Night and Day: The Alpha Nomad

Exiled

Night -

5 years later

“NIGHT!” I heard him bellowing.

I cringed and cowered. What did I do this time? If I don’t answer him now there will be consequences later. I sighed heavily and left my homework sitting on my desk. Descending the stairs I could already here him rifling through his dresser drawer. I entered what used to be my parents’ bedroom.

“Yes, Beta John?” I announced my presence.

“Where the hell did you put the laundry you just did?” He demanded. “I can’t find any of my athletic shirts. You knew I have a pickle ball game tonight, so what did you do with my clothes.”

“I put them in the closet, I hung them up like I usually do,” I sighed.

“Don’t give me attitude, you little-“ he retrieved a blue athletic shirt from the closet. He glared at me in disgust, “why are you still standing here? Go do something useful, like cleaning the kitchen. I don’t care what you do just get out of my sight.”

He never forgave me for the night my parents were killed. He always acted like it was my fault the hunters found the tracks that led them back to the pack house and killed his mate, my cousins and several members of our pack. I was only 8 years old! I had nothing to do with any of it, I didn’t deserve this treatment but I had to endure it until I was old enough to lead the pack.

When I’m Alpha I will exile him, I thought hatefully. He doesn’t deserve my mercy, I should just hunt him down like the traitor he is.

I retreated back to my room to complete my homework. I was already falling behind in school because of all the chores and tasks my uncle gave me every day. I tried to do my homework in between chores, or at the end of the day when I finished everything but by then I was exhausted and would fall asleep at my desk. Thankfully I had enough energy to finish most of my homework tonight.

“Night, my room better be spotless when I get back tonight!” I heard my uncle demand as he slammed the door to the house.

I let out a huge sigh of relief to be alone for once. After I cleaned up his room I changed into some athletic type shorts and a loose fitting t-shirt and secured my running shoes. I headed to the backyard to make my escape. I had already vowed to go for a run in the woods to get away from my thoughts. It was also Friday the thirteenth and a full moon so I had a primal urge to be outdoors tonight.

The sun was setting, but the heat was still borderline unbearable for my Alpha blood. Regardless of the heat I was going to run tonight. I ran straight into the woods, about where I saw the flashlights of the hunters for the first time. I growled thinking about the last couple weeks of torture I’ve been through. It was about to be the 5 year anniversary of the attack, and no one would let me forget.

I felt a single tear break the barrier of my wall, and I wiped with away with my bare arm. I was strong enough and knew better than to let my emotions get the best of me. What doesn’t kill me would make me stronger. I ran faster as I developed resolve to finish my run. A few drops of rain hit my arm, I stopped abruptly and enjoyed the relief from the heat.

The rain was sparse around the territory ever since the attack five years ago. I appreciated every last drop we received, but it wasn’t enough and the vegetation was showing it. Every year the plants looked increasingly sad and more of them died off. The prey in the area were leaving for better grazing, and this took its toll on the pack as well. Without the deer to hunt the pack risked traveling into human territory to secure food, which no one wanted to do since the attack. The increased pressure for food also exasperated uncle John’s abuse.

The moon was rising through the pines when I saw a beautiful doe in the distance. I admired her beauty and wished I could bring her back to the pack to show them I wasn’t completely useless.

You could, a primal voice persuaded. You have the ability, the strength, and the stealth.

“What? What was that?” I questioned nervously.

That primal clawing sensation from five years ago began, but this time was distinctly unmistakeable. I felt my skin crawl and compelled to idolize the full moon. I had no idea what was wrong with me, but something felt natural about the process.

Don’t worry, little Luna, the primal voice returned. This won’t hurt you very much. It’s a shame your parents could not teach you about this before I arrived, but I am here for you no matter what.

I felt a howl escape my lips and my body changed from my pale skin and long silky black hair to a pitch-black fur that covered my body. My claws erupted from my fingers and another howl escaped as pain climbed up my arms. I was shifting for the first time, and like the voice I assumed was my wolf said my parents never warned me about this process.

When I was on all fours and in my wolf form, I noticed a change in my senses. The smells were more prominent, my sight was improved in the darkness, my hearing detected even the slightest disturbance. I sighed when I noticed the deer was nowhere to be seen, but I caught the scent of it not long after my moment of disappointment. I followed the scent as silently as I could, stalking my prey as if I was a professional.

The doe was in a meadow grazing when I caught up to it. I recognized the meadow as one owned by a farmer three mile or so away from the pack house. Had I really come that far so quickly? The doe hadn’t sensed my presence yet and thankfully the farmer had not yet mowed the tall pasture grass. I may be dark, but in the light of the full moon I would not be very conspicuous.

It wasn’t until I was merely three feet from the doe when it sensed my presence but couldn’t pinpoint my location. I made my attack and grabbed the doe by the leg, which was my first mistake. It kicked me hard in the ribs, but I recovered quick and ran after the beast. I was surprised by my swift speed when I caught up to her in no time. She didn’t even get a chance to leave the meadow before I downed her.

Now how do I get this thing back to the house? I questioned.

Put ‘er on your back, little Luna, the voice answered. You can handle it, she’s not going to be that heavy.

I worked my way under the doe, and stood with the two of my limbs dangling around my neck and the others straddling my waist. My wolf was right, the doe wasn’t unbearably heavy and thought she was actually quite light for her size. I was not familiar with my Alpha strength but appreciated it immediately.

