《The Runaway Wolf》


 Introduction

    Noah is a werewolf who has always wanted a mate but discovers that his mate is someone he doesn''t have a good history with and gets rejected. This makes him impulsively leave his pack together with his best friends in search for something fulfilling with the help of a strange girl he just met. Little did he know that something has been waiting for him beyond the outskirts of town.


    Characters: Noah Blakewood, Ryan Ferguson, Alexis Pedergast, Natalia Raedwulf and Lucas RaedwulfThe narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    This story is <u>also available</u> to read on my site athttps://owullkite.wordpress.com/works/the-runaway-wolf/


    Also available on Tapas and RoyalRoad


    The story is currently In-Progress


    Note: there will be a gay pairing though the story doesn¡¯t revolve around it but if you¡¯re against that, it¡¯s okay not to read further.

 Chapter 1

    Noah had hoped he would make it before closing because crowds made him feel uncomfortable. However, the streets were full by the time he was locking up the store. The block party started two hours ago and there was no way he was going to be able to go through with his bike. He had no choice but to take the long route home which was going around the downtown area through the park. Though, looking up at the full moon above did make the idea of doing a lap around the lake much more fathomable.


    After running to his bike at the back, he started his way home. Noah figured he¡¯d walk for awhile and enjoy bathing the bright moonlight. It made his chest soar high with a good feeling. Full moons are the best, he thought to himself.


    The park was rather peaceful save for the noisy background from the streets. The lake was calm and there isn¡¯t anybody around. He liked it this way since he wouldn¡¯t have to be hyper aware of any eyes. Despite how most of the pack are sociable wolves, Noah kept to himself mostly.


    Across the lake was the chained fence of the junkyard that¡¯s always open. Loose by the countless times the kids would trespass and loiter inside. The air here felt much more colder so this might be the best time to start riding the bike.


    Before he could get on, Noah receives a text.


    Ryan // 10:31 p.m.


    They¡¯ve already left. Where are you? Get back soon.


    It was typical of Ryan to worry. The guy acted like an overbearing parent despite only being a few months older. But Noah let him, as his best friend and brother. They grew up together since childhood and there wasn¡¯t a day he could remember where the guy wasn¡¯t overprotective of him. Sometimes it can feel suffocating but then he¡¯s gotten used to it.


    Based on the text, he¡¯s expecting to get some nagging for being late. The store had closed half an hour ago and he knew his shift schedule. Noah laughed at that thought while riding his bike.


    All of a sudden out of nowhere he was tackled very roughly to the side. It took some time for it to register what just happened. He groaned from the headache and noticed that he was now on the ground, close to a pile of tires. Turning his head around in search of his bike, he was only met with a pair of golden eyes.


    Golden eyes and thick fur sprouting to a shifted wolf snout. It was angry and growling. Despite the ridiculous look it has with a human torso, the aura around it was not. And a wary Noah could feel his hair prickling with alarm.


    Cowardly as it may be, instinctively Noah tried to run away. Never mind the bike, the wolf would catch up to him anyway. And indeed, it continued to go after him. Even with his efforts to try to shake it away a pair of clawed hands still managed to grab the collar of his shirt and yanked him against a tree. The impact was enough to worsen his headache.


    It now had a hold on his throat, not chocking him but tight enough that it felt uncomfortable especially with its claws. Noah flailed and tried to pry it¡¯s arm away to no avail. Times like these I wish I could shift on-commandthen at least I could get away from this situation.


    He¡¯s unaware of what¡¯s going on but as someone who grew up with werewolves he¡¯d learned to be aware of their emotions which were as open as a book. And this one didn¡¯t feel like it wanted to make some friends. Fights weren¡¯t common in the pack but he¡¯ll be damned if he got into one, knowing how easily he could get pushed to the ground. Still, it didn¡¯t make sense this one jumped out of the blue. Then dread dipped down his stomach at the thought that it could possibly be a Rogue.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    As he was about to beg for his life, he could feel its wet snout sniffing his neck.


    Well that¡¯s strange. Male wolves like their personal space and sniffing so closely usually warranted a bark to back off. But since this ones got a good grip on his neck, Noah only froze. It kept getting closer at an uncomfortable distance or lack thereof, continuously sniffing him as if in search of something.


    I wish I could sniff you too buddy coz I don¡¯t know who you are, but he¡¯s not exactly that intact with his canine side. It was starting to feel really weird and confusing when he noticed that its actions slowly turned less aggressive and now quite unguarded. He calmed down from his adrenaline and breathed slowly.


    Curiously, a sweet scent entered his nose. Are you sure it¡¯s a scent? Or is it a feeling? Noah didn¡¯t really understand it but he knew it was coming from the wolf. It was the only thing near him so it can only be from them. The soaring high feeling like when he saw the full moon returned. In the dim space he stared at it¡¯s fur and noticed its reddish brown color which can only be from a certain person in their pack.


    ¡°Lucas.¡± He whispered softly.


    At the sound of his name, the wolf whipped to look at him properly. Ears facing forward and eyes expectant, a little excited. It surprised him a little.


    Testing the waters, Noah reached out to caress the side of the wolf¡¯s head and as he did so, the hand on his throat was gone and it was now on top of his. It leaned into his touch and that made him feel unexpectedly glad. He smiled softly and had both his hands petting its head and feeling the softness of his fur.


    He doesn¡¯t know if he¡¯s been forgiven yet. Lucas doesn¡¯t look like he was in control of himself at the moment and Noah sensed deep inside that instead it was the wolf trying to reach out to him.


    ¡°You¡¯re...my mate¡± he said, surprised.


    It finally registered for the both of them. It took a few seconds before the wolf suddenly pushed him away again and walked backwards farther away.


    What was once a wolf¡¯s head is now replaced by its human form. And the expression on Lucas¡¯s face was a mix of surprise and horror.


    It was hard to deny that that look hurt Noah. The emotions of the much older guy was apparent and clear, the complete opposite of what they felt from earlier. Lucas still looked shocked about what he had done and he was deep in thought. There were no words exchanged but Noah could tell that what he¡¯ll say next is going to be devastating, so he spoke first maybe in hopes of deterring him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He said. ¡°Please don¡¯t...¡±


    Well, he can¡¯t really say anything at that moment that can persuade him, except for something selfish. Lucas only looked at him with a sad expression and at that moment, Noah just accepted where this was going. Don¡¯t look at me like that, if you¡¯re going to say it then say it already. What was the point of hesitating if he¡¯s going to do it anyway.


    ¡°No. I can¡¯t. Not with you.¡± Lucas spoke with certainty and as if he wasn¡¯t an asshole enough, suddenly turns around and leaves.


    That left Noah anxious at the thought of what this meant for him. He stood there for a few minutes, one thought jumping to another. It¡¯s like someone just dumped their entire trash onto him and he¡¯s forced to deal with it. If Lucas didn¡¯t give in to his wolf, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. If a Rogue arrived instead, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. If he just went home sooner, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. If...they were still friends, this wouldn¡¯t happen.


    Quietly, he walked back to his bike.


    ¡ª


    At the porch, before he opened the door, Noah furiously rubs at his face to wipe the tears away. With one last deep breathe, he went in.


    As soon as the door could be heard, Ryan called for him from the living room. Tonight was their planned horror movie marathon with Theo, they hoped to catch one while his parents were out on a date night since they don¡¯t really want the boy to watch these things. They¡¯ve been looking forward to this all week but all Noah wanted now was to go straight to bed. He was even willing to skip dinner since he doesn¡¯t really have an appetite.


    ¡°I¡¯m not feeling so good so I¡¯m just gonna go to bed first.¡± He tells them from the living room entrance before hurriedly going up the stairs. Halfway, Ryan calls out to him.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re eyes are so puffy.¡±


    Noah brushes it off, saying it was because of the cold outside and continues going up. From the bottom floor he could hear a confused ¡°good night¡± before he went into his room and locks his door shut. He didn¡¯t bother taking off his coat and just wrapped himself in the sheets. Hoping to sleep the night away.

 Chapter 2

    Noah spent the last hour wrapped up in bed, swiping passively through his phone. It felt too comfortable to leave and it was too early to stand up. Even though it may feel like that, it¡¯s actually noon time already. Everyone had gone out of the house to do their thing and Amanda didn¡¯t bother calling him for breakfast.


    ¡°Noah! For the last time get up or I will make you.¡±


    And that was Ryan¡¯s cue to be his mother figure. Noah finally pulled away the covers and stood up from bed. He didn¡¯t want to trouble him. Ryan easily gets worried and usually starts asking too many questions. He wasn¡¯t in the mood to dodge them plus he¡¯s not very good at deflecting.


    ¡°Just because your shift starts at three, doesn¡¯t mean you can stay in your room the whole morning.¡± Ryan tells him from the kitchen.


    He only groaned in response before settling into the dining table. They were across from each other with only the kitchen landing in between them. Ryan was washing the dishes, plates clanging together. He wondered if there were leftovers from earlier. To his surprise there¡¯s a plastic container with his name on a sticky note by the kitchen counter. Noah lightly smiles, thankful that he can always count on Ryan to make his day better. The kind gesture was heartwarming.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Amanda said we should buy some groceries soon.¡± Ryan said from the hallway while putting on his shoes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Noah said with a mouthful.


    ¡°Okay. Don¡¯t forget.¡± He reminds him before saying goodbye and closing the door.


    Being alone in the house was relaxing. He doesn¡¯t have to be aware of anybody, especially Mory and Amanda, his supposed foster parents. But today was a different day, Noah didn¡¯t want to be alone with his thoughts and the only thing he could do was to keep himself busy. The rest of the afternoon he cleaned around the house just to have something to distract him. He did the laundry, swept at the same place for half an hour and organized the coffee table, which didn¡¯t look any different from earlier.


    His thoughts were all over the place and he didn¡¯t know what to think. Recounting the events from last night only made him feel depressed about the future. He was supposed to find his mate when he turned eighteen, it was two years too early. Immediately he pushes that thought deep within his mind before the those feelings consumed him once again. He didn¡¯t want to think about it any more than the tears he¡¯d shed.


    ¡ª


    At work, he took as many tasks as he could. The feeling of being busy helped with coping and Noah wanted it to last longer.


