Escaping Death and Finding Mate

Her hair is drenched and somberly lying on the muddy ground. Crimson liquid crept towards the lake and merged with it. I surveyed the features of the banished soldiers, but my gaze was drawn to the strange wolf.

His neck was sliced open, and one of his legs was severed from his body. I got closer and noticed how dark their eyes are even when they're banished. I believe these feral wolves are still savages in their dreams and afterlife.

"We should get going, Runt."

I was astonished because I didn't recognize the guy who had contacted me. I rose up and took a step away from the banished feral wolf.

"Don't ever call her that."

I raised my eyes, yet my head remains down and humbled. I watched the two gents argue until the one who had called me 'Runt' threw his hands up and walked away. But he gave me a sidelong glance.

A look that conveys how much he despises my presence. Although this troop of wolves, or rogues as they are known, is not a pack. These folks are outcasts. They can break away from the group and run free.

But in my case, I can’t be a lone wolf. I can never be alone. I need my parents and a home. But that home was already burnt down by the feral wolves. They have chewed on my father’s limbs and bit off my mother’s head. And I hate how I did nothing to help them. To help the pack. All because I am a runt!

I turned to look at the guy who defended me, tears were welling in my eyes.

"You need to stop crying over your mother’s head. Your pack is gone." He threw the seed of his apple into the water. It splashed and hit my face. "None of us can defend you. Pray to your goodness Moon Goddess and hope to find a pack that could accept you."

He shifted to his wolf form and trotted towards the gents collecting weapons and coins from the corpses. I lowered my gaze and watched my reflection swirl with the muddy waters.

"The wasp has lost its sting!" Someone behind me said out loud, attracting all the rogues’ attention.

"The Alpha." He threw the wolf's body to my feet. "Your Alpha."

I swallowed it so hard that it pushed the tears to slide down to my cheek. I looked up at the guy who carried the Alpha’s wolf body and he sighed. "You should get something that could protect you, Etheral."

"I don’t know…" I pulled my shawl closer to my body and then squeezed my forearm.

He groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I saw some daggers, bows, and knives on the Alpha’s weapon vault. You’re a twelveyearold runt and you’re weak. At least find something, we’ll be heading out soon."

And to his commands, I nodded and watched him walk past me. I looked back to where he came from and began to trudge toward the Alpha’s mansion.

I tried to mindlink any pack member that could possibly be alive and has recovered right now, but there is still no response. And that’s when I accepted the truth that everyone was slaughtered.

I am the only one left. A runt and now, a rogue.

......

Two years since my original pack was slaughtered. I have been traveling with these rogues for a long time, learning how the rogues work in no people's land while looking for a pack to take an orphan runt. But no one dares to accept me. Sighs, and I think I must detach myself from the group, just like the other rogues did. The only person who accompanied me throughout my search for a home was Raphal.

"Do you think they will accept me?" I asked in a low voice, trying not to attract a wild animal around. In those months of traveling with rogues, I experienced at least three to four tailchasing incidents. We were mostly chased by wild animals and I mostly hid in rabbit burrows or bushes.

"I don’t know, do you?" he said, a little bit harsh. But that’s Raphal, he always sounds mad. "If not, you have got to continue learning and surviving alone."

I heaved out a worried sigh for I know what he meant. We are currently heading towards the west for the possibility of joining a pack. And I know that this pack, just like the other packs I encountered, won’t look me in the eye and then straight away reject me. It’s a sickening thought but I got to stomach that.

"It’s the Highland pack, I remembered their Alpha… he was kind. But if they won’t accept you. You can stay near their borders."

Raphal will be leaving me regardless if I have a pack or not. I am someone else’s weakness if they attach themselves to me longer than they should. Raphal should’ve left me before but he said something that I didn’t understand. But I knew that he simply felt sorry for my situation.

"Where will you go?" I questioned him, not looking at him in the eye. Even though he is harsh on me, I look up to him as my older brother.

"Some place where I can’t bring you."

Short and cold response but it almost made me cry. I don’t know if I am ready to live by myself. Raphal has taught me everything. It is up to me to make it work now.

"We are close, this is as far as I can go, Etheral."

I gulped and looked straight ahead. Then I turned to look at him. He shifted to his human form and I, too, shifted. I inhaled, holding back my tears from falling.

"Stay alive, Etheral." Then Raphal did something that truly melted my heart. A brotherly hug. Raphal was the first one to break the hug and stood a step away from me.

"Thank you for helping me," I whispered and he nodded with a flat smile before shifting to his wolf form. He made a low growl at me, that was his goodbye and I responded, "Bye, Raphal. Take care."

Once his wolf ran in the opposite direction and fade in with the forest, I mumbled to myself, "Happy birthday, Etheral."

I have received so many worst gifts. Today is no different.

Seven years later,

East pack, somewhere in the no man’s land.

I was eating my last bread on the top part of a thick tree when I caught a glimpse of the unfamiliar fur prints moving carefully across the large swath of no man’s land. They didn’t have any wolf scent just like in the stories of our elders. Images of when I first saw the painted wolves flashed back to my mind, dreaming of their voyage in a huge ship. I slowly awoke when I realized all was just a memory.

Painted wolves only wander inland to trade, hence, making their existence almost a smudge on the history books. But from what I have heard, the rest of their lives were spent in the vast ocean. They are the rarest yet strongest type of wolves. No one can simply become a painted wolf, only to be born within their pack is the way to be part of their tribe. It was a pleasure to see them walk past me two years ago.

I made another careful checkup of the surroundings and when I felt nothing but the leaves rustling, I stretched my limbs once more. Then I licked my paws to clean the back of my ears, a quick bath will suffice.

I looked around again, my view was limited to the underside of the shrubs and bushes. This part of the forest had huge sprawling bramble bushes, which matched my size because I could easily get underneath them, whereas anything larger than me would get a face full of sharp thorns for their efforts to fit in the bushes. Although I could fit in these bushes perfectly, I still need to be careful not to raise my head too high because I'd gotten wounds and scars on my ears sometimes from the thorns.