I returned to the pack house around ten o’clock to a fuming uncle. My wolf let me have my body back before I emerged from the woods knowing she would not be able to control ourselves from hitting him. He wasn’t even thankful or surprised that I brought home meat.

“I expected dinner ready when I got home and what do I come home to? An empty f*****g house!” He bellowed as he charged at me in the backyard. “Get in the kitchen and whip something up before I do something regrettable.”

I wanted to fight him still, but I restrained my wolf knowing even though he wasn’t Alpha he was older and stronger than myself. I shuffled into the kitchen to whip up a quick and easy meal that wouldn’t earn me a beating for being lazy. The quickest thing I could come up with was a burger with bacon and Swiss cheese served with homemade fries. I wasn’t hungry since I caught a couple rabbits on the way home from my hunt to satisfy my newfound wolf.

He seemed remotely satisfied and left me with the mess, which took me until close to midnight to clean up. I would be dead asleep during class tomorrow, but at least I wouldn’t have any questionable bruises to add to my collection.

Ten years since the attack on the pack passed. My uncles abuse and brutality did not falter or cease. He grew worse as my impending birthday approached. Since the day he discovered I gained my wolf, he added a lock on my bedroom to keep me contained when he wasn’t home. My wolf paced and occasionally took control to try to break her way out to run, but the locks were solid and the door was made of thick and sturdy wood that would not succumb even to the strength of an Alpha. I was only allowed to leave for school and for grocery trips into the human town. I knew better but I got the chance to run home as often as possible, but made sure not to alert any humans.

Graduation passed by and I was lucky to scrape by enough to make it. Since school ended I had even less opportunities to leave the pack house. I was becoming stir crazy and listless. My only saving grace was the thought of my birthday which was only a week away.

One more week and I reclaim my pack, I dreamed.

Do you want a pack that allowed your Beta to abuse you for ten years? A pack who neglected you and betrayed your parents? My wolf inquired. You deserve better, precious Luna. You deserve the world, and your mother would agree with me. Your father would disown everyone in this pack for how they treated you all these years. They would be rolling in their graves if they knew what happened to you.

I teared up at the thought of my parents, but quickies swallowed my tears when I heard my uncle outside my bedroom door unlocking me from my prison.

“Time for you to get started on dinner, I have pack members joining me tonight so make it special,” he spat.

I got to work in the kitchen but heard him invite a group of pack members into his office. The last bit of precious venison was roasting with some potatoes and parsnips, and noodles were boiling on the stove. I managed to sneak away to eavesdrop outside my parents old office.

“She will be of age to be mated soon, and she has Alpha blood so it would be wise to keep her close to the pack. John if you took her you could finally become the Alpha, and those who still hold a grudge against you for your treatment of Logan’s daughter will be forced to submit or leave,” one of the visitors advised.

I stifled a gasp, there was no way I would accept my uncle as a mate. Even if the Moon Goddess somehow fated me to him, I would rather die of rejection than commit my life to this evil man. I couldn’t think of what kind of mate he would be, I was sure he wouldn’t be a kind one after all the years of abuse he’s shown me.

“How can I choose her has a mate when I can’t even stand to look at her? She disgusts me, and all I can see is my poor Marnie and our pups suffering when I look at her. There’s no way I would be able to bed her,” he retorted. “There has to be another solution.”

“Well the other options are: let her accept the position of Alpha, exile her and forbid her to ever return, or kill her,” another male explained. “But if you exile her, you’ll have to find another way to become Alpha. She will still have a right to claim the Alpha position, and could contest you for it if she wanted. You’d have to secure the position with another female of Alpha blood. The Gulf Coast pack has a promising female who may be suitable. I’ve also heard the Luna of the Cross Timbers Pack just lost her elderly mate and she is said to be a beauty.”

Uncle thought it over and decided that he could not kill me, out of respect for Marnie’s love for me, but he could never let me inherit the pack either. The pack would not respect me as a leader anyways. His ultimate decision was to exile me and send a message out to the surrounding packs warning them of my expulsion and would forbid them from accepting me into their pack without severe consequences.

Expulsions usually involved the entire pack’s participation in harassing and humiliating the exiled member to the edge of their territory. I find my way out before I let that happen. The scent of venison grabbed my attention and I hurried back to the kitchen before the others were aware as well. I quickly assembled plates for all the guests and my uncle, placed them at the dining table where meals were served when guests were present.

“Inform the Beta and his guests that the meal is ready,” I asked the omega hastily.

I ran upstairs to my room as quietly as I could and found a backpack in my closet. I shoved clothes in the bag haphazardly then rushed back downstairs to the pantry before uncle emerged from the office. I loaded the pack with as many snacks as I could possibly muster, like jerkies, granola bars, and an aluminum bottle to fill with water. I’m not sure how long I would be on the run but I would likely need more rations than my bag would hold. Thankfully my wolf is a skilled hunter and would be able to fill my belly with prey if needed.

You should leave before they notice your absence, my wolf suggested. Give us a head start before he changes his mind and wants to make you his mate.

I nodded and zipped up the bag quickly. I heard my uncle still chatting with his accomplices. I still had time to sneak out the kitchen door and out the backyard. When I made it to the piney woods surrounding the house, and my pack’s namesake, I shifted to my wolf. I picked up the pack with my mouth and ran west without ever looking back.

I was a couple miles away when my sensitive hearing picked up an aggressive howl. My uncle must have discovered I was missing. Hopefully I can outrun his patrol team and make it out of the territory before he can catch me.