Chapter 3

I quietly closed the front door and turned to face the forest, also known as my new beginning. The deep dark abyss of the woods during the night always gives me the creeps, but there isn't enough time to waste cowering over it. Hesitantly, I made my way down the porch steps and the driveway. I walked along the dirt road until I came to the forest line, I took a deep breath and walked into the dark city of green.

After a couple boring minutes of walking, I decided to shift into my wolf to speed up the journey. I set down my duffel bag and stripped off my clothes; I didn't want to rip them like most careless people. Placing my clothes inside the duffel bag, I shifted into my golden brown wolf, just like my mother’s. I picked up the bag and carried it in my mouth before continuing deeper into the woods, heading South.

After about two more interminable hours I was exhausted, I guess that's what I get when I leave at ten o'clock. Prancing up to a soft brush of bushes under a giant tree, I curled up under the foliage and relaxed my aching body. I peered up at the full moon, high in the sky with stars scattered around it, my eyes slowly shut and soon enough I drifted off to sleep.

~•~

My eyes fluttered open, and I was greeted by large trees, jade bushes, aged rocks, and a girl about my age... Wait, what. Immediately I got up, shaking the leaves and dirt off my wolf, ready to defend myself.

"Can you shift back?" She asked politely.

First I thought this is just a plan and she's going to attack me, but scanning her carefully I noted a few things. She has nothing with her, she doesn't seem like much of a fighter, and she has Alpha blood. I could sense her power as soon as I calmed down.

I nodded and grabbed my duffel bag going behind the tree that doubled as my temporary bed. Shifting, I put my clothes back on and walked out.

The girl was now sitting on a medium sized boulder, but when she saw I was done, she jumped off the rock and came closer.

"I'm Katy." She held out her hand, and I shook it.

"I'm Anna," I stated nervously, what was she doing in the middle of the woods? What if I crossed on her land?

"So what are you doing out here?" She asked curiously.

"Uh, I was just about to ask you that." I countered raising an eyebrow.

"I'm on my way to Blood Moon pack, just farther South." Her arm stretched out and not surprisingly pointed South.

"Oh. I'm going to California." Picking up my duffel bag, I decided that it's better to keep moving.

"We're going the same way; I'm going to Oregon."

"Oh yeah, I guess so." I nodded and started to walk.

"Why don't we walk together, we're almost at the Washington, Oregon border?" She asked with puppy dogs eyes. "I've had a lonely trip."

Amused by how charismatic she is I smiled. "Sure why not." She did seem kind of cool, and having company would have been nice. She had long Blond hair cascading down her back and bright blue eyes, making my dull brown hair seem boring.

But we started walking and got to know each other.

"So are you from Washington?" She asked looking up at me.

"Yeah."

"Are you a rogue?" I could hear the regret in her voice, but I didn't mind her question.

"I guess, I left my pack last night." I sigh, I wonder how Frank is doing. Hopefully, he understands why I made this decision, I mean I already made a friend which is a good sign.

"Why did you leave?" She asked curiously.

I glanced down at my feet and took a deep reassuring breath.

"Oh I'm sorry, you don't have to tell me."

"No it's okay, my pack got attacked almost a year ago killing most of us, and the pack was going under so we split up, and I decided to become rogue. I wanted to be free." I lightheartedly explained, ignoring the gruesome details.

"Oh, I'm so sorry about your pack."

"Thanks." I continue to watch the dirt and leaves covering the forest floor. "So what about you, why are you out here and not at your pack?" I ask, changing the subject.

"My bossy brother the Alpha-" She said in a funny voice. "- made me go and talk to the Alpha of Moon Stone about some alliance." She says in a bored tone.

I'm surprised I didn't see her while she was at Moon Stone, well I was only there for an hour at the most.

"So don't you have family or a mate that you're supposed to be with?" She asks looking up at me again.

"Oh um, my family died in the attack, and I haven't found my mate," I mumble, so much for no gruesome details.

"Oh. I'm so sorry." She peers down at the floor, apparently thinking she hurt me.

"No, it's fine, it happened a while ago." I brush it off like nothing, even though it was. Who knew a couple of months, was as long as a while.

"So have you found your mate?" I ask trying to lighten up the conversation.

"No, but it's not that big of a deal." She shrugs. "How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

"Oh, then you should find him soon." She smiles.

We kept walking for about two more hours until we reached the border, we kept walking after that for at least another hour talking about her pack and school, even though I graduated last school year. I learned that she loves to sing, so I told her how I loved to dance. I've been dancing since I was five, it took my mind off pack business and rogue issues. When I was eight, I got into ballet and stuck with it since, but I stopped dancing after the rogue attack, I'm probably pretty rusty.

"Oh, the Blood Moon territory border is just up ahead." Katy motioned further ahead. It was getting dark out, so I checked my watch, it's eight o'clock. We kept strolling until a man came into view.