A cream color off to my side drew my attention. I trotted over to examine the small mushroom. I know this type of mushroom and this is edible for sure. It must have sprouted overnight because it wasn't here last night. I lightly waggled my tail in anticipation; where one appeared, more would follow, and this would mean plenty of mushrooms to sell. I pushed it over with my paw and broke the stem before gently picking it up in my jaws. People wouldn't pay as much for them if I bruised them.

I quickly carried it to the edge of the bramble bush and set it down on the ground. I looked up to listen for any sounds and carefully scented the air once more. I only heard and smelled the usual morning birdsong and scents of plants and small animals. At this point, I was pretty good at detecting the presence of something.

I carefully emerged from the bramble bush and took a look around before shifting to my human form. I was standing there in my tattered dirty white breeches with pouches and weapons hanging around my black belt. My upper body was covered in many lightcolored shirts and a black cloth hanging loosely around my neck. I take that I may look a little bit like an assassin. My backpack appeared along with me when I shifted.

As I relaxed, I took a deep breath of the cool morning air. Because my wolf shape was so small, I felt more at ease in my human form. The majority of wolves were large enough to almost stare a human in the face. I, on the other hand, couldn't even raise my head high enough to touch someone's knees. They call us runts, wolves whose wolf form size is small, and the lowest ranks are always given to us in a pack.

One cougar almost caught me when I was younger. He was truly eyeing me and persistently chasing my weak, younger self. My parents, fortunately, were nearby during that incident and quickly attacked it, ripping the cougar’s head and breaking all its bones.

I'm not sure what my parents were thinking when their daughter first started shifting to her wolf form. I'd been told I was a late shifter because I hadn't shifted until I was nearly six months old, whereas most infants do shift at three months old. I was too young to remember anything actually. My parents adored me despite my diminutive stature and weak body before.

I caught a glimpse of a butterfly as it flitted by me. I wished I could let down my guard to shift into my wolf form and chase the butterfly around without regard for the world, like an innocent child playing with her surroundings. As if her surroundings don’t have those merciless animals roaming around. But that yearning would have gone unnoticed and obliterated. It was simply too risky for me to stop fearing the things that could instantly kill me.

pack look weaker compared to other packs because they have a useless runt like me. Other packs assumed that the presence of a runt meant that feral wolves and enemy packs would target them first, resulting in an unwanted battle. But because the Alpha would not tolerate bullying, I had never been picked on too severely. Overall, life was somehow kind to me when I was younger.

However, they never returned at that time. Hunger eventually forced me out of the rabbit burrow the next day. I returned to the town, but it was deserted. Despite the fact that I hadn't seen any bodies, the smell of blood had been overpowering.

Rogues moved and lived in vast swaths of no man's land between various packs, rarely remaining in one place for long. The majority of rogues traveled in groups of two to ten people.

Life as a rogue wasn't easy, and as a runt, it was even more difficult without the protection of a large and powerful wolf form. Most rogue groups didn't mind my presence, but they also wouldn't wait for me. If I tried to keep up, I was quickly left behind. It was excruciating.

Most wolves could easily take a deer or a rabbit, but I had to rely on snares and archery. Rogues spent the winters as wolves, relying on their thick winter coats for

warmth and protection from the elements. My fur, like that of most runts, had never developed thickness. I only wore my soft undercoat and several clothes, which did thicken up a little and warmed me during the winter season. It was comfortable as long as there was no strong wind and I didn't get wet.

I took a step toward an elderly lady behind a food stall. When she saw me, she looked up and welcomed me with a smile. "Ah, Etheral. Nice to see you this lovely morning. I hope the western border is quiet? No rogues or feral wolves?" she asked.

The bread was dense and grainy, the kind that filled you up quickly and kept you full for a long time. She didn't ask if the mushrooms were edible, as they rarely did that at this point.

Well, when I first started trading, they inspected everything, but after a year of trading plants I brought that turns out to be edible, they stopped their neverending inspection. At the age of twentytwo, I had spent nearly half of my life as a rogue and had been taught by a number of rogues I had met along the way about the plants in the forest. Almost every edible plant in the forest was already familiar to me and the

poisonous ones were always avoided.

We spoke for a few moments before someone else approached her stall, and I take it as a sign that it was time to leave. I said my goodbyes and turned to return to no man's land. I kept an eye on the wolves watching me as I walked slowly through the crowded market. To avoid drawing attention to myself, I walked slowly and simply ignore… all of them.

As I was nearing the gates, I saw two people kissing on a bench. I wasn't surprised to learn that they were mates because I was certain of it even before that girl turned eighteen last week. They just had that passion in their stares and had gravitated towards each other even before they were old enough for their mate bond to form.

I looked around but didn't see the Beta or Alpha. The two men were probably out meeting other Alphas and working trades while dealing with the neverending world of politics. I could see their mates helping out at the market. The Alpha and Beta were usually concerned with policy and relationships with other packs, whereas their mates, the Luna and Beta female, were usually concerned with smaller details and events within the pack.

I watched as a large man crossed my path without looking at me. He was one of the pack's enforcers, and he was most likely on his way over to break up a growing argument at one of the shops. If the Alpha and Beta were not in the immediate vicinity, they relied on enforcers to keep the peace within their territory.

Enforcers helped to keep the peace by enforcing the law. They are skilled fighters who could usually match the speed and strength of an Alpha if a fight erupted in the pack. At any given time, a pack usually had one or two enforcers, and they almost never went outside the pack's borders. They, like Alphas and Betas, were born with enforcer abilities. A wolf simply could not choose to become an enforcer, even if a wolf trains for years.

The enforcer glanced at me and nodded then continued on his way, clearly on some sort of task. I guess it’s a tough role to become an enforcer in a pack where hardheaded pack members reside. I could even hear the wolves fighting from afar but I wouldn’t dare to look back and stay here anymore to gossip.

Then I saw an Omega walking towards a shop. Another rank, the lowest rank, can be given to a wolf in a pack. Packs rarely abused Omegas anymore because it threw the pack off balance. Omegas may be the pack's lowestranking member, but their presence allowed the other members to unwind. With so many higherranking and powerful pack members constantly around, people could become uneasy and get intimidated. But if an Omega is present, the hierarchy of power is stabilized.

