Prologue | Commence

Her hair lies on the muddy ground, soaked and somber. Blood crawling towards the water, blending with it. I scanned the faces of the fallen fighters but my eyes landed on the unfamiliar wolf. His neck was slashed open and his leg was pulled off of his body. I walked closer to it and saw how black their eyes are even when they are dead. I assume that even in their dreams and in the afterlife, these feral wolves are still savages.

“We should get going, Runt.”

I was surprised as I didn’t sense the man who called me. I quickly stood and stepped away from the dead feral wolf.

“Don’t call her that.”

I lifted my eyes but my head is still lowered and humbled. I gazed upon the two men bickering until the one who called me ‘Runt’ threw his hands and walked away. But he left me a glance. A glance that says how much he dislikes my presence. Although this group of wolves, group of rogues to be exact, isn’t a pack. These men are lone wolves. They can detach themselves from the group and run free.

But in my case, I can’t be a lone wolf. I can never be alone. I need my parents and a home. But that home was already burnt down by the feral wolves. They have chewed on my father’s limbs and bit off my mother’s head. And I hate how I did nothing to help them. To help the pack. All because I am a runt!

I turned to look at the man who defended me, tears are welling in my eyes.

“You need to stop crying over your mother’s head. Your pack is gone.” He threw the seed of his apple into the water. It splashed and hit my face. “None of us can defend you. Pray to your damned Moon Goddess and hope to find a pack that could accept you.”

He shifted to his wolf form and trotted towards the men collecting weapons and coins from the corpses. I lowered my gaze and watched my reflection swirl in the muddy waters.

“The wasp has lost its sting!” Someone behind me said out loud, attracting all the rogues’ attention. “The Alpha.” He threw the wolf body to my feet. “Your Alpha.”

I swallowed so hard that it pushed the tears to slide down to my cheek. I looked up to the man who carried the Alpha’s wolf body and he sighed. “You should get something that could protect you, Etheral.”

“I don’t know…” I pulled my shawl closer to my chest then squeezed my forearm.

He groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I saw some daggers, bows, and knives on the Alpha’s weapon vault. You’re a twelve-year-old runt and you’re weak. At least find something, we’ll be heading out soon.”

And to his commands, I nodded and watched him walk past me. I looked back to where he came from and began to trudge towards the Alpha’s mansion.

I tried to mindlink any pack member that could possibly be alive and has recovered right now but there is still no response. And that’s when I accepted the truth that everyone was slaughtered.

I am the only one left. A runt and now, a rogue.

***

Two years since my original pack was slaughtered. I have been traveling with these rogues for a long time, learning how the rogues work in no man’s land while looking for a pack to take an orphan runt. But no one dares to accept me. Sighs, and I think I must detach myself from the group, just like the other rogues did. The only person who accompanied me throughout my search for a home was Raphal.

“Do you think they will accept me?” I asked in a low voice, trying not to attract a wild animal around. In those months of traveling with rogues, I experience at least three to four tail-chasing incidents. We were mostly chased by wild animals and I mostly hid in rabbit burrows or bushes.

“I don’t know, do you?” he said, a little bit harsh. But that’s Raphal, he always sounds mad. “If not, you got to continue learning and surviving alone.”

I heaved out a worried sigh for I know what he means. We are currently heading towards the west for the possibility of joining a pack. And I know that this pack, just like the other packs I encountered, won’t look me in the eye and straight away reject me. It’s a sickening thought but I got to stomach that.

“It’s the Highland pack, I remembered their Alpha… he was kind. But if they won’t accept you. You can stay near their borders.”

Raphal will be leaving me regardless if I have a pack or not. I am someone else’s weakness if they attach themselves to me longer than they should. Raphal should’ve left me before but he said something that I didn’t understand. But I knew that he simply felt sorry for my situation.

“Where will you go?” I questioned, not looking him in the eye. Even though he is harsh on me, I look up to him as my older brother.

“Someplace where I can’t bring you.”

Short and cold response but it almost made me cry. I don’t know if I am ready to live by myself. Raphal has taught me everything, it is up to me to make it work now.

“We are close, this is as far as I can go, Etheral.”

I gulped and looked straight ahead. Then I turned to look at him, he shifted to his human form and I, too, shifted. I inhaled, holding back my tears from falling.

“Stay alive, Etheral.” Then Raphal did something that truly melted my heart. A brotherly hug. Raphal was the first one to break the hug and stood a step away from me.

“Thank you for helping me,” I whispered and he nodded with a flat smile before shifting to his wolf form. He made a low growl at me, that was his goodbye and I responded, “Bye, Raphal. Take care.”

Once his wolf ran in the opposite direction and fade in with the forest, I mumbled to myself, “Happy birthday, Etheral.”

I have received so many worst gifts, today is no different.