His Queen

My paws pound on the moss-covered forest floor. My breath comes in raged pants. My lanky legs carry me in no clear direction with no decided destination. The wind is chilled and caresses my face as my four-footed furry body twists and weaves through the dense pine trees of Northern Vermont. Vermont had been my home as well as the home for 300 other werewolves that called the StoneRidge pack family. For all of my 18 years, I had called it home too, but today had changed. No longer was I welcome in Vermont territory. The venomous howls that followed me were a clear reminder. I pushed my body to run faster. My wolf ached from overexertion but what do you expect when you are running for your life. I knew that if I stopped to rest they would be on me taking my life. They had killed my pack. They murdered my baby sister in front of me. For a second the image of her big blue eyes widened in fear while glistening tears rolled down her Rose-red cheeks invaded my head. So badly my wolf wanted to howl in sorrow. She wanted blood to be spilled and I knew that with my training I could hold my own. But because of them those dreams had been dashed and divided like a million stars in the night sky. It had been a regular evening. I had just arrived back from training and entered the pack house when Alpha Jay’s voice echoed in my head through the pack link, a chain of communal thoughts among pack members. “Rogue pack attack! Everyone under lockdown. Warriors to your stations!” Immediately the shouts and screams of my fellow pack members echoed through the compounds hundreds of rooms. I stood frozen as people ran all around me looking for family members and friends. Their voices all blurred in my head as I stood in shock in the middle of it all. This was the first attack since the one my parents were killed in. Four years ago a group of five Rogue wolves had pranced into our territory with the knowledge that they were out numbered. It wasn’t even a fair fight. They knew it was a suicide mission but they wanted to see how many members of our pack they could take with them. Both my mother and father had been pack warriors and were called to help defend the borders. They died in combat, an honourable death in werewolf community. But it hadn’t felt honourable to me. They had left my sister and me all alone- My sister! Suddenly, I was awaken from my trance. Mikaylah. Mikaylah. Sweet innocent Mikie was all alone in our room. I immediately raced down the halls pushing people out of the way as I ran to the stair well. I cursed my decision to have an apartment on the top floor. There were 10 levels of living space and Mikie was on the top floor probably scared out of her 7-year-old mind. I raced up the flight of stairs after flight adrenaline flooded my body. Within a minute I had used all my enhance speed possible to reach the top floor. By now it had been emptied of any people but I could faintly smell the lemon scent that was unique to Mikie. Somewhere outside I could hear the screams of my pack members and every so often a small stab of pain went through my head marking the death of each individual in my pack. Every time someone would die I could feel it and the numbers kept increasing. This wasn’t a random attack, this was planned. My heart stuttered as I thought of our odds. My pack was strong but we hadn’t been a true warrior pack for years. Unexpected battles wouldn’t treat us kindly. I only could hope someone could help in the fight, turning the tides in our favour. I started to panic as I neared our wood door and kicked it open with all my strength. It shattered into scraps of fire kindling like it would in a James Bond movie but this wasn’t a stunt like they had on those Disney shows Mikie loved so much. This was life or death. “Mikie!” I screamed into our small two-bedroom apartment. I raced into the kitchen and it was empty besides the abandoned bowl of cereal that was most likely Mikie’s. Sweat started to form on my brow as I hurriedly searched the apartment. “Mikie, it’s Thea! We need to leave now!” I shouted as I entered her room and looked in the closet and under the bed. No sign of her yet. Her scent was so strong everywhere it was impossible to pinpoint her exact location. I quickly raced across the hall and went into my room. I heard a noise coming from my closet and I hurriedly opened the door. Clothes were everywhere creating all sorts of hiding spots. I heard a small sniffle. “Mikie, it’s me please come out. Everything will be ok.” I say sweetly with as much confidence as one can when they are aware of their pack slowly diminishing. I start to crouch down to move clothes aside hoping to uncover the blonde-haired head of my little sister. “You p-promise?” The weak voice of Mikie suddenly said. “Of course.” I said sternly trying to convince myself more than Mikie. Soon after, the small frame of my only living family crawled out from behind of one of my old prom dresses. Her blonde curls were wolf and stuck up in odd angels, big blue, watery eyes looked at me in fear. I hastily gathered her trembling body into my waiting arms and I felt my wolf breath a sigh of relief. I walked out of the closet slowly so I didn’t startle Mikie. I could feel her wet tears penetrating my thin cotton shirt. “Shhhhhhh…it will be ok. I will protect you but you will need to get out of the house first. I need you to calm down your breaths.” I say steadily, controlling my voice and giving her no ounce of my true fear. The ragged breaths of sobbing Mikie slowly die down as I move her into a piggy back position so I can run with her if needed. Right now my main concern is getting out of the pack house as soon as possible. “T-Thea I’m scared.” She whispers in a small voice that makes me want to cry outside in heartbreak. No one should ever have to fear for their lives as she has. No little girl should be worried about living until the next day. No child should hide in fear. I refused to give in to the voice in my head that screamed for me to cry and scream. I had to be strong for Mikie. She hadn’t lived yet. “It will be ok. Alpha Jay will protect us.” I told her as I carry her out of our apartment and into the abandoned hallway. I look in either direction to make sure we are in the clear. I take a deep breath and see if I can smell and vulgar stenches that always surround a Rogue wolf. After checking and double-checking, I proclaimed the pack house empty and I began to trek to the back door of