Episode 3

"A rogue..? No no no no noooo.. I-I-I'm not a r-rogue…" I quickly replied fumbling, as if I knew who or what a rogue was. "Please.. kindly forgive me, I'm so sorry…" I implored.

My apologies kept spilling out from my mouth unending at the thought of that 'rogue', trying to explain myself. 

Suddenly, two other guys came out from nowhere, held me from behind and was just about rough handling me when a voice spoke, 

"Let her go!" 

I squirmed, trying to see who it was, but saw no one. They didn't let me. It didn't seem like that was going to be possible as their clasps on my arms were tightly fixed. 

"I said, release her… Right now! And I mean, now…!" Now the voice was close, I wheeled my head since that was the only part of me I could turn. It was that same girl.

They quickly obeyed and pushed me against an erect but dead tree.

I screeched. 

Not really because I was hurt, but because I felt I was going to die. 

I felt no pain of any sort.

My upper lip tore open a bit by the side, with one of my teeth shaking in my mouth. Suddenly it got healed on its own. My mouth still stained with blood, I could feel the metallic taste.

I was amazed. 

"Oh no… that was so hard of you guys..! Why did you do that to her…? Now see what you've caused... You've inflicted on her a terrible injury here, can't you seee…? That's so bad.." The girl, my savior, cried bitterly. She frisked briskly around me, trying to soothe my aching mouth. So she thought.

I looked at the guys, they seemed like her guards with the kind of order she gave which they obeyed, and I needed to be sure who she was too. 

"Please, who are you, and who are they?" I asked, confusingly. 

"You really do not want to know about that right now, please.. Let's get you treated first, okay..?" She replied, still twirling her fingers around me. 

"I understand… thank you… but can you at least tell me..?" I still insisted, wanting to know what I needed to know. 

"Sorry… you do not need that right now, I promise you; just hold on, I'm going to tell you everything… but you know what, just get better first, okay?" 

"Okay. But please, can I at least get my fruits from my tent before I go with you? You can as well join me too if you wish..." 

"Oh no dear, that won't be necessary as there are lots of freshly bought fruits right there in the pack house."

"A pack house..?" I whispered, unknowingly. 

"Yes, a pack house…" she said, smirking.

It just kept me in my shell, thinking and imagining the reason for that smirk. 

Fear immediately clamped me. 

Now I have a little idea who she was, though not sure. 

I slowly bent over to my feet, took off the dead leaves and grasses that got stuck to them, looked up to her again, and back to my feet again. And then, I zoomed off. 

The evening was quite fresh; my view was still clear to the ability of my sight; I kept running…

Running..

Running…

Running like no man's business.

"Hey… hey… please come back… you don't need to go like that… you need to get your wounded lips treated immediately..!" She screamed but I didn't bother to pay any attention to that for I didn't want to get into any form of trouble. 

It's a strange land…

It's a strange land…

It's a strange land…

Like they call it, 'pack'. I kept singing it as I continued.

"Don't worry, I'm fine, okay…?" I retorted, as the sound of my voice managed to escape through my lips due to excruciating pain that returned. 

My legs hurt, but I still had to run for my precious life.. I ran as fast as I could, passing my little home. Even though I had no money at hand and I had wished for death some moments ago, I still cherished my life. 

What an irony!

Just a few moments on, I looked ahead with the aim of reaching a place of help, but it didn't seem like any was before me.

"Is that how I'm going to be racing aimlessly in this godforsaken forest like a homeless girl..?" I asked myself, still running so fast. 

I quickly turned to look behind me when I noticed the quietness of the woods like no one was following me anymore. I screamed… 

"Please let me go… please…" I pleaded as I was snatched, halting my movement. 

"Should we bundle her now?" One of the guys asked. 

"And why should you do that? Did she steal anything from you?" She barked at him in reply. 

I furrowed my brow. 

At this point, I gave up; though I didn't budge initially, but I knew I couldn't push any further as she had already ordered her guys to bring me with her to their pack. 

I became a bit nervous, observing every move we made for I knew staying in a pack as a stranger wasn't going to be that easy for me, for I know they've got rules. 

So much rules.

********

At our arrival, the beautiful packhouse like they called it, was indeed an edifice. My eyes widened in amazement as I saw the walls laced with lots of expensive woods and stones from the outside. The furniture inside were top notch as we walked in. And when I looked up above, my pupils dilated at the sight; the ceilings and curtains were made of fabrics like burlap and canvas; it was like a thunderstruck in my brain as I had my mouth opened like a hollow pitcher.  

"What a beautiful place you've got here!" I exclaimed, expressing myself before my new found friend. 

She chuckled, held my left hand and said, "you need to get yourself treated immediately before that injury gets infected." 

I nodded. Fake grin extended my lips almost to their extreme. 

I followed, hesitantly. One could actually get lost in that house with no one knowing the person's whereabouts. 

What a home!

"Hey, please, can I at least know your name?" I asked, slowly walking behind her as I recalled I never asked for her name; neither did she know mine. 

"Oh.. that's true… my bad there! I'm Belletta; and you..?" 

"Irisha here. Pleased to meet you, Belletta!" I said, stretching forth my hand.

Her soft grin said it all as we shook hands… 

'Acceptance from the heart…'

I took a deep breath, and smiled in return.

Getting to a doorpost, Belletta gripped my arm to herself, "here Irisha, your new room. And please, feel free for this is now your new home, okay..?" She said, and then a peck rested on my right cheek. 

I jerked, never expecting any of those kind gestures.

As speechless as I was, she didn't feel bad that I couldn't appreciate her with my words for her kid gestures. I just hugged her and ran my hand to and fro her back, in love, with that feeling of, " like my dead sister is back". 

After a few seconds, about a minute, we detached bodies. She bursted into laughter as she saw tears spurting down my cheeks when she opened the door for me to go in. 

"Come on girl… wipe your tears.." she said, helping me out as well. 

As I walked in, a different kind of air washed down my body from my head to toe… so cool and effective on my skin as I could feel the difference from my past home. The ambience of the room is something I find so hard to express. The lightings are best in class.. the cool music that filled my ears, made me almost fell to the ground and sleep off… in conclusion, everything was premier!

Belletta quickly asked me to make myself comfortable as she walked to the door. 

"I'll be in my room; you can ask any of the guards to show you when you're done. " She nodded, and smiled, facing the door as she was about to walk out. She spinned around, opening the door a little more, she looked back at me. "And moreover, I just asked someone to call the doctor for your treatment." She said, and I nodded. Then she shut the door behind her. 

I paused, tried to recall all she said as I placed my hand across my chest. "If my room could be like this, I just wonder how hers would be…!" I softly exclaimed, and smiled. Then, took a deep breath.

I went into the bathroom, there I saw another set of expensive materials. The beautiful, natural materials on the walls and floors were a mixture of marble, teak and river rocks. The bath and shower are something I'll describe another day.

Exquisite!

I took my bath, went straight to Belletta's room and I got my wound treated by the Pack Doctor, so they called him. And since I've been introduced to the Alpha, Alpha Rocksmire, and his Luna, Luna Emirallia, and it was almost midnight already for we all discussed late into the night, narrating my ordeals, it was time for me to retire to bed.

Just about leaving, Luna Emirallia called my attention.

"You can call me mum from now on." She said, rubbing my right arm in soothing confidence. 

"Of course… and you can also call me dad from now onwards too.. Okay..?" Alpha Rocksmire added. 

He couldn't have agreed less.

Now, I've gotten a family of my own again.. My heart leaped for joy as everyone loved and cared for me like their own. After all, I've now become theirs by adoption. 

What more could I have asked for?

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