Chapter 3: On The Run

"There's nowhere for you to hide, Runa! You will be found and you will be put to death for what you did!" Runa heard Alpha Mike's voice in her head before she blocked him out.

Tears stung her eyes as she ran through the now dead town she used to work in. She did, however, stop by the diner she worked at and took the money from the register before continuing north. She could now hear the pack behind her howling in their pursuit of her. As she entered another alpha's territory, her pack slowed and stopped at the boundary's edge.

"If I don't kill you, another alpha will!" Alpha Mike growled as he came to the front and stared at her.

Her wolf whimpered at him before she turned and started running again.

She was sure he would have contacted the alpha of this land only he did not need to. The wolves on patrol found her and paused at the sight of her. She was at the Northeastern corner of their territory when two wolves jumped on her back. She howled as one sank his teeth into her shoulder. The other tried to go for her throat, though Runa was able to kick him off. She turned her head to grab the other one at her shoulder by the scruff of his neck and threw him into the other one on the ground.

She ran quickly out of their lands and they stopped at the edge of their border, threw their heads back and howled loudly. Notifying their alpha of the rogue in their lands, no doubt. She pushed her feet to move faster. Her legs were burning from the run but she did not care, she had to get away from everyone. She crossed another section of river and a rogue spotted her.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? A female, from the smell of you. But you are much larger than any wolf I've come across. Who are you, female?" He questioned, but she was not interested in playing nice and did not give him a second glance.

She ran, not wanting to fight and not wanting to shed anymore blood. Runa was grateful that he did not follow her. She then smelled something revolting. A vampire. From what she has heard about them, the stench of rot and decay lingered to their flesh. She hoped the creature would keep its distance, though she could not be so lucky.

"Oh, goody! A doggy to play fetch with!" The female bloodsucker said, leaping from tree tops and landing in Runa's path making her stop.

She growled at her. The blonde female clapped her hands together crazily and lifted the hem of her dress that looked as if it were from the renaissance era and courtesies towards Runa. Before she could think, the vampire was racing around her. Sharp talons gouged her hind leg and across her ribs. She snarled and whipped her head around faster than the blonde could get out of reach. Her eyes revealed her shock when Runa's teeth severed her head from her body and threw it to the ground. Looking up at the sky, she saw the sun had disappeared from above her.

"Great, another thing I have to deal with. Where is there no civilization?" She thought to herself.

She decided to find shelter for the night. With no town for miles, she found a cave and made a fire to keep warm. She shifted back into her human form to gather some wood. Winter was coming early this year. She made sure to put enough wood on the pile to burn all night and shifted back into her wolf. She was warmer with a coat of two inch thick fur covering her.

She looked up into the clear sky to the stars as she lay at the entrance of the cave. Front paws folded in front of her, she thought about the day's happenings and wanted to cry all over again but would not let herself. She was on the run from everyone, but could she really outrun her own shadow? Despite her trying not to fall asleep, unconsciousness drug her under its waves of exhaustion.

Flashes of gore painted her sight. Becky's smiling eyes turning to shock and fear as blood dripped into her eyes and over her lips. Flash! The image changed to that of Runa's childhood, her and Becky playing on a jungle gym when she suddenly fell and Runa saw blood pouring from Becky's knee. Another flash, and Runa saw Tristan's concerned eyes.

         "Wake up, Runa. You have to wake up now. Wake up!"

As the sun shone brightly upon her face, Runa woke in a panic. Not knowing where she was until her memory served her to remind her she was a fugitive now. Everyone is against her, her pack hunting her down like wild game. North, she had to keep moving north. Standing and stretching her aching muscles, she started north again.

First, she found a squirrel for breakfast then a stream to drink from. A little while later in the day, she came across another small town. She hid in the tree line before shifting and getting dressed. She walked through the quiet streets as the people began to stare. Ducking into a diner, she walked to a back booth and ordered an orange juice.

"So where are you running from?" The older waitress asked as she set Runa's glass of juice infront of her on the table.

"Excuse me?" Runa asked, not knowing what else to say as she fiddled with the pendant hanging from her neck.

"You keep looking around as if there is someone or something after you. Did you rob a bank?"she winked and smiled, Runa laughed without humor.

"Something I won't be able to out run for long." Runa admitted to this kind human.

"Family troubles, Hun? They don't last long. You just have to forgive yourself before you can accept anyone else's forgiveness and move forward." She said and walked off.

"If only things were that easy lady." Runa mumbled to herself before drinking her orange juice.

After paying for her drink, Runa caught the scent of another wolf who immediately caught her eye. The male glared at her from the opposite corner of the diner. She gave him a small smile before darting out the door. She sprinted behind the building towards the trees again. When she shifted she sensed the male behind her.

"I just can't catch a break!" She thought.

Suddenly something hard ran into her side knocking her to the ground but not quite knocking the air from her lungs. She stood, shook out her fur and turned in the direction the object came from. It was the male from the diner. His wolf was not impressive to say the least but he growled fiercely at her.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my pack's territory?" He growled barring his canines to her.

"I did not know this area was claimed. I'm just passing through. Please, I'm not a threat." Runa replied to him.

"Wait, where are you running from?" He asked, beginning to circle her getting ready to attack.

"I'm a rogue. I don't have any specific place to run from. I'm just trying to survive." Runa tried to sound convincing, keeping her eyes on him and looking for a quick escape.

"So you're not the female hybrid Alpha Mike had warned all the pack's about?" The male questioned.

"Hybrid? No of course not, I'm a wolf. A rogue with no home or pack to call my own." She lied again.

"You don't look like the usual wolf. You are much too big. Even to be the end of an alpha line." He hunched down, snarling again and gnashing his teeth.

She saw a small twitch in his hind leg before he pounced on her. She rolled and he fell off but tried lunging for her throat. He successfully pulled the necklace from her neck, popping the chain and the pendant went flying. She growled at him and swiped across his face. She felt her nails dig into his eye and over his nose. He yelped in pain and she began running. Yet again northbound, maybe Canada was vacant of wolves and vampires.