    The manager praised him for the work, at least impressing his employer gave him some perks. Stocking and cleaning were finished and he was now on cashier duty. He was so focused on his work that he didn¡¯t recognize the next person in front of him. She just gave him a soft smile.


    ¡°When¡¯s your next break?¡± Natalia asked.


    ¡ª


    Noah sat on the vacant chair beside her and she offers him an iced coffee she bought earlier. He took it wordlessly. Waiting for her to start the conversation first.


    ¡°Long time no see.¡± She beamed at him.


    ¡°We texted.¡±


    ¡°Well, I was out of town for two months and texting¡¯s different compared to meeting face to face,¡± she said. ¡°And you don¡¯t really text back much. But anyway, I missed you.¡±


    Noah returned her smile as the feeling was mutual. However there were some things now that he couldn¡¯t help but notice. Her golden eyes and ginger hair that she inherited from her mother, a common trait within her family that is also an awful reminder of someone he¡¯s trying to avoid thinking about. It¡¯s impossible though because the two of them looked really identical, from the sharp nose to the long lashes. Looking at her was like looking at him.


    ¡°How''s your vacation in the city? I hope the trip was fun.¡±


    ¡°It was fun. I could stay there permanently. Anything¡¯s more interesting than this boring town.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I get what you mean.¡±


    Fortbeck¡¯s not exactly the best place in the world. It¡¯s one of those plain small towns with a waterfall and a lake as its tourist attraction. The only interesting part would be a whole pack of werewolves, to humans at least, if they ever found out.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing Lucas¡¯ birthday was pretty wild last night. Our front yard was trashed when we arrived. Mom was furious.¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything, they both know Lucas didn¡¯t invite him to the party. They¡¯re not exactly in good terms way before things happened last night. It was nice to still be friends with her even if her brother was against it.


    ¡°So...I came here to say that I¡¯m inviting you to his birthday party.¡±


    He gave her a confused look. Lucas¡¯ birthday was yesterday and there already was a party.


    ¡°Mom arranged another one since she wasn¡¯t there yesterday. Something about celebrating an important milestone and this time just with family and close friends.¡±


    ¡°His birthday party? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s such a good idea Nat.¡±


    ¡°Please? Mom¡¯s inviting people from the neighboring pack¡ª¡°


    ¡°The Alvertons?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I know you hate those kinds of things but please?¡±


    ¡°...it sounds like there¡¯s going to be a lot of people.¡±


    ¡°I asked Mom if I could invite you and she was okay with it.¡±


    Natalia is someone persistent and stubborn once she sets her mind onto something. One of them is trying to patch things up between Lucas and Noah. It¡¯s not going to be possible since Lucas also has his own stubbornness. However what Noah cared about was being in good terms with Margaret, their mother, who has been kind to him after everything. If there was a chance he could make anything up for her, he would. And knowing that she¡¯s okay to invite him at a family and close friends only event meant he was one of those things.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°Fine but I¡¯m only doing this because you asked.¡±


    Natalia whooped at him. Always the bubbly one.


    ¡°Just say you¡¯re doing it for me.¡± She teased. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re gonna be there. I just know it¡¯s going to be those extremely formal meet-this-meet-that kind of situation so at least I got you to get through this.¡±


    Noah thought so too. At least he had her company to pass the time and make this party tolerable. But why did Margaret invite the Alvertons?


    ¡ª


    Against what he expected, Natalia was busy socializing around the room. He¡¯d forgotten what she was like around these parties and figured her nervousness was just a ruse to get him to come with her. Still, he couldn¡¯t help feeling bitter that he was left behind. There were familiar faces but definitely people he hasn¡¯t talked to. It also didn¡¯t help that he was seated at the farthest table which annoyed him but he understood.


    ¡°What the heck! You just left me here.¡± He said as soon as Natalia finally got back to him. She gave him an apologetic face before smiling from excitement.


    ¡°So Alliah¡¯s here, we should go say hi. Come on.¡±


    Noah looked at where she was pointing and noticed the pretty blond ahead. It was good to see her again but when she sat beside Lucas, the answer was going to be a dead no.


    ¡°Uhh you go ahead. I¡¯m gonna...get some fresh air.¡±


    Natalia frowned before turning to what I saw and understood. Her expression was of contemplation and he knew she thinks this was a chance they could casually talk however the last thing Noah wanted was to make things awkward. He nudges her to go ahead. She looked at him in apology.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯ll make it up to you. I promise.¡±


    Noah didn¡¯t bother, after all this is what she¡¯s supposed to do as the daughter of the head family. Make connections and stuff. He looked around the corner to see if there¡¯s anywhere he can ¡°get some fresh air¡± and saw a balcony that overlooked the front yard.


    The night breeze felt refreshing. Definitely breathable than the inside. People were mingling together as if they haven¡¯t seen each other in a long time. The last time the Alverton family visited was for Natalia¡¯s birthday earlier this year. Noah was disappointed he couldn¡¯t even greet Alliah. He peeks at their table to see them talking but it looked more like Lucas and Alliah were in their own world as Natalia and the others were laughing together. And he noticed, they¡¯re awfully close to each other.


    A sudden companion startles Noah from his staring and finds a lady joining him in the balcony. She wore a simple red gown with a slit mid thigh high. Interestingly her hair was a shade of red but deeper than Natalia¡¯s orangey locks. The lady lights a cigarette and takes a very long hit. She leaned at the balustrade and looks at him sideways. All Noah could do was smile in greeting. To his surprise she offers him one but he declines.


    ¡°Suit yourself kid,¡± she said, ¡°you look like you¡¯ve got a lot on your mind.¡±


    I do. Her sentence felt like an invitation to a conversation and he wonders if he¡¯s met her before but couldn¡¯t make out a name so assumes that she must be one of the guests. He wasn¡¯t one to start small talks with people but something tempting itches deep in his mind and he knows that he shouldn¡¯t but there¡¯s probably no harm in chatting with someone whom he¡¯ll probably never see again after the party.


    ¡°I was invited to come here but I think it was a bad idea after all.¡±


    ¡°And why is that?¡±


    ¡°My mate¡¯s here,¡± with a mental deep breathe he says it, ¡°but they kinda rejected me.¡± Kinda?


    ¡°Oh. I wasn¡¯t expecting that.¡± She turns to face him properly.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t supposed to find out until next year. I¡¯m still turning 17 next month but my mate found me first.¡±


    Noah was rambling and he stopped himself before saying any more. It was nice to finally discuss it with someone, even being able to say it out loud was satisfying enough. It lifted a little weight from him. Usually he¡¯d talk to Ryan about this type of thing but this one was a secret he couldn¡¯t tell anyone who knew about his history with Lucas.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to go through that,¡± she tells him earnestly, ¡°so what are you going to do now?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean, what are you going to do now that you¡¯re technically mateless, no offense.¡±


    That was the thought he¡¯d been trying to avoid the whole day because he has no idea. No one really plans on what to do when they get rejected by their mates because most couples become a pair as soon as they find out. He thought he was going to be like one of them. To find someone they¡¯re going to spend the rest of their lives with and achieving the ultimate happiness of an average werewolf but of course he wasn¡¯t average.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know actually. I¡¯ll probably end up marrying a human at best. Though this town is so small there¡¯s barely any new people around.¡± There were humans but not many of them around his age.


    ¡°So you¡¯re going to stay?¡± the lady looked at him with an incredulous look. ¡°Wow. That¡¯s quite...¡± she looked like she expected something else. ¡°Sad.¡±


    ¡°And what would you have me do?¡±


    She looked at him then with a glint in her eyes. Smiling as if she has the best idea ever.


    ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d leave this place. A town this small, you¡¯ll see them everyday. Getting rejected means they¡¯ll be with somebody else and I wouldn¡¯t be able to handle that.¡±


    He didn¡¯t think about it that far. Lucas will need to find a mate now that he¡¯ll join the council soon. Where does that leave him?


    ¡°I have too much self-respect to just take it and not do anything. If they don¡¯t want me in their life, I don¡¯t want them either.¡±


    Self-respect. Admittedly, Noah does want to do something other than just mope and feel pathetic but there¡¯s nothing he can think of. Leaving town was out of the question, he¡¯s still under foster care so he¡¯ll get into trouble if he ran away. He¡¯s never gone outside their territory unlike Natalia and other people even to just travel. Leaving meant, he¡¯ll encounter Rogues.


    ¡°I like the idea but I¡¯ve never left town before,¡± he shrugs.


    She stared at him with no words but deep in thought, too long that it made him feel nervous. It looked like she had more to say but then a voice spoke into the mic. Jone Alverton, Alliah¡¯s father asked everyone to get back into their seats because there was going to be an announcement. Noah was about to leave before the lady spoke again.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving town permanently in a few days. If transportation is the only problem you have then I can give you a ride.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Look I have a truck and there¡¯s extra space. I¡¯m offering you something here.¡±


    ¡°....Uhh,¡± Noah couldn¡¯t muster up the words. It¡¯s unbelievable how a stranger he just met is trying to help him this much. Although the idea is very tempting, still. ¡°Thanks but I think I¡¯ll stay.¡±


    Noah didn¡¯t immediately return to his table but went to get himself something to drink. For some reason his throat felt dry, it was probably from all that talking. Everyone had settled and Jone started having a speech that Noah couldn¡¯t comprehend as he sensed something was going to happen. It made him feel anxious all of a sudden but didn¡¯t know why. It was the same feeling he felt when he stared at those golden eyes making a disgusted face.


    He should¡¯ve stayed by the balcony.


    He looked around the tables. Lucas and Alliah were still beside each other smiling. Looking at them felt unnerving somehow. And here¡¯s why:


    ¡°¡ªso as you know, Lucas finally came of age and so did my darling Alliah,¡± Jone continued, ¡°the Alvertons have always been a close ally to the Raedwulfs since my grandfather¡¯s time. And we thought that it would be amazing to take our friendship a step further by having our heirs joined in matrimony.¡±


    Wait, what? What does that mean? Sadly it means exactly what it sounds like by the way Alliah leaned closely to Lucas while holding hands, it already felt like a speech at a wedding. Everyone started clapping joyously and some with shock faces like Natalia¡¯s. She probably knew just now and they didn¡¯t tell her that this was engagement party.


    Noah stood there still and suddenly he couldn¡¯t stand being inside the room any longer. He fast walked towards the door, wanting to leave immediately. It felt like he was having a panic attack but not exactly. He just really couldn¡¯t believe what he heard and what it meant.


