The Hunt

I could hear them behind me. It was like outrunning a storm, their thunderous steps getting closer and closer. I knew I had to keep running, I knew I couldn’t stop, I also knew that they were waiting for me to mess up. They were waiting for me to change, the second I did they could too and it was game over. This is my territory, my woods, my childhood in which I spent countless afternoons running through learning the terrain. Unlike many of my kind I enjoy running in both forms something everyone mocked me for until today, no one is laughing now. My steps were getting heavy, my throat burned, I was slowing down and my sign of weakness gave them strength. Water. The river is close, I’m going to make it. If my life wasn’t in danger I would have laughed but I couldn’t let my guard down even for a second.  Their voices became more clearer as I got a glimpse of the rushing river through the trees. I heard their calls, and jeers turned to curses as they realized how close I was getting. My heart raced faster than my feet could carry me. Before I jumped into the ice cold water I turned to look at my pack one last time. The look of hatred in their eyes stung as they saw me escape. The piercing coldness of the water didn’t compare to the stabbing pain in my heart as I realized the people I’ve known all my life hated me. I couldn’t lose my focus now, this is where people thought they were safe but this is where the real danger began. I couldn’t control the direction in which my body was being dragged but I could fight to stay above the water and breath. I just needed to keep breathing.  The cold water numbed my body, I couldn’t feel the rocks I kept being pushed into but I could taste the blood which means I must have hit my head at some point. The air was cold which didn’t help my already freezing body. Land was so close but I didn’t have enough energy to pull myself out, my body was just fighting for air, fighting to survive. A firm grip got the back of my collar and I felt my body being pulled out of the water, then I was surrounded by darkness. ******* I felt the warmth of the fire and heard the cracking of wood, smoke filled my nose but I kept my eyes shut. It must have been a terrible dream, a cold night and the maid must have started a fire in my room. I heard the crunch of leaves and my eyes shot open. There was a big fire three feet away from me, I was not inside my room. I was outside laying on the ground and something was wrong with my body. “Good you’re awake.”  I looked up and found the source of the crunching leaves. It was a girl around my age, maybe I saw her once before. She was tall and slim with short black hair that framed her face. Her head was egg-shaped but there was a beauty to her if it weren’t for her eyes I would have guessed she was born a beta. Her piercing black eyes changed my mind and I couldn’t help but tighten up as I felt the tension of a fight she gasped when she saw my eyes and bowed her head. I relaxed a little but kept my guard up. “Who are you?” I asked with a firm voice, I knew the effect my eyes had on people and by her reaction they must not have changed color yet. She was smarter than she looked and saw my bluff, her shoulders relaxed and she set down the pile of wood she was carrying. She took a seat and threw my cape at me. I looked down and realized I was just wearing my underclothes. I shot her an accusing look and she shrugged.  “I’m Megan, the one who saved your life from the rapids. I could have let you freeze to death but that would have made my heroic act gone to waste.” I raised an eyebrow, confused she seemed like an alright person not a rogue at all. She must have recently joined a pack and her eyes must be taking some time to change. I looked around there was no sign of anyone else; we were alone.  “You’ve never seen a rogue before huh, I’m not surprised. Your eyes may be red but I pulled you out of the river which means you're an outcast like everyone out here. You still have that pack mentally, you still think your pretty red eyes will intimidate anyone to do whatever you please and rogues are nothing but dirt. The rules are different out here, I’ve seen one too many alphas go down because they thought they still had power out here.” “Why the heroic act?” I couldn’t figure out this rogue, she was smart and knew too much about me already which left me at a big disadvantage.  “A lot of rogues come out here hoping to fish out an ally.” She glanced at me and I saw her composure break for a second. She wasn’t expecting to fish out an alpha. I'm sure she’s only heard of alphas. I must give her credit for being able to keep up her act for so long but there was the scent of fear slowly growing as she kept talking. Which brought a small smile to my lips, my eyes have this effect on people. “Of course you can do as you please.” I could see her muscles tighten up, she was going to run if I became hostile. She was smart, and I needed brains for this new world. She was looking at me waiting for a response when I smiled I saw her relax. “I could use an ally.” She threw an object at me and I caught it realizing what else I was missing.  My bag and sword, I glanced at her. “I didn’t look, I promise.” She was already putting herself below me and I could see her realize it. I almost felt bad for being an alpha, almost.