Omega abilities are precious. They could sense another person’s emotion, especially when the Alpha is irritated, and they could disappear in seconds to avoid the Alpha’s rage. Omegas had a sixth sense for trouble too. If an Omega appeared nervous and moved quickly, it meant that something is wrong. But if an Omega appeared to be relaxed, it meant that everything was fine.

Surprisingly, the Alpha and Beta traits were typically heritable, whereas Omega and runt genes were only inherited by their children about half of the time. The other half of the time, they appeared randomly in normal families. Just like in my family. None of my ancestors and parents had runt genes. So, there has never been a runt wolf in the family. I had just appeared out of nowhere.

"There she is again, that runt."

"I'm not sure why she's allowed in here without a guard, given that she's a rogue."

"So? Ha! She is a runt. She might chew on your slippers, but she is incapable of doing any other damage." One of them snickered.

But in this case, I am in the market on their pack territory and everything is at my disadvantage. I would rather back up and let them say whatever they dislike about me.

"It's not like she'll ever find a mate, so I'm not sure why she keeps coming here to trade; too bad she doesn't bother another pack."

"Perhaps she's looking to see if someone who has lost a mate will take her in." "Like that's ever going to happen..."

“Yeah, a lone wolf without a family is already destined to die forever alone. You know, I think she’s the reason why her whole pack died.”

“How horrifying. She shouldn’t stay near our borders. What a dumb decision to let an unmated runt and deadly rogue walk free in our territory.”

I was fine with the fact that I can never find my mate. But they didn't have to hammer it to my face that my pack was slaughtered just because I am a runt. I didn’t kill them. Those damned feral wolves ambushed my original pack and killed them.

I took a deep breath and all I could detect were the usual smells of the market

and the nearby forest. There was no trace of an unusually enticing scent. I remembered my mother said that a strong odor was usually the first indication that one's mate was nearby but there wasn’t.

I was finally out of their earshot and at the forest's edge. I sped up to a jog and almost teared up when the memories of my original pack reeled back to my mind. It would be half an hour before I could reenter no man's land. At this point, all I wanted was to enjoy the noise of the forest and away from the people who enjoyed seeing another person in pain.

Eating raw meat is not a problem in my wolf form but I prefer it cooked and clean at least. As I wait for the food to cook, I sharpened the tip of my arrows and took big feathers out of my bag. Bow and arrow, are quite good with this weapon actually than melee combat. As I said, I wasn’t built to be strong and big compared to other normal wolves, I had to use different tactics and weapons to survive in no man’s land.

I looked at my reflection in a pot of water, and my bluecolored eyes returned my gaze. My brown shoulderlength hair was braided and kept on the right side of my shoulder. Then I stood up – I wasn't the tallest person in my human form, standing just over five feet tall, but I had seen shorter people. My slender frame was designed for speed rather than strength but I do wish I was born normal. I could’ve helped my parents on that day the feral wolves attacked my original pack.

I crouched and scanned the surroundings, feeling uneasy for some sudden reason. I quickly climbed to the tree I'd been leaning against and peered down through the branches. My instincts were sharp, and I didn't want to question nor doubt them, even if I didn't know what triggered them. It had kept me out of trouble on numerous occasions in the past.

Then I heard a faint noise below and I turned my gaze in that direction. I squinted through the dense foliage and there I saw eight wolves stalking silently through the forest. No, there were twelve of them. Several people had been lingering further back. I didn't recognize their fur patterns, and the way they moved made my skin crawl and chills slide down my nape to my spine.

I didn’t move an inch and remained silent until they were completely out of my sight. I began moving through the forest quietly, using large branches high above the ground. I met a rogue when I was twelve, his name was Raphal, and he showed me how to travel through these branches years ago. Raphal referred to it as the forest highway.

Werewolves rarely traveled through the trees because their huge wolf form was better suited to run along the ground, not to mention the fact that they would have to be in human shape to travel from branch to branch.

I used the forest highway a lot because my wolf form was small and very few people looked up into the trees. Another advantage of traveling through the trees was that scents high up in the forest were nearly impossible to track from the ground – that is if anyone on the ground picked up the scent at all.

It was unlikely that the feral wolves would smell me. I had a habit of rubbing a mixture of local plants on my clothing and skin to mask my own wolf scent. The majority of rogues did it out of habit. We smelled like the forest, that’s how we survive and avoid onetogroup fights with feral wolves and other wild animals.

I shifted into my wolf form while carefully perching on a thick branch when I was quite a distance from where I had been. I threw up my head and howled an alarm into the almost evening sky. The pack sentries would hear it and be on high alert in case any trouble arose. The feral wolves may be planning on ambushing the east pack.

I quickly shifted back and used the forest highway to put some distance between myself and the location where I had howled. Those feral wolves obviously heard the howl and might try to track down the wolf that had alerted the east pack of their presence.

If ever my location is discovered, I was relieved that they couldn't transform into humans and climb into the trees to chase me. But it would be even better if they never found me at all. I really didn't want to be followed and chased by tenacious and aggressive wolves on the ground below. All of my rogue life, the chase could always mean my death and last breath. I moved through the tree branches quickly and quietly. The only animals who noticed my presence were the birds and squirrels.

As I sat high in a spruce tree, I kept an eye on the ground. I must have been lucky because I had not seen or smelled the feral wolves throughout the afternoon and evening. I hadn't heard anything from the border, either, so the feral wolves might have abandoned their ambush when their cover was blown by my howl. I stayed close to the smoker while it smoked the rabbit meat. The smoke was carefully funneled up a long piece of pipe into the tree canopy until the scent became faint and scattered.

My small wolf form did have another advantage. I was small enough to change

forms without falling out of a tree. It was a skill that no normalsized wolf could accomplish. Because the sun was setting and I didn't want to be out after dark tonight, I took the forest highway to go over to the tree with a deep, hollow hole.

Years ago, when I first came to this place, I built a small structure – a hiding place – in a nearby tree. It appeared to be an old hawk nest, but it had a deep hole and was hollow. The inside was a little larger than the rabbit den, so it was the right size for my wolf form. I also made a nest on the highest part of a tree in case this type of trouble arose.