    When approaching the door, he saw her again and a surge of impulsiveness overcame him. He grabbed her hand and she looked at him, not outraged by his behavior but surprisingly patient. The offer was still on the table.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming with you.¡±


    He finally agreed and she gave him a smirk all the while Lucas was looking at them with suspicious eyes across the room.

 Chapter 3

    Staying in that room was impossible after realizing what it really was. Not only did he reject him, the guy got engaged to someone else the next day. In the first place he shouldn¡¯t have been there. He convinced himself that the reason he agreed to go was to appease Natalia but actually, deep inside he wanted to see Lucas. There was still a part of him that was hoping and he thought maybe Natalia¡¯s persistence would finally work if he gave it a chance. And now, there¡¯s no hope left.


    Noah walked home since Natalia had picked him up earlier. Even though he knew Mory was going to get pissed at him for returning late, he just wanted to take his time walking. Finally allowing himself to succumb to the sadness. No matter how much his chest tightened, he couldn¡¯t shed a tear. It was all deep breaths and lazy steps.


    I¡¯m mateless. If last time wasn¡¯t clear enough, it was crystal now. Lucas chose to be with somebody else. He had a hard time differentiating him as Lucas the mate from the Lucas who has a grudge on him.


    When mates meet in real life, do they not fall in love at first sight? Did it not work out because already knew each other? Why couldn¡¯t he just set aside their past after the confirmation? Probably because the chance of a bond was never possible even before that day.


    Noah was convinced that because they were mates, he would be forgiven. Lucas, for the sake of being mates, should¡¯ve given their relationship a chance. But all of that were delusions. He knows that he can¡¯t control how others feel. It was just hard to accept that his mate was unfortunately him. Something he had yearned to have, he was never blessed with. I really am unlucky.


    His thoughts were getting depressing and he shakes it off to think of something else. His mind goes back to the lady he met at the party. It was unbelievable what he had done. Although he had refused at the beginning, suddenly her offer felt like a form of escape. They left the party together after that and she introduced herself to him.


    ¡°My name¡¯s Alex Pendergast.¡±


    ¡°Noah Blakewood.¡±


    She told him that she was leaving on Wednesday and will be picking him up at six. He decides they meet by the end of the street of his house. Before they separated ways, she offered to drive him home but he declined.


    Everything about her was mysterious and Noah realizes how strange it is now that she knows his secret and this isn¡¯t going to be the last time they met. The only thing he knew was her name and it seemed unfair. He¡¯s aware that accepting an offer to run away with a stranger is a red flag but it was an in-the-moment type of decision. Besides she came from their allied wolf pack, it was enough for him to trust her.


    ¡°What took you so long kid?¡± Mory grumbled when he opened the door. ¡°I told you we have curfew in this house.¡±


    Noah quietly apologizes upon entering.


    ¡°Must be a fancy party for you to be wearing a suit, huh. Just because you¡¯re close with the head family doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re going to give you special treatment.¡± His tone was bitter like a jealous child¡¯s. ¡°Get me a fucking beer.¡±


    Noah still remained quiet but followed his order. Mory was drunk and in a bad mood. The man was one of those pack members who liked to suck up to the head family. A little too loyal. Mory only accepted to foster him since Margaret was the one who requested.


    ¡ª


    Work was more irritating than usual. Probably because there¡¯s gossip going around about the party last night. Specifically how a certain popular wolf was getting engaged with the neighboring pack¡¯s heiress. It was a first and in a town where interesting things rarely happened, it became a hot topic among Noah¡¯s peers. He was in-charge of the cashier that afternoon and it meant he was going to hear their conversations regardless if he wanted to zone them out.


    His manager wasn¡¯t impressed, asking where his diligence from yesterday had gone. They told him to stop frowning and show a more ¡°welcoming atmosphere¡± despite how everyone¡¯s preoccupied with themselves. Sighing, he pretended to smile at the girl who was busy with a phone call and ignoring him.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    And just when he thought things couldn¡¯t get any worse, he spots a group coming their way from the parking lot. In a spike of franticness, Noah slips out of the register and begs Hannah, his coworker who was busy restocking, to switch tasks with him. At first she looked annoyed and about to decline but when the group enters noisily, she perks up and agrees to it quickly.


    Noah sighs and hides between the isles, pretending to work. Their voices were loud and he couldn¡¯t help but eavesdrop on their conversation. They were also talking about Lucas¡¯ engagement. Two of the boys were on the aisle on the other side of him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why he decided to get engaged right after his birthday. Isn¡¯t he going to look for his mate?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t get it either, that¡¯s like, the first thing I¡¯d do¡ª¡°


    ¡°Hey Lucas aren¡¯t you going to find your mate?¡±


    Noah froze as a third footstep joined the two and obviously it was Lucas. The question peaked his interest and he waited for the answer.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t really care. Besides, Alliah¡¯s great.¡±


    The boys couldn¡¯t help but agree with him. When they started walking towards the cashier, Noah just sat there quietly. Couldn¡¯t even care huh? With the last of the chips out of the box, he waited to hear them leave before taking it to the back room. He was too preoccupied with his souring mood, not realizing that someone was coming at the corner at end of the aisle. He almost bumps into a familiar torso and he looks up immediately, unable to force down that feeling of excitement when a mate is close. Lucas looks at him with a slightly irritated look and the butterflies instantly disappeared, replaced with dread.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare tell a soul about what happened or you¡¯re going to regret it, alright Noah?¡±


    This ticks Noah and he scoffs at him.


    ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that already? You¡¯re engaged and I¡¯m not stupid enough to put myself in an awkward situation. So much for being mates.¡± He walks passed him and sets the box down by the back room.


    ¡°It¡¯s a mistake. We were never mates.¡± He said. Noah didn¡¯t respond to that. ¡°And we never will, just like how I¡¯ll never forgive you for what happened.¡±


    Noah could feel the daggers on his back but he didn¡¯t turn around to look at him. He knows he won¡¯t be able to put on a fake smile or return a snarky reply. Not when he confirmed that until this day, Lucas is never going to let go of the past.


    When he heard the door close, Noah immediately crouched as if his legs gave up on him. He tried his best to keep his sobs quiet as hot tears copiously streamed down his nose.


    He stayed like that for awhile before his shift shortly ended.


    ¡ª


    It was cold in the supermarket, almost freezing. The sun is almost down and around this time there were more people lining up. He just stood quietly with his cart, absentmindedly staring at a pack of gum by the checkout.


    ¡°Hey. Hey kid.¡± Travis called to him and Noah snaps from his daze. ¡°Your turn. Stop holding the line.¡±


    He mutters an apology quietly and starts placing the things on the counter. With every beep of the scan, he slowly went back staring into space. Everything felt numb for some reason and something in his mind was trying to keep him from feeling anything.


    ¡°Are you okay Noah?¡± Travis asked.


    From what Noah could remember, Travis was one of the closest friends of Lucas¡¯s father in the past. He¡¯s not a bad guy, he¡¯s kind. His family owns the store and he occasionally works at the cashier. They met each other when he was a kid.


    ¡°Oh. Uh¡ª yeah. I¡¯m fine.¡± Noah stuttered.


    ¡°Sure? Your eyes are swollen.¡±


    ¡°Just¡­allergies.¡±


    That was a bad cover considering it was still summer. And that statement reminded him of Ryan, the worry wart. Thankfully, Travis didn¡¯t ask any further. Noah looked at the screen of his phone for his reflection and one could tell he¡¯d been crying if they looked close enough and considering he isn¡¯t really sneezing or anything, it was obvious what that look meant.


    He just groaned inside his mind.


    While waiting, he noticed two unfamiliar men walking through the entrance. Outsiders. Everyone in town knew each other so it was easy to notice new people. Probably tourists heading for Madallin waterfall, it¡¯s the only popular spot here in Fortbeck. They don¡¯t look like tourists though. Their faces looked rugged, one had a scar by his top lip and both of them shared messy white hair. They were wearing black coats and boots. Maybe they¡¯re just passing by.


    Noah accidentally makes eye contact with one of them and instantly he feels shivers down his spine.


    Once Travis finished bagging the groceries, Noah pays the total, and rushes outside the building. He ran towards his bike with a sudden burst of adrenaline. Something tells him that those men are dangerous. It¡¯s unbelievable how no one had noticed, there were pack members inside the store yet it felt like he was the only one who could sense their demeanor. He felt a familiar fear and it could only mean one thing.


    Noah could feel eyes staring into his back and he glances behind him to see the men getting into a truck. One of them stood by the passenger¡¯s side with the door opened, looking at him intently.


    That was enough for Noah to start peddling for home. Seriously though, how did nobody sense these Rogues?

 Chapter 4

    As soon as he was on the driveway, Noah rushes for the front door and slams it closed behind him. When he was finally sure that he was out of sight and safe, he sighed in relief.


    He doesn¡¯t have a good memory of Rogues. When he encountered one for the first time he was only ten and it was killing a pack member right in front of him. That incident made him paranoid of all werewolves. Rogues weren¡¯t any different from them when it came to appearance so who¡¯s to say that there wasn¡¯t one among them.


    That was all in the past now, he had recovered from that experience; however, he will never get rid of the occasional paranoia. It¡¯s mostly a hunch and he can¡¯t really tell by smell so all he¡¯s got are instincts. If that sense is triggered, his automatic reaction is to run away as fast as possible.


    But now I¡¯m back home. I¡¯m safe.


    He leaned on the door and slid down. His ears were ringing and he felt light-headed all of a sudden. He breathed slowly, trying to calm himself. For all we know, I could be wrong. They can¡¯t be Rogues, not when they¡¯re in the middle of town. At a store no less. Travis didn¡¯t react so I¡¯m probably mistaken.


    There was still a part of him that believed otherwise and it worried him. Some of them are able to blend in with the public and even pretend to be humans. But his pack has dealt with Rogues and Lone Wolves before, they should be able to differentiate one from the other especially if someone posed a threat. If Travis, one of their older members, did not find those two even a bit suspicious ¡ªeven with their kind¡¯s sense of smell¡ª then it¡¯s possible that it was a false alarm and they¡¯re really just wolves passing by. That must be it and he was just paranoid.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ryan was peeking at him through the kitchen door entrance.


