Carefully listening in on their conversations, I eventually learned all of their names. I already knew Bruce and Mila but I learned Sofia’s, the blond girl, when Bruce pushed her into a tree while we were moving.
“You should’ve seen the look on your face, Sofia, it was priceless.” He chuckled as she stood up, wiping the snow from her eyes.
“You know what I’d like to see? The look on your face when I get my revenge; sweet, violent revenge.” She showed all of her teeth, white and sharp. Bruce gulped and backed away.
“He better run.” She muttered and leaned against the same tree she ran into. She looked at me, as if finally noticing I was there, “What are you staring at?”
“Nothing.” I backed up.
Sofia narrowed her eyes at me and asked Mila, “How much further?”
“Ever said one more mile.”
I watched curiously as Sofia retrieved something from the inside of her many furs and produced a small something wrapped in a wide leaf.
“Here, eat.” She shoved something in my mouth and I nearly gagged on it but I forced myself to swallow it.
What was that? It smelled like rotting bone and tasted like death.
“Thanks.” I wanted to wipe my tongue but my wrists were tied. Great, now the taste would forever stain my mouth.
“We don’t want you to faint, you’d only slow us down.” Sofia shrugged me off. They finally let me walk on my own instead of Mila carrying me but I could see they were regretting it; I barely kept up at their super sonic speed.
I spared a glimpse at Ever, the woman with the black braids whose name I overheard from the others. She was young, close to my age, and I assumed that she was the leader. What did they call a werewolf leader again? I think it’s called an Alpha.
“Is she your Alpha?” I asked, scared to say her name.
“If we believed in hierarchy, then yes, but since we don’t, no. And never refer to her as the Alpha, we left that behind.” Sofia snapped and started to walk again. What did she mean, she left that behind?
I followed her, wondering why they were in the woods in the first place. I didn’t know how werewolves worked, but I was pretty sure they didn’t live in makeshift tents in the middle of winter. At least, not from what I gathered about Ken’s way of life. They were civilized and lived in a huge castle, but these werewolves had no home.
It seemed like they were running from something and I knew it was more than the werewolves coming after me.
Who were these mysterious people?
“Stop, this is good.” Ever snapped me out of thoughts as we came to a flat, snowy plain. There were several pine trees scattered around the territory, blocking most of the moonlight from showering down on us.
They started to set up their tents against the trees, clearing the snow where they landed. Only Ever set a fire, which I gravitated to. It was freezing out here, even with the wild furs comforting my skin-
I jumped as a spear almost hit my foot, an inch away from my left big toe.
“Let’s hunt,” Mila came up beside me to get her spear, not looking at me and definitely not apologizing. The others fell in line, grabbing hunting weapons of all kinds. I counted eleven of them.
“What about her?” Bruce asked.
“Leave her here,” Sofia shrugged, “But don’t blame me when the bears eat her.”
“Austin!” Ever commanded and I was stunned to see a little boy, no older than thirteen, run up to her. “Do you mind watching her while we hunt?” She asked kindly and he half nodded.
“Sure but why can’t I go with you? Is this an adult thing?” He asked as the werewolves followed Ever, Mila, Sofia and Bruce.
“Sorry, kid, but someone’s gotta do it.” Sofia said as Ever patted him on the head.
“You’re the fastest wolf in this pack. If she gets away, you’re the only one who can catch her.” Bruce added but it didn’t look like he bought it. He didn’t really a chance to object because they were all running into the woods.
“Okay but I’m not the only one who’s gonna be on babysitting duty!” Austin yelled as they slowly disappeared into the trees, blending in with the night.
*****
“I can’t believe they abandoned me to babysit a stupid human.” Austin sighed loudly.
“This stupid human has a name.” I said with my eyes closed.
“Oh, I thought you were asleep.”
My hands were tied around a wooden spear that was firmly dug into the snowy ground. I tried to fall asleep but it was incredibly uncomfortable. Plus, I was starving and cold and my head was pounding with questions.