I awoke hours later to howls in the distance. My ears perked up and my wolf body sneaked into the deepest part of the tree hollow. The feral wolves appeared to have launched their attack. Unfortunately for the feral wolves, I recognized the howls of dozens of other fighters winning the battle as well as the howl of the defeated cries from the feral wolves and their failed ambush.

Feral wolves preferred to hunt at night, and the pack had clearly been expecting them. As I drifted off back to sleep, I wondered if they had captured all of the feral wolves or if some had escaped. I do hope they had captured all of them for my night may become more and more petrifying like sleeping in the devil’s den.

Hours later, I didn't see any movement at this time of day, but I couldn't trust scents this high in the trees because the light breeze was whisking away the smells of anything below. I shifted to my human form and returned to the forest highway to check on the smoker.

I never walked on the ground beneath my tree penthouse for fear of drawing attention to myself, so I waited until I was back at the smoker before carefully scanning the ground and climbing down. It's tedious to secure the premise of no man's land, but it's become a routine to know that I'm safe. Having no one to protect you stinks, but I can't force myself into a pack anymore. I'm useless to them, as the packs who turned me down said.

My blue pupils narrowed to a thin line. I perked up my ears and swiveled them back and forth, listening for any sounds of a breathing creature. I couldn't hear anything, which concerned me much. The small songbirds had stopped singing. Harmless creatures in no man's land have always ignored my human presence and runty wolf form, but they've fled this time... implying that another predator is nearby.

I sat for a long time, peering out from under the bramble bush. I didn't hear anything or smell anything else. I stayed in my hiding spot for a long time before the birds began to sing again, indicating that the predator had most likely left the area. I heaved out a sigh, relief to feel safe again.

I was thirsty and exhausted from being on high alert for so long. Maybe I should go check on the nearby pack and ask how the fight between the guards and feral wolves ended. I wanted to know if any of the feral wolves had escaped.

I crept out from under the shrub and trotted past it. A flash of dashing brown and tan fur from the corner of my eye stopped me dead in my tracks. I swung my head in the direction I'd seen the creature chasing me, but I couldn't see it any longer. My heart began to beat faster; that color was similar to a cougar. I'm one dead meat.

I took a few slow steps back as my heart rate increased and my breathing became shallow; this was not a good situation. I couldn't climb a tree fast enough to avoid fullgrown wolves, and they could easily transform into humans in pursuit of me. In either case, their endurance would outlast mine. I wasn't near any large bramble bushes, and even a small one wouldn't protect me from four determined wolves.

But the fact that they had remained hidden for at least a halfhour while waiting for me to emerge was not a good sign. And now the question was, do they intend to harm me? Will they come after me if I run away? Most friendly rogues or pack members would shift into human form and call out. So, I assumed that these wolves seek only trouble and waited in ambush.

The scents were all male, and my Omega senses told me they were tough fighters. This worried me a lot. I almost wished a feral had gotten away from the other pack and found these fullgrown wolves before they found me.

As a dark brown shape skulked in the long grass, my eyes darted to the side. As he crept forward, his belly almost touched the ground as he tried to stay out of sight. His eyes met mine and widened as he realized I had noticed his presence. I spun around and ran as fast as my small feet could carry me in the opposite direction. My heart sank as I heard four sets of footsteps close behind. Damn this, not another chase.

I used strategies that many small animals used, such as trying to go where larger creatures couldn't. I dashed under a few small bramble bushes and continued out the other side. They had to take a detour to reach me under the bushes, so it was an advantage, given that I am slow and would pause for a second to catch my breath. As I tried to stay alive during this chase, my heart was racing faster than my feet.

My steps slowed as I realized two of the wolves had sped ahead on a larger circuit and were waiting to catch up with me. I launched towards a tree and ricocheted off at a ninetydegree angle without slowing down.

One of the wolves trailing me was able to easily correct his sight toward my new direction and gain speed. His other companion had been right on my tail and was moving too fast for me to change direction so quickly. He'd take a moment to catch up, but the tan one was closing in. Damn this wolf, his pursuit of me caused me to panic and almost lose my balance.

There were no larger bramble bushes to hide under in this area, nor did there appear to be any other type of shelter. I wasn't going to be able to keep up this pace for much longer, and the pursuing wolves were getting closer.

I spotted a black hole under a small bramble bush and dashed toward the rabbit burrow. As the tan wolf circled, I dashed under the bramble bush's edge. He was expecting me to come out the other side like I always did, and it gave me the extra seconds I needed to squeeze down the rabbit tunnel. He would have caught me if he had stayed on my tail. He had not expected me to fit into a rabbit burrow.

As I examined the rabbit burrow, I felt a brief sense of relief. The rabbit who dug this burrow had obviously not lived long enough to complete it. There were no escape tunnels, and the den was dangerously close to the surface. In the cramped den, I turned around with great difficulty.

The tunnel was only about twice as long as a human arm and was almost completely straight. As I panted, I could clearly see the bramble bush above the tunnel opening. I silently prayed that the bramble bush would deter them and that they would not notice how shallow this burrow was.

I noticed one of the wolves shift into a human form. Not long after that, I noticed a rope pass through the burrow entrance. As I heard the bramble bush shake and crack, my heart began to race once more. The man grunted as he and one of the wolves hauled on the rope that had been looped around the plant's base. Another wolf joined in, and the bramble bush was uprooted from the thin rocky soil with a rustle of leaves and loose dirt.

I could see a blue sky through the entrance a few moments later. A black wolf peered into the burrow, blocking my view. As he measured the distance between us, his sharp brown eyes locked onto my terrified eyes. He took a step back before beginning to dig at the tunnel's entrance. As they widened the tunnel, the dark brown wolf joined him, and their powerful legs made quick work of digging out the loose dirt and pebbles.

I wriggled against the wall behind me and desperately looked around, but I was at the very end of the tunnel and there is no way out. As they got closer, I began to tremble and made a low growl. There was soon insufficient space for the two wolf to dig, so the black wolf backed up and let the dark brown one takes over the entire digging operation.