the house. Every so often I had to keep reminding Mikie to keep the sniffling to a minimum a Rogue walked near the house and heard us. After making it to the bottom level we moved into the commons where couches and TVs broadcast the show that had been left playing at the time of Alpha Jays announcement. One of my favourite shows, Modern Family, was on screen. Cameron and Claire were arguing again. I almost laughed at how ironic it is that while Mikie and I run for our lives they act like renovation disagreements are the end of the world. I wish that was my only problem right now. I immediately forgot about the tv show as soon as the heinous stench of blood hits my nose. I almost gagged at the thought of what we would find outside as I made it to the back sliding doors. I tried to open them as quietly as possible and looked at the clearing behind the compound. The spring green grass was painted in a coat of red paint with broken and bruised bodies scattered across the lawn. I recognised the faces of classmates and a few elders. Their bodies were covered in gashes and tooth marks. Some of their limbs were detached laying a few feet away. Flesh still hung off their exposed bones. Their fresh blood covered their pale skin while their glazed eyes stared up into the clouded sky. It was a graveyard. Every so often I came across a dead Rogue wolf but my pack members outnumbered their dead 5 to 1. It was a hideous sight that made me want to throw up. So many people I knew and loved were gone. Following the same path as my parents. Suddenly the sobs of Mikie reminded me that she was seeing the same scene through a 7-year-olds eyes. “Don’t look, Mikie. Don’t look.” I told her in a broken voice. This was bad. This was worse than I could have imagined. I wove my way through the blood bath until I reached the start of the forest that was silent of any bird songs. It was as if they knew what had taken place. I started to run with Mikie and for a second I shed a tear for all my pack who have died. A momentary rush of pain went through my body as I felt an unexplainable emptiness set in. Alpha Jay was dead. I didn’t need proof or witness; it was just the truth. I whimpered as I stumbled a step forward before catching myself. Even Mikie sobbed this time and her head burrrowed into my shoulder. We were alone without an Alpha. We were Rogues now. I forced myself to run faster but with Mikies extra weight it was impossible to make a good time. We had been running for not only ten minutes before the howl of a wolf Pericles the silence. I vaguely heard Mikie sob in hear as the howls got closer and closer. They were hunting and we were prey. Mikie started to shake as I heard them approaching. I tried to run faster but my body was already tired and had used up all its adrenaline. Out of the corner of my eye, I could make out a racing form of a black wolf snarling. Before I could change our course a body slammed into mine from the side. I screamed as I toppled over with Mikie in tow. I hit the ground with a thud and I hissed in pain as I slowly got up I located Mikie a few feet away clutching her arm in pain. A vicious growl left the black wolf as it stalked closer to us. I immediately got into a defensive stance in front of my sisters small body. My wolf snarled in anger at the approaching wolf before we could attack another wolf, charged towards Mikie. Her scream of terror pierced through the forest as I attempted to pull off the grey wolf that was mauling her fragile form. “Stop you son of a b***h!” I screamed as I tried to tackle the wolf that was on my baby sister but it didn’t budge. I knew that time was running out for Mikie unless I shifted into my wolf. I could feel my wolf howl in agreement as my body started to shake and bones began to snap in place. Before I was fully shifted the black wolf from earlier ran at me and snapped his jaw into my shoulder. A half scream- half howl ripped through my throat as I completed my change and flung the black wolf off of my body. I snarled and attacked it as he was recovering from the fall. I latched my razor-sharp teeth into his throat and he struggled as the life died from his body. I continued to yank on his neck until his body went rag. Then I flung him off to the side and snarled once more for good measures. I felt satisfied at the death. I was happy that he died but I immediately felt sick at my prior thoughts. It was not supposed to be an easy kill. My wolf was getting to my head. I ripped my eyes away from the now-dead Rogue to focus on the grey wolf that had my sister. As soon as I turned my head the smell of blood filled my nose and pleas of help echoed in my ears. Mikie. I saw her mangled body laying on the forest floor as the grey wolf stood over her bloodied body with a sneer on his wolf face. He had taken his sweet time with my sister while I was busy killing the black wolf. I should have immediately gone to help Mikie but my wolf had taken over. Now, as the life drained from her big blue eyes and weak whimpers left her pink lips, I could only watch as she took her final breath. I growled in rage as her gaze became cloudy and distant. An indescribable emptiness filled my body to the brim. I wanted death here. I wanted blood. I wanted revenge. I had nothing left to loose as I pounced on the distracted wolf and tore open his throat. I snarled and clawed at his fur until the blood drained from his body. Serves him right. I wanted so badly to curl up beside my sisters body and morn her properly but the distant howls of approaching wolves made me change my mind. They wanted me dead. I would never get out alive but I could still make it a hell lot harder to kill me. I would not go easily. They took away Mikie. She was so young. She was innocent. She would never experience her first kiss. She would never know what it felt like to run through the forest as a wolf. She would never go out to the mall with her friends and gossip about boys. She would never have a family and grow old. They had taken that all away from her. I would avenge her. So now as I run in an unclear direction I focused on creating as much of a distance as I could. Hopefully, I could make it out of the territory before they catch up but if I don’t I wouldn’t go easily. I would fight until my last breath. I would do it for my Mamma, Daddy, and Mickie. I would fight for them. There memories was all I have left. I was a killer. I was a fighter. But most importantly I was a survivor.