Rogue Luna

Chapter 1: Evelyn

 "Evelyn Elizabeth!" I heard my mother yell from four stories down. 

    She hadn't used my full name, which was a good sign, but she didn't middle name me, which didn't bode well. I closed my tattered. dog-eared copy of "Blood and Chocolate," (I know. cliche for a werewolf reading about werewolves) and made my way down the stairs from my room. I used my senses to pinpoint where my mother had went and soon found myself standing outside of my fathers office.

    I could hear the whispers of conversation from other pack members as I passed by, making my stomach knot into a giant ball that made me feel like I was going to hurl.

    When I stepped into the doorway to the Alpha's office, the sight before me made me want to run. It was both of my parents, two Alphas from neighboring territories and three older men I presumed to be Elders. They were all seated at the long table my father used for pack meetings. My stomach tightened even more and my heart was pumping blood throughout my body fast enough to make me dizzy. 

    I showed absolutely no emotion. I couldn't afford to with every pair of eyes in the room focused on me. I kept my facial features neutral and bowed my head to all the males, indicating I was a good, subordinate female.

    "Evelyn dear, would you please close the door?" My mother asked in an unusually timid tone of voice.

    "Of course Luna," I spoke using her title rather than 'mom' to show the Elders what a good little wolf I was capable of being.

    I made my way over to the empty seat next to my mom before I was consumed with the urge to run. I didn't, of course, but I wanted to. Whatever was going to transpire in this room, it was something I wouldn't like.

    "Evelyn," my father started, "there are some important matters that we need to discuss."

    I looked at him, trying to read what he so desperately didn't want to tell me. I could feel the Alphas and Elders watching me, waiting for me to react in some way. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of course, because I was the daughter of an Alpha and would handle whatever news, whether good or bad, with the dignity of being an Alphas daughter.

    "Of course Alpha. What do you wish to discuss?" My tone of voice was soft and polite.

    Curiosity was beginning to take root as I waited for his words.

    "As you are well aware, tomorrow is your birthday. The day you turn into an adult and gain the ability to be one with your wolf." My father continued on after several moments of silence, "Tomorrow you will be free."

    His words of choice confused me. Free? I was still going to be living here. The only freedom I would gain would be the freedom my wolf could give me.

    "Darling, there are some things we need to tell you. Some things you should know before tomorrow." My mother was looking at me with tears glistening in her eyes.

    My internal alarm was going off. Something was very, very wrong. There would be absolutely no reason for the Alphas or Elders to be here, or for my parents to be acting the way they were. 

    "What's wrong Luna?" Mom shook her head and held my hand in a death grip. I looked to my father, "Alpha?"

    My father took several deep breaths, mentally trying to come to terms with whatever he was about to tell me that would forever alter my world.

    "Evelyn, my dear daughter, you are not biologically our daughter. Nor were you born into this pack." My fathers words chilled me to the core. 

    I was stunned speechless. My entire life was a lie. Everything I have ever learned growing up was not mine.

    "What?" Surely it was some kind of sick, twisted joke.

    "Your parents," my mom swallowed, " were rogues. They were killed on our territory. You were just a newborn pup. If your father and I hadn't shown up when we did, the pack border guards would have killed you too."

    My mom was in full blown tears and I wanted nothing more than to hug her. I had always known I was different, I didn't look anything like any of my siblings or either of my parents. I just never thought they would tell me that I was born a rogue. My heart almost stopped beating and my face was surely as white as a sheet. 

    "Evelyn, pleases know that we love you. You are our daughter. Nothing will ever change that." My dad spoke because my mom still had tears streaming down her face. "Once you come of age, you will have the possibility to find your mate. Since we do not know what pack or quite possibly packs your parents were originally from, we have no choice but to send you to each of the packs for a four month stay."

    My jaw dropped. They were sending me away? I had done nothing wrong and yet I was being punished.

    "The goal Evelyn," Elder Samuelson spoke, "is to discover which pack they were a part of. To discover where you come from."

    "If I may ask, why?" I asked the group in general.

    "Before our rules changed on rogues, because of you, we've had mates from rival packs that would be forced to either reject each other or forsake their pack. A lot of packs lost major members because of it. Some lost Betas, Gammas, even a couple lost their Alphas. We are wondering if you could be the result of one such member. If you could be the daughter of a forsaken Alpha." Elder Samuelson explained.

    "And if I am? What happens if I am the daughter of a Beta or an Alpha? What happens then?" I asked, my voice becoming quieter.

    "That would change things immensely. The violence of packs and rogues is a thing of the past. You would be the rightful heir to any pack if you were born to the Alpha. That pack would have to be restructured essentially, to allow you to become the Alpha." The Alpha from the River Forge pack spoke. 

    "Females can't be Alphas." I scoffed, disbelieving that they were suggesting that I could be Alpha on my own.

    "Of course a female can be Alpha, with or without a mate." My mother spoke in a voice that brooked no argument.

    "Luna Meredith is correct. A female can be Alpha if the she is the eldest child and born to two Alpha parents." Alpha Marcus from the River Forge pack spoke again.

    "When must I leave? Whose pack will I be visiting first?" I asked as I realized I had zero choice.

    "The day after tomorrow," my father spoke in a tight voice.

    "Where am I going first?" I asked again.

    "You will be a guest at Alpha Marcus' pack to the Northwest. After that, you shall go to the Frost Moon pack with Alpha Dexter," Elder Samuelson spoke as he nodded to the other Alpha in the room.

    I nodded my head as I felt my heart breaking. There were over twenty wolf packs in the continental United States, some being quite small, while others were larger. I would be away from my home, mu family, for years. 

