Run.
1421 Words
*Cassandra POV*
When I woke up, it was in excruciating pain. Taking a deep, grounding breath I slowly sat up and winced. At least I had been brought to my room.
"f**k… f**k…" I mumbled and slowly moved over to the broken mirror i had stashed away in here.
Oh Goddess I looked like s**t. My eyes were sunken and hollow looking. What once was a vibrant blue, now looked grey and lifeless. Slowly, painfully, I turned to look at my back and let out a sob. The marks were angry and red, barely healing because I hadn't been allowed to shift in almost a year.
"I can't keep doing this…" I spoke softly, not wanting anyone to hear me. I felt like dying. Death would be better than this life. If you could even call it a life. Was I even living at this point.
"it is time to go. You are ready. We will bot be dying st theor hands" Calypso's voice was stronger than before, and I sobbed softly with relief of hearing her sound so close and strong.
The next question would be where would I go? Away from here, maybe never to another pack, but away. I would be a rogue, but I would be happy and I could find myself again. Steeling myself I stood, groaning softly with the pain. I must have been out for at least a day. I grabbed a bag and stuff the few good pieces of clothing I had into it, and my only other possession, a picture of my true mother I had stolen from my dad's secret photo album.
I didn't care that I wasn't wearing a shirt, I'd be shifting anyway. Slowly, I crept out of the basement, skipping the creaky step so I didn't make any noise. Once I was outside it and into the main floor of the house I saw it was night time. Perfect. No one to stop me.
I wouldn't be leaving a note, they didn't deserve one. I left through the back door, it was the quietest in the house. Once outside I took the deepest breath I could of fresh air. Shifting would be painful with the state I was in but I could do it.
Setting down the bag, I began to shift, holding in my cries of pain. Once it was over, I shook myself out, feeling a cool breeze through my fur. Oh it felt so good after so long.
Picking up the bag in my teeth, I start to run. It's the running that frees my heart, lifts the burden of leaving everything behind. I don't know what I'll do, but I've never felt this free. It's like I can finally breathe after being held underwater my whole life.
I stop at the border, glancing backwards. It's my way of saying goodbye, though no one will care or hear it. Closing my wolf eyes, I take my first step into real, true freedom, and feel my ties to the pack sever.
-----
*Leonardo POV*
Being Alpha of a pack means you have.. certain responsibilities. Of those, one is to go to the ceremony of other Alphas. Those who are near to your own Borders, who you have a truce with. It's a sign of solidarity, if they're attacked, you would help them, and they would help you if the situation was reversed.
Though it was boring as hell, and without a Luna to keep me company it was even more boring. I was 22 without a mate, I was pathetic. But I didn't let anyone feel sorry for me, I fought anyone who thought I was pathetic- only I was the only one allowed to call myself pathetic.
'Leo, we're approaching the Waya Yona Pack house.' My beta, Forrest, tells me through our mind link.
I sit up and stretched, switching on the mask of the ruthless Alpha my pack needed. The car slowed to a stop and I saw their Alpha, Wayne, his beta Travis, his son and soon to be Alpha Marcus, and who I can only assume to be his beta standing beside him.
Forrest opens my door, and I step out, adjusting my suit jacket so it sat more smoothly. "Gentleman.' I offer my hand to Alpha Wayne, and we shake hands.
"Alpha Leonardo, a pleasure. We are grateful you accepted our invitation. Marcus!" Wayne turned to his son, frowning. "Greet Alpha Leonardo properly."
His son, Marcus puts his hand out, he was shaking slightly. Good, my reputation precedes me. I take his hand, and squeeze it hard, making him wince.
"I look forward to your ceremony. Is this your beta?" I let go of his hand, and gesture to the man beside him.
"Yes, this is Harvey, he is my beta." Marcus retracts his hand. "Shall we go inside?" He opened the door, allowing my men and I inside first. I glance around their pack house- small, quaint. The pack house of Dahnawa Danatlihi was larger, cleaner. That was fine, my pack had more people to accommodate.
Thats when I smelt it, a clean laundry mixed with a floral sweet scent. Lavender maybe. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. It was faint, but I could smell it. Janus howled within my mind. He sensed it too.
"She was here. Our mate" Janus spoke to me and I nodded, following to where the scent was strongest. The door to the basement, it was locked. I growled and turned the knob hard enough to break it.
"Alpha Leonardo! What are you doing?" Alpha Wayne was confused, walking towards me, but when I growled at him it stopped him in his tracks.
I took the steps two at a time, down to where I can smell the scent getting stronger. My brows furrowed, and I opened the door to a closet. The smell hits me hard- her scent mixed with blood. I growl louder then before and turn to look at Alpha Wayne who had followed me down. Almost the entire entourage had followed me down.
"Whose room is this? Why does it smell like blood?" I feel my anger rising, and the fear that I've been too late.
Marcus speaks first, and his tone is almost sparky. "That was Omega Cassandra's room." He sneered as he said her name.
Cassandra, a strong name. It was perfect. "What do you mean 'was' ?" My voice is deathly calm, I must retain a good relationship here.
"What my son meant to say was," Alpha Wayne suspects my anger, sensing the beast within that was ready to burst "She left. After she was whipped for disobedience. She didn't have any real connection to this pack, she was greatly disliked. The only reason I was sad to see her go is I liked her pancakes. "
"Where did she go?' I growled, hearing she was disliked and whipped gave me a bad feeling about how she had been treated here.
"I'm sorry Alpha Leonar-" Wayne was cut off by his son.
"Why do you even care? Cassandra was a nobody, she was even rejected by her mate" he smirked, and my blood boiled for her.
"Why do I care? WHY DO I CARE?!" I feel my voice raising and I can't stop myself "She is MY mate! And if you all couldn't see her potential then you all must be fools! I smell the power that resides in her, the great sadness she must of felt being stuck here with people who didn't care for her." I growled.
"Change of plans. Sorry for the short notice, by the pack and alpha of Dahnawa Danatlihi will not be attending your alpha ceremony. We have a mate to find." I walked past them, making sure to check their shoulders as I passed.
'Forrest, can you track her scent? It's faint, she must not have been here for a few days now.'
'Of course my alpha, I've already surmised that she left through the back door. Shall we take the calls or would you like to run?' I could hear the smirk in Forrest's voice.
'Let us run, it'll be faster tracking her that way.' I smirk as well, finding Forrest at the back door.
I turned to the rest of my men, "you all are either to return home, or follow us to find our new Luna." I turned my back and headed out the door with Forrest to begin tracking her.
- Writer
