Chapter Three
1084 Words
As I walked farther and farther away from the pack territory, the weight on my shoulders slowly lifted.. even if the pain in my heart stayed. I opened my connection with Onyx as I walked to the nearest town. I only opened the channel between us a bit so the pain didn't leak over to her. "Scar, you took all the pain, so I didn't have to, didn't you?" Onyx whispered, brokenly. "This pain was not meant for you, my wolf. The reason he didn't want us was all me," I stated.
"No, the reason was he's an absolute i***t. This isn't your fault or mine. All his. Our bond isn't one-sided. I thank you for taking care of me, but we share our burdens. Let us handle this together," Onyx replies, sending warmth through our connection. A tear ran down my cheek at her words. I have little to thank the goddess for, but my wolf was one of the truly good things in my life. I slowly let the wall between our connection down and the broken bond made its way to my wolf. A heartbreaking whimper came from her, or was it me? Either way, I stand in the middle of the forest for a while as me and Onyx adjust to our reality. I take my first breath for what seems like the first time since the rejection and move forward.
The town takes a day and a half to travel to, with me hiking during the day and Onyx running and resting throughout the night. We finally breach the border of the small town and instantly are assaulted by the sounds of humans. My senses are overwhelmed with sounds and smells that contrast much differently from the peaceful nature I've always been surrounded by.
Well, we definitely aren't in pack territory anymore.
Over the course of the next week, I stayed in the little town getting a plan together. I planned to head up north to the neutral territory near the Shadow Pack. The name sent a slight chill down my spine, but that was good because no one would ever think to look for me there, Liam or even the evil rogue. Liam by now will have realized that I am strong enough to have caused such a reaction in severing our bond. He will have questions, which impedes me never wanting to see the jerk's face again.
I leave the next morning, saying a brief farewell to the sweet elderly couple that ran the inn I stayed in. They offered to let me stay as long as I needed, reading me easily like they knew I had no place to go. A part of me really wanted to take them up on their offer and settle down in this quaint little town. Get a job at the local flower shop, maybe meet a nice human man. But that peaceful life isn't meant for me. I knew all these people would be in danger if I stayed too long. With one last glance over my shoulder at the modest buildings and a two-lane road with a single small cab truck rolling down it. I gave a melancholy sigh and disappeared into the forest line.
After a few days of travel, I finally came across the neutral territory for packless wolves. This area differs from your usual neutral territory. Most have no organizational system, you come and go as you please and don't cause problems. But as expected of the Shadow Pack, their neutral territory was neat and structured. You must sign in and state your previous Pack affiliations. They imposed this rule to help catch deserters and pack law violators. I respect them for it, even if that's the only positive rumor I have heard about them. The rest is that the Shadow pack is ruthless, only to be outdone by its Alpha, Damien. The gossip varies from him being so handsome you'd sell your soul to him and then him also crushing your soul and watching you wither away at his feet.
I shake myself out of those dark thoughts. That reputation was exactly why I chose this territory. I should have been nervous about having to sign my name and become trackable to Liam, but as he and the rest of the pack viewed me as a weak, wolfless omega, they would never look for me here. Too scared to be near the Shadow pack. I scoff at the ridiculous notion.
I made it to the small building with a wooden registration sign out front and knocked lightly. The large oak door opens and an older wolf greets me warmly. "Hello dear, please come in," he motions me inside and tells me to sit. He sits a glass of water and a clipboard in front of me. "Please fill out the information and let me know if you have any questions," he said, lowering himself in the chair across from me and typing on a small laptop. I filled out the information up until the previous pack area. "Excuse me, sir?" I asked, looking up at a slightly shocked expression on the elderly man's face. "Sir, huh? You're not from around these parts are ya, lass?" he chuckles. "What can I help you with?"
I smiled and held up the clipboard, "I was never allowed to join my previous pack, can I leave it blank?" I held up my wrist where the usual sigil of a pack would be. He stares at the unblemished skin and gives me a quizzical look. But thankfully, he doesn't ask any further questions. "That is just fine. We don't ask too many questions here," with that he turned and filed my paperwork. "You are all set. Just a friendly word of advice, stay a good distance from the Shadow Pack border, they are an attack first, ask questions later bunch." And with those parting words, he sent me on my way.
That night, I lay in the clear nighttime sky near a gorgeous lake. From my positioning, it looked like the nighttime sky was endless in the reflection of the lake. I looked up and searched for my favorite constellation, Lupus. The wolf sits there among the other stars, slightly apart from the rest. Alone but free. I stared at Lupus, feeling free for the first time since the rogue attack that changed my life, as my eyes slowly drifted closed.
Until a terrified scream breaks through the night.
- Writer