    "Miss Evelyn, if any of the Alphas wish for you to stay longer than the four months, they have full permission to do so." Elder Stephen, the younger of the three Elders, spoke.

    I gasped. I could be away from home even longer than I originally thought. The Alphas would surely keep me longer than four months. I was a rogue, an anomaly among our kind.

    "I will have a car pick you up at 8am on June 23rd Evelyn. Please pack warmer clothes as it is already snowing in certain areas within my territory." Alpha Marcus spoke in a calm, quiet tone.

    "Yes Alpha Marcus, I will. Thank you," I answered in a quiet, respective tone.

    "I believe that concludes any business we have with you for now Evelyn. You may be excused," my father spoke.

    I nodded and bid farewell as I all but ran from the room. I could feel the tears beginning to pool in my eyes as I made my way to my room on the fourth floor. The tears were beginning to drip down my face as I ignored everyone who stared. I slammed into my room and threw myself on the bed and allowed myself to grieve for everything.

    I grieved for my life of lies beginning with the fact I was a rogue. I grieved for the death of my biological parents even though I never knew them. I grieved for the fact I would be leaving the only home I've ever known in less than two days time. I didn't want to go. I didn't want to have to be around every pack in the country. I didn't want to find out whether either or both of my parents were an Alpha, causing chaos in whichever pack they are from. 

    I eventually calmed enough to realize I needed to stop acting like a child and sulking. I would prove to everyone that regardless of my pedigree and heritage, I belonged at the Grey Mist Lake pack.

    I packed almost every article of clothing I owned, not knowing what would be needed over the coming months of travels between packs. I packed all the essential toiletries, extra phone chargers and anything else I deemed necessary. 

    Once I was satisfied that I had everything I would need, I glanced at the clock next to my bed. The clock told me that in less than ten minutes time, I would officially be 18.

    I should've been excited to meet my wolf and shift for the first time, but the fact that I would be leaving soon weighed heavily on my mind. I wanted to be able to run with my pack members and train with the warriors every morning as I've been doing since I was five. I wanted to move out of the packhouse to possibly go to college. 

    I wouldn't be doing any of that. I would be getting to know each of the packs in the hope that I was a long lost heiress to the Alpha throne. 

    I gathered all of my packed luggage and moved it to the door before I quickly changed into an old, ratty shirt and stretchy shorts in preparation for my shift. I didn't want to be restricted in confining clothing, so something comfortable and simple for make it easier.

    After quickly and quietly making my way down the stairs and outside, I ran to the clearing I went to when I needed to breathe. No one was around, no one close enough anyway, no guards or patrols or other pack members out enjoying the warm night.

    I felt this amazing rush of energy wash over me and I knew, instinctively and immediately that it was my wolf.

    'Hello Evelyn,' the wolf spirit within spoke in a rich, sultry voice.

    'Hello, you must be my wolf. My missing piece,' I replied internally.

    'Yes, my name is Jayde. I'm so sorry for what you went through as a pup. I'm sorry for what the Elders are making us do. However, I am here with you now. I will never leave you alone again.'

    'Thank you Jayde. It will make the coming months and years easier to know I have you to help me deal with everything.'

    I felt Jayde's approval of me, just like I could feel her need to shift rising. I knew she felt my approval of her and my need to shift with her rising too. I let her take control, as I was taught to do. The wolf who resides within you knows what to do and you should always let them take control while in wolf form. A wolf knew instinctively what to do to allow for the quickest shift with the least amount of pain. However, being my first shift, it would be painful either way. 

    I shucked my clothes off as I felt my bones begin to break and reform. Jayde tried her best to shield me from the pain, but my human/wolf pain filled gasps escaped my mouth as my body reconstructed itself from that of a human, to the anatomy of a wolf.

    Once the shift had ended, Jayde allowed me back control so I could see my wolf self. I felt my ears c**k to the side as I honed in on the water in the nearby pond. I quickly loped my way over to the water and stuck my head out over the crystal clear pond.

    While my human self had grey eyes ringed by violet and honey colored hair, my wolf was the complete opposite. Jayde's eyes were violet ringed by silver and her fur was pure white, with the exception of a solid black left ear and the two paws on the right side of her body being black as well.

    'Oh Jayde, you're more beautiful than I could ever have imagined.'

    'No Evelyn, we are more beautiful.'

    I smiled internally and apparently externally as my wolf gave a huge toothy grin in the pond water. I gave Jayde back control, knowing that she craved her wolf form and running as much as I did. She let loose a long, slow howl before we ran as one in wolf form for the first time in our lives.

    The day after my birthday I was downstairs with all of my luggage, saying goodbye to my pack members, to my family.

    "You'll be back before long my dear, sweet Evelyn," my mother whispered as she hugged me for what felt like the millionth time.

    I squeezed her back, but kept quiet, knowing it would likely be years before I would step foot back onto Grey Mist Lake territory again.

    "Call us as often as you can. Text us. Facetime us. Just don't forget about us," my siblings echoed in various similar wordings as I hugged each of them again and again.

    My dad was the last person I would say goodbye to. "If you need anything, advice or someone to listen to you while you rant, or if you want to come home, call. I will do everything in my power to bring you home whenever you say so."

    I gave him a tight smile and an even tighter hug before I heard the car pull to a stop behind us. I didn't want to go. I didn't want to leave my home and my family to find strangers parading as family in a pack I have never known.

    Before I could chicken out, I pulled away and walked towards the car as the driver loaded all of my bags. I didn't turn around, I didn't show any tears or weakness. I would do what I had to do so I would be able to return home one day.

    As soon as all my luggage was loaded and I was settled into the car, we pulled away from the only home I've ever known and drove towards a future I wasn't certain I wanted.