“So, why did you lie about being the Moon Goddess?” He asked suddenly and I opened my eyes to look at him so I could argue.
“I never said I was-”
“You must feel like such an idiot right now.”
“Why would I-”
“You’re not gonna last one night. You’re probably gonna die in the morning.”
I hit my head against the wooden spear. For a kid who was barely up to my shoulder, he certainly acted like my sister. But what did I expect, that rogue werewolves had manners?
“What are rogues?” I asked suddenly, talking over his chatter.
He answered seriously this time, “The exiled, the wolves that don’t belong to a pack. We don’t take orders from anybody.”
I took a few seconds to study his words.
So they are werewolves but they don’t have a pack. Well, they claim not to belong to a pack but they still listen to the rogue leader Ever.
Austin finally spoke through the silence, “Do you really believe that you aren’t the Moon Goddess?”
“I know I’m not.”
He studied me and he reminded me of a little brother I’d always wanted. I wanted to stop being compared to my perfect older sister, I didn’t want to feel so invisible, even in my own family.
“Yeah, you’re not. You’re too soft and thin and weak to be her, you’re like a stick with eyes,” He shook his head in disgust and changed the topic, “So what’s the real Moon Goddess like? Is she pretty? Strong? Does she have any powers?”
“She’s. . .” How would I describe Aria? “She’s assertive.” Nicely put.
“Powers?” He asked eagerly.
What did they say she did, just before I left? What did Ken tell me?
“She can break mate bonds.” Apparently, it was a “huge deal”.
“She’s the Moon Goddess all right, only she has that kind of power.” Austin noticeably stiffened, his long ears twitching. “They’re back! Finally.” He ran out of the tent and I heard him badger Mila.
“This area’s abundant with game,” Mila explained, “Ever hunted a fox for you.” Austin cheered and I heard his footsteps crunching farther and farther away from me.
I saw three people’s shadows standing outside the tent, whispering quietly beside the fire. They stood there for a few minutes before entering.
“You’re going to have to hunt to earn your keep.” Mila said as she stood infront of me, arms crossed.
Sofia entered second with Bruce behind her, “Either that or starve.” Just as she said that, my stomach growled.
I can’t kill animals, how am I supposed to hunt? Maybe I can find some fruit or edible leaves. . . except it’s the middle of winter.
“We’ll give you a break today but tomorrow you hunt for yourself.” Mila threw a piece of charred meat at my feet. I jumped in surprise, not wanting it to touch me.
“Relax, it’s just a squirrel.” They wanted me to eat a squirrel?
My horrified expression must’ve looked funny to them because Bruce laughed.
“Look at her face,” He elbowed Sofia, who elbowed him back.
“Don’t touch me!” Both of them left, shoving each other like siblings would.
As they exited my tent, Ever walked in, a white pelt draped over her shoulders. She untied the rope on my wrists and handed me the discarded meat. I hesitantly took it and took a small bite, knowing that I’d starve if I didn’t eat. Besides, my stomach was growling so loud they’d probably think there was a monster in there.
“Sleep, we wake up at six.” Out of all the rogues, she scared me the most. She never speaks and never shows any emotions.
She was about to leave when I questioned, “What do you want with my sister?” Her hand froze on the tent but she didn’t turn around. “Are you going to kill her?” I fiddled with the meat in my hands.
“If what you say is true, your sister is a valuable pawn in the werewolf world. Whoever controls the Moon Goddess controls the universe.”
“But are you going to kill her?” I asked anxiously, praying that they’d never meet.
“Hopefully it won’t come to that,” She shook her head then looked at me, as if confused, “I don’t know your name,” I just realized that no one here knew who I really was. For once, I stood alone.
“I’m Hazel.”
“I’m Ever.” And although she didn’t say it, her name was naturally accompanied by the title Queen of the Exiles.
As night fell I only hoped that I’d wake up in the morning.
Alive.