The Rogue Queen

Chapter 5 - Exile - Calliope

"Let me take you home." Anderson spoke softly, breaking the heavy silence that enveloped us as I stood on the steps of the great hall.

Everything still felt surreal, my mind struggling to process the whirlwind of events that had taken place in just under a week. In just a week, everything had changed, and I had lost all that I had worked for and loved. Once a beloved warrior and an up-and-coming captain in my own right, I was now a nobody. Hated and exiled. I was the thing I hunted and kept from pack territory, a rogue.

An exiled werewolf with nowhere to go and no one to call the pack. I could only hope that I would not go feral like they tended to do. Once that happens, there is only one option, and that is to put them down. Something I sadly had to do more times than I could count.

Anderson poked me gently and restated his desire to take me home. Nodding silently, I followed him to his SUV, slipping into the passenger seat and fastening my seatbelt.

The silence sat between us. Nothing needed to be said that hadn't already, so neither of us spoke during the drive back to my house. What could we say in a situation like this?

I turned my attention to what was outside the window, taking in the view of the pack's land. Burning everything into my memory, knowing it would be the last time I would look upon them.

Tears started to stream down my face, and I struggled to dry them, repeatedly wiping them away. Anderson would glance my way, but he had no idea what to say, and I was grateful that he just chose not to say anything at all.

"It is okay, Calliope. We have each other. We will survive and will make it. We are strong and you are far more capable than you know." my spirit-wolf, Saga, spoke, her voice a warm and welcome companion. It brought me comfort in my darkness. Her presence stole away my pain and healed my injuries.

"We will have each other, and we are strong. You are right. I am sorry I am wallowing like a pup, and you are with me in my fate." I replied, a bit ashamed I was indulging in my own pity party when she, too, was rejected alongside me. "I am sorry I cost you your mate, Saga."

Though Asher's spirit-wolf, Angus, was furious at the rejection, Saga would go on to tell me. Angus wanted to help us. To be with us. He believed in the word of the Goddess and never doubted her choices. He understood what I didn't and knew more about myself than I did, but it would seem his wisdom was being ignored.

One could only imagine what war was going on inside of Asher now that he rejected us. If Asher wasn't careful, he could find himself rejected by his spirit-wolf and unable to shift until he bonded with another or atoned to Angus and gained the wolf's forgiveness.

"I will be fine. The Moon Goddess will provide for us. But do not feel ashamed. You are in pain, as am I. It is okay to mourn what is lost, sister of my heart. Just know you are not alone. I am here with you. Forever and always." Saga reassured me.

"Forever and always." I repeated, feeling a bit of my strength and confidence returning. She faded back to the recesses of my mind, and I let out a sigh and sat up a bit straighter.

We approached my home, my former home.

Anderson reached out to me, his hand gently resting on mine. His hands were rough, calloused compared to my softer, silkier hands. He wore a sympathetic smile, and his eyes conveyed both understanding and concern. We started to talk about basic things, then it gravitated to a disagreement when he told me he was coming with me. After much argument, he looked at me.

"Please don't make me have to stay in this place without you and listen to the whispers and talk. To have to worry every day if you are okay, alive, and surviving. Even Lark agrees, you need us."

"I told you we wouldn’t be alone." Saga responded. "Accept Anderson and Lark as pack, so we can get moving. The longer we wait, the more dangerous it will get for us."

I knew Saga was right. It was time to give in.

“Alright, fine, we will do this together then.” I finally agreed. I pretended to be upset, but deep down, his words brought a glimmer of hope in the midst of the chaos that had transpired. After all, I owed him my life.

Satisfied, Anderson refocused on his driving.

My eyes gravitated up to the sky where the moon sat in partially shaded glory, having just passed the quarter moon and beginning to wax into the gibbous. My mind drifted, and I looked up.

Goddess, what do you have planned for me? Am I supposed to be like this? What am I to do? There was no answer. Just the light that washed over me like a gentle hug. I found comfort in it even if I did not like the idea of being a rogue.

Rogues were not loved, even those that caused no problems were hated, ignored, and spat upon. It did not matter if the individual chose the rogue life or if the rogue life was thrust upon them. The outlook was all the same, though the latter tended to go feral. Feral or Moon-mad rogues were a threat to everyone. They lost themselves in despair, their wolf taking over and becoming bitter and angry at all around them. This led to the crazed rogues attacking anything they came across, like monsters.

I didn't want that. I refused to become a moon-mad beast.

Anderson and I prepared for the journey ahead, packing up as quickly as I could between my truck and trailer and his SUV and trailer. We were able to pack everything we needed.

As we finished up, I felt the memories of Asher. They lingered around the house like a bittersweet ache in my heart. His scent still clung to everything, making packing my belongings all the more difficult. Each item I packed felt like a new piece of our bond shattered and broke away, and I had to fight back tears just to get anything done.

I wasn't always successful, but Anderson was there to offer a comforting presence, understanding the pain I was going through. He did the lion's share of the packing. Then we had a quick bite to eat, took a quick shower, and got settled for the night.

We’d leave first thing in the morning. It had been a very stressful and long day, and it wasn’t long before I was deep asleep in his arms. Anderson was a true friend, and I will never forget this act of love. I vowed to myself we would survive, somehow.

With the light creeping in, Anderson nudged me awake. Rubbing my eyes, I remembered where I was and what was happening.

We got up, and I got dressed after he left the room. He made breakfast as I roamed about and did one last check for anything I wanted or needed. We didn’t waste time and got on the road quickly.

It would take several hours to cross out of the pack territory and a few days to get out of the pack lands. We had a written letter from the council allowing us safe passage, a one-way ticket away from all I had ever known.

I wanted to make the trip as quickly as possible and had plotted the best route to take and where we could possibly go as a temporary home until a more permanent one could be found.

With our belongings packed, it was time to leave the packs behind. It was heart-wrenching to leave, but knowing I had Anderson with me was enough to keep me going.

The road stretched out before us as we embarked on the journey towards the territory border. Memories of the past flooded my mind, each familiar place passing by like chapters in a book. I couldn't help but think of Asher, the first time our eyes met, the love and connection we once shared. But it had all turned to ashes, and the pain was still raw.

Glancing at the rearview mirror, I noticed we were being followed. Captain Rivers and the Guardians were behind us.

Anderson signaled for me to pull over, and I did so, parking my truck on the side of the road. The armored truck stopped behind me, and Captain Rivers stepped out, his stern expression softening slightly. He hugged me and gave me a gift of a duffel bag with my guardian’s gear. Same for Anderson. Something to keep me protected on the open road. A sad goodbye and we were back on the road.

Miles passed beneath us, and we reached the border. I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. I was hurt and heartbroken, but I was also determined to forge my own path, to prove to everyone, including Asher, that I was more than just a curse or an abomination. The Moon Goddess had given me this gift for a reason, and I was going to embrace it, harness it, and use it for good.

The road stretched out before me, a path into the unknown. With every passing mile, I felt a sense of freedom and empowerment. I was no longer bound by the constraints of the pack, or by Asher's expectations. I was my own person, and I was going to define my own destiny.

The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with hues of orange and pink, I found myself at the border of the pack territory. The physical boundary mirrored the emotional one that now separated me from my past life.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the journey ahead. As we crossed over the border, something big ran into the road. I hit my brakes, narrowly missing it.

Taking a deep breath, I climbed out of the truck to see what it was. A huge surprise, as I found out. I was not expecting this.