Isabella's P.O.V
I had been in Black Mane Pack territory for about three weeks now and I still have not been discovered. Their reputation of being the second most ruthless pack after Carson's does not seem to be well-earned. I have been as close to a foot to one of their patrols and still they did not see me. I am not starving either. There are plenty of animals around so I hunt when I can. I also learned how to make a masking scent, using elements from the forest. Life was okay, I guess. I had food, water, and shelter in a hidden cave. I overheard a conversation about my pack, saying no one was killed but Carson was furious about my disappearance. So, I have no innocent deaths on my conscience. I plan to leave later this week to the Somber Paw Furs Pack territory. They hate Carson but adore my old pack, so it is less safe than the Black Mane Pack.
I had to go out of my cave to gather the ingredients for a new masking spray when I heard a noise. Out of instinct, I drop to the floor and get ready for a fight. Then, a girl stumbles into the clearing. Behind her, I hear howls. The girl looks terrified. Damn my conscience! I cannot leave her here alone. I get up and walk over to her. She jumps but does not run away, instead she begs,
"Help me, please!" Now that she has asked. I grab her hand and make sign for her to be quiet. I put my new masking spray all over her so that her pack cannot track her. I then start walking, motioning her to follow me. Thank God, she stays silent. We do not run into anyone but I still hear howls coming from all over. The girl must have managed to trick them. When we get to my cave, she hesitates and I just wait for her to decide. In the end, she looks at me and nods her head. I lead her into the cave and seal the entrance. She sits down and so do I. I need to find out more about her, so I ask,
"Who are you?" Answering me in a submissive voice,
"Elina, daughter of the beta of the Gray Mane Shadows Pack. I am 18 years old."
"Why are in Black Mane territory?"
"My father and the Alpha needed to come visit the Black Mane Alpha Alex for protection. They brought me along too."
"Why are you running?"
"I found my mate."
"Why do you make it sound like a bad thing?"
"It was Alpha Alex." Elina starts to cry and I scoot next to her, giving her a hug.
"You don't have to tell me the rest if you don't want to."
"It's okay. I want to. You did save my life," she takes a breath, "When we walked in with my father and Alpha, there was a girl in a window and she was getting beaten by her mate. She was begging for him to stop but we wouldn't, saying that this was how all females were treated. That terrified me, but I could do nothing to stop it. I wanted nothing more than to get out of this dangerous pack. We continued on, pretending that we saw nothing. Next thing I know is that I meet Alex, the Alpha and he calls me 'Mate!'. My dad nearly shifted in his anger about my mate, but Alex was having none of it. I froze and obeyed Alex' every word until I got outside. I am really fast, so I decided it was worth it to try to escape. I learned how to confuse my trace a long time ago, and I did that. But I got lost and you found me."
"It's going to be okay. Since you are now a rogue like me, I need you to cut all ties with your old pack so they cannot track you like that."
"Okay"
"Repeat after me : I, say your name, cut all my ties and relations with the Gray Mane Shadows Pack."
"I, Elina, cut all ties and relations with the Gray Mane Shadows Pack." I am impressed she did it on her first try, but then again she has beta blood in her. I keep holding her in my arms to reassure her that it will be alright. In my mind, I am already planning how to survive. I have enough here to stay in the cave for a week and then we will have to move. Her pack and mate will probably change their search to outside their territory to find Elina. My thoughts are interrupted by Elina,
"I'm tired. Can I go to sleep?"
"Sure. We have to change into our wolves for it though to keep warm. I will shift first." I do as I say and I see that Elina has her mouth hanging open,
"You're a white wolf too." I nod. Elina changes and I see that she is too a white wolf with blue eyes. We look identical. I chuckle and we settle down to sleep. Two whites wolves together. White wolves are already super rare and are cherished when they appear. We are generally as big as Alpha wolves and have the extra benefits that come with being Alpha. Add that to my Alpha blood, I was a sight to be reckoned with. I sigh contently and let sleep over come me.
*Next morning*
I wake up first and shake Elina awake. We need to talk some more after last night. I shift and she follows suit. We put our clothes back on and sit down on the ground. I look at Elina and speak,
"So, to avoid your mate, we will have to wait in the cave for a week. I have everything for us to survive until then which is good. After that, I was planning on going to the Somber Paw Furs territory for a month or so. Then moving on. Do you have any ideas?"
"Sorry no. But--I do have a question," she stutters. I smile,
"Ask away."
"How did you become a rogue?" I take a breath. I was expecting this question for a while now. I was surprised she did not ask it last night.
"I am from the daughter of the Alpha of the Thunder Mane Pack. We had the visiting Alpha Carson from the Blood Moon Pack-"Elina gasps because Blood Moon is the strongest and most violent pack in the U.S. "-He claimed me as his mate. He tried to drag me to his home where he said no one else could have me, but I played on the mate bond to stay home one more night. That night, I made my bag and snuck out."
"How long have you been a rogue?"
"About three weeks."
"I never wanted to be a rogue."
"Me either." We sit in silence for a while before Elina speaks up,
"What if we had a pack?" I look at her confused,
"What do you mean?"
"I mean we could be a two person pack with you as my Alpha and me as your beta." I laugh and her face falls. It makes me sad and I try to salvage the situation.
"I think that it is a great idea. I was laughing because we could call it the White Wolves Pack."
"Yeah. Since you're dad is the Alpha, do you know the ceremony?"
"I mean sort of."
"Cool. Let's do it!"
"Now?"
"Yeah."
"Okay." I close my eyes and try to remember the welcoming ceremony. I took Elina's palm in mine and cut both of them while saying,
"Do you, Elina, swear to protect this pack until your death?"
"I do."
"Do you swear to obey and be faithful to your Alpha?"
"I do"
"Then, I, Isabella, Alpha of the White Wolves Pack, accept you, Elina into my pack as my beta." I shook our palms, combing our blood before we start healing. Suddenly, Elina starts giggling like crazy and soon enough so do I.
When we recover from our laughing fit, I look at Elina and my wolf says,
"Beautiful Family." I agree,
"Yes, Belle. She really is."
I will protect and her Alpha will not take her from while she is still unwilling. For that, I will have to train her. Just what I need to distract myself from being stuck in the cave. This will be fun.
I smile once more because for the first time in a month, I am not alone.