“I found you, Toby."
I couldn't breathe. My entire world zeroed in on the wolf standing before me. His clothes were tattered, his face bruised, his appearance was that of someone who had just finished a war. He had his arms outstretched blocking the door and his body was leaned forward ever so slightly. His eyes flashed and I felt the call of his wolf to mine. It was different from when I was in the cell. My body reacted strangely but I struggled against the unknown emotions that were plaguing me.
"You've been bad, haven't you?" An involuntary shiver ran down my spine and instinct was battling with itself. His voice was husky yet held an underlying meaning. One part of me wanted to submit to him, but the other wanted to hide.
"What are you doing in here?" The healer who had been sitting beside my temporary bed stood up, crossing over to stand in between the Beta and myself. I knew I should go to him, should obey whatever he says, but for the moment I had a different pack. I had been temporarily scent marked. My weary mind didn't know what to do. The call of my body and the sane part of my mind was waging a war.
I heard voices coming up from the hallway. It was Ben and hi-our Alpha. I felt my body tense up. My eyes shift toward the window. More conflicting emotions ran wild.
"Move bitch, that omega is mine." I heard his words, heard the promise in them but my body started to move, faster than I'm sure anyone would have thought capable given my current state. I felt the shift happen as I ran, the pain intense but the need to be away from the Beta was to much for me to ignore. I wanted to wait for their Alpha, wanted to wait for Ben, but the Beta would get to me first. He always seemed to beat Alpha to the punch when t came to extracting my punishments. There was another side of my that urged me into running. It may have been the realization that I betrayed him, that I betrayed the pack, my Alpha. I went against the main rule and punishment was death.
Do not abandon the pack.
I had joined a new pack instead of fighting for my old one. I rolled over and allowed another Alpha to scent mark me. I was a disgrace, I would be punished. I deserved to be punishment, but I didn't want death, and I didn't want him touching me.
I barely flinched when my body made impact with the window, shattering it. I knew I was at least two stories up, I knew my legs might not hold up, but I had to try. The heat searing my core wanted to stay, wanted to howl, wanted something but I was lost in what it could be. It begged for the attention of the Beta, of my new Alpha. It didn't discriminate who it called for, but I didn't understand it.
The moment my front legs hit the ground my body all put collapsed and rolled from impact. For a split second I looked at the outdoors, my senses being overrun by the smells, colors, sounds. It was almost to much but when I heard my name being shouted I forced my body up, ignoring the fact that my back left leg wasn't able to move. I could run on three legs.
My claws dug into the ground and I sprinted for the tree line. I could smell wolves all around me, I could smell death, I could only see the trees though. I refused to allow my eyes to wonder, I had to escape.
My wolf was thrilled, the wind on our fur, the ground at our paws, this is what he had wanted since I had shifted. However, as grand as it was, dread and fear is what spurred us to continue running.
I could hear howling from behind me but continued to force myself. I had to get far enough away. Adrenaline pumped through me. The trees were large and thick, the ground uneven. I had to catch myself a few times from stumbling. I've never ran like this before. Never filled my lungs with the outdoors. It was scary yet rejuvenating. At the same time I felt my bodies need for rest, the pain becoming too much for the exertion I was putting it through.
Limping to a stop, I quickly took in my surroundings. It was even more overwhelming than I had thought. If I hadn't been so scared to be caught I would be having a panic attack over the sight before me. Running through it didn't give me any time to truly take it in but now... 'Breathe.'
My wolf was gentle in his guiding, mentally nudging us, redirecting wayward thoughts. Instinct guided him more than me. Lifting my head to the wind I sniffed, I wasn't sure what we were sniffing for and I took a step back in my mind allowing my wolf and instincts to come forth and guide me to safety.
Slowly we made our way east, water is what came to mind from the scents we picked up, moving down wind. I had the urge to roll and mask me scent but decided against the action. If I laid down now, I might not be able to get back up.
It, thankfully, only took a few minutes of limping before we made it to a rivers edge. Without much thought my wolf walked into it, fully masking our scent while allowing the cold water to cool the heat that was engulfing my body and soothing my injuries.
The current wasn't strong and the river itself wasn't too deep. It only came up to just below my shoulders. Moving with the flow of water, my wolf headed downstream. I could still hear the angry howls of wolves behind us and we lowered our body even more into the water hoping to be less noticeable to anyone who may run by.
I didn't know where I was planning on going. I had no skills, no idea how to survive on my own, and part of me knew I should turn back. What was waiting for me back there? The Beta would have his way with me, I would be killed. Acceptance at the real possibility that he would hunt for me and kill me was overwhelming. I was a traitor, someone who went against the rules, who was disobedient, unworthy, but fear was guiding me. I wanted to apologize, grovel for the forgiveness I didn't deserve and try again to be a better omega.
Shaking my head from my depressing thoughts I zoned out. Allowing the cold water to distract the heat that ran rampant in my body and soothe my wounded body. I detached myself from my mind and just focused on moving forward.
I wasn't sure how long I walked in the river for, but I found it hard to continue ignoring the world. My hind leg throbbed with a vengeance, the heat that was building within me was all but bursting now. A huge part of me wanted to go back to Kain, to that pack, but the other part was too scared of him and of what my punishment would be. Conflicting emotions that I had been ignoring for the last few hours hit me hard.
The sun was starting to set. When I had escaped it had been high in the sky, but now dusk was approaching. The river had gotten deeper and it was becoming difficult to keep my head above water. The howls were still there but distant.
Slowly we trudged our way to the rivers bank, no longer able to continue. Once there, I laid down, not wanting to fully leave the cool water that had been acting as a aid to my heated body, and a numbing agent to my wounds.
'Just a few minutes.'
With my body half in the water I allowed my weary eyes to close. A small break wouldn't hurt.
With that thought in mind I allowed myself to drift off.
*
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