Chapter 6 Little Wolf

• Raya’s POV
• The gates slammed shut behind me with a loud thud, making me flinch from the noise.
• One moment, there was noise—the hateful words, loud whispers, the sound of spits hitting the ground as their backs turned against me—and the next, there was silence.
• Complete silence.
• Moon Goddess.
• Tears ran down my cheeks without hesitation, the weight in my chest finally crashing out on my body.
• Why, Moon Goddess? Why did you let me get to this so fast?
• Why did you give me a mate in the first place if you knew he was only going to reject and humiliate me?
• I could barely even sense my wolf. She was just too weak and recovering from the fatal rejection that I feared she was also going to leave me too.
• Please, Moon Goddess, give me strength. Give me strength to fight back and destroy every single one of them.
• I clenched my palms into a fist, ignoring the pain that followed from how white they were turning.
• Give me the strength to show them what true power is.
• I closed my eyes gently as the cold breeze of the night whisked past my hair, caressing the tears along my cheeks like it was sympathising with me.
• And for a moment, I thought I heard an owl hoot from the distance. A sound that made me feel alive and seen, even in the darkness.
• That was all I needed to push forward.
• To fight to be alive.
• With a small hiss, I pushed forward, using the little of my wolf's vision and senses to move through the path.
• The night air was sharper now, the smell of pine and damp earth hitting my nostrils the farther I moved. I didn't know how long I'd been walking, but I chose to remove my mind from it.
• The darkness around me continued to stretch, the moon hanging low in the sky, dim but bright enough for me to notice that I was now in another land. One that seemed distant from the borders.
• Each breath I took reminded me how dry and chapped my throat was.
• My body still throbbed from my father’s kicks, my lips still tasted of my own blood, and the cold air didn't spare what was left of my bruised skin. But worse than all of that was the harsh reality I had to face now.
• The reality that no one was coming after me. I was really on my own now.
• No one was trying to call my name—reach out to my wolf or change their minds on the cruel decisions they made.
• The fact that my Pack—no, my ex-pack, Black Moon Pack, had probably wiped out my existence from their records by now.
• I was now a rogue.
• That sting of hurt came again, and my hands moved to my stomach in reflex.
• As if on cue, my stomach made an angry sound, hurting from days without food, but I swallowed back saliva and just kept on walking.
• I couldn't afford to think about that now.
• Not when the ground was now getting very cold and uncomfortable under my bare feet as the roots from trees made it impossible to walk in a straight line.
• I recalled almost tripping over some twice now.
• Wait, the air has shifted here. Where am I?
• Somewhere to my left, the sound of running water reached my ears. A relieved smile spread across my lips as I moved towards it, fingers trembling to scoop some in my face and mouth.
• But halfway there, I froze as the hairs on my skin suddenly stood up. My wolf chose this moment to stir with a small growl as her instincts prickled at the distant scent of unfamiliar territory.
• I took one long inhale of the scent of nature again and ignored her just this once. Because what did it matter where I ended up?
• Beyond the Pack’s borders was supposed to mean death for wolves like me. But I'd already made it this far to become a coward.
• So, I did what no rogue should do when they came across a marked territory.
• I ran towards the stream and let my legs finally give way under me as I crawled into the water, ignoring the cold bite and moaned in relief and satisfaction as it washed away the dirts and blood away, and soothed the gnawing pain in my muscles.
• I wish I could stay here forever. If there was any place I was going to do, here has to be it.
• At least, the Moon was watching me here, protecting me from whatever danger was out there.
• But it seemed like I spoke too soon because just as I submerged into the water, a low, unhappy growl echoed somewhere to my side.
• My head snapped up, my chest tensing and heaving with heavy breaths as I turned towards the source. Silver eyes glowed between the trees behind me. Narrowed predatory eyes.
• Shit, a rogue. Goddess, that was definitely a rogue.
• Quickly, I stood up to my feet—struggled to—and felt my heart skip a beat when instead of a wolf, I locked eyes with an approaching man.
• My lids still felt heavy from exhaustion so I couldn't face out his features.
• However, I didn't miss out how the moonlight exposed his broad shoulders and the shadows hid part of his face—leaving out only his silver eyes as he glared back at me.
• “Crossing a marked territory and tainting it's precious spot. Two crimes in a blink of an eyes, I might add, little wolf,” his voice was deep but carried a kind of quiet tone that demanded attention.
• My body shuddered instantly at the feeling that came with it, but my wolf purred with content.
• Shit, why does he speak like an Alpha? Is he really an Alpha?
• I let out something between a laugh and a scoff to cover my fear, “If you’re here to kill me, just get on with it. I’m tired of running.”
• His head tilted slightly, studying me like I was a puzzle he hadn’t decided whether to solve or toss away.
• “Strange how you've still got fight in you, especially after travelling all the way here. That's…remarkable for a young wolf like you.”
• His words settled in the atmosphere between us, heavy, thick with a challenge.
• I looked up at him, lips trembling as no words came out.
• I wanted to tell him that he was wrong. That there was nothing left in me worth saving. That the girl who thought she could protect the ones she loved, the one who thought she felt alive back there, was already dead inside. But the words stayed stuck in my throat.
• Because somewhere deep down, past the broken and timid girl I was, a passion so small yet bright still burned.
• As if reading my mind, he moved closer and extended a hand, palms splayed open like an invitation. Darkened silver eyes stared down at me.
• “Come on, little wolf. Die here, or get up and learn how not to.”
• His grip was strong and firm—not not enough to pull me up to my feet. He met my confused gaze with a nod.
• It was almost like he was making sure I had to do it myself.
• That I had to fight for whatever this was.
• And without hesitation, my palms curled into his large hands, sealing up my fate as my eyes finally squeezed shut into his warm embrace.
• Thank you Moon Goddess for giving me a second chance to prove my worth.