Chapter 2: Second guessed.

"Luna Sabrina, Alpha Damien and the rest of the pack are waiting for you outside."

I nod to the maid and slip into my running clothes before making my way downstairs.

Tonight is a pack run. 

Pack runs are simple and they usually help me get my mind off everything.

With tensions running high because of the recent rogue attacks, I suggested we do them more than usual and now the pack has taken to going on runs every other day.

For every other pack member, it's optional for them to participate in the pack runs, but for the Alpha and Luna, going on a pack run is compulsory.

I stand at the edge of the clearing, my pants and top hugging my body tightly as I stare at the slight fog weaving through the trees.

Damien's voice booms through the air as he addresses the small crowd, "The aim of the run tonight is simple. Hunt!

We're going to track a deer, bring the meat back, and gather under the night sky where we'll have dinner together, as a pack!"

Loud cheers ring out immediately from the pack members but my stomach simply knots at the thought.

A pack dinner means the eyes of everyone will be on me as they whisper about Elara's death all over again.

Damien's stare drills into my back from across the grass but I don't need to turn around to feel that. He hasn't said a word to me since we left the council chamber room. 

Hasn't said a word after he told me I stink.

My hair hangs down over my shoulders in a braid, still damp from the long shower I took, except showers don't ever wash off the feeling of shame.

The pack members mill around restlessly as they wait for Damien's signal for the hunt to begin.His voice finally cuts through the low hum of people, commanding and loud, "Sabrina will lead the hunt for tonight."

Sounds of surprise roll through the pack and every head turns my way almost immediately. I don't acknowledge them.

I keep my eyes on the ground while my heart races in my chest. Well, okay... I can do this.

I've always been able to track better than most of the pack gives me credit for, so maybe if I bring back the deer someone will look at me tonight without seeing a murderer.

I nod once and step into the tree line, my hands hooking under the hem of my shirt as I do so. 

The leader of a hunt always shifts first and my change is quick and painless.

My wolf, Thea, emerges with a pleased whine and her silver-gray coat shines in the moonlight.

Her frame is leaner and smaller but she's always been faster than most of the bigger wolves in the pack.

With a shake of our fur, we drop our nose to the earth. The scent of a deer hits me immediately.

I raise my head and speak through the open pack mind link, "There's a young buck, healthy, moving north."

Thea darts through the woods in a flash and soon the rest of the pack shifts and falls behind me.

Once we start running, everything feels right.

My paws are silent on the forest floor, the sound and smell of everything filtering in through my nose and ears. The crunch of damp leaves behind me tells me everyone is following closely and for a moment I let myself hope this could be a success.

We'll kill this deer, have a nice dinner, and retire to bed without any errors.

I let myself hope that will happen but I hoped too soon.

A shudder runs through me as we catch it. There’s a second scent here.

It's sharp and wrong. It's the smell of a rogue. 

A male rogue. It's still so strong, it couldn’t be less than an hour old.

Thea stops running so suddenly the wolf behind us almost collides with us.

I dart behind a tree nearby and shift back to human form. When I look out, everyone is staring at me, mostly still in their wolf forms and whining in displeasure.

Damien steps through the gathering of wolves, already human and somehow dressed. His eyes rest on me, hard and questioning as he asks, “Why'd we stop?”

My throat swallows on instinct,

"A rogue just crossed the forest recently," I say, keeping my voice low. "It's barely less than an hour ago. It could be one wolf or maybe two."

Damien’s expression is carved from stone as he asks, "Are you sure about that?"

I meet his gaze and swallow again as I nod, "Yes, yes I am."

Damien's eyes glow bright gold immediately, lighting up the dark forest as he does what only the Alpha of a pack can do. He pushes some people off the mind link, separating it to form a private stream.

I'm surprised to realize he doesn't push me off. 

His voice rings clearly in my head a second later, "Garrick, take four warriors and check it out. The rest of us will stay on the deer."

He's splitting the group. But I caught the scent of the rogue. Shouldn't I be among the people tracking him down?

The question almost leaves my lips but it's too late. Garrick and four other wolves peel off from the group immediately. 

I shift back into my wolf and continue tracking the deer north. Ten minutes later, the scent of the deer becomes stronger but panic is heavy in its scent. It's close and it knows we're tracking it.

I give a command for every wolf to fan out. The second everyone moves to follow the order something interrupts us. 

Garrick and the rest of the warriors come jogging through the woods in human form. Everyone is still and anxious for his report when he announces loudly, "Nothing!"

Garrick's eyes slide over to me with a smug grin as he continues, "There's no rogues moving through the trees, there’s nothing in the woods. There are only old markings from last week's patrol but no fresh rogue signs." Garrick lets out a snicker that stings my skin as he murmurs, "Maybe the Luna's nerves are getting the better of her today."

Heat crawls up my neck as a few low chuckles roll through on the mind link.

I open my mouth to argue, then I close it. 

Arguing will make me look weaker, like I'm truly crazy and trying to insist I'm right.

Damien’s scowl rolls through his voice as he commands, "Let's close in on the deer and end the hunt for tonight. We've wasted enough time already."

That ends the discussion but the rhythm of the pack is broken. Mocking whispers start following me on the mind link.

I hear pack members snickering and laughing as I lead them through the run but that's not the worst of it. 

The worst is now, my signals are getting second-guessed.

The pack members are no longer following my commands and when they do, they waste time looking at Damien or Garrick for confirmation first.

The deer's scent slips away and our wolves come to a halt at a deep ravine. The deer's scent lingers in the air past it, but no one is going down that path.

We just lost it.