    At the sight of him, Noah feels extra relieved that he wasn¡¯t home alone. He just raises the bags of groceries at him.


    ¡°Took you long enough. I¡¯m making dinner tonight.¡± He takes them from him and rummages through.


    ¡°Where¡¯s everyone?¡±


    ¡°Theo¡¯s at Kate¡¯s for a sleepover and Mory got called for a last minute pack meeting.¡±


    Noah peels off his jacket sluggishly. Now that he had calmed down, he suddenly felt so tired. And he couldn¡¯t help sighing heavily when he took his shoes off. In a quick second he senses Ryan looking at him with worried eyes. Noah just gives him a forced smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna take a shower.¡±


    He knows that Ryan will bring it up later at dinner. The guy has a very perceptive mind and it¡¯s like his maternal instincts are activated the moment they¡¯re together. It¡¯s not bad but it gets annoying sometimes. What did he see? Is it because he came home looking like he was being chased? He has got to find a way to change the subject. There is no way he can tell him that he thought he saw Rogues. It¡¯s going to make things weird.


    But there is way.


    It¡¯s about time Noah tell him about her.


    ¡ª


    Dinner was ready as soon as Noah got back downstairs. Ryan¡¯s cooking always smells good so he gladly dug in. They were quiet for quite awhile so he assumed that he wasn¡¯t going to bring it up. It was ridiculous how guarded he was from the start.


    ¡°They¡¯re not back yet, huh. I wonder what¡¯s taking them so long.¡±


    ¡°It sounded urgent. Mory and Amanda were in a hurry to leave after they got the call.¡±


    ¡°What do you think it was about?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. Besides it¡¯s been so long since they had those kinds of meetings.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­anyway, did you know Nat¡¯s back from Penton?¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°She texted me. I¡¯m kinda jealous she spent all summer there and we¡¯re stuck here.¡±


    Speaking of being stuck here, this is probably the best time to tell him about his plan. ¡°I have to tell you something. I¡¯m moving out.¡±


    Ryan looked confused by this sudden news.


    ¡°Why? I don¡¯t think you can afford paying rent. We can still stay here for one more year.¡±


    ¡°No. I meant I¡¯m moving out of Fortbeck and I was hoping you¡¯d come with me.¡±


    It felt strange saying it out loud and to think he declined her offer in the beginning. He probably would never have went through with this decision if this place didn¡¯t become so suffocating. Leaving felt even more appealing after their encounter at the convenience store. It just proved that they were never going to tangle up in each other¡¯s lives. If it¡¯s going to be this way, then why the heck not? There¡¯s nothing left for him here except emotional baggage. A fresh start was what he needed.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re joking.¡± Ryan tried to make sure. ¡°How are we going to do that?¡±


    ¡°I met this girl at Nat¡¯s party, she offered to give us a ride. We¡¯re meeting up tomorrow.¡±


    He was hopeful. Deep inside he prayed the guy would just give in and agreed. But knowing how Ryan thinks, it¡¯s not going to be that easy. He still wished it would.


    ¡°Okay. You¡¯ve been acting weird recently and now you¡¯re telling me you want to run away with a stranger. What¡¯s going on Noah?¡±


    In that moment, he would¡¯ve told him. He really wanted to tell his best friend that he found his mate but got rejected. It would lift some weight from him, not just because of the contents in the secret but so he wouldn¡¯t have to keep something from him. All he could do was make an excuse.


    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to stay in Fortbeck. You just said you felt stuck here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because this place gets stagnant sometimes but I didn¡¯t say I was gonna leave. Our pack is here, this is our home.¡±


    He also considered those things when the offer was given to him. It meant leaving the pack, the only place they ever knew. Both of them grew up here and probably would stay here forever. If Lucas wasn¡¯t his mate and remained as that one broken friendship in his life, he wouldn¡¯t be this hard to tolerate. He was a presence Noah wanted to avoid.


    Ryan looked at Noah seriously and Noah could feel it then that he knows this isn¡¯t the whole story.


    ¡°I can tell you¡¯re hiding something else. What¡¯s the real reason you want to run away?¡±


    It must be a big deal if Noah is willing to step outside their pack territory. Away from the protection against the Rogues, the very thing he is afraid of. It doesn¡¯t make sense and for that reason, the both of them needed him to say it.


    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t.¡± Is all he could muster. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±


    Noah said that to the one person who knew him probably more than he knows about himself. They¡¯re practically brothers but he still doubted the trust of the other. Something in those words struck an angry chord in Ryan. Was it the ego or his pride? All of a sudden he stood up from his chair and slammed his hands on the table.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been there for you since we were kids. Before and after things changed, I was by your side the whole time you tried to shut yourself in. Throughout your anxiety and fears, I was your moral support. I never stopped being. We both know how well we know each other so you¡¯re damn wrong if you think I wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±


    He spoke angrily but looked hurt.


    ¡°What can¡¯t you possibly tell me?¡±


    Noah could only maintain the eye contact for a short time, the tension in the room uncomfortable. He shares the same sentiments. It was hard to keep secrets from each other. He also cares about Ryan so he wants him to come with.


    If I just persist enough, he might just budge. He desperately thought.


    ¡°I-It¡¯s not important. We need to take this chance now more than ever¡ª¡°


    ¡°YOU need this chance. I don¡¯t.¡± Ryan sighed, he was done trying. ¡°I¡¯m not going to help you run away from your problems, again.¡± His eyes told Noah he was being firm on this.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±.


    ¡°Every time things get too difficult for you to handle, you run and expect time will make it go away. Whatever is going on with you, stop cowering away and fix it yourself.¡±


    How am I supposed to fix this exactly? Should I run back to Lucas and beg him to rethink his decision when he¡¯s now engaged with someone else? Even if I set aside my pride, he hates me since we were kids for many reasons I can¡¯t count. Especially for seven years ago. What now? There¡¯s no fixing this. Accepting and moving on is for the best.


    Noah¡¯s thoughts rapidly talked to himself, searching for a way. He was growing frustrated with the situation. Why can¡¯t Ryan just not ask questions for once? If he knew, he¡¯d understand and he¡¯d easily go with him. But that¡¯s the problem. He won¡¯t. Despite how both of them wanted to.


    ¡°I¡¯m done with dinner.¡± Noah leaned back with his plate still half full.


    Even though he didn¡¯t want to admit it, he decides to postpone their conversation and continue it tomorrow which is exactly what Ryan said he¡¯d do, hope time will handle things for him. And the guy doesn¡¯t seem satisfied that he opted on this and makes a comment before Noah was out of the kitchen. He said it rather calmly but the words were laced with malice.


    ¡°If you had stopped running away, maybe things wouldn¡¯t have changed.¡±


    As Ryan said, he always supported Noah after that incident. Lucas put the blame all on him but unlike that guy, Ryan forgave Noah. He was the one who told him that he has nothing to be sorry for and it was never his fault. It was the first time he went against his own words.


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean that.¡±


    ¡°¡­I do.¡±


    Ryan prepares himself as Noah grabs his shirt, ready to take the hit. But before he could even swing his arm back, someone was knocking on their door.

 Chapter 5

    It was surprising to find Alex at the front door. Noah didn¡¯t expect to see her so soon, not until tomorrow anyway. But before he could ask questions she rushes inside and closes the door in a hurry as if she was hiding from someone.


    ¡°I thought we agreed on Saturday?¡± He asks in confusion.


    ¡°Change of plans kid. Something came up and we gotta go now. Tonight.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    This has turned into a dilemma. He hadn¡¯t even started packing or even convinced Ryan, who is currently looking at Alex wondering who she was. When he shifted his eyes to look at him, he could see in Noah¡¯s eyes that he was conflicted with something. It gripped his attention. In that moment, Noah was weighing the options he had. Until finally he had come to a decision and Ryan sensed it.


    ¡°I need to pack first.¡± Noah tells her before rushing upstairs. Ryan goes after him but hesitates on whether to leave a stranger in the house. However the thought of Noah actually leaving became the first priority.


    ¡°Look, Noah I understand why you want to leave and I want to come with you¡ª¡°


    ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you?¡± Noah asked while stuffing his clothes inside his backpack.


    It was Ryan¡¯s turn this time to try and persuade him. Fast. However, it looked like he isn¡¯t going to stop what he¡¯s doing.


    ¡°But you can¡¯t just leave with some stranger just because they offered to help! For all we know she could be a serial killer. Did you even think about the consequences of running away? We¡¯ll get in trouble or worse, kicked out of the pack.¡± His voice now had a tone of pleading. ¡°And you can¡¯t protect yourself from the Rogues.¡±


    Surprisingly, Noah didn¡¯t seem to be bothered by that thought and kept on packing. Ryan wanted him to just stop for one second to face him. When Noah didn¡¯t show any signs of pausing, he couldn¡¯t help but grab the boy¡¯s arm just to get his attention.


    ¡°WHAT¡¯S SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE TO LEAVE THIS PLACE?!¡±


    Ryan wasn¡¯t one to make anger get the best of him. In that moment however, he felt that screaming those words would be the only way to get through to Noah. From his perspective, he wants to know why Noah was going through desperate measures. Something else was involved, it bothered him so because his best friend wasn¡¯t someone who¡¯d willingly go beyond their pack territory knowing that Rogues would be waiting outside.


    His words did go through in a way because Noah, himself couldn¡¯t help contain his anger from bursting. He stood up and pulled away his arm abruptly that it made Ryan flinch.


    ¡°BECAUSE HE¡¯S MY MATE!¡± He screamed back but Ryan was only dumbfounded and before he could ask what he meant, Noah continued. ¡°LUCAS WAS MY MATE.¡± He could only choke out the last words before realizing what he had said.


    The both of them really aren¡¯t used to hiding things from each other.


    ¡ª


    In one of the conference rooms of the Raedwulf mansion gathered pack members comprised of older members of their household. Parents and thirty-somethings were called for this sudden pack meeting. Usually the meetings are held twice a month to discuss mundane matters around the town such as new building constructions, humans who have recently moved into town and the status of the Rogue trespassers. Last minute calls meant there¡¯s something urgent. Instantly everyone arrived, it¡¯s not everyday something like this happened here. For some it was rather exciting.