I whimpered in terror, knowing that he was close enough to reach me with his paws if he tried. He sat back on his haunch seconds later, inspecting the tunnel's remains. As he shifted, I blinked in surprise. When he leaned forward, I pushed myself back against the dirt as far as I could.

I swung my head around to bite his hand as his fingers brushed against my shoulder. My teeth clamped down on warm skin, and the faint taste of metallic blood indicated that my teeth had pierced his skin. He grunted in surprise and jerked his hand upwards, out of the tunnel, as an automatic reflex. My head hit the top of the

tunnel as a result of that biting scene and was somewhat stunned by that hit, pushing me to let my guard down. He skillfully grabbed the scruff of my neck, taking advantage of my dazed, stunned state.

I yelped in terror, trying to scratch him with my claws because I couldn't land a second bite from the way he was holding me. As he dragged me out of the tunnel, my claws scrabbled against his wrist and forearm in fear. I writhed in his grip, trying to break free.

There wasn't enough space to shift, and even if there was, it wouldn't help me much against four skilled fighters. He quickly pinned me to his chest with both arms, a wellknown tactic for preventing runts or young pups from reverting to their larger human form. I struggled in his grip, but it was futile.

He backed out of the hole he'd dug before turning around to face his three human friends standing behind him. They all appeared to be in their twenties, and they were beaming with pride at their success in locating me. The guy holding me chuckled as he told them, "Sure has sharp claws, for a moment I was beginning to wonder if I had managed to grab a feral cat."

When the previously tancolored wolf took a step forward, I redoubled my efforts to break free. But the man who was holding me had me firmly pinned in his arms, and my struggles didn't bother him. The approaching man blinked at my terrified attempts before saying, "Easy there.” He said in a comforting tone as he tries to pacify me. “Calm down.”

He blinked in surprise. "Wow, this kid has a lot of soft furs."

The guy who was holding me snorted. "Well, those teeth and claws aren't exactly soft."

Another guy came in closer and tilted his head in confusion as he examined me. "Uh, guys, I don't believe that's a puppy."

The other two looked at him as if he were insane before returning their gaze to mine. They mistook me for a puppy? They clearly needed to have their heads checked. Pups were like dogs with oversized paws and tails. My body proportions were normal for a mature wolf; I was just a lot smaller. To be fair, if they were in wolf form, I was about the size of an eightmonthold child. But I don’t believe I look like a pup or maybe they have never seen a runt before?

They all turned to face me, their expressions varying from disbelief to confusion. One of the men sniffed. "Well, he hasn't got any scent."

Puppies didn't have any real scent until they reached adolescence, but they missed the obvious fact that I smelled like the forest rather than having no scent at all. That made a significant difference for those who were paying attention to what was going on around them. I tried a little twisting, but this guy was clearly much stronger than me. Another guy approached, and I pinched my ears back even more with a growl.

"Some rogues can camouflage their scent. Look at his ears, they aren't oversized as a pup would be. Come to think of it, a pup would not have been able to evade us like that. He had far too much coordination and pulled far too many evasion tricks for a pup."

The man who was holding me looked down, surprised and unsure. "However, a runt would be unable to survive as a rogue..."

When the fourth guy approached, the other two backed up to let him pass. I froze in terror as my Omega senses detected his Beta blood. He wasn't an actual Beta, but was likely the brother to one and definitely had Beta parents, as well as the added strength and speed that the bloodline gave him. He suddenly leaned his face close to mine, and I bared my teeth in a silent terrified warning.

He glanced up at the guy holding me as he commented, “And how about these sharp teeth? Obviously not the typical baby teeth, eh?” Someone off to the side started laughing, then the man with Beta blood in front of me spoke again. "If we put you down, can you shift so we can properly apologize for our actions without you inflicting scratches and wounds on us?"

My growl lowered down until it faded, my ears somehow relaxed. I blinked slowly, but it wasn't like I had much of a choice when I was surrounded by four of them – one with Beta blood. It was a little surprising that they wanted me to change positions so that the apology could be delivered face to face. It was a more respectful gesture than simply apologizing to me while I was in my small wolf form.

They wouldn't have asked me to shift if they didn't intend to harm me, right? Because I am certainly carrying weapons in my human form and could use them, in case they harm me. I gave a wary nod to the man who had been speaking. The person who had pinned me had already loosened his grip. He knelt down to gently place me on my feet before standing up and taking a few steps back to make room for me.

I, once again, look at myself from head to toe and thought of the weapons I have. I wore a heavy belt knife and carried a bow and arrows in my backpack. I was aware that I had a number of slim blades balanced for throwing hidden in various sections of my clothing, but they were well hidden from view.

I returned my gaze to the four of them. With all four surrounding me, I wasn't going anywhere unless they let me go. I have a halfchance of escaping, runnig into the nearest tree, and use the forest highway but… damn it, I surely know they would still catch me. I wish a feral wolf could ambush us so that I can run away.

The three men took a little step back and averted their gazes from me. Except for the one guy who pinned me to his chest. He was gaping at me, clearly surprised. "You're… You’re a girl!”

The guy beside him coughed while I blinked slowly at his sudden realization. They probably assumed that I was a male like most rogues in no man’s land. He looked away in embarrassment when he realized that his surprised expression was too obvious and his statement sounded a lot more frantic than shocked. He looked to be in his early twenties and was a bit slimmer than the other three guys.

He rubbed the back of his hair as he mumbled, "Uh, sorry about that... Didn’t know you are a girl."

I nodded slowly in acceptance of his apology; my senses told me that it had been sincere – my Omega senses are still open, just in case they are planning something dubious. The fourth guy stepped forward, and I shifted my weight uneasily to turn and face him. He is the one with Beta blood.

He cleared his throat before he spoke, "Please accept our apologies for what happened. We thought that you were an orphaned pup, lost in this forest. None of us has seen a runt before and the possibility didn't cross our minds. We truly did not intend to harm you."

All of my senses told me that he was telling me the truth. I relaxed a bit and nodded again. I was curious though and asked, "Why would you think a young pup in the middle of no man's land would have to be an orphan?"

He looked and gestured to the east. "Last night, we heard a bunch of howling and arrived just in time to help the eastern pack fight off a dozen feral wolves.”

