Rogues were effortlessly the most despicable of our species. They were werewolves that have gone wild, belonging to no pack from either being kicked out or leaving on their own. They roamed around freely and sometimes stuck to each other.
They’d lost all sympathetic emotions, and their only instinct was to kill. The stories about them were horrendous enough to send shivers down my spine. A rogue was the worst thing two people traveling unaccompanied could come across, and due to their grudge against packs, an Alpha was the best prey to satiate their bitterness.
My eyes moved around the area, trying to figure out where exactly they were. It was obvious from the putrid smell that filled the air that they were in close range.Soon enough, they slowly appeared from behind the tall trees and lush mass of greenery that surrounded us, their paws hitting the ground softly as they approached us. There were seven of them in their wolf form, their black fur gleaming. They hadn't all been black-furred, but with them running wild, over time, their fur had changed colors.
Their eyes were completely black; the only thing depicted in them was emptiness. A man who seemed to be the leader of the rogues stood behind them, his hands clasped him, a small tilt of the corner of his lips.
“An Alpha,” he said, his voice ringing out in the forest. “If it isn't my lucky day.”
Callan took in a breath and swung down, planting his foot on the ground before swinging down to help me down too. I stood behind him, my eyes moving from one rogue to the other, my fear heightening with every passing second. They looked like with just a word of command, they were going to tear me and Callan into indistinguishable pieces.
The stories about the Black Tide Pack members were undoubtedly true, but even I didn’t think Callan would be able to fight against eight rogues, and I wasn’t much help. I’d been kept locked in the manor for so long. I’d only shifted into my wolf twice. I had no idea how to easily do it or if my wolf even knew how to fight and protect us. We were both weak.
“We mean no harm,” Callan was saying in a tight voice. “And I'd like for it to remain so.”
“It’s unfortunate, then, that we in every way possible mean harm.”
And he snapped into his wolf form, his sharp eyes set upon us.
Callan turned to me. “There’s a spring ahead. Take the horse and go wait for me there.”
“No, wait. I can’t…”
From the corner of my eye, I caught one of the wolves lunging at us, and just as I let out a blood-curdling scream, Callan shifted into his wolf, the sheer size of it sending me tumbling backward.
He easily towered the rogue’s wolves, doubling each of them in size. The wolf’s fur was a blazing deep orange color, and it seemed to move with ease despite its size because, with just a swing of his paw, the rogue that had lunged at us was sent flying with a yelp.
I watched as the wolf slammed against a tree and remained still, a sharp tree branch stuck to the side of its stomach holding it up in the air. The easy defeat of one of them didn't seem to have deterred the rest in any way; instead, they appeared provoked and immediately all six of them pounced on Callan’s wolf, and with a small kick of his hind legs, I was sent tumbling down a small hill in the forest.
I tripped over logs and tree branches, stumbling past fallen leaves and twigs to land on my back against an uneven surface. I scrambled up, patting my hands over my body to dust off the debris that’d clung to me. I looked up the way I’d fallen, but I couldn't see anything from down here.
I was pissed at being shoved away, and knowing he did it to protect me didn't help placate that anger. I began climbing back up. It was every bit harder than falling, and it took me a while before I finally surfaced on the ground above me. They were now fighting at a farther distance. I could see from where I stood that Callan was getting weaker, his fast movements had slowed down a bit, but he was still holding on strong. Only four wolves surrounded him.
My eyes widened in horror when the sharp claws of one of the rogues sliced Callan in the side. He stumbled briefly before seeming to gain his composure, but it was too late. The rest of the other wolves had sensed his weakness, and at once, they attacked him.
One of them buried its teeth into his flanks, and another snapped at his forelegs, causing him to fall on his back while the rest took advantage of his fall to begin gnawing at him, their claws scratching his body.
It surprised me how I did it, but my body began to tremble, and without warning, I landed on my knees. A sharp pain went through me as my knees hit the ground. I felt my bones begin to snap as my body reshaped to take another form. The pain was duller now compared to the first time I’d shifted.
My body stretched, its muscles lengthening to accommodate my new form, and immediately, my skin became covered in golden-colored fur. Sharp claws erupted from my fingers and dug themselves into the ground.
Without a second of hesitation, my wolf took over my body, and I sprinted toward them. The growl I elicited captured their attention, momentarily giving Callan respite.
I snapped my teeth at them, taking one more threatening step closer before eventually pouncing on the wolf I remembered to be their leader. My teeth went into the side of his neck, and I tore viciously at the skin, tasting blood. My paws slapped hard at him, and with a whimper, he fell to the ground.
From my peripheral vision, I saw Callan get up and attack the two other wolves left, leaving me with the third. Its dark eyes seemed to have darkened more with cold bitterness as it slowly circled me, an attempt at intimidation.
My wolf was charged with anger, and without thinking twice, I lunged at my opponent, but it moved away just in time, causing me to land on the floor instead, a loud screeching noise resounding where my paws grazed the floor. It wasn't until it had almost hit me that I see the blow coming. It knocked the air from my lungs, and I crashed to the floor. The rogue was instantly at my side, its teeth biting different parts of me, pain shooting through every nerve in my body, and just as its claws reached out for my throat, I rolled over and slammed my body against his, the both of us plummeting down the hill.
It landed on the floor first, and I came crashing into it, forcing its head against a large rock on the floor. Its head came in contact with the rock, and the sharp sound of the contact resounded. Blood streamed down him immediately.
I watched the wolf try to stand up. It staggered for a while before falling back to the floor, and with one last shudder, it went completely still. It was only after it was dead did I notice the blood that trailed from my flanks down to my legs, I turned my head slightly to look at it, and a huge ugly gash met my eyes. The fur surrounding the area was soaked in crimson.
I felt my body slowly begin to weaken when I tried to make my way back up. I went limp and fell to the floor.
I could feel the darkness pulling me in, my body switched back to human form, and just before everything finally went silent, I whispered a prayer to the goddess that Callan had survived this.