Running
The trees flashed by in a blur as Kitty ran as fast her legs would carry her. She didn't know if she would make it, but she had to try. When you're expelled from your pack, you become rogue, and it's within the rights of the pack that expelled you to kill you if you're still on pack lands more than 24 hours later.
She'd had to take time to recover from her wounds so she could run. She still wasn't fully recovered, but at least she could shift and book it out of there.
The problem was, she was still bleeding from one of the deeper wounds she'd taken, and the patrol had taken up the scent of it. She was pursued.
At full strength she could run for hours and hours. In her current state, she wouldn't last more than thirty minutes.
Kitty paused when she came to the divide, panting. She looked to the left and then to the right, wishing she had better options. Left and right were still pack lands that went on for more than fifty miles in either direction.
Straight ahead, across the divide, (which was actually a small stream) was the territory of a werewolf no one ever dared go near. No one knew his actual name. But since he killed any wolf that entered his territory, he'd earned the name, Monster.
If she ran the pack territory it was very likely the patrol would catch and kill her. If she entered Monster's territory, it was likely he would catch and kill her. Not a great set of options.
However, the patrol roamed in packs and Monster hunted alone. She had a better chance of evading Monster than she did of evading the patrol.
A hunting howl tore through the night air and she knew time was up. She lurched forward across the stream and paused, her whole body shaking. She was officially in Monster's territory now.
She half expected him to materialize from the shadows and strike her dead. When he didn't, she turned and looked behind her. The patrol were gathered there, staring at her, pacing the line of the divide.
She walked into the tree line, hoping against hope that Monster was on the other side of his territory and that the wind was blowing her scent away from him. She just needed to get through his territory, avoid him, and pass through and then she might be able to rest awhile.
As she moved through the forest she was careful to avoid anything that looked like a well traveled path. If those trails were worn by Monster's paws, he was likely to scent her on them, and begin the hunt.
She lasted twenty minutes before her body stopped working. She collapsed to the ground on her belly, panting. The smell of her blood filled the air and she knew she'd worsened her wounds from all the exertion.
If she were human she would have burst into tears at the way her pack had treated her before throwing her away like garbage. They'd wounded her nigh unto death and expected her to be able to get out of their territory on foot, badly wounded before the 24 hour grace period ran out. The sheer injustice of it seared her heart.
Yes, if she was in her human skin, she'd be dissolved into a sobbing mess. As it was she let out a whine of despair and pain. She missed her parents and her bedroom. She missed her friends. Well, her ex friends. Her ex parents.
She whined again.
Suddenly, in her line of vision a massive paw dug into the ground about a foot from her muzzle. She blinked at it. She'd never seen a wolf with a paw that large, and with such massive claws.
She lifted her eyes and took in the largest wolf she'd ever seen. It was very dark, and his fur was dark so it was hard to make out any real details, but between the size and the glowing yellow eyes staring her down, she knew her worst fear had been realized.
Monster had found her, and she was about to die.
A low growl issued from Monster, powerful and rumbling. The power of his dominance washed over her and filled her with more fear than she had already.
Damn it, if she was going to die, she was going to die having tried her hardest to the last to fight. She struggled to her feet, paws digging into the earth for purchase. She managed to nearly get to her feet when pain slashed through her viciously.
She yelped and collapsed, breathing hard, body shaking. She hadn't really stood a chance. She closed her eyes and waited to feel his teeth in her neck and his claws in her belly.
***
The she wolf lost consciousness while he stared at her in disbelief. She was very badly injured, and it was clear she had been fleeing some threat. If she didn't get help and soon, she would die. She was small and delicate and fragile, and she was his.
He tilted his head up to take in the moon and let loose a howl full of rage and possession. Someone had tried to murder his mate. He would see to them soon enough. But first, she needed seen to.
He shifted back into his skin and crouched next to her. She was small and finely boned, built for speed rather than power. She was covered in blood, her body shivering involuntarily. He rested his hand on her head just behind her ears and slowly moved his fingers through her fur down to mid back. The shivering lessened.
He picked her up, careful not to exacerbate her wounds. A low whine escaped her.
"I will make this quick, mate. Stay alive." And then he took off, running through his territory, not stopping until he arrived at his lair. It was just big enough for him, built with his own two hands. It would be close quarters.
That was natural for mates, was it not? But then again, he knew he was fearsome and that his reputation reached far. When she woke, she was likely to be afraid of him. He glanced down at her. If she woke. She was in a bad way.
He carried her inside his cabin, and got a fire going. He sat her down on the worn carpet in front of the fireplace and began a thorough examination.
Beneath the blood her fur was reddish/brown. Her ears arched up into delicate points. Her paws were dainty and her tail sleek. Her wolf was beautiful, almost vulpine.
He bit down the sudden raging desire to see her in skin form, the possessive, needy urges of the mating bond. She was in no shape for him to indulge that now and wouldn't be for some time.
He pulled out the first aid kit and cleaned her wounds as thoroughly as he could without submerging her. Most of her wounds had healed enough that they didn't need stitches.
But there was a very large gash in her belly that was so deep he was surprised her insides weren't falling out. He growled viciously but reigned in his rage.
Whoever had done this had meant for her to die suffering. This would need stitching.
He disinfected it again, and stitched as completely as he could. It had been a very long time since he'd last done this for another person besides himself. She was the only wolf besides the Alpha King Endymion to cross his territory and not be killed for the trespass. When he was done, he caressed her fur thoughtfully.
It would be better if he were in his fur when she came to. His skin self was alarming to behold. His wolf less so.
He shifted and laid down next to her, curling his larger form around her, guarding her vulnerable belly. He licked her muzzle and watched as she slept, willing her to keep breathing.
The Moon Goddess had given him a mate. He wasn't about to let her slip through his fingers.
