Where There's a Wolf There's a Way [1]

Not a Typical Rogue

**Warning - Her mother is her mother so there will be some abuse but mostly in flashbacks. Also there will be some cussing mostly from Gabriel and North.

           

Sang POV

My side throbs and black spots dance across my vision as I run. My breaths are becoming labored but I don't stop. I can't stop. I just wanted to help the small ones home but the bigger one didn't like me near them apparently. I try not to mess with the big ones but the small ones were so lost I couldn't ignore it.

Distantly I can hear her pursuing me as I dodge through the trees. The light is slowly fading from the sky as the ground begins to cool. It's getting closer to the cold time. I'll have to find some place warm to stay at night soon. It seems like I'm always running. No one ever likes having me around. The others always chase me off and I don't dare approach the two-legged ones. I have nightmares about them. The ones that chase me with shiny things that cause so much pain. One of them got me in the shoulder before. That was the first time that I thought I was going to die but it was not the last. I have others nightmares too but I never remember them when I wake up, just the sensation of pain and sometimes a burning in my throat. 

            My paws stumble for just a moment before I regain my footing. I won't be able to make it much longer. She got me pretty good with her claws. I can feel a warm liquid traveling down my side and am starting to feel light headed. Up ahead I see an overturned, hollow log. My small wolf body should just be able to squeeze into it. I slowly work myself in and feel safer tucked away. She won't be able to reach me in here but if she decided to wait me out it won't matter. They usually lose interest after a while though.

            As it darkens a cool wind begins to blow through my fur. The mud I rubbed on earlier hardens and cools. I shiver and try and wrap my small body as tight as possible as if it will give me some extra warmth. My breathing doesn't feel right and soon the black spots become too much and I slowly lose myself to the darkness.

Luke POV

            Kota and I had just finished a job and pulled up to the house. As we walk towards the front door all I can think about it crawling into my bed, passing out, and sleeping for days. Maybe North will let me. Probably not but a guy can hope, right? I take a deep breath only to pick up a foreign scent. I pause sniffing again. Kota stops and glances back at me and quickly copies my actions.

            "That's a shifter scent but not one I'm familiar with," he states testing the air again. It seems to be coming from the woods directly in front of the house.

            "Rogue?" I ask. We haven't had any problems with any rogues yet. Most were aware of our reputation and the academy so they usually steered clear. I watch as Kota's eyes glaze over before he focuses back on me.

            "Possibly, I mind-linked North and Silas. We need to be prepared in case it is." I nod and start shifting from foot to foot while we wait. It doesn't take long for the two to exit the house and head toward us. I watch them scent the air and find the foreign odor.

            "Definitely shifter," Silas states. North grunts in agreement. We slowly make our way to the woods, North taking the lead. The scent became stronger and stronger until we came across an overturned log. It seemed to be strongest around here but we didn't see anything. North suddenly whips his head to the left. I listen closely and finally can make out the sounds of something getting rapidly closer. All of a sudden North lets lose a terrifying growl that if I hadn't heard it many a times before would have possibly made me pee myself. Whatever was coming stops and moves away.

            "What was it?" I ask.

            "A bear," North replies. He would be able to scare a terrifying bear off with a single growl. I honestly shouldn't be surprised. I am about to say as much when I hear a whimper come from the log. Everyone freezes.

            I, being the closest, slowly bend down and look into the hollow log. At the very back I can just make out the shape of a very small wolf. Its eyes staring at me as I take in its appearance. It's curled up so tight that I can't really make any details out.

            "Hey there, you want to come out here so we can talk?" I ask it. It just stares at me with so much fear in its eyes and it is slowly breaking my heart. "Are you hurt? Was that bear chasing you?" Again I get no response. I glance up at Kota who has been watching the exchange.

            "It's definitely a shifter. I don't know how it got so far back into that log though. I've never seen a wolf shifter that small." I glance at the others and see that North is just staring at the log while Silas is moving around to the other end.

            "Well, my name is Luke and these are my brothers Kota, North, and Silas. I know North looks pretty scary but don't worry he's like an onion with a lot of scary layers on the outside," I joke hoping to relax the wolf.

            "Don't f***ing tell it that. Don't get that close either. We don't know anything about it." I ignore North's warning as I stare at the small creature. For some reason, I feel drawn to it. I just know that it isn't like other rogues.

            "Guys..." I hear Silas start. I look up at him. He is standing towards the middle of the log staring down at the ground. I pick myself up as I hear movement behind me. I follow his gaze and gasp as dread fills me. Even in the dark I can still make out the red liquid seeping out of the log. I get back down and peer in. Sure enough it is coming from where the creature is laying. It is hurt.

            "Hey buddy, we have a doctor who can fix you up, but I need you to come out. You're bleeding pretty badly." The creature just continues to stare at me but I start to notice the way its eyes and head are drooping. It's fighting to stay conscious. Vaguely I sense Silas leaving. Kota bends down beside me taking in the small frightened, injured wolf.

            "Woah," he breathes out obviously shocked at the sight of the small animal. I give him a look that says I fully understand.

            Silas went to go get Doc. We need to get it out of the log. I hear Kota through the mind-link.

            I don't think it's going to come out. It's terrified and is currently barely conscious. I don't think it could get out even if it wanted to. North looks torn about the situation. He hates rogues with a passion especially one so close to home. It is a risk to his family. But an injured, helpless wolf shifter was another thing entirely.

            I can try and split the log on top. That way we can just pick them up out of it. It looks pretty old and rotted. I can see Kota weighing the options in his head before giving North nod. As North approaches the log and duck back down and meet the drooping eyes of the mystery wolf.

            "Hey buddy, my brother North is going to break the log at the top so we can get you out, okay?" I watch as its eyes widen and it tries to move but can't. "Hey, hey it's okay. We're not going to hurt you. We just want to help and if you stay in there you will bleed out and die." I continue to murmur soothing words as North grasped the log on each side. Slowly he applied pressure and sure enough the log split apart, cracking along the top. The wolf startled again and tried to get up but fell back down and this time I watch as its eyes close and its body slumps.

            "It just lost consciousness," I state standing up.

            "Guess that my cue," I hear Sean say as he approaches the log Silas behind him. I watch as he stiffens taking in the appearance of the small wolf. North goes to stand with Silas as we all watch Sean check it over. Suddenly Sean whips his head up to look at us. "We need to move now. North come pick her up carefully. We need to get her back to the house or she won't make it through the night."

North reacts immediately. The rest of us follow closely behind. But my mind is elsewhere. All I can think about is what Sean said. It is rare to have female shifters by themselves especially one as small as that. There is no telling how young she is. I think back to that terrified look in her eyes and wonder just what all has this poor girl been through.