Dozen? The thought of dozen feral wolves roaming close to where I hide sends shivers to the back of my hair. Dozen feral wolves have been waiting to ambush the eastern pack, that’s quite a great number… after all, feral wolves are wild and would do anything to kill everyone that stands in their way.

The guy who had pinned me shrugged as he added his own explanation. "It didn't seem right in our minds to leave a pup all alone in no man's land. We just didn't realize that you weren't a… uh… a pup. Sorry about pinning you like that, by the way. But I have to say, in my defense, that you have extremely sharp claws and teeth..."

He looked amused, and I grinned slightly in response as I regarded the dozens of minor lacerations on his wrist and forearm. They weren't serious and would heal by this evening, but it did look like he had grabbed a wild barn cat by the tail. I did sharpen my claws so I could climb tree branches easier and hunt small animals.

I commented idly, "You could have tried talking to me while you waited or saying your intentions much earlier before you started digging the burrow. It would have saved you a lot of trouble.” It would have been much easier for me as well. They obviously were not used to dealing with rogues.

He made a wry face and then smirked. "I will keep that in mind next time."

His friends had walked over to stand by him so they were no longer halfsurrounding me. I appreciated it, as a runt and rogue, I was more cautious than most. Being surrounded made me uneasy, even if they claimed to mean me no harm.

One of the others inquired, "What are you doing all the way out here anyway?"

I was pretty sure the speaker was the black wolf. I shrugged as I said, "Most packs will not adopt a runt because it makes them look weak."

His brows raised and he was taken aback by my statement. "I never thought of that. How do you manage to survive out here?"

I scanned the surroundings and replied, "Mostly hunting small animals and gathering edible plants for my food. And occasionally trading for things I can't make on my own."

The one with Beta blood looked intrigued as he inquired, "What do you trade?"

"Usually, whatever I can find that they want. Berries, mushrooms, occasionally precious stones, and some other things I deemed to be valuable."

"Hmmm..." He got a faraway look in his eyes that meant he was having an intense discussion with someone via his pack's mindlink. Considering the other three didn't have that look, he was probably speaking with someone else in his pack. His eyes refocused on me. "I just spoke with the Luna. She is quite surprised that you have done so well out here and wishes to invite you to join the pack. She also has a soft spot for mushrooms."

The offer was sudden, I was stunned by it and was suspicious, to say the least. People usually did not just approach rogues, in their case, chase a rogue because they assumed I was a pup, and throw an invitation card to offer me a place in their pack, especially to a runt like me. I mean… that’s not how it works. I had been turned away by dozens of packs that I had approached. I carefully assessed his expression and said, "There is something that you are not telling me."

He blinked in surprise before sighing in defeat. "Our Luna... She is unable to have kids. When we originally thought we had spotted an orphan pup, she had asked us to doublecheck if it was an orphan and to bring it back if it was. Even though she knows that you are not a pup, your small wolf form is still kicking her Luna instincts into action. The Alpha has no problems with it either. If you are good at foraging and

harvesting, you could be an asset to the pack."

I listened carefully, relying on my Omega abilities that would allow me to detect a lie. It was a complete truth though. Their invitation also made sense now; Lunas had a tendency to protect any in their pack, as well as any child. Even though I was an adult, my tiny wolf form made disturbed her Luna instincts.

It wasn’t unusual for most wolves to treat runts somewhat like pups if the runt was part of the pack. I often used a few puppylike behaviors when in wolf form around other wolves since it made them more laid back and tolerant. Even when I had visited other packs, it was just a small number of prejudiced or biased individuals who caused difficulties. The average individual was tolerant enough.

I had been trying to get into a pack for years with no success and I did kind of miss being part of a pack, although I wasn't sure how well I could fit into a pack after so many years as an independent rogue. I glanced at the others as they waited for me to decide.

I asked, "I think I would like to try. Which pack is this?"

"Starblood pack."

That was not one I had heard of or had encountered before. I tilted my head as I said, "I have never heard of it, so there is a good chance that it is not anywhere nearby. And If it’s too far, I am not exactly a fast runner and won’t be able to keep up with other wolves easily..." I trailed off, waiting to see how they would respond.

The Beta looked deep in thought. "It is about a week's journey to the west. Hmmm... If we can get a picnic basket, would you allow yourself to be carried in it?"

At least he didn't suggest that one of them carry me by the scruff of my neck like a pup for that kind of distance. It was equally obvious that I would be unable to keep up on foot. I didn't see any problem with the solution he was offering.

I nodded in acceptance. "I have no problem with that, although I would like to let the pack to the east know that I am leaving."

"Well, that is easily accomplished. Another member of our pack will be stopping by there in a few days." His eyes got a faraway look for a few moments before he refocused on me and said, "Done. He will relay the message. Now, all we have to do is find a basket."

Considering we were in the middle of no man's land, that task was easier said than done. I glanced around; my wild run hadn't covered too much distance, so I knew exactly where I was. I did a quick inventory of where I had hidden various baskets and bags.

"If someone is willing to run back to where you found me," I said, "there was a big basket in the raspberry patch beside the smoker."

One guy said, "I'm on it." He promptly turned around and started to run back. He jumped over a log and shifted into his tan wolf midleap. I blinked as he disappeared from sight and glanced at the one with Beta blood.

He shrugged. "Crazy Luigi will always be crazy Luigi." He held out his hand to me, saying, "In case you didn't catch it, I'm Liam."

I shook his hand and gave him a flat smile. "I'm Etheral."

He nodded and gestured to the others. "The one to the left is Mel, and the other one is Yap."

I shook their hands, still a bit uneasy and unsure in the presence of these strangers, but doing my best to hide it. My senses finally allowed me to tag a name onto the wolves that had previously chased me. Mel would be the black wolf, and Yap was the dark brown one.

We waited for Luigi to return with the basket. I was a bit nervous about accompanying these strangers, but the chance of getting accepted into a pack was too tempting to pass up.

The basket, well, similar to the burrows I slept in, it matched my size and unlike the burrows, there are tiny holes where light and air could peek in. Luigi is currently carrying the basket in his jaws and they all took turns carrying the basket with me in it. They covered more ground in a day than I could in a week on foot. I bet we are almost halfway to their territory.

