Chapter 2: ON THE RUNNING OUT OF THE PACK

TEN YEARS LATER

I was searching for a job and a place to stay in the city, so I visited many small establishments. Eventually, I came across a shop called 'Cheap and Nice Store', which was situated between two bigger stores. It sold trinkets to tourists and people who liked to collect things. The shop was old and had few employees, so I thought it would be a great place to stay out of sight.

When I opened my bag, I realized I only had $100 left. I had been walking for some time, but luckily I didn't smell any wolves nearby, so I thought it was a good time to start looking for a job to earn some extra money, just in case the next town or city had any wolves.

When I saw the advertisement in the large display window, I was filled with hope. Upon entering the store, the small bell chimed and the kind owner, named Danes, welcomed me warmly. We had a pleasant conversation, and he was delighted to hear that I was interested in the job.

It was a stroke of luck for both of us, as I was about to give up and find a motel when I had seen the sign.

Danes hired me without qualms and in the few minutes we had talked, we felt like we had become fast friends. With the little cash I had, I was able to pay for a room in a rundown motel that offered me a bit of privacy at a reasonable price. The motel was two blocks away from the tiny shop. Feeling better, I was now restocking the shelves.

I carefully pulled the tacky knick-knacks out of the Styrofoam packaging and placed them on the glass display shelves. Snow globes and brightly painted ceramic figurines filled the vision. With a polite smile, Dan handed me the bag I kept under the register and kindly ushered me toward the door. “I won't have my favorite employee work to death on her first day,” he said, “Go take a break. I'll finish here.

"That would be most unfortunate!" Danes chuckled kindly, adding laugh lines to his already wrinkled face. "I'm almost done here. I have just one more box -" He paused and looked at the young woman with a warm smile. "Don't be silly, dearie. I can manage.

Go out into the sunshine. There will be plenty to do when you get back in an hour." The old man hobbled over to the front door, guiding the girl in front of him. He was touched by her kindness and concern for his well-being. "It's not like that, old man. I just want to make sure you don't hurt yourself," I said with a polite tone. He laughed and said, "It's alright, child. I appreciate your concern.

As I stepped out into the sunlight, a book in my hand, I contemplated where I should go on my break. I had been joking when I said, "I don't want you to get hurt. Then who will pay me?" Danes laughed as he shut the door behind me, and I smiled, knowing that I was a good child.

I had been working at 'Cheap and Nice for a few weeks now, and I was pleased to find that it was a clean and kind place to work. With my meager funds, I decided to go to a small café that had outdoor seating and indulged in a burger and chocolate milkshake. I was content with my meal and enjoyed the fresh air and sunshine.

I settled down in the warmth of the sun, hoping to find solace from my worries. As I was engrossed in my book, I felt a presence watching me. Although I was aware of the gaze, I continued to focus on my book in an attempt to appear unaware.

I took a deep breath, but could not detect anything out of the ordinary. Living alone. had taught me to be aware of my surroundings, and I knew that if the watcher was a wolf, I would be in a difficult situation. I could not identify what it was, but I could not help but feel slightly uncomfortable.

Realizing I was due back at the shop, I quickly packed my tattered book into my bag and left the sun-warmed table of the little café. As she passed through the crowded street, I felt a sense of calm return to me. Upon entering the shop, I greeted Danes with a polite smile. “Hello, Danes. I hope you didn't miss me too much,” I said. “Amy dear, did you have a good break?” Danes replied. “Just fine, thank you. I hope you didn't hurt yourself carrying those boxes,” I responded. “No, no, I left them in the back just as you told me. I swear you're a bossy little thing and here I thought I was in charge,” Danes chuckled. “I'm just looking out for you,” I replied with a gentle smile. “Well, I'm stepping out for a moment,” Danes said as he left the shop.

I walked into my motel room that evening, feeling a bit weary from my travels. I threw my backpack onto an empty chair and let out a heavy sigh as I lay on the comfortable double-sized bed. I hadn't laid in a proper bed in a long time, and I was grateful for the chance to rest.

I had been on the run ever since I was 18 and had been a part of two other packs since then, both of which had been far from ideal. With my first paycheck, I would be able to find a more suitable place to stay. In the meantime, I was grateful for the chance to rest and recuperate. "No problem, Danes," I called after him, trying to remain polite.

I recall my first experience with a pack in Primal pack, where the omegas were treated as slaves and had to endure abuse from the betas.

I remember a particular incident where a beta male vented his anger on a Cora Hale male for a minor infraction, and proceeded to tie him down and torture him in front of his mate and pup, eventually killing him. Unfortunately, the rest of the pack acted as if this was a normal occurrence and did nothing to intervene.

Fortunately, a neighboring pack attacked the Primal pack, giving me a chance to escape.

The next pack we encountered the Satomi pack was no better, as they treated their females with disrespect. I shudder when I think of the experiences I had to endure, and I wrap my arms around myself in comfort.

I remembered all the times I was harshly punished for not meeting the expectations of the males.

One day, I witnessed an unmated female being mistreated by a group of betas. They acted like pigs, not wolves, as they tore into me. I can't recall how I managed to escape them, but I did. I shut my eyes and ears, trying to block out that traumatic memory.

When I left the pack, I swore I would never join one again. I chose to live as a rogue rather than face that humiliation again. I lived among humans and found solace in my solitude.

I worked in various small jobs to gain the necessary computer skills to create new identities for myself. I was very cautious to stay away from any pack territories and did my best to avoid any contact with wolves.

Despite my best efforts, I was aware that my luck would not last forever. Nevertheless, I still held out hope that I could find a place to move to, such as Chicago or the UK, where wolves would not be present.