Night and Day: The Alpha Nomad

Panic at the Pond

A female to my left dropped to the ground lifeless. Panic ensued around me as everyone shifted into their wolves. Another gunshot exploded and hit another wolf to my right. They were aiming for me!

“Run to the safe house! Do not return to the pack house!” The Alpha vehemently exclaimed before he shifted. “Patrol Unit to me!”

The pack scattered off into the woods away from the pack house. The gun shots continued as I stood frozen in place. A bullet grazed my side narrowly missing a fatal blow. I turned towards the source of the shots. The wind blew and I caught the scent of the hunters from last week. I growled and bared my teeth at the bushes where the hunters laid in wait.

Damon was suddenly next to me dripping wet. He stared into the bushes and growled with me in unison. His hackles were raised and he crawled in front of me to shield me. I snapped at him defensively.

What are you doing? Don’t put yourself in danger for my sakes, I growled.

I promised I would protect you, he responded. I won’t let you get hurt again.

A female whimpered from the edge of the pond behind us. Damon’s ears fell to the back of his head and he twisted around to see his mother cornered by one of the hunters. We both ran towards her but stopped when we saw the hunter raise his gun. When he pulled the trigger, a red flash dashed in front of Damon’s mother and cried out. It was his father.

He fell to the ground in a clump of red fur and blood. Despite his fatal wound he crawled to his mate and tried to lay atop of her to protect her. My vision flashed with a familiar scene. The dream I had before waking up in the clinic replayed in my mind. When I heard a second shot, I tried to run to the Alpha couple but was stopped short by a tether around my neck.

I felt Damon’s heart break as he watched his parents fade. Then I felt his rage boil and next thing I knew he lunged at the hunter who killed them and tore him apart viciously. I had never seen or felt him like this before. Pure rage fueled his actions and the adrenaline pumping through him disregarded the possible consequences. He turned towards me, muzzle dripping with blood, and growled at the second hunter behind me. The putrid stench of human blood filled the air as the man bled out.

The rope tightened around my throat and I began to choke. The hunter tightened my noose with rage and pulled me to the ground. The night turned darker as the air left my lungs.

Day run! Save yourself! I begged. Leave me and run to your pack!

Everything went black when the hunter struck me over the head. I hoped Damon listened to me as I drifted from consciousness.

………………………

Day-

I felt a primal rage deep within me which drove me to kill the hunter who shot my parents. I had no control over my actions, but the need to avenge my parents seeped like poison in my veins. My focus was turned once I was satisfied that I had subdued the bastard.

Night’s eyes were wide with fear and apprehension as she watched me. I felt her struggle to breathe as the man tightened the noose around her neck and pin her to the ground. My rage flared again. I would not let her succumb to this hunter like my parents. My heart pounded in my chest as I circled the man.

Day run! I heard Night beg.

I won’t leave her. My pack knows how to defend themselves for now and I will catch up to them once I saved her. The hunter struck her with a club and I felt her fade. This enraged me to the point where I ran at the man without thinking. He revealed a knife and drove it into my shoulder when I leapt on top of him. Despite the searing hot pain, I continued to dig my claws into the man’s shoulder. He released Night’s rope and screamed in pain. I didn’t notice it at first, but he pressed a button on some device he had stored on his pocket. I swiftly ended the struggle and the man grew limp.

As much as my whole body urged me to ensure Night was still alive, I went to my parents first. My mother was no longer alive but my father barely held on though I knew he did not have long before his demise.

Damon, son, protect your pack, my father pleaded as he fought on for his life. I am so sorry I should have postponed the Harvest Feast. I’m sorry I did not sense the danger before.

Don’t worry, Father, no one sensed it, I whimpered. You could not have predicted this, and the pack is safe now. I will meet up with them as soon as I can.

You will be a great leader and protector, my father strained. Be strong, my son.

My father eyes glazed over and he was gone. I released a painful howl that rose to the heavens. I learned a lot from my father already about being Alpha, but there was still more I needed to know. How could I lead my pack without him? I nuzzled my parents one last night and said my final goodbye.

Night must have regained consciousness and stood by my side resting a hand on my back. Without warning she removed the knife from my shoulder. Pain flooded over me but also a sense of relief.

“The knife was not deep,” Night said gently. “Day I am so sorry. I should have left when I woke up. They were after me not you or your pack.”

I shifted back to embrace her, “They would have found us anyways, this is not your fault. I’m just glad you are safe. We should meet up with the pack.”

She looked startled, “No! I can’t face them now after what happened. They will cast me out, just like my own pack!”

I glared at her, “I won’t let that happen to you again, and if they do I will leave with you.”

She shook her head, “your pack needs you…”

“Not as much as you will,” I whispered in her ear as I squeezed her.

She buried her head in my chest and I enjoyed her warmth. I couldn’t let her go, not when I just found her. I inhaled her scent which was corrupted with the stench of human blood which covered me head to toe. I had completely forgotten the blood when I wrapped her in my arms. I loosened my grip and released her.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to cover you in blood,” I apologized.

“I don’t mind, it felt nice to be in your arms,” she admits. “Let’s find the pack before they start to think something’s happened to you.”

“They’ll be at our safe house just to the south,” I let her know. “Shouldn’t take us too long to catch up to them.”

We loped off in the moonlight towards the safe house. I was more than a little disappointed that I couldn’t fulfill my promise to spend the rest of the night with her. I’ll have to make it up to Night sometime soon.