about my day since it was "show and tell" when shooting pains ran through my body making me cry out hysterically.
My bones started to break soon after which only made me sob harder. My mom and dad both stayed by my side for the whole miserable 7-hour experience and when it was finally done they stared at me in awe.
My mother got to her feet and grabbed the wall mirror behind us. She brought it over and watched me amused as I went to stand shakily on my paws for the first time. Once I had my balance she brought the mirror down and if I was in human form, I would've gasped out loud.
Instead of seeing my normal blonde hair, blue eyes, and freckles, I had bright blue eyes and jet black wolf with golden swirls wrapping around my entire body. On my back left hindquarter, there was a golden outline in the shape of a crescent moon. I also had golden tipped ears, tail, and paws.
No one has seen a black wolf with markings like mine so I tend to stick out a good bit.
*Flashback over*
I shook my fur out and took off towards the river.
I was running for about 20 minutes and was deep in thought when all of a sudden I felt the wall in my mind break that I didn't realize I put up.
(HEY BITCH!) My wolf Serenity mind linked me frustrated. I yelped softly and stumbled for a second before regaining myself.
(You can't do shit like that Rin! I almost wiped out) I mind liked back irritably.
(That's your own damn fault for putting the wall up when I've been trying to reach you since we were on our way home before you sensed danger. You can't do that, I'm here to help and if you shut me out, I can't help.) she responded aggressively. I huffed but knew she was right.
(Okay, I'm sorry. It's a force of habit, but you have to admit I'm getting better at not doing that. That's the first time in months that that's happened) I mind linked back to her apologetically as I made my way under a fallen log.
(True. Plus with everything that happened, I think I can let it slide. I'm sorry about everything, by the way, know that I'm always here for you.) Serenity replied thoughtfully as she laid her head down on her paws in my mind.
(Thanks Rin. We're almost to the river, so hopefully the pack isn't too much further.) I said anxiously as I focused back on the task at hand.
———
I finally reached the river and right across from it was the path my dad had told me about.
As I started to make my way across, I heard a snap behind me followed by the sound of running through the underbrush and someone shouting "there she is!".
I didn't even take a moment to look back before I took off running again at full speed as I made my way down the path.
Just as I could see the two paths in my line of sight, someone tacked me from behind sending me crashing face-first into the dirt.
I shook myself off tensely and dug my paws into the ground before forcefully shoving off whoever was on top of me.
I quickly flipped around and saw the leader from before picking himself up off the ground while keeping his gaze on me as he radiated anger.
As he got to his feet he lunged in my direction pulling a blade from his belt.
He caught me by surprise and pulled me down flipping me as he slashed deep into my chest.
I cried out in pain and kicked him off of me as I dodged away and got back to my feet.
Before he could regain his balance I ran towards him and jumped onto his back, kicking him which sent him flying into a nearby tree.
I started to stalk over to him when I heard more shouting coming from the left. A glance told me that the other warriors had finally caught up.
I knew I couldn't take them all on myself so I took off down the first path I saw which veered Deep into the woods hoping it was the right one and that it would help me lose them.
———
After straight running for the past hour and a half, almost colliding with numerous trees, getting attacked by countless thorns from the underbrush, and passing over another river, I knew I had lost them and could slow down.
I hadn't seen, smelt, or heard any sign of them in about forty-five minutes since I crossed the river which erased my scent momentarily.
I made sure to stay close enough to the path that I could see it but not be seen by anyone on it thankfully. I had to be nearing the pack now though, as I could see claw marks along the trees in some areas.
I decided to take a quick break at the mouth of a cave that I found as the first rays of sunrise started to peek over the horizon.
I shifted back as I walked in and thankfully didn't have to worry about being cold since my clothes and the items on me never shredded when I shifted.
My mom always said it was because of the small crescent moon locket that I wear from my grandmother. Since I'm supposed to have some amazing power now though, I'm not so sure, since everyone else shredded their items when shifting.
I screamed out and dropped to the ground lethargically as I took on human form again. That's when I noticed the searing pain in my chest. I looked down to see blood soaking through my t-shirt.
The adrenaline from the attack finally wore off so that's why I must be feeling it now because It certainly didn't hurt like this earlier or even when It had happened.
I pulled my shirts up and saw a deep jagged slash from the right of my left hip to the middle of my chest. Thankfully due to the fast healing of werewolves, it was starting to close but it was still bleeding and was red and irritated.
The warrior must've used a silver blade when he hit me, I would've healed from anything else in a matter of minutes. I tried to sit up and pull my backpack off but that made me cry out in pain again because it ripped the wound open more.
I stopped moving when I heard voices in the distance getting closer but there was nothing I could do. Black spots started to invade my vision as I could hear them coming to the cave.
I tried and failed to get up again, to just do something but it felt like the strength had been zapped from my body. They had finally reached my cave as the darkness fully overcame me. I just hoped I had followed the right path and that this pack could help me.
———
When I finally came to the first thing I noticed was bright lights overhead making me squint and shut my eyes tight. Trying again, I was more successful as I took in my surroundings.
I was in a hospital room at what I'm guessing is the pack hospital. There were various machines behind and to the sides of me that I was hooked up to, as well as a heart monitor and an iv.
The was a sink and cabinets on the opposite side of the room as well as a long row of windows to the right with seating below them. I sighed a breath of relief and sat up as I saw my backpack sitting on one of the chairs by the window.
As I started pulling the heart monitor stickers off of me so I could get off of the bed to grab it, the door opened revealing an older woman wearing dark blue scrubs and a doctor jacket. She had light grey hair curled and pinned back, with warm green eyes, and she looked surprised to see me up as she came into the room.
"Hi, I'm Doctor Amanda. I'm glad to see you're finally awake. When the guards found you, you had almost bled out Thankfully, we were able to save you but you've been unconscious and in a coma for a week as your body healed." She said eagerly as she pulled the chart from the bottom of my bed and read through the paperwork. Dr. Amanda absentmindedly flipped pages every now and again, before putting it back at the foot of the bed.
"How are you feeling? You seem fully healed and I see you have no problem with mobility" Dr. Amanda asked cheerfully as she came around to the right side of my bed.
I shifted so I was sitting back on the bed before answering. "I feel completely fine. Can you tell me what pack I'm in? I passed out before the warriors found me so I have no clue. Also, when can I get out of here? Not that I'm not extremely grateful to you for saving me but I don't like hospitals." I said nervously.
She chuckled and shook her head as she put her stethoscope in her ears and the pad to my chest.
She checked my breathing, how my scar healed, and a few other things before answering as she typed the information into the computer to the side of the bed and texted someone on her phone.
"Well considering how well you've healed you can be out of here now, but the beta is going to be here shortly to collect you because the alpha has a few questions," she said enthusiastically as she signed some papers before handing them to me to sign.
I took them and signed them before handing them back. She glanced down at my signature before smiling towards me. "It's been nice meeting you, Mrs. Isabella Knight." She said kindly before making her way towards the door. She stopped as she reached the doorway and turned around quickly.
"Oh, I forgot to answer your question earlier as to what pack you're in. You, my dear, are in.." she began before a man appeared in the doorway
He was in his late 30's, at least six feet tall, and well built. He had dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and scars all over and has his steel gaze directed at me as he cut in "you're in Blood brood pack kid, now get your stuff and get a move on. Alpha Brent doesn't like to be kept waiting."
I froze fearfully as he said that. I was in the Blood brood pack. I had taken the wrong path.