    The room was filled with whispers and gossiping. Curiosity rising as more and more people arrived inside. Finally Margaret and her brother, Peter came in and everyone in the room settled down. Along with them was Travis, the one who called for the meeting.


    ¡°Rogues?!¡±


    ¡°Likely. But I wasn¡¯t sure. They kept to themselves and didn¡¯t cause any scene.¡±


    Rogues, as far as they knew, were usually unhinged and carried a certain air around them. That¡¯s why it was easy to spot one before it could even enter the main part of town. However these two were different, Travis noted, one could easily mistake them for Lone Wolves with how they conducted themselves.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t confront them since there were humans around. Mrs Kimberly was there too.¡±


    ¡°Oh the big-mouthed human.¡± One of them commented.


    ¡°What made you think they could be Rogues?¡±


    Travis thought of when the men were at his check out. All of them silent as he scanned their things. He discreetly observed their faces. Tiredly rugged, as if they¡¯ve travelled a long way. One of them had a scar on the top lip.


    ¡°It was faint¡­but I¡¯m sure I smelled blood on them.¡±


    This changed the atmosphere in the room. Blood on a wolf is bad news. A definite distinction of a Rogue. Those type of wolves are not welcomed anywhere since they posed a threat, even among themselves, because of their horrifying practice of cannibalism.


    ¡°Everybody keep on the look out for outsiders. Children should be home early before dawn. We don¡¯t know if they¡¯re still here or maybe more will come.¡± Peter says to everyone.


    The meeting continued on discussing the security measure around the territory borders and checkpoints. They also had humans to look out for, both for their safety and the pack¡¯s own. The blood Travis smelled wasn¡¯t like the ones from a scraped knee, pierced wound or from the butchers. It reminded him of the attack from seven years ago and he shudders at the thought of having that incident happen again.


    ¡ª


    It was silent since the start of the ride. They were now on Alex¡¯s old pick up truck with their bags at the backseat. Alex fiddled with the radio but it was broken so it was useless. She sighed and looked at him at the passengers seat.


    ¡°So. You didn¡¯t tell me you had a plus one.¡±


    When he finally slipped out the secret, Ryan suddenly dropped all the questions and went with him wordlessly. The way he reacted was unusual. It was like he snapped his fingers and it made him shut up and follow his orders. Ryan packed his things and when Noah didn¡¯t, he helped finish it for him. ¡°Come on let¡¯s go.¡± He said it with a guilty look in his eyes and quietly, Noah took his helping hand. And then they hit the road.


    Noah looks at her and she gestures for him to introduce them.


    ¡°Uh, Alex meet Ryan. Ryan this is Alex.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you Ryan.¡± She smiles at him from the rearview mirror. ¡°How exactly are you guys related?¡± She asked.


    ¡°We were fostered in the same house.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, you guys are very close. Almost like real brothers.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± Ryan had enough that Alex was acting familiar with them. He still wasn¡¯t sure about her. ¡°Noah said you were from the Pineworth pack, why did you leave and where are you heading exactly?¡±


    They knew his tone was purposely rude but Alex didn¡¯t take the bait. Instead she looked at him with a smirk.


    ¡°A friend of mine offered me a job a few states away. I took it since it felt like it was an opportunity I couldn¡¯t lose.¡±


    It sounded like it was going to be pretty far away. Noah looks through the window and spots a sign that said Leaving Fortbeck which makes him realize that they don¡¯t even have a place to stay. He was too excited with the idea of getting a way out that he didn¡¯t think about it this far. They¡¯ve never been outside so they don¡¯t know anyone else. No connections and no money. His anxiety spiked and he was beginning to think that maybe this was a bad idea after all. This was what Ryan was trying to warn me about.


    ¡°Do you mind if we could crash at your place?¡­just until we find our own.¡± He asked sheepishly.


    Ryan immediately sits up from his lazy position and pokes his head between the front seats at Noah.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have a PLAN?!¡± He screamed. Just when the two of them are back to bickering once again, Alex chimes in happily.


    ¡°Actually, I was thinking you guys can stay with me. Rent free.¡±


    ¡°Woah, seriously?¡±


    ¡°Yeah I don¡¯t really mind so don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve helped you this far, the least you could do is keep me company.¡± She tousled Noah¡¯s hair and the boy didn¡¯t seem to mind it. He was ecstatic.


    ¡°See, it all still worked out at the end.¡± He tells Ryan.


    Ryan sat back and folded his arms. Everything sounded too good to be true. His suspicion still wasn¡¯t quenched but he didn¡¯t call out Noah¡¯s naivety with the way Alex glanced at him from the rearview mirror. It felt like a warning. It wasn¡¯t just his intuition that rang but his instincts. It was trying to warn him something.


    ¡ª


    Almost an hour into the drive, Ryan had fallen asleep. Working at the shop with Mory may have taken a toll on him. Meanwhile Noah just quietly sat and stared through the open window. There was nothing to look at except for trees but his mind was elsewhere and he hoped the wind would calm him down.


    A sudden howl in the direction behind them alarmed him. Quickly, he closed the window and looked at the side mirror as if he was expecting something. There was nothing but pitch black. Alex could sense his unease was all over the place and she closed her own window, if it was helpful in any way.


    ¡°We¡¯re still a couple of hours away from our next stop so you should get some shut eye. I¡¯ll wake you guys up when we arrive, I promise.¡± She tries to calm him down.


    Noah thanked her before settling in his seat and closed his eyes. Think happy thoughts.


    Now that they¡¯re off to a fresh start, Noah should stop being so tense. He won¡¯t have to see a certain person¡¯s face or even need to think about him. He¡¯ll try to socialize once more and meet new people. And who knows, maybe he¡¯ll find a new mate.


    ¡ª


    The boys had fallen asleep and Alex was still glued to the steering wheel. She thought of having the radio fixed as soon as they arrive. To never again drown in silence while driving.


    Another howl came from behind them and she checked the boys if either of them had woken up. When she looked at Noah, her gaze lingers.


    I finally got you.

 Chapter 6

    The sudden loudness of a car door being closed roughly woke the boys to a start. Alex had tried to wake them up numerous times to no avail. She was not in a forgiving mood at the moment.


    ¡°Get inside, we¡¯re having breakfast.¡±


    Her crankiness isn¡¯t nice to wake up to first thing in the morning. Noah groans from his bad position and rubs at his numb feet. It was so early in the morning and the sky was still dim. Looking through the window he realizes that they¡¯re parked in front of a diner. He could see that Alex was already inside. It was strange how different she was compared to last night.


    ¡°It¡¯s just the hunger talking.¡± Ryan says while opening the door. ¡°Come on Noah.¡±


    Sluggishly they walk their way into the building and slide into the booth she was in. The cold feel of the table makes the both of them unconsciously shiver.


    Breakfast was bacons, eggs, pancakes and coffee but for Alex she had a giant burger all to herself. For awhile they focused on getting their fill. When all that¡¯s left was the coffee that¡¯s when Ryan resumed his questions from last night.


    ¡°Where are we heading to exactly?¡±


    ¡°Doveport Beach. It¡¯s a small port town southwest from Fortbeck. It¡¯ll take us two more days to get there without counting our stops and the traffic.¡±


    Doveport Beach. Noah had never been to the beach. Back in Fortbeck, all they had were lakes and a waterfall. This would be the first time he¡¯ll see one and that became something to look forward to. He wonders if the people are any different down there.


    ¡°About the rent, we can¡¯t just freeload so there must be something we could offer.¡±


    Even though Ryan seemed to be against the idea, he didn¡¯t say it, for Noah. Might as well take it considering there was nowhere else they could go to. He was still hesitant to accept the offer at face value, not everything is free and he¡¯d like to help some other way to balance out the favor.


    ¡°Since you asked,¡± she said, ¡°you can do the cooking and cleaning, that¡¯s fine by me.¡±


    Basically they¡¯re going to be her housemaids and that¡¯s fine for Ryan if it meant having a roof over their heads. It was still too good to be true that she was this generous to a bunch of runaway orphans. It¡¯s kinda surprising that she accepted his offer, he thought for sure she was going to brush it off and persist that it was fine if they didn¡¯t do anything. Then it would mean that she was luring them to her place for something else.


    ¡ª


    That night after finding out her brother decided to get engaged, Natalia confronted their mother. It¡¯s unbelievable how they didn¡¯t tell her sooner before the party. Margaret wanted to rush preparations because Lucas went to her all of a sudden asking if Jone¡¯s offer was still available. Although she was surprised, her excitement got the best of her and she didn¡¯t have time to tell Natalia and figured she¡¯ll have to be surprised with the rest of the crowd.


    She wanted to be there when they discussed it, she would¡¯ve persuaded him to reconsider. Even though she¡¯s close friends with Alliah, she didn¡¯t like how they rushed into this. Lucas just recently turned 18 and she thought he¡¯d wait for his mate. He must have a reason and it annoyed her that he¡¯s not saying anything. There was no one else Natalia could rant to except to Noah since he was also at the party.


    He¡¯s usually at the convenience store but when she arrived, he wasn¡¯t there. That¡¯s weird, I thought he had his shift at this time. She could be wrong and he¡¯s probably at home.


    But the person who answered the door was not him.


    ¡°Oh, good morning Mrs. Ferguson.¡±


    Natalia always felt unnerved around Amanda even though she¡¯s human. Ever since she was young, the way Noah and Ryan described her wasn¡¯t a good impression of the older woman. She¡¯s aware that, like Mory, they hide their true personalities when it comes to the head family. It made sense they were mates, they suited each other.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Are they home?¡± She asked, pertaining to Noah and Ryan.


    ¡°They¡¯re gone.¡±


    ¡°Uh did they go to Mory¡¯s shop?¡±


    ¡°No, they¡¯re Gone gone. The boys disappeared when we came home last night.¡±


    Amanda said it so nonchalantly that Natalia didn¡¯t grasp the serious implication from her words. Did something happen to them? She remembers what her uncle warned her about the recent Rogue sighting and instantly, she thinks of the worst case scenario. Amanda could tell what she was thinking and tried to clarify.


