The Rogue Hunter

Chapter Eleven: Full Moon

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Kristine
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I stalk the woods in a suburban area. Surprisingly, I find clothes drying on a clothes line. I cautiously make my way to the house, keeping an eye out for children or dogs. I grab a shirt from the line and go back to woods. I didn't see a need to look for pants, mine are only a bit dirty. My shirt on the other hand has been torn and had pink marks on it from where the blood didn't wash out. I quickly slide the shirt on, it's a bit baggy but that doesn't bother me.
As I enter the small town, I throw my old shirt in a dumpster then pick pocket a middle aged woman. I skim through the wallet, taking the cash out and leaving the rest be. Searching the streets, I see a drug store. I go into it and collect the items I need. A lost and found box is at the counter so I toss the wallet in when the man behind the counter wasn't looking.
"Have a nice day!" The man chirps. I nod my head, grab my bag and leave. Spend what little money I have on a motel room or go back to the woods? I choose the forest. Once I am deep enough, I settle down against the trunk of tree. I pop a few pain pills into my mouth before taking care of my leg. When my leg is better taken care of, the pain isn't so bad. I can't tell if that would be because of the pills or the splint, doesn't really matter I suppose.
I take the pocket knife I bought and tuck it into my pocket. Leaving the bag behind, I start walking once more. I have no idea where I am going, and if I don't know, Axel won't have a clue to where I could be going. At least I have that in my favor cause this broken leg is really slowing me down. I carefully maneuver my way around the woods, I make sure to avoid rogues. Luckily, they are passive aggressive toward other rogues so even if they smelt me, they most likely would not pursue a fight with me.

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Axel
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I pace the forest, seething with anger. The wind teases me with Kris's scent, but every time I follow it, it disappears. My men are of no use, Kris blocked her scent and it seems that only I can even get a hint of it.
"You'll find her Axel." Brek says, leaning against a tree. I think Brek made Jax stay at the pack house to watch over things and to not annoy me. My pack members are to scared to come up to me, I guess I look as angry as I feel. I unintentionally snarl at Brek who holds his hands up in surrender but doesn't look threatened.
"I know we will, I just want it to be sooner rather than later." I tell him with a tired sigh. I run my hands through my hair. "Kris is hurt, I can feel it. I don't want to risk rogues finding her when she's weak." I admit. Brek walks over to me and outs a hand on my shoulder.
"Kris will be fine, Alpha. You saw how she handled those rogues. She's smart she'll stay safe. And whenever she stops, you will be able to track her." He informs me. I nod but am not sure, Kris has years of experience being a rogue. She knows how to stay hidden. How do you find a werewolf who knows how to hide and doesn't want to be found?
Why can't she stay in one place? Why does she have to run? Why can't she want to me like I want her? My heart feels heavy with her so far away, doesn't she feel the same? Mates aren't meant to be apart. We are mean't to be with one another, to balance each other out. Without Kris close, I feel unstable. Anger is consuming me no matter how hard I fight it. I'm loosing control, soon the wolf side of me with take charge and I don't know if I will be able to put him back in the cage. I do not want to endanger Kris, having no control will put everyone in harms way. The wolf in me won't stop until we have found and marked Kris. I don't know if he will push it farther, no one has never had to hold back their wolf side like this. Most mates feel the pull and complete the claim within a few days. And here my mate is running around unmarked where any rogue dumb enough can get her.
Then a thought comes to mind, what if Kris already has a lover? Is that why she is rejecting our bond? I growl deep in my chest, I'll kill him. No one can touch my mate but me! Then the voice of reason comes back, Kris didn't smell of a male, her woodsy scent was only accented by rogue blood. And I would know if another man marked her, I would have seen it and I would have sensed it. So she is rejecting me for no other reason other than she doesn't want a mate? Should I feel relieved or worse? I tug at my hair in confusion. I just need to hold her... Then everything will be better.

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Kristine
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I feel as if I am pulling against a rubber band, I've gone as far as I can and it is going to sling me back. It's a strange thing for sure, the tugging on my insides has become annoying. My hand latches onto a tree, the bark digging into my hand as I try to catch my breath. I make a face of confusion, I haven't been walking long enough for me to be out of breath, my leg is making it more difficult but not that difficult. Every step I take feels heavier.
I growl at everything around me. What is wrong with me? My head pulses in pain, the pills I took doing nothing abate it. I haven't gotten far enough from the pack to stop, I need to keep going if I want any chance of staying free. My scent is hidden but I don't plan on making it remotely possible for them to track me, attempting to stay light of my feet, I continue my trek through the woods. Gritting my teeth as I go, each step bringing discomfort.
My skin begins to tremble and I look up at the now dark sky. Full moon. I inwardly growl, of course it's tonight. My fingers crack and my nails turn to claws like things. And everything begins to fade to back, but that will only be for a moment. When my eye sight comes back to me, everything will be clearer.
Then moment passes and the night might as well be day. My body starts to move on it's own, I stopped fighting it years ago. I don't know why this happens, it not a shift, other werewolves have control of their actions and have fur, I don't. My nose lifts to the sky and I inhale, rogues are not far off. I watch my body carry itself toward them, my boots hitting the ground with no sound. Rage is all I feel but that emotion has become so familiar that I almost find peace in it.
I skid to a stop in front of their camp. I watch the four grown men fall back, fear all over their faces and scent. They growl at me and I return a growl of more power, they cower back, whimpering like pups.
"Oh goddess, it's a monster." One comments, my head snaps toward him. I feel my lips turn back in a wicked smile. My body lunges toward the man, tearing him to shreds. The others scream but not for long. I make quick work of them too. I drift off into sleep while my body moves through the forest.

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I wake to the bright sun, I sit up to see I am laying in the middle of the forest. Knowing the drill, I pull myself up and begin to walk once more. My tired legs doing their best to carry me. I hate this time of the month, the time were I am held prisoner in my own body. During that one night a month, I search for rogues and kill them. But it is not me doing it, I don't know why and I don't know how, but all my control is gone.

In all my travels, not one werewolf stays in human skin and looses their conscious actions. No one in my pack did what I do, not that I remember. Dad didn't have my problem, he used to shift into his fur in front of me. Dad would let Kate and I climb onto his backs. I remember that we would laugh and shriek as the wind blew through our hair. I close my eyes and recall the feel of Dad's fur in my tiny hands. I open my eyes and look down at my hands, calloused and scared, they shake with held in emotions.
"You see everyone here, Krissy? They are our family. Not by blood, but by bond." The voice of a faded memory whispers to me. The warmth of my fathers hand wrapped mine as we stared at the pack at some sort of picnic. I remember him smiling down at me with his warm brown eyes. But that's just a memory, my father is not here to tell me anything anymore.
I continue to drag my feet along the forest, not clue to where I am going. I wipe at my watery eyes, drying the tears before they fell. Crying is for the weak. I swore never to cry out of pain again, if I was going to ever cry again, it will be in knowing that my pack has been revenged. My mother's encouraging smile flashes through my mind's eye. My memories seem to be rejecting being ignored today and are going full force. I let out a meek growl as the images play with my emotions. Drugging up things I've worked so hard to bury, things better left in the past. Why can't they just go away for a little while? I can't afford the reaction they evoke from me. Emotions are messy things that can destroy even the most well organized plans.

Word Count: 1,168

Date Published: 10/29/16

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