Just a rogue

It was so cold.

The kind of chill that seeps into your bones and refuses to let go. My pulse thundered in my ears as my bare feet slid across the slick, treacherous ground of the Red Moon Pack’s territory. The air thickened with tension, suffocating and heavy, as I pushed myself to run faster. Behind me, they were closing in-feral shapes, hunting me in their wild forms.

They wanted my blood.

The Alpha must’ve sent great warriors this time to capture me. He demanded my blood just like every other rogue in his pack wanted. My heart pounded against my furry body. Shallow breaths made their way out of my punctured lungs. My limbs were sore along with the rest of my body. I was unaware of how much longer I could run.

My muscles screamed for rest, but the relentless pounding of paws behind me refused to let up. They were chasing me as if I was the only rogue wanted in the Red Moon Pack. They have been hunting me for over three years now, ever since I ran away from my pack Black Stone then ran into this one.

Regardless of many times I struggled to hide, they found me but they failed to capture me. They kept on capturing the other rogues but not me. However this time things were different, the warriors were many and stronger than those who used to chase me before.

Their growls rumbled like a storm rolling over the land. I could feel their presence pressing in, like shadows stretching to claim me. Despite my exhaustion, I refused to give in. Three years of running had taught me one thing: survival was all I had left, and I would fight for it with every last ounce of strength.

A sharp pain flared in my shoulder, a reminder of the gash one of them had landed earlier. I stumbled but caught myself, using the momentum to vault over a fallen tree. My claws dug into the soft ground as I landed, propelling me forward once more. The crimson moon above seemed to pulse, its eerie glow a constant reminder of the bloodlust that governed our world.

I pushed through the agony, my instincts screaming for me to keep moving. Somewhere ahead, I knew there was a cliff—a dead end. But it was my only option. If I could reach it, maybe I could find a way to lose them. Or maybe... maybe it would be the end.

The growls behind me grew louder, closer. They were toying with me now, letting me wear myself down before they struck. A flash of fur appeared in the corner of my vision, and I realized they were flanking me, cutting off any escape routes.

“Not yet,” I growled to myself, forcing my legs to move faster. “Not here.”

The trees began to thin, the forest opening up to the edge of the cliff. My heart sank as I saw it—a sheer drop into darkness, the jagged rocks below barely visible in the moonlight. The wind howled, carrying the scent of saltwater from the river far below.

As I neared the riverbank, the ground beneath me grew treacherous, slick with mud and moss. My claws scraped against the rocks as I skidded to a halt, the rushing water just feet away. It was deeper and faster than I had anticipated, the current a dark, churning force that promised no easy escape.

I immediately shifted into my human form not minding about my nakedness but before I could jump into the river, I hesitated. Jumping into the river was a gamble. It was either going to carry me to safety—or drag me to my death.

The pack’s growls snapped me back to reality. They were here.

I turned to face them, my chest heaving as I took in the sight of their hulking forms emerging from the shadows. Their eyes glowed with hunger, their fangs bared in anticipation. They spread out, forming a semi-circle around me, cutting off any escape route that didn’t end in the icy water.

The largest of them stepped forward, its fur dark as night and its eyes a piercing gold. The Alpha’s second-in-command, Eric. I knew him. He shifted into his human form then began walking towards me. His presence was commanding, his posture radiating dominance and he didn’t mind about his nakedness too.

“You’ve run long enough,” he growled, his voice deep and menacing. “The Alpha wants your head, rogue. And tonight, we will deliver it.”

A low growl rumbled from my throat as I dropped into a defensive stance. Blood dripped from my side, staining the earth beneath me, but I refused to show weakness.

“If he wants me,” I snarled, my voice steady despite the fear coursing through me, “He’ll have to come himself.”

. “Brave words for a dead wolf.” He chuckled.

With that, he lunged, his massive form barrelling toward me with terrifying speed. I met him head-on, our bodies colliding with a force that shook the ground. Pain flared through me as his claws raked across my shoulder, but I fought back, sinking my teeth into his flank and throwing him off balance.

The rest of the pack warriors surged forward, their snarls filling the air as chaos erupted around me. I fought with everything I had, but I was outnumbered, outmatched. Their claws tore into me, their teeth finding purchase in my flesh.

My vision swam, the world a haze of blood and shadows, but I refused to go down quietly. I lashed out with all I had—claws slashing, teeth snapping, determined to take as many of them with me as possible. The metallic tang of blood filled the air, mine mingling with theirs, but it wasn’t enough. I was being overwhelmed.

Eric’s voice cut through the chaos, sharp and commanding. “Stand down! I want her alive!”

Alive? That one word sent a surge of confusion and dread through me. Why would they want me alive when all they’d ever done was hunt me like prey?