It was a silent run and quite relaxing in my case. Now I felt bad for letting them carry me in a basket. They were probably mindlinking each other and their pack, but I wouldn't be a part of the pack link until the Alpha bound me to the pack in a ceremony of acceptance.

When it was already dark, they made me sleep in the basket while they curled up around it in case wild animals ambush us. It was unsettling to sleep, but I trusted them to keep any predators away. Most animals wouldn't mess and challenge four fullgrown werewolves.

I was surprised that they didn't pick up on the scents of rogues who covered their scent with foliage and forest odor, despite the fact that we had already crossed several scent trails. Maybe because I was used to picking up on slightly odd scents and detecting them with ease. When I mentioned the rogues' scents the next morning, Liam was taken aback. Maybe I'd been a rogue for too long. Or maybe they needed to have their noses checked.

Over the course of the week, I learned more about the four of them when we came to a halt in the evening and shifted to our human form. They were actually returning from a meeting with a pack much further east than where they had discovered me. They'd been stopping at most packs to see if one of the pack members was one of their friends, but they hadn't had any luck.

They were a laidback and easygoing group. They were also insatiably curious about my life as a rogue, despite the fact that they didn't seem to understand most of my explanations. They couldn't get their heads around such a different way of life.

I lifted my head and smelt the wind; I could smell the Starblood pack's boundary from here. We are close. What would the pack think about me? Me entering their territory? A runt and rogue.

I'm not sure why the sentry was taken aback. His game blind didn't blend in well, and his scent was strong in the area. We were used to the forest's natural rhythms

because it was a home to us, rogues. Anything that was even slightly different or out of the ordinary drew our attention like a neon sign at midnight in the middle of the desert or a strong smell of pack members running in the distance. I didn't even need my Omega senses to tell me that the sentry was watching me right now.

I'd been relying on my Omega senses a lot more in the last few days as I tried to get back into the habit of doing so. I hadn't used them in years because they hadn't helped me in a long time. If I was going to be joining a pack, then they would be helpful once more.

The scents of the plants in town and… And oh! Mushrooms! I mentally shook myself; once I was accepted into the pack, my scent would begin to reflect the pack I had joined. Covering it up would be pointless at that point but I’d like to try and see if rogue tricks would work. That thought had been a rogue's automatic thought, not something a pack member would consider doing. Would it be weird to cover your scent? I think not, selfassurance has always been at the top of my head.

Luigi came to a halt and placed the basket down before shifting so he could speak with me. He opened the basket and looked down at my wolf form curling inside the basket. He said, "Etheral, we figured that you might want to enter the town on your own feet."

I leaped out of the basket and shifted quickly. The other three had shifted seconds after Luigi, so by the time I shifted, they were human. They were on my side as we walked along the forest's edge, skirting towards the town. I noticed that the main street was fairly busy with people coming and going.

"How many members are there in this pack?" I inquired.

Liam shrugged and narrowed his eyes. "Two, three… About three hundred. That was the average for most packs, and the majority of the members would be spread out on various tasks. Some were fighters and scouts, while others worked as cooks, storekeepers, or in any other capacity that was necessary.”

I nodded and focused my sight toward our destination. We appeared to be heading for the pack house. "Who are we going to see?" I asked, looking at Liam.

"The Alpha is currently visiting another pack, so we'll see the Luna for now," he explained. "She is currently in the pack house, and she is excited to meet you."

I nodded again, still surprised that they would accept a runt so willingly. Over the years, I'd been turned down by well over a dozen packs. I couldn't get my head around the fact that they'd made the offer. Even among rogues with exceptional

fighting skills, packs approaching them directly with an offer to join their pack was extremely rare. Even for a runt, it was unheard of and extremely rare.

As we walked past several pack members who were also on the path, I noticed a few children playing in a playground off to the side. Many people looked at me with interest, even though they probably knew I was the new member who happened to be a runt because gossip vines in a pack spread any information like wildfire in dry grass.

I hadn't used my Omega senses in a pack situation like this in years. I was relieved to discover that my abilities had not deteriorated due to inactivity. I was also relieved to notice and sense that there was no hostility from anyone, only curiosity.

We got closer to the pack house, and I struggled to extend my Omega senses inside it. But once my senses got through, I can sense a bright, soft aura, which I think is the Luna. Since it was midafternoon, the pack house was fairly empty, but I could detect about twenty sparks moving inside. I sensed one spark coming from a Beta female and two Omegas in the same large room where the Luna was.

And there is another spark I couldn’t describe. I had no idea what it was; it was like redhot coal from the heart of a fire. It had an odd feeling to it as if it was dormant until something fanned it to life. The rest of the sparks were regular pack members, but the ringing quality made me think there was an enforcer in the room. He wasn't using his abilities, so I wouldn't know which one was his unless he used them or I saw him up close while using my own sensing abilities.

We took our time walking down the street, admiring the gardens on either side of the main walkway. It was as if the forest had retreated to create a clearing just for the pack house. The place was clean and wellkept. Nothing fancy too, but it was tied together with earthy tones that blended in beautifully with the surrounding forest.

We crossed the street and began walking up the main walkway to the pack house's entrance. Although I was nervous about meeting the Luna, the large double doors ahead, draped with vines and flowers, looked truly inviting and kind in my eyes.

Sighs, I was a rogue, as well as a runt. Those two words kept bothering me and trampling my confidence. I was afraid of being turned away again once she sees me up close. And if the Luna rejects me, I would be in unfamiliar territory with no real resources or supplies that I had accumulated at my previous location.

The gentle breeze carried the scents of lilacs and jasmine to my nose but with an odd undertone. I took a deeper breath; I'd never smelled anything like this scent before. I was curious as to what kind of tree or plant it was. On cool nights, it reminded me of the rich smell of the deepest parts of the forest. The scent practically demanded that I pay attention to it.

I was a runt, but not a slow thinker. Scents of the forest could not compel a rogue's attention. I came to a complete halt and stared at the door in disbelief. My disbelief quickly turned to unease and concern as I realized I had not been mistaken.

