Chapter 5

I shut my locker after pulling everything out and putting it in my backpack. The halls were dead, save for a few of the seniors pulling their things out as well. Swallowing hard, I closed my locker quietly and headed down the hall.

We should all be in class now. The teachers trying to teach and us trying our hardest not to listen. Instead, two-thirds of the pack was already gone. Everyone was gone that I was close to. Their families had already packed up and moved. Those that were left were trying to hurry before the deadline.

Dad negotiated with the rogue Alpha. He wanted our territory. Him and his band of wild rogue wolves wanted a pack to call their own. They claimed ours. According to Dad, it was because help would be too late and we were all too easy to manipulate into not putting up a fight.

However, the leadership and their family had to stay. We would be the ones left, despite Dad desperately trying to allow Henry and I to leave. I knew that would happen, and Henry seemed to understand that as well. Our worst-case scenario was playing out. By Saturday, we all could be dead.

Originally, I think they were planning on having a day of school, which is why Dad dropped me off this morning. They wanted to keep the younger kids out of the way while the adults helped each other get packed up and out within two days. Otherwise, there was a chance they would get caught up in what was about to happen.

From what Henry told me, they had posted up right on the edge of our territory. Inspecting everyone to make sure leadership didn’t slip through the cracks. Henry and I wouldn’t leave Dad alone, but I had a feeling that Beta Richard or one of the many she-wolves Gamma Paul had, would try to slip away. So far I hadn’t heard anyone died, but it could just be that they were keeping it from me.

Walking back home would take a while, but I didn’t want to bother anyone. They were helping and I was useless. My hand squeezed my backpack strap tight. I hated this feeling. The two of them were still trying to protect me, even though I wasn’t a child anymore. Even though we were probably going to die in a few days.

The center of town was quiet as I walked down the sidewalk. Almost like a storm was coming. All the windows were boarded up, no one was walking around, even the sun was hiding behind the clouds. With the wind, it felt eerie. I continued walking, out of town and down the road that eventually turned into dirt.

The pack house was probably the only place that didn’t look abandoned. Dad said we shouldn’t bother boarding up anything and we still were living in it for now. I think he wanted some semblance of normalcy, his positive outlook about everything still shining through. As though he still had hope that he was going to save Henry and I when the rogues came knocking.

Tapping my feet against the deck, I pulled my shoes off on the carpet and stepped into the quiet house. I didn’t bother announcing myself. No one was home. It was lunch time and I didn’t think anyone would be back till dinner. Still, somehow, we had dinner together at the table every night. We didn’t really talk anymore, instead just quietly sitting in each other’s company.

Heading up the stairs, I opened the door to my room. The gloom from outside made my room feel off. Setting down my backpack in my desk chair, I opened the window and leaned against the railing. My chin settled down onto my arm as I looked out over the trees and the dark clouds.

I was surprised when Henry’s car pulled into the driveway. He shut the door, looking up at me with a confused look on his face.

“I thought you were supposed to be in school?”

Snorting, I shook my head. “With what teachers, Henry? Everyone is gone. I cleared out my locker and brought everything home.”

“Did you walk?” He stood in front of the house, looking up at me.

“Yeah. Did you want lunch?” I didn’t know what time it was now, but I figured it might be time to eat.

He shook his head, instead lighting up another cigarette. Something he was doing more frequently now, but I wasn’t going to tell him off for it now. Turning, Henry looked out over the view I was seeing.

“Almost everyone is packed up. I think most everyone will be leaving the territory tomorrow.”

I set my chin back down on my arm. We were quiet as he smoked, both of us looking out at the territory. My heart went out to Henry. For so long, he knew he was going to be Alpha. He put his all into training and learning, now it would be moot. Even if we did make it out, Henry wouldn’t ever be Alpha. Our legacy as Alphas of the Blue Mountain pack was gone.

“What if I…?” I didn’t even get my idea out.

“No!” Henry growled, pointing his finger up at me. “You will do nothing except what Dad and I say, do you understand?”

I sighed, my shoulders sagging. “But I could help! I don’t have to be useless!”

“No one said you were useless, Tahlia.”

“Yeah, but…”

Henry glared up at me again, taking another puff. “No. You aren’t useless. We know that. What you have a penchant of doing is getting yourself into trouble. We know you could help, the issue is that your kind of helping would mean you would fight with every single rogue on this territory.”

Snorting, I shrugged. “I mean…”

“No, Tahlia.” Henry was firm, but there was something else in his tone. “These guys, they aren’t like you and I. They aren’t like the pack or other wolves. The madness has already gotten to them. Their hatred and anger towards packs has twisted them. They aren’t human or even wolves anymore.”

“So what are they? I thought rogues just were pack-less werewolves.”

He stamped out his cigarette, looking down at the box and probably debating to have another one. “Some are. Not all rogue wolves are bad. Just…these guys…they are killers. They are the worst of the worst. Their wolves are feral and there are more like monsters than anything.”

Turning, Henry gave me a soft smile. “I know, if I fought you one-on-one, I might actually loose against you. Which hurts my ego to say. You tap into your wolf, even without shifting, far more than I ever could. You know your body perfectly and how it needs to move and you can do it. These guys though…they don’t fight like humans or wolves. You wouldn’t stand a chance, but because they don’t fight like that.”

“But you just said…!” I finally let the frustration crack my voice.

“I know what I said! What I’m saying is that you would never get your one-on-one. They don’t care about honor or rules or how a duel should be handled. They don’t care about that. If they had, they would have challenged Dad to a fight, like you’re supposed to. Instead they poison our pack, made them weak, and use their lives as leverage. They are monsters, Tahlia. Monsters will tear you apart.”

I realized what the edge was in his voice. It was fear. Henry was scared. It was the first time I’d ever heard my brother be afraid. The realization made me shut my mouth. He ran his hand through his hair before sighing.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap.”

“No, it’s fine. You’re right. I can’t fight against monsters.” I added the last part quietly.

His shoulders fell before he tucked the box into his pocket. “Come on, let’s make something to eat. I’m hungry. Dad probably will be back late, so we will have a late dinner.”

Nodding, I pushed up off the railing and closed the window. Before my hands let go of the latch, I felt tears slip down my face. Henry being afraid scared me. He was my rock and he was the one I looked up to in how I should handle a situation. If he was scared, how was I supposed to be strong?

Taking a deep breath, I shook my head. No. I had to be strong. If he was scared, it was my turn to be his rock. I would stand tall. I would hold his hand and we would stand no matter if our knees wanted to buckle. We would help each other. That’s what I could do. How I could be of some use to Dad and Henry. I would be the one to hold them up.