His Broken Luna

Chapter2

"One second." The one on the right, an older man in his late forties, with a clean low fade as if he just left the barber, drawing attention to the striking contrast between his deep, dark chocolate skin and the vivid emerald green of his eyes. His jawline was sculpted and razor-sharp, tightening and twitching every few seconds like he was grinding his teeth against whatever conversation was happening in his head.

He sat unnaturally still, shoulders tense beneath the fabric of his shirt, giving off the kind of controlled power that made the air around him feel heavier. Even without hearing a word, I could tell exactly what he was doing. He was mind-linking with the Alpha, completely locked into a silent conversation I was not allowed to hear.

"Jeremiah and James, you boys take her to Jaxon. I still have some errands to run in town. I'll meet up with you guys later at the pack house." I assumed that Jaxon was their alpha.

The two younger boys looked at me with annoyance. They were probably annoyed that they had to deal with a rogue, and their plans got ruined; they wouldn’t let me explore the town without an escort. I was never treated with open arms when coming to a new pack; it's just something I have become accustomed to. Rogues are the last thing packs want in their territory; it could be dangerous for them, and they always stay on guard when one enters. Rouges are known for stealing, killing pups, and running off with claimed fated mates to mate and create rogue pups with, and it's uncommon for a female rogue to be on her own like this. Having a rogue in pack territory can only mean one thing… danger.

"Can we at least finish our meal? We just sat down." The younger of the three man said. It was clear he couldn’t have been more than 17 or 18 years old.

“Have Hazel pack it up for you and take it with you.” The emerald-eyed man said.

“But pops…” He counters

“Now, Jeremiah, you know this can’t wait.” The older man said, giving the younger one a stern look that said, do as I say without any more questions.

He rolled his eyes as he looked at me, letting out a slow breath. He stood with his plate in hand and brushed past me and walked towards the counter without giving me another look, to whom I now know as Hazel, to wrap his food up.

As I watched the men more closely, I took note of the similarities among the three. They all shared a strong jawline, high cheekbones, and intimidating presence that seemed to cling to them naturally. But what stuck out the most was their eyes. Every one of them had those vivid emerald-green eyes, with the younger two having a darker and colder, with faint rings of gray circling their irises like a storm waiting to happen. It gave them a more untamed look than the older man; the older one carried a more controlled intensity.

"And don't forget we have to stop and pick up Mom's clothes from Sean’s. She'll kill you if you forget again." The boy with similar features to the boy at the counter announced. He stood and started towards the door, motioning for me to follow them. I nodded to the older man, who was still eyeing me, and followed him out of the diner. They led me to an old but well-kept pickup truck. It was clear that the truck itself had been maintained far longer than its life expectancy.

He opened the back door and tilted his head slightly towards the self-motioning for me to get in. I stood there shocked, no pack has ever offered me a ride. Normally, I’m asked to follow the pack house through the woods; a mental link would let the other pack members know that there was a rogue in the territory. I would then shift, and Nova would follow their scent to their pack house. Not only did he offer me a ride, but he also opened the door for me. I stood there, for a beat, mouth slightly agape, caught off guard by their unexpected kindness. I blinked, there was no ulterior motive behind it. In a world that rarely shows kindness, it felt almost foreign, like, " Is this something I can trust?

"Jeremiah grabbed her stuff and tossed it in the back." I snapped back to reality and stepped out of Jeremiah's reach before he grabbed for my bookbag. It had everything I owned in it, I held it close to my chest. “I can follow behind you guys. I don’t want to soil the seats.” I took a step back. They exchanged looks for a moment, with furrowed brows. “You’re good,” his voice calm but firm. “We wouldn’t have offered if we didn’t want to give you a ride.

I stood, eyeing both. “Ok, but I kept the bag; you can go through it, check it, whatever, but it stays with me.”

They looked at each other again. “You can keep the bag, just get in. This is taking longer than it needs to.” James said as he gestured to the car. I nodded and hopped in the back seat. James closed the door behind me as Jeremiah sat in the passenger seat.

"Thanks." I lowered my eyes as James climbed into the driver’s seat and started the truck. I saw him glance at me through the rearview mirror.

"No problem, you seem kind of young to be a rogue." Jeremiah turned and looked at me. "How long have you been on the road?"

I stared out the window, watching the buildings blur past while people walked the sidewalk without a care in the world. Some smiled as they talked on the phone, others carried shopping bags, unaware of how fragile peace could really be.

“It’s been a while…. a few years or so,” I said dryly, keeping my gaze fixed outside the window. I revealed what needed to be said: I don’t know these wolves, and I have yet to come across a pack whose kindness isn’t free. Everything comes at a price, one way or another.

“Hmmm,” he nodded his head, seemingly accepting my answer. “Pack’s house is just straight up the main road, it’s about a 15-min drive from here.”

“Okay, will the permit allow me to work for a few weeks?” I questioned meeting Jereminah's eyes in the review. “I don’t know why not. I know the diner could use some help, and the school is low on volunteers. Once alpha signs off, you can start to apply. We have specialized applications for rogues for temporary positions.”

I glanced back out the window. “Thanks,” I murmured.

It wasn't uncommon for packs to allow a rogue to work temporarily within their territory. Unfortunately, with the constant attacks on smaller packs throughout the country, many shifters are forced to become rogues and wander from pack to pack trying to survive. They can gain a spot in a new pack by claiming loyalty to their alpha and working their way up through the ranks. I was no different; I knew what it meant to run, to survive, to keep moving before the past had a chance to catch up.