Chapter One

I had to run as far and as fast as I could to avoid getting caught. Nobody was chasing me because no one seemed to notice I was gone. But I had to make sure I got far from the Blue Moon pack's territory and at least three packs away from my family. That way, they wouldn't pick up my scent and track me down.

My father is the Alpha of the pack, and if he finds out I ran away, he'll use all his resources to search for me. If caught, he might even kill me. The reason I had to escape from my pack, the only place I've ever known, is because I couldn't stand the unfair rules imposed by my father. He favored the men in the pack and treated women, including me, as secondary and weak.

Despite my rebellious nature, being the Alpha's daughter saved me from trouble many times. But it was frustrating to see the men praised while the women's abilities were disregarded and mocked. I couldn't bear being in a place where I felt suffocated, unappreciated, and unhappy.

I refused to compromise my happiness and sanity for a pack that treated women as mere objects and denied us respect. I wanted things to change before I even considered going back, but the possibility of that happening is next to zero.

Back home, life was terrible. I constantly fought with my father, and my brother didn't make things any easier. My mother never stood up for herself, regardless of whether she agreed with my father or not.

Honestly, I would miss my brother and mother, but staying in that place any longer would have driven me crazy with anger because my father had been unreasonable lately.

He let his ego blind him, and he refused to acknowledge me as the next Luna, just because he thought I wasn't good enough and believed that a female like me couldn't lead the powerful Blue Moon pack.

What's even worse is that he wanted to force me into an arranged marriage with someone he knew since I haven't found my mate yet, and he doesn't think I ever will. It's all so ridiculous.

Late at night, I ran away with only a backpack containing some clothes and money I saved, some of which I took from my mom. I hoped it would be enough until I found a place to stay and a job.

I felt excited to live as a lone wolf, or maybe I should call myself a rogue since I'm now considered an enemy of my pack. I was free from their stupid rules and could finally do what I wanted without their interference.

After running for hours, I ended up far away from my pack, but I might have entered another pack's territory unknowingly. I didn't care much, though, as long as I was away from my pack.

I went into town, trying to stay hidden behind trees, even though other werewolves could still smell me. Luckily, the place was full of regular humans, so I managed to grab a quick bite at a café without getting noticed.

I found a decent-looking motel nearby and decided to stay there since I couldn't walk any further. The elderly man at the motel's front desk looked tired but greeted me warmly.

The place wasn't very beautiful, but that's not important right now.

The man stared at me for a while, and it made me feel uncomfortable. I wondered if he could be a wolf too, and if he could smell me. I worried he might call the authorities. I tried to hide my fear by pretending to check out the motel. His smile with the chipped tooth made him look even creepier.

He greeted me politely and asked how he could help. I asked for a room, and he said there was one available on the second floor. He wanted to know how long I'd be staying, but I didn't have a definite answer. I hoped I could leave soon.

He gave me the keys to the room and offered me something to eat, but I declined and quickly asked about the room's cost. After paying, I thanked him and started to leave, but he stopped me. He advised me to keep a low profile while I was there, as the authorities might not be kind if they caught me. He assured me he wouldn't cause any trouble as long as I didn't.

I thanked him and went to my room. I really hoped I could avoid trouble this time. While I wanted to be far from my pack, I didn't want to get hurt in a new place. I planned to stay inside as much as possible and find a friendly employer who would hire me despite my being a rogue.

 I wonder how hard that will be.