    ¡°The Rogues didn¡¯t do anything. They ran away. Almost all their clothes were cleared out when we checked.¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be true. They wouldn¡¯t do that.¡±


    Maybe they did and it probably had to do with her and her husband. Natalia knew about Amanda and Mory¡¯s attitude towards Noah isn¡¯t very kind. Towards Ryan they were at least nice to him because he was their nephew. Regardless, they weren¡¯t very homely towards them and did the bare minimum of what foster parents do.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already notified the cops. Two men knocked on my door searching for Noah earlier so I¡¯m sure the services are already aware of the situation. The boys will be back soon.¡±


    If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s nothing she could do. They are still minors so they¡¯ll be sent to juvie when they¡¯re caught. But it still didn¡¯t make sense that Ryan and Noah ran away, especially Ryan, knowing him. They must have their own reasons and she wanted know. Stepping out of their pack territory is unlikely so they¡¯re probably still around Fortbeck. And if she finds them first maybe she could help.


    ¡ª


    The day dragged on while on the road. It was the afternoon and the boys felt restless. Noah grew bored after his phone died a few hours ago and Ryan stared blankly into the window, feeling the wind. After some time, he sits up and groans loudly.


    ¡°Can we stop somewhere like, a quick grub?¡± He asks Alex. ¡°I¡¯m starving here.¡±


    Noah noticed that the two had a weird dynamic by now. He could still sense Ryan¡¯s rude behavior when talking to her but Alex wouldn¡¯t let it get through her and responded calmly. She didn¡¯t let him affect her. She wasn¡¯t a calm person earlier in the morning though but after eating, she returned to her usual self. If the her right now is really the usual. One thing is for sure, she was definitely a food person.


    ¡°Alright. When we find a gas station.¡±


    It was fifteen minutes before they found one. Alex pumps the truck and Ryan goes ahead into the store for the snacks. While Noah heads for the bathroom, suddenly getting the urge to need it.


    Inside, Ryan picked his and Noah¡¯s favorites which were any cheese flavored chips. He doesn¡¯t exactly know what Alex wants so he gets an extra one for her. At checkout before he could pay for the total, Alex dumps a bunch more to the counter. There were lots of candies, more junk food and three big cups of soda.


    ¡°And these as well. I¡¯ll pay for it.¡± She says smoothly and looks at him with a smile.


    Ryan furrows his brows with a little nod. The gesture was kind but he still couldn¡¯t trust her so obliviously like Noah.


    ¡°You have to know that I still don¡¯t completely trust you right? Unlike Noah, your kindness is too suspicious for someone we just met and I only went with this because of him.¡±


    Alex turns to him like she¡¯s earnestly listening to him, sort of impressed that he actually confronted her. Granted it wasn¡¯t in front of his friend.


    ¡°Yeah I know, but you don¡¯t really have a choice.¡± She grabs the bags and gestures for him to take the soda and starts walking out first.


    And when the both of them were outside, Ryan continued.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re hiding something. I can smell it.¡± He said.


    At this, Alex walks to a halt and turns to him with blank eyes. Gone was her cocky attitude. She struts to him slowly, each step increasing the tense atmosphere. She stops at arms length. Ryan realizes that she was taller than him by the way he tilted his head a little to look at her in the eyes.


    ¡°I know that you¡¯re overprotective of him. It¡¯s cute. I get it, he¡¯s a little naive. But kid you¡¯ll have to admit sometime from now that I really am just helping you guys. And for that sake, I suggest you stop being a piece of shit and maybe let¡¯s try to get along, okay?¡±


    She had a tone in her voice that didn¡¯t sit right with him. Worse was that she suggested they become friends. Though he couldn¡¯t deny that her words had convinced him that she was really just helping them at face value. Only just a little, it¡¯s not going to be easy to accept a new face that will be in their life from now on.


    Not another word was said when they got into the truck. They waited for Noah who still wasn¡¯t done with his business for some reason. When a minute passed by, Alex starts loosing her patience and tells Ryan to check on the boy if he¡¯s probably taking a dump. He does so quietly. Alex takes a sip from one of the cups and stares at a truck that was parked in front of them. It wasn¡¯t there earlier and she realized that it looked familiar. That train of thought was cut by frantic footsteps heading towards the truck.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone!¡± Ryan shouts at her, panting through the window of the passenger¡¯s seat.


    The bathroom is at the side of the store. Something must¡¯ve happened to him while they were inside. Alex follows him to the area and Noah is nowhere to be seen. Ryan starts sniffing the air around them and noticed a trail.


    ¡°I can smell Rogues on the path. They must¡¯ve taken him.¡±


    ¡°We have to hurry.¡±


    She didn¡¯t turn to the truck but ran towards the path. Ryan follows her. They weren¡¯t gone for too long so the Rogues can¡¯t be far off either.

 Chapter 7

    Three Days Ago


    It was Lucas¡¯s birthday and his uncle decided to arrange a house party for him to celebrate it with his friends.


    ¡°Happy birthday kid.¡±


    ¡°Thanks uncle Pete.¡±


    ¡°Good thing Margaret and Natalia haven¡¯t come home, yet.¡±


    His mother and sister decided to spend the summer break at Penton City for their vacation. They were supposed to arrive today for his birthday but their flight got delayed and they won¡¯t be back until the next morning so Peter decided to go through with the party. For sure, Margaret wouldn¡¯t have agreed to this.


    Lucas looked forward to this day his whole life. Since he was young, he always wanted to take part in leading the pack and now that he came-of-age he can. He¡¯ll be given responsibilities, succeed their family business, undergo training and be a prominent figure of the pack. But what he was excited for the most was that today is the day he can search for his mate.


    It¡¯s very rare to have an 18th birthday on the night of a Blue Moon. If it wasn¡¯t his birthday tonight he¡¯d be at the block party in the heart of the town. It¡¯s a tradition in Fortbeck to host them during blue moon nights though it¡¯s more of an excuse to ¡°moonbathe¡± since there are humans in town. Peter told him about the superstition that occasions like these, the lucky werewolf is guaranteed to find their mates immediately. After all, the blue moon always gave werewolves a strong connection to their senses. Something about its essence giving them a boost of their instincts. And he believes it, he¡¯s hopeful that it¡¯s true. He mentally prepared himself for this night. Lucas believes that whoever his mate would be, he¡¯d love them unconditionally.


    ¡ª


    The night had arrived long ago. Lucas lost track of time with his friends at the party and was beginning to get a little too drunk. Andre, Lucas¡¯s best friend had to sit him down by the couch. He doesn¡¯t get this bad usually but since it¡¯s his long awaited birthday maybe he got a little too excited. There were a few humans from their school invited over so it was important to avoid any accidents. Eventually he calmed down and turned to look at Andre.


    ¡°Did you know I¡¯m going to meet my mate today?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure.¡±


    Andre knew about the superstition and he¡¯s happy for his friend ¡ªif that were true. It¡¯s already 10pm and the day is almost over. Nothing has happened yet. Maybe it¡¯s not true and he just has to be at the right place at the right time just like every other werewolf. He can see that he¡¯s thrilled to meet his mate and he could only hope for the best that it doesn¡¯t crush him tomorrow.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna get you some water.¡±


    When Andre was sure that he settled down, he went to the kitchen. Lucas was feeling odd the whole time, he just stared dazedly into the middle of the room desperately yearning for something. The feeling was there ever since morning came and he had mistaken it for hunger. Slowly the noise dulled down and he could hear his heartbeat. It felt like he was getting nauseous so he decided to step out of the house to take a deep breath. The room was crowded and by the time Andre got back, he wasn¡¯t there anymore.


    As soon as Lucas stepped out of his house and looked up at the moon, something inside him rose to the surface. His sense of smell heightened and it catches a familiar scent. He couldn¡¯t recognize it at the moment but it was something that quenched his yearning. Without a second thought he starts sprinting for the block party¡¯s direction, where the scent led.


    Is this it? Am I actually meeting them tonight? Who knew that his mate lived in the same town all along. The thought that he could actually meet them so soon, it¡¯s unbelievable. He couldn¡¯t hold himself back and slowly shifted into his wolf form. His instincts clawing to take over.


    When he saw their figure from the distance, he picks up speed and charges. Before he could slow down, he ended up tackling the person off their bike. His mate didn¡¯t find it a warm welcome and tries to run away. Not wanting them to escape, Lucas chased after the person. And with no human decency at all, he grabs them by the throat and pins them to a tree. His mate looked even more scared. Everything was almost a blur at that point.


    It took awhile until his mate finally reached out and petted him. The sense of fear had disappeared.


    ¡°Lucas.¡±


    He knows my name. He was ecstatic to learn that his mate knew him. Finally, I¡¯ve found you. Wondering who the person really is, Lucas looks at him. Trying to focus through all these overwhelming emotions, he realized he looked familiar too. A certain face that seems to bring back another type of feeling.


    Noah?


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­my mate.¡±


    Hearing his voice again confirmed everything and it came as a shock to him. Upon the realization, he couldn¡¯t help but push the boy away. The surprise and horror sobering him. Noah was his mate. Of all people, it had to be him. The one who killed his father.


    ¡ª


    As soon as Natalia arrived back home, she storms into her mother¡¯s office where she is accompanied with her uncle. It looked like they were discussing something serious but she didn¡¯t care and disturbed them.


    ¡°Mom.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡ª¡°


    ¡°Noah¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°Oh he¡¯s probably at work right now hun.¡± Margaret tried to dismiss her. ¡°And, as you can see, I am too.¡±


    ¡°Mrs Ferguson said he and Ryan ran away.¡±


    Margaret finally turned to her, surprised. After thinking it over, Margaret dismisses the situation.


    ¡°Amanda probably has notified the authorities already. They¡¯ll be back soon I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Seeing how little her mother cared about the situation hurt her. It¡¯s almost like she¡¯s no different from Amanda. But times like these made her stubborn persistence give her strength and Natalia has no choice but to take action herself.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to look for them.¡±


    ¡°What? No you¡¯re not. There were Rogues in our town and more have been spotted outside the border. It¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere, alright?¡±


    Her mother said it firmly, she knew how stubborn Natalia can get. Natalia has a special attachment for Noah so she isn¡¯t going to let it go so easily. The look on her daughter¡¯s face clearly showed she was going to go behind her back regardless but Margaret can¡¯t let her do that.


    ¡°I know how worried you get for the boy so I¡¯ll get someone to find him.¡±


    ¡°You will?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Natalia.¡± It takes a lot to ease Natalia¡¯s doubt so she had to confirm. She knows what might happen if the girl finds a need to.


