Prologue: Friday July 15, 2016 Pt. 2

“Please, I’m not here to hurt you!” 

I scream as the wolf’s attack pauses long enough to shift back to human. I’m sitting on the ground as the pale skinned form of a young man appears before me. Tall and muscular with pale blue eyes and ink black hair. 

“Get up and fight you filthy rogue.” 

He growls as he looks down upon me in disgust. 

“I’m not here to fight. I mean you no harm.” 

“Bull shit, you rogues are all the same. Don’t lie to me telling me you’re not here to harm. I know what you did to the Blue Ridge pack. Where’s the rest of your group?” 

“It’s just me. There are no others.” 

I pant as I feel my blood crawling down my left side. 

“You must have a death wish.” 

He growls as he lifts me like a rag doll from the ground and throws me into the closest tree on the opposite side of the path. The sickening crack of my ribs against the unmoving tree echoes through the unnaturally silent night. 

“To pursue a pack of our size alone is suicidal.” 

He continues his unforgiving assault with several kicks to my chest and abdomen.

“Please, stop attacking.” I beg from my position on the ground. “I’m not a rogue. I have no interest in attacking your pack.” 

I wheeze through quickly as I spit the blood filling my mouth onto the ground. I quickly raise my arm in an effort to protect my face and head, whining hard as the young man draws his leg back for another blow. 

“Hold!” 

The angry young man commands. His voice easily holds the authority of an alpha I just don’t know if he’s “the alpha” I need to speak with. I’m shaking hard but at last he’s picked up on my submission towards him and he’s been taught well not to continue the fight. 

“What’s going on?” Another male voice inquires as I am surrounded by the sounds of multiple individuals shifting into human form. 

“He claims he’s not a rogue.” 

“Don’t they all?” 

Another nude young man stops beside the first. 

“What is your purpose here? Why are you crossing our border unannounced?” 

His attention is back on me as I start reigning in my ability to breathe. 

“Are you familiar with Blue Ridge?” 

“They’re our only neighbors. Of course we’re familiar.” He spits aggressively. 

“The rumors are true. Blue Ridge was attacked by rogues which allowed the original beta of the pack to become alpha. Only half of the original pack had the resources necessary to flee during the first year before the border was shut down and no one else was allowed to leave. After twelve years those who remain now have pups and Blue Ridge has become a nightmare. Alpha Anderson went on a tirade and killed several pack members in order to turn their pups into slaves. Only someone from the outside can help us now. Please, I need to meet with your alpha.” 

I can hear the young alpha sigh but he’s otherwise silent for several minutes. 

“Okay, so Devon, Dereck, Mallory and Celine; the four of you need to shift back into wolf and help escort us home. It’s midnight so our training is over as scheduled. Parker, I need you to scrounge up clothes for you and I. Dad has commanded us to help him to the hospital wing.” 

I watch the second young man walk away from the first as the unnatural contortion of human bodies echo through the woods. It's only after the night goes eerily silent that the second young man emerges onto the path again. 

“What took you so long?” The young alpha growls at, what appears to be, his beta. 

“You took off in a full sprint as soon as you smelled him without telling us what was going on.” 

The other young man reappears clad in a pair of shorts and holding an additional pair out towards the alpha. 

“Part of border training is communication, Day. I know you’re an alpha and new to border training but what’s with this hostility towards Blue Ridge?” 

“Mom and dad were friends with the alpha and luna that were killed in the attack. Savannah and her twin, Samantha, were never found. Savannah was my friend. I may have been barely five when she disappeared but something about her disappearance still haunts me.” 

“So you take it out on someone who has nothing to do with it?” 

His beta questions him with a light chuckle as the young man steps into a pair of shorts. 

“Can you stand? Can you walk?” He asks with a frustrated sigh. 

I attempt to stand on my own but end up collapsing against the tree he threw me against with several hard yelps. The other four wolves that surrounded me at the end of our battle look back towards me. 

“My dad’s going to put a hurting on my ass for this.” 

He speaks quietly while running his hand roughly through his hair. 

“Parker, he’s going to need more help than I anticipated. That nasty sounding crack must have been his ribs.” 

“Just give me a minute to stand but I will need help walking.” 

“Yes sir.” His voice is calmer, with a hint of shame as he moves closer to me. 

“Sir?” I question, uncertain of the sudden change. 

“Just because my father has stopped my attack and agreed to meet with you doesn’t make you any less a prisoner until he determines the nature of your visit but….” He pauses a moment before continuing. “But that doesn’t mean I continue acting like an ass towards you.” 

I finally manage to get to my feet but I’m leaning heavily upon the tree. 

“Wrap your arm around my shoulders then after we step away from the tree Parker will get on your other side. Dad knows I hurt you so he’s grabbing the mule and is going to meet us on this path. We just need to get farther up where it widens out.”