Journey Home

Chapter 14 - Defiance

It took two more nights of rest and letting that big brute, that is what I was calling him since I didn't know his name, feed me, and clean my wound. No matter how I tried to take care of myself he wouldn't let me and used his weight and size to his advantage.

Big bully brute. Oh, how I hated him. Oh, how I secretly wanted to keep him close.

During that time, I slept a lot, worried about Tee, and was borderline hostile with the strange alpha. I was resentful and blamed the strange wolf as if he was keeping me from finding Tee. Even though I knew I was too injured to go to him.

Everything about the brute confused me. I hated how he was becoming familiar and that he made me feel safe. How he curled his body around mine when we slept and that my body would betray me and match my breath and heartbeat to his. Was this normal between an alpha and an omega? I wasn't even really an omega, so what was this feeling between us? He never did anything untoward to me and cared for me with the same compassion as I would expect from a packmate, but it did not feel the same, at least not for me.

On the second day, he left while I was sleeping and when I woke up and noticed he was gone, I jumped up. I was a little sore, but it was manageable. Carefully I sniffed the air and listened, but I could not smell or hear him. This was the opportunity I was waiting for. Without hesitation, I went in the direction of the road to find Tee.

As I ran, I felt a twinge of guilt toward the alpha who had cared for me. But it was better this way. I did not want any complications and I was only a child. No male would want a child tagging around after them. At least I had confirmed there were werewolves here.

I found the coastal highway crossed it and sped in the direction of where I had left Tee. All thoughts of the alpha were supplanted with excitement as I came across familiar landmarks and smells. I knew I was close to where I left Tee. I burst into a run. I was almost there. Please, I begged the gods, please let him be alive.

As I raced through the trees, I could see the beginning of the winding rocky path that led to my brother.

"Tee!"

Then the wind shifted and upon the air, I smelled werewolves. Four betas, and an alpha, it was the big brute. They were in between me and Tee and there was no way they did not know I was there. They had been downwind of me this entire time. The swish of the air playing in their fur and the rhythm of their feet on the earth all came to me in the wind and I knew they had split up to flank me. One on either side, one behind me, and one in reserve to fill in any gaps. My stomach sank, I knew who they were herding me toward.

I had been completely taken by surprise. I was fast, but their formation was too tight. I was going to have to deal with the alpha. Then I had an idea. If I was cunning enough, I could temporarily escape and lead them on a merry chase right to where I left Tee. Then I would throw myself on their mercy. I would do anything if they saved Tee.

Only the brute came out to greet me, but I knew several werewolves were lurking about. The brute was in his humanoid form and was carrying a bag. He was massive in this form too. I stood unmoving and waited. He began to speak in a language I did not understand, but the chance I was waiting for appeared. A hole in their defense. The other wolves had dropped their formation and stopped circling. Probably to listen in on what the brute had to say.

I did not wait for them to discover their error. I put my head down and my tail between my legs like a good submissive omega. The brute took one step towards me, and I burst like a shot, through the hole, through the trees and ferns, and up the rocky path in the direction of where I had left Tee.

I heard them on my tail and sped up. They may be gigantic, but my speed and agility were superior. So were my senses. A couple of times I had to slow down and let them catch up. All five of them were following.