Crimson Moon

Chapter 2

~Ruby~

I stopped running about half a mile outside of Grimfurs’ border. I needed to wait until the shift changed at midnight to be able to sneak in. I jumped up into a nearby tree close to a little clearing with a small pond. Settling down on a sturdy branch, I hung the bag on a branch above me and pulled my phone from my pocket. The time was 11:30pm, so I opened a pocket in the bag that held the potions to mask my scent. It was in a perfume bottle and is applied in the same way.

Putting the bottle away, I sniffed the air. Rogues? This close to the border, that’s going to be a complication. I quickly put my phone back in my pocket and turned my head in the direction of the scent, hoping they were just passing through. I sniffed again and growled. There was also the scent of a she-wolf. I could smell her fear.

Just then, a wolf jumped out of the tree line. Her white fur was matted with blood and favoring her front left leg. A mangy black wolf, 3 times as large as the white wolf, jumped out right behind her. He howled and more wolves surrounded the two.

‘What the heck is going on?’ I thought to myself as the black wolf, I’m assuming the alpha of the rogues, shifted into his human form. He looked surprisingly similar to my father, except my father was always clean-cut and this man was not. His long black hair was greasy and matted in places, he desperately needed to shave. He was covered in scars and some fresher wounds.

“Violet, my love, please shift and accept me as your one and only true mate!” He said roughly as the white wolf shuddered and whimpered. “Be my queen and together we can take over as the new Lycan King and Queen!”

Violet growled before she shifted. She was beautiful with long platinum blonde hair and her eyes were dark brown. She was very petite, but looked strong. “I, Healer Violet Alice Snow, reject you Alexie Micheal Voytek, alpha of the rogues, as my true mate!”

I couldn’t help smiling, she was a feisty little thing. Alexie literally roared at her and she didn’t flinch at all. “Fine, I accept your rejection.” He grinned at her menacingly and she shivered. “But if I can’t have you, no one will! Kill her!!” He ordered his wolves.

I rolled my eyes, “Really?” I jumped down from my perch, leaving my bag hiding in the tree. “That is such an awful bad guy cliche! Can’t you be a little original?” I scuffed at him, walking past his wolves to stand in front of Violet.

“Who the hell are you?” He growled at me.

“Oh, me? I was just passing through and saw you being an ass to the one you love.” I spat back at him. “Do you really need 15 wolves to take care of one little she-wolf?”

“If you know what’s good for you, human, you’ll keep walking,” he said.

“You think I’m human? No sweetie, I’m your worst nightmare! I suggest you just take your wolves and never come back to this area again.” I stared into his eyes, unblinking.

“You don’t have to do this for me. I can handle Alexie.” Violet whispered over my shoulder.

“You are naked, facing 16 wolves, all males and bigger than your wolf. You also have at least 3 broken ribs, a broken wrist, and bite marks all over your body. From the smell, you also have internal bleeding. Focus on healing yourself and getting back to your pack. I’ll be fine, I’m not a human, I only smell like one.”

“I already mind-linked them, they’ll be here in a minute.”

I glared at Alexie, “You should run human. Last chance.”

“I’m not a human!” I shouted as my nails grew into claws. The wolves on either side of me charged. I ripped the throat of the first one to get to me. I threw two others at Alexie, who jumped out of the way.

“What are you!” Alexie yelled.

I smiled as I ripped another wolf’s throat out, “I told you, I’m your worst nightmare.”

One of the wolves shifted, “She’s a vampire Alexie, she was with the ones that destroyed my pack when I was little.”

“What?” Violet said behind me. I rolled my eyes, another complication. “Why are you here?!”

Alexie shifted to his wolf as all of them ran at me. “Just run Violet!” I pushed her away as one of the wolves grabbed my left arm in his mouth. Before I could use my other arm to rip his throat out, another wolf grabbed my right arm. Two more grabbed each of my legs and I was forced to the ground. I let them think they had the upper hand, trying to buy time for Violet to get away.

Alexie’s wolf jumped onto my chest, grabbing my throat in his mouth. I smiled, knowing even if he ripped my throat out, I’d be fine in a few hours. “Alpha Alexie, that won’t kill her! You gotta take her whole head off, or shove a stake in her heart.” the annoying wolf from the dead pack said.

Alexie let go of my throat and shifted while he was still on top of me. “So, let's make sure this b***h can never interfere with us again!” He grew his claws and shoved them into my stomach. “I’ll teach you a lesson before I send you to hell!”

Violet’s wolf jumped onto Alexie’s back. He shook her off as growls sounded all around us.

I looked into Alexie’s eyes, “Looks like the cavalry is here.” I spit into his face. He growled and tried to cut my head off with his claws as a brown wolf, just as big as Alexie’s wolf, grabbed the man by his throat and ripped it out.

I was losing too much blood. “What is your name?” I looked into Violet’s light blue eyes as she started to glow with a white light.

“Ruby. Just let me die, let me be free.” I closed my eyes and surrendered to the darkness.