My sudden stop surprised the four men who were walking with me. Luigi took one look at my face and noticed my stunned expression before asking, "Etheral, is something wrong?"

My oldest and most powerful fears were at the forefront of my mind at the time. It was said that runts had the lowest possibility, close to zero, of getting a mate. Those who did find their mate would be rejected right away because many regular werewolves would not accept a runt as their mate. Wolves were often proud creatures, and being paired with a weak runt was a huge blow to both their personal and family pride.

Damn this, I can’t do anything about this. My heart is destined to be broken no matter what. I have found my mate’s scent but only to approach him and have him reject me.

I didn't take my gaze away from the closed doors as my mind raced around the lingering shock of finally finding my mate. The scent was enticing. As I confessed, my quiet voice trembled slightly. "I can smell my mate, and I'm afraid he'll reject me; I don't think I can bear that kind of pain."

Rejection was a terrible fate, and I knew it wasn't an exaggeration or something you could easily shake because I'd met a few people who had been rejected. I could feel the pain of their broken heart as well as the scars on their soul that had forever changed them, even years or decades later. The agony of rejection drove many people to commit suicide or to become feral wolves. I had no desire to even think about going through such agony.

The four were completely taken aback, having no idea that my mate was among

the people inside. I was tempted to flee to the hills rather than stay here, but the desire to find my soul's other half kept my feet from running away. That speck of hope kept me from fleeing, at least for the time being.

I looked around at the four people around me to see how they were reacting. All four had a vacant looks in their eyes, indicating that an intense mindlink discussion between them was taking place in front of me. I could hear movement inside the house as three people exited through the back door and the rest gathered in a large room near the front door.

"I mindlinked the people inside. There are several who don't have a mate yet. Anyone with possible thoughts about rejecting you have left the house through a different exit. The rest are waiting eagerly for you. They do know you are a runt and are currently a rogue, and it doesn't bother any of them," Liam said, meeting my eyes.

I paid close attention to his expression. He was telling the truth and had most likely interrogated every wolf inside. My mate was close enough to me that I could tell he was annoyed or dissatisfied with those who had left. With trepidation, I nodded and looked at the doors.

That doorway was a twoway road. If I walk through it and met my mate, I had two options. One is to have a potentially happy mate bond. The second is rejection, which would cripple my entire being.

Rejection was uncommon, but it was not unheard of. It primarily affected those who were rogues, Omegas, or runts. Once they caught the scent, the average werewolf would have flown through that door to find their other half. As a runt, I stood a good chance of being rejected. Fortunately, Liam's intervention reduced those odds. It was the only reason I moved slowly and cautiously toward the front door.

The formation of the mate bond required eye contact, and I was going to keep an eye on my feet until I was sure I wasn't going to be rejected. I was going to approach this situation with caution and care. I… I don’t want to go insane once the rejection is done.

As Yap opened the door, I walked forward slowly, my gaze fixed on the ground. They would undoubtedly notice that I was nervous. The enticing scent was stronger here, making it difficult to concentrate. Yap and Luigi led the way, and I followed hesitantly. Liam and Mel trailed behind, possibly to keep me from fleeing in terror. I shook my head in an attempt to clear it, but it didn't work.

My Omega senses were malfunctioning, which made me feel even more uneasy. All I could smell was coal. It had begun to glow as soon as I entered the house, and it was overpowering my Omega senses. I couldn't pick up on anything else, only the strong scent.

The nowblazing coal had to be my mate. Our proximity was gradually reawakening the mate bond. He was only a few steps away. I could hear whispering, but none of the voices belonged to my mate. He’s silent.

"Hey, Reed, have you smelled anything yet?" a random guy asked.

"Nothing overpowering, just the four guys and a foresty smell.” And that must be his friend, Reed.

"Yeah, neither did I, but we'll have to ask her later how she cloaked her scent like that. That is so cool."

I nervously followed Yap and Luigi around, making sure to keep my eyes down. It was difficult because my rogue instincts made me want to look around to assess the situation and look for possible escape routes, despite the fact that there were over a dozen people in the room. The scent was driving me insane already. I wondered what someone would look like if they wore that scent. Nothing could ever compare; I… I adored that scent.

As I walked into the room, there was complete silence. A few moments later, I heard a set of heavy footsteps approaching me. I heard a couple of them exhale in surprise. "You've got to be kidding me," one of the earlier voices murmured.

At that comment, I came to a halt and shifted my weight uncomfortably. My presence had not surprised them; rather, the identity of whoever was approaching me had. To say the least, it made me nervous.

My fear and anxiety made me want to look up to see what had them so taken aback, but my mind knew that I would almost certainly make eye contact. As I sensed my mate approaching me in silence, I kept my eyes down. The glow of the coal in my mind was far too strong, flickering with tiny flares of fire, and it completely overpowered everything else in my senses. And when he stopped in front of me, I trembled slightly with nerves and fear.

“Can you look me in the eyes?” he said, softly. His voice was deep and it tickles my heart just to hear his voice, how much more if I look at him?

“I can’t… I can’t take it,” I mumbled, shutting my eyes close. Then I opened them with a sigh. “If you plan to turn me down, then do it now.”

A large hand slowly entered my gaze below. His hands were calloused, indicating that he was no stranger to hard work. His hand moved slowly until two fingers gently touched the underside of my chin. As he slowly lifted my face up, sparks erupted from his touch. When my blue eyes met his amber eyes, time seemed to stop.

My senses were numb as the flickering coal burst into a raging flame. The mate bond took root in my heart and mind, I felt a powerful, blinding wave of energy cascade through my senses and body. I fell unconscious of the surroundings; my mind was filled with sensations and feelings I couldn't even name.

As he gently brushed his thumb across my cheek, sparks flared up once more. His eyes were filled with nothing but love. With a soft smile, he looked down at me. "I will never turn you down."

The forming mate bond, as well as my slowly recovering Omega senses, both assured me that he had told the truth. My rejection anxiety eventually dissipated like morning mist under the rising sun. He didn’t reject me. My mate didn’t reject me.

And I can’t believe the happiness exploding inside my heart.