    ¡°¡­fine.¡± As much as Natalia wanted to do it herself, the fact that her mother offered to help was satisfying enough.


    When she finally left the room, Margaret sighed. The whole time Peter just stood from the side quietly. He knows how much these two power struggle. Admittedly he finds these situations enjoyable to watch ever since Natalia went through a rebellious phase. Every time they fought, it always left his older sister tired from trying to control the argument. This time Noah is involved and they both know her daughter really cares about him.


    ¡°Who¡¯s going to do it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get Cassian to just gather reports from the foster care.¡±


    Cassian is someone who has been working for the Raedwulfs for a long time now. He used to be the right hand man of the previous alpha, Thomas Raedwulf, Margaret¡¯s late husband. They were close friends and after he died, he stayed to help with the matters of the head family. He¡¯s a trusted member of the pack and the only one she can count on that Natalia also trusts.


    Meanwhile Natalia enters their living room and lays down on the couch groaning into the pillows. On the other end is Lucas with his laptop on the table, he looks at her curiously. Sensing that she¡¯s sulking.


    ¡°What¡¯s up with you this time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Noah and Ryan.¡± She rolls back and looks up at him, ¡°They ran away. They didn¡¯t even tell me.¡±


    ¡°Huh. Good riddance.¡± He smirked.


    This ticks off Natalia. He has always unreasonably held a grudge on Noah for something he didn¡¯t do but she has remained hopeful that they can be friends again. Lucas just has to stop being stubborn. But more than ten years have passed.


    ¡°He was your friend you know. At least be a little worried.¡± She mumbled.


    ¡°Why should I? If he gets into trouble that¡¯s his problem. Even if he dies, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll even care.¡± He said it so sure of himself.


    ¡ª


    Ryan expected to meet Rogues when they agreed to get out of town. Not this soon though. And now Noah, the one who was afraid of them most, was in danger. Only the worst case scenario came to his mind and that was being too late that the job had already been done. The very idea of a wolf eating its own kind disturbed him and he feared for his best friend.


    There wasn¡¯t any sight of him but Ryan could still smell where they went. Alex wasn¡¯t too far behind him. The people who took Noah couldn¡¯t have gone far, they were only inside the store for a few minutes. Not unless they shifted. It¡¯s a possibility and if that¡¯s how it¡¯s going to be, he should get ready before they caught up to them.


    Alex was surprised that Ryan suddenly stopped and started doing the last thing she expected. He took off his shirt and started taking his pants off.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡± She screamed, bewildered.


    Ryan only looked at her with confusion as he frantically slid down his pants, leaving him with only his black boxers. She just stared at him with wide eyes, like it wasn¡¯t the time for him to get naked.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± He screamed back.


    When Ryan reached for the hem of his boxers, Alex looked away and towards the path ahead. She ignored him and resumed to running.


    Ryan still remained confused why she kept running before shifting to his wolf form. It doesn¡¯t hurt but it still felt uncomfortable to have your whole body change into a different one since he doesn¡¯t get to do it many times. In this form, his senses were much stronger and the scent of Noah and the Rogues were clearer. After ten seconds he sprinted for its direction. Alex continued to follow the direction of the path when suddenly a giant gray wolf, the size of a bear leapt from behind and ran in front of her. She realized then that it was Ryan and followed his lead. He was too fast and got farther with each step she took.


    The scent went off the path and he leapt through bushes before encountering another wolf. Both of them growled as soon as they faced each other. It was as if it was waiting for him which was suspicious.


    Between the two of them, Ryan was much smaller in size being the youngest. A Rogue in its wolf form was distinguishable from the rest of the others. Their fur would lose its pattern and it was just a mix of brown and black. They could be mistaken for a coyote if it weren¡¯t for their size and sharper teeth. And the apparent scent of flesh and blood that is stuck to their fur.


    It snarled at Ryan, ready to pounce at him with no holds barred. He looked at its fangs and it scared him to imagine that it could snap his neck so easily since there¡¯s a possibility the Rogue has done this many times before. He hesitated but he realized that Noah wasn¡¯t too far away and was just a couple of steps form where they were, behind the Rogue. The need to get to his friend motivated him to face off the one in his way. Since he didn¡¯t make the move first, the Rogue charges at him first.


    Alex finally got through the bushes and hid at the side as the two wolves battled each other. Thinking it was a good distraction, she continued to go around them trying to look for Noah. When she got through, she spots him laying beside a tree, unconscious.


    ¡°Noah. Hey! Wake up.¡± She hisses and lightly slaps his cheeks, trying to wake him up.


    The snapping of twigs and the pounding of paws against the ground didn¡¯t register to her sooner and she was tackled roughly from her side. She dropped onto her left shoulder, the Rogue successfully capturing her attention now. It¡¯s not going to play around and she knew intends to kill her fast. Its jaws aimed for her throat and quickly she raises her right arm to jar its mouth from shutting. However, its teeth still manages to dig into her skin causing her to scream as she takes out something from her pocket.


    Alex shoves her left hand into its mouth. Screaming.


    ¡°Illuminate!¡±


    In a split second, a small light sparks from the mouth and the wolf was blown away off of her. It yelps after hitting a tree and falling to the ground. In her hand was a silver dagger with a small red gem stone in its handle.


    Quickly, the two of them stagger standing up and without missing a beat, Alex runs towards her opponent with a battle cry. The Rogue also charges for her, snarling. She jumps from a tree root and the wolf opens its mouth to catch her in one snap. But with the dagger in her hands she stabs it in the eye making it cry out. She struggled to keep her hold as the wolf tried to get her away. With a deep breathe, she sinks it deeper and at last it was motionless.


    When she knew for sure that it was dead, Alex returns to Noah¡¯s side. But before she could start carrying him, a loud distressed yelp came from Ryan¡¯s direction. He was pushed to the ground and behind him the Rogue was holding his neck in a tight jaw lock. He frantically struggled trying to get away, yelping and growling. Other parts of his body were already bleeding heavily with bite marks.


    Alex realized that he was in a critical situation and points her dagger at the wolf on top of him. Screaming the same word from earlier.


    A swift spark-light hits the Rogue, forcing its jaw to rip away from Ryan, and sent it flying into a tree trunk. She starts sprinting for it while it¡¯s still defenseless. Before the wolf could recover, she whips her dagger again using the same spell causing it to drop back to the ground. She didn¡¯t waste time before stabbing the Rogue on its neck and tearing it down to bleed.


    The wolf spasmed, whimpering. It took a few seconds before it was finally over. And with that, Alex sighed a sigh of relief. After taking a break to calm herself down, she stood up and turned to them.


    Ryan limped towards Noah, who was fortunately unharmed upon inspection. Then he noticed the dead wolf a few paces from them with its eye bleeding gorily. Based on what happened earlier, Alex did this and has done it before. No wonder why she didn¡¯t shift, she was something else. She lied about being a werewolf.


    Instantly turning to the culprit, putting himself between her and Noah. He bared his fangs in a threatening snarl. It surprised her at first but she understood why he¡¯d get defensive especially after seeing what she was capable of. However there isn¡¯t enough time.


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain later but we have to go right now before more will come and find us.¡± She pleaded to him.


    Her words only proved that she knew what was going on. Ryan didn¡¯t budge and remained in his stance. He needed to know the answers now or it¡¯s impossible to trust her anymore. It¡¯s undeniable that he was right all along that she isn¡¯t as nice as she seems. The bloody dagger on her hand proved to be a dangerous tool and she can use it against them. He growls low with his eyes trained to it.


    She raises her hand in surrender.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you. Okay?¡±


    It didn¡¯t sound even a little bit appeasing.


    ¡°Ryan.¡± She sighs, tired of this.


    For all he knows, she¡¯s probably taking them somewhere and she just made it seem like it was their choice to run away. If she isn¡¯t sided with the Rogues then it¡¯s by someone else. It¡¯s difficult to think about what her intentions are when everything she showed could¡¯ve been lies. She¡¯s not a werewolf then what is she?


    ¡°I¡¯m a witch.¡±

 Chapter 8

    It was quiet inside the truck. Noah is unconscious at the backseat and Alex has her eyes focused on the road driving. Currently they¡¯re heading to the nearest motel to rest and treat their wounds. For now, they made do with a couple of bandages Alex kept in the car for first aid. The dagger sat in the cupholder inside a pouch, Ryan couldn¡¯t help but feel aware of its presence. It¡¯s useless to keep thinking about the thing so he tries to take his mind somewhere else.


    ¡°I¡¯m a witch.¡±


    Alex said it seriously and no matter how much Ryan looked at her in the eyes, he couldn¡¯t tell if she lied although he had stopped growling. But he didn¡¯t move away and remained shielding Noah.


    They¡¯re going to need to have a proper conversation so Alex walked back to the path to pick up Ryan¡¯s clothes. It¡¯s still unbelievable how he confidently stripped in public without an ounce of embarrassment, like it was something natural. Though thinking about it, he would¡¯ve ripped his clothes when shifting to his wolf form.


    ¡°Get changed.¡± She dropped his clothes by his paws.


    He still didn¡¯t budge. If there¡¯s one thing you have to keep in mind when someone suspicious is near, it¡¯s to not let your guard down. He¡¯s afraid that if he so much as turned his back from her, she¡¯ll knock him out and who knows what he¡¯ll wake up to. With his muzzle, he points at the dead Rogue nearby and looks back at her.


    Alex rolled her eyes, annoyed by his stubbornness but decided to explain anyway.


    ¡°The Rogues want Noah. They¡¯re after him and I couldn¡¯t let them do that.¡±


    She said it so fast with a blank face that he didn¡¯t get it for second. There¡¯s nothing he could respond to her. Even more questions were arising and it felt overwhelming. Especially with the detail of Noah being targeted by Rogues. For what reason?


    He was looking down at the grass by her foot. Alex could tell he has a lot going on his mind now.


    ¡°Please can you shift back so we can properly discuss this.¡±


    The additional word wasn¡¯t much but it was kind enough compared to everything she has said to him so far. Ryan decided to take her word for it, thinking if she wanted to knock him out then she would¡¯ve done so from the beginning. She wants to talk which is reasonable enough.


