Epsilon [Werewolf]

Chapter 20

(A/N: I'm gonna treat you guys and upload not one, not two, but THREE chapters today (including the one I uploaded a couple hours ago). I've already written up to chapter 33, and I realized there's far too many chapter drafts lolol. So enjoy!

Expect the next chapter within the next hour of this one's upload! [2/3])

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I don't know how long I ran for, trying to organize my thoughts, my feelings. But my mind was just about as neat as the straggly undergrowth at my feet, my thoughts about as clear as the warbled sounds around me.

Tears of fear and rage alike stung my ducts. Why did Zion hate me so much? Where did that power come from? What am I going to do now that I'm exiled from the Southern Pack?

The latter made my stomach lurch. I could only guess what happened to exiled members. They were on their own; rogues. If another pack were to find me, I highly doubted they would have Azriel's generous reception. No, they would probably kill me on-sight. 

I gasped as my foot clipped a log, and I careened to the ground. Mud filled my mouth and nose, its texture slippery and cold as it sluiced through the cracks of my fingers and toes. I struggled upright, couching and sputtering. For a while I just sat there, panting and sobbing, my tears curdling with the mud on my face. I'd screwed up -- bad. I was alone in a woodland with several angry werewolf territories, all of which would have the means to kill me.

I drew my knees to my chest. Where could I go? I couldn't go back and plead my case -- I had attacked the Beta, and being his right-hand man, I knew Azriel wouldn't take nicely to that fact. And going back to my real  home was out of the question.

I sighed. I was about to get up when a rustle sounded from the bushes. Within moments, several figures emerged, and I hopped to my feet immediately. My jaw slacked with shock.

"Olcan? Raina?" I asked, dumbfounded. Two more faces appeared -- Ulric and Susi!

"What are you guys doing here?" I stammered.

Raina gave me a sad smile. "We saw what happened with Lord Zion," she muttered. I stood there, shoulders curving in with shame. I hated to think I'd let them down like this. Not only had I let myself down, but I'd let down the only people who had been half-willing to accept me, too.

"I'm sorry--"

"It's not your fault, Kyra," Olcan cut in. His dark features were hard, black eyes staring at me with a kind of conviction I'd yet to see. "Everyone knows Emotional Magic is triggered by feelings like fear. For him to use his Ageto on you was just... stupid."

"It was his fault, if anything," Susi jumped in, dark eyes wide. "Even if Lord Zion refuses to see it, I'm sure Lord Azriel will know it wasn't your fault. Our Alpha is very understanding, after all."

I swallowed. "I still attacked him, though," I muttered, staring at the ground. I wiped my face with my arm, shivering as the cold sludge stuck to my skin. "Even if I didn't mean to, I still attacked him. I know Azriel -- I mean Lord Azriel is kind, but I'm not sure he'll extend his kindness to this degree."

The kids' shoulders slumped, and I stared at the ground. I couldn't stand it -- any of it. Failing myself had been bad enough. But seeing these people so upset by my actions, too? God, I wanted nothing more than to keel over and die. Though, by the way the guilt was painfully knotting my gut, it almost felt like I was dying. 

Good, I thought bitterly. I'd be better off dead. Anything's better than suffering at the hands of another pack. 

We stood in silence, taking in the sounds and scents of the forest. I looked at each of the kids, trying to discern their gazes, but whatever emotions they felt were hidden well. I was about to suggest they go back when Olcan's head snapped up.

"You guys smell that?"

I sniffed the air. The air smelt strange. I hadn't noticed it at first -- not over the sickly-sweet stench of wildflowers -- but now that Olcan had pointed it out, it was all I could smell. My breathing hitched as I recognized the scent. It smelt so familiar, and yet so foreign at the same time -- similar to what I'd smelt the first night I'd shifted.

I looked towards the kids for guidance. Alarm rang through me as I watched the color drain from Raina's face. Ulric and Susi where scanning the canopy wildly, eyes wide with fear. Olcan simply stared ahead, his face paling.

"Enemy wolves."