    He nods and agrees to shift back and get changed. Alex turns her back from him and gives him some privacy.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk in the truck. More will come when they find out these two are dead.¡±


    Together they carry Noah back to the truck and hurriedly drive off. That¡¯s when Alex elaborated more about the situation.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been observing Rogue activities for many years now. Recently a number of them have been migrating towards Fortbeck and I found out that they¡¯re after Noah. I suspected they were planning to ambush your pack just to get to him so I had to take the bait out of there.¡± And unexpectedly she did managed to convince him to run away with her, though with a little help of some personal problems.


    ¡°We should¡¯ve stayed then! We¡¯re a pretty big pack, we can handle a dozen Rogues.¡± He reasoned.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky that one didn¡¯t behead before I managed to intervene. Even if they¡¯re outnumbered, you and I both know how strong they are. It¡¯s not a battle worth fighting for when you¡¯ll lose more than half of your pack. Better to avoid so much casualty when there¡¯s other options.¡±


    That¡¯s true. Ryan could imagine how dangerous they are. A few years ago, a group of Rogues suddenly appeared on the outskirts of town. Their pack had to fight them off. He saw firsthand how Rogues killed. They go straight for the neck and snap it with their powerful jaws. At most it¡¯ll take two wolves to kill one. A few of their own had died fighting.


    Looking back at it, the two incidents had something in common. She was right, the Rogues were going after Noah. Is there a connection somehow?


    ¡°Why does it have to be him?¡± He curiously turned to her. It was a question that stuck to him ever since it happened. Something is in the works and she seems to know it.


    Alex paused and took one look at him.


    ¡°They want to eat him.¡±


    ¡°But what¡¯s the difference? We already know Rogues are cannibals.¡±


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s special.¡± She said. ¡°He¡¯s a Hybrid.¡±


    Hybrids are the mix of two different non-human species. They¡¯re rarely successfully born and at most there¡¯s only three in every generation. Alex could tell he was confused. He doesn¡¯t know the truth. Noah must¡¯ve not told him about it. She figured it¡¯s better she explain it to him instead since they already have so much unresolved arguments. He and Noah will need to talk about this privately.


    ¡°Do you know the myth about Hybrids? When you consume enough of their flesh and blood, you¡¯ll become immortal. Only Rogues would go through so much lengths to search one and even dedicate their whole lives. Generally everyone doesn¡¯t believe the myth or the existence of Hybrids at all, but some of us have been trying to stop them from succeeding¡ª¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    She glanced at him. Ryan couldn¡¯t believe what she said. At first she thought he meant the immortal stuff since at some point someone must¡¯ve told them about the myth. It¡¯s quite a popular story among every kind except humans.


    ¡°That can¡¯t be true. He never mentioned about being a Hybrid.¡± He turned to the backseat, at Noah who is still unconscious. ¡°He never told me.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Alex didn¡¯t know what else to say. ¡°I don¡¯t know how else to convince you kid. But it¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡ª


    Noah wakes with a mild headache and stares at an unfamiliar ceiling. Every part of him felt heavy and it was difficult to sit up without the urge of going back to sleep. After inspecting his surroundings it looked like an average four-walled room with three beds, one of which he was laying on. Everything was a shade of brown from the walls to the carpet and even the lamps. Across from him was Ryan sitting in a chair, eyes trained to his fidgeting fingers.


    ¡°Ryan?¡± He asked. ¡°Where are we?¡± And where¡¯s Alex?


    ¡°We¡¯re at a motel right now.¡± Ryan looked up in surprise and stood to seat beside Noah at the foot of the bed. ¡°How¡¯re you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Tired. The last thing I remember was¡­we were at the gas station and I went to the bathroom. And then I blacked out?¡± He wasn¡¯t too sure what followed after that, then his eyes glanced at the bandage on Ryan¡¯s neck. ¡°What happened?!¡±


    ¡°We were attacked by Rogues earlier. But it¡¯s fine now.¡± He brushed his fingers at the cotton.


    Noah really wanted to know the whole incident and ask where he was when it all came about. He didn¡¯t think that there would be Rogues attacking them as soon as they were outside pack territory. The thought that they were so close to danger terrified him. Ryan had something else to say and he seemed to have contemplated this for quite awhile now. Noah decided to hold back and listen to what he has to say.


    ¡°Alex said the Rogues are hunting you because you¡¯re a Hybrid.¡±


    Just like how Ryan reacted when Alex told him, Noah didn¡¯t think his words made sense. Rogues are well-known cannibals and it just so happens one of them was wandering nearby their stop and saw him. Where did the idea of him being a Hybrid come from?


    Ryan looked betrayed that he kept this secret from him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a Hybrid.¡± He tried to convince him. ¡°There¡¯s no way that¡¯s true. I¡¯m the most recessive werewolf in the whole world. In fact I¡¯m more of a coyote than a Hybrid.¡±


    Coyotes are half-human and half-werewolf. Unlike the average werewolf, they¡¯re weaker and have smaller wolf statures. Growing up, he was convinced he was a coyote. His canine traits never developed and he mostly fit the description of a human. He only knew that his mother was a wolf. Anything about his father was mystery but it wouldn¡¯t be inaccurate to believe he¡¯s a human since it would explain everything. He really didn¡¯t have any idea and it relieved Ryan.


    ¡°She said it so seriously it seemed convincing.¡±


    ¡°Wait, I thought you didn¡¯t trust her.¡± Noah raised a brow at him. Ever since the two of them met, he always had a guarded front towards her. Outwardly showing that he didn¡¯t like the stranger and to be fair, they didn¡¯t know that much about the woman. Suddenly being on her side made it suspicious, he thought Ryan¡¯s persistence would last longer.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she was lying because the same thing happened seven years ago.¡± As much as Ryan didn¡¯t want to mention the past, it was the only way he could explain it. It would¡¯ve been better if Alex was the one who told him about this. ¡°Remember? Those Rogues were only chasing you when we ran away. You¡¯re the one they want.¡±


    He had no response. Mentioning it made him unconsciously remember bits and pieces of that memory, the ones he tried to bury down. Ryan was right. Strangely it was always him that they were after. While Alex claiming that he was a Hybrid made sense of everything, he didn¡¯t want to believe all that¡¯s happened was because of him. It would mean Lucas was right.


    ¡°Why does she know all about this? That I¡¯m a Hybrid and about the Rogues.¡±


    This idea came out of nowhere but it must mean she knows more than she lets on. She¡¯s not just a stranger who allowed them to hitch a ride, which was Noah¡¯s initial impression. Maybe them meeting at the party wasn¡¯t a coincidence.


    ¡°She told me that she¡¯ll explain everything when we arrive in Doveport Beach. Something about a secret plan to protect you from the Rogues.¡±


    ¡°What is this? The secret service?¡± Noah joked.


    ¡°Oh she¡¯s actually a witch.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± He bursted in surprise. Werewolves stayed in packs and avoided other non-human species. Aside from their own kind, they only ever lived with humans. He never thought he¡¯d get to meet someone who¡¯s able to control magic. ¡°If she is a witch, I wonder why we never realized it.¡± That night at the party, she had been there early and even had a table assigned for her. Since they had guests from the Pineworth pack, he had assumed she was one of them.


    A witch had been among them but none of the pack sensed it. How did she even get into the party?


    ¡ª


    The motel is in a little area that¡¯s close by a trailer park. It¡¯s quite secluded and the most interesting place to be was a barbecue restaurant a few minutes away by car. Alex arrives at the parking lot and on the passenger¡¯s seat was their dinner for tonight, takeout. Before she left she had placed a scent cloaking spell on their room as precaution when she isn¡¯t there and to herself as well in case she¡¯d encounter another Rogue.


    Alex didn¡¯t get out of the car yet. From the glove compartment, she rummages for a cigarette. The stress from earlier¡¯s incident had terrified her, they were so close to getting Noah all because she let her guard down for a moment. She thought they had a head start by slipping out of town right under their noses but now it¡¯s confirmed that they¡¯re aware that he¡¯s outside the pack territory and that he¡¯s more vulnerable than ever. But as long as they get to Doveport before they can get to them, Noah is safe.


    There¡¯s also the fact that they now knew what she had been planning all along. She didn¡¯t mean to take advantage of Noah¡¯s emotional state after being rejected by his mate but it was a way she could use to persuade him. Initially she planned to make a move when a Rogue would attack him and use that as a segway on getting him to come with her. Hopefully Ryan would do a good job in explaining everything to him. Though she still hasn¡¯t told them the whole story and will eventually need to disclose it to them. Knowing how skeptical Ryan can get.


    Her phone rings from the cup holder and she glances at the caller ID, immediately picking it up.


    ¡°Cassian.¡± She greets him.


    ¡°Is he safe?¡± The person on the other line asks.


    ¡°Yes, for now.¡±


    ¡°Be careful. We noticed that the Rogues have been dwindling outside. They could be on to you.¡±


    ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that? We came across two Rogues earlier but I already took care of it. We¡¯ll arrive at Doveport by tomorrow midnight.¡±


    ¡°Alright. It¡¯s only a matter of time before they realize a witch is involved.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for worrying. But that¡¯s not necessary.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°I gotta get back to them now.¡±


    She ends the call and takes the takeout to their motel room.

 Author Update: As of May 22...

    Hey guys!


    Sadly, I¡¯m here to tell you that the story is halted for the time being. I¡¯ve decided to finish writing The Runaway Wolf up to the ending which will take awhile. When I resume posting, I¡¯ll be updating two chapters a week (Monday and Friday). However, I¡¯m not sure when that will be exactly but I¡¯ll keep you posted.


    In the beginning I was six chapters ahead from public release and intended to continue doing it until the ending. But the chapters are drafts in the works, I would have to go back to them to edit constantly when need be. That¡¯s bad though when the chapters have already been released so I realized I had to write them as a whole. Another reason is that I¡¯ve noticed my writing is rushed and doesn¡¯t exactly set the scenes properly. I was too focused with dialogue and character interaction because it¡¯s not my strong suit which in turn made my atmosphere building to suffer. My writing is passable I guess but I want to fix it before it becomes a flaw (both as a story and as a writer). As the first project I¡¯ve put out here, I want to do my best for the sake of my next story.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    And who knows, maybe my writing will improve along with the story¡¯s quality. I already have a full outline of the events, all that¡¯s left is drafting and editing the heck out of it. There¡¯s a total of 31 chapters plus an announcement by the epilogue.


    I hope you guys will stick around until then.


    See you soon