The Blessed One

Chapter 10

*** Allue***

When we finished our howl everything felt perfect. Everything felt as if it should have been. Damiens wolf stepped up to mine and nuzzled my fur and pulled my tail, enticing me to play.

“Want to go for your first hunt?” he asked in the link.

I nodded my head and pranced around getting used to being on 4 paws instead of 2 legs. It was different but I felt so free. So wild. So carefree.

Damien gestured for me to start the hunt like he did when he first shifted so I lifted my snout and took in the scents around me.

I smelled some small game, none of that enticed me to a hunt. I wanted something challenging. Something that would test my wolf. Walking further towards the forest I sniffed the earth. Rabbit, squirrel, fox, elk...ELK! The scent was stronger in the west so that's the way I trotted, careful to avoid twigs. Keeping my steps light so no one could hear me.

It is amazing how natural some things come to you when you are in your wolf form. I felt and smelled Damien behind me. He crouched low to the ground and I followed suit.

Crawling towards the edge of the thicket, I saw a field. There was a herd of elk grazing on the grass.

“Good, Allue. What now?” He was testing me. Seeing if I had learned anything that he and Mark tried to teach me.

“Breathe deeply and quietly. Calm your mind, observe your surroundings, don't get cocky, quick isn't always efficient.”

He nodded his head with his emerald eyes shining bright in contrast to his black fur. I did as I was told and centered myself. Took in my surroundings. Everything seemed safe. Mark and Justine wolves surrounded the field waiting on our signal.

We took down the largest elk in the herd, being careful to avoid its antlers. I was preening with pride. I succeeded with my first hunt. I wondered if my Pa would be proud. He used to talk about taking us on our first hunts all of the time.

Mark had shifted back to gather our left over kill to take back to the cottage.

“Chin up lass. I know what you're thinking. I know for a fact that your Pa is up there with the Goddess puffing out his chest with pride for ya. He would have been overjoyed tonight. And just so you know...I am too. We all are.” Justine's wolf came over and licked the top of my head, showing me affection. I whined, missing my parents but recovered quickly. I picked up a scent. Multiple scents and I could tell everyone else did as well.

I raised my hackles and bared my teeth to the edge of the field. We weren't alone and we were being watched. Damien growled and stood over me in a protective stance.

“Both of you, get out of here now.” Mark barked out. “I know you want to stay and help, but there are many out there. No matter what, I want you both to run. Stay together. Whatever you do, don't go back to the cottage. GO NOW!”

Of course, we didn't listen. We were trained. We could help. We would help. We were the blessed ones for goddess sake. We are capable of protecting ourselves.

“Allue, don't shift. There is a better chance no one would recognize you in your wolf form.” Damien whispered to me in the link. His growling intensified and his jaws snapped a few times as no fewer than 20 wolves stepped out of the tree line. About half were shifted and half were naked indicating that they had just shifted back.

“Identify yourselves.” the big one commanded. He stood tall and muscular. His long blonde hair cascading just past his shoulders. He had a tattoo on his right arm down to his elbow with tribal ink. The power radiating off of him signified he had rank. Probably a beta or a Gamma. He was certainly handsome.

When neither of us answered him, a few of the wolves behind him growled and advanced before he held up his hand, halting them. “Shift now. All of you and identify yourselves and why you're on our pack's territory.”

Shit. I didn't realize we had stepped past the bounds. It’s my fault.

“This will be your last warning. Comply or you will be arrested!”

Mark looked back at Damien and myself with begging eyes. “Please...leave. We will hold them off. They cannot find you…either of you…” Damien taking the hint, nudged me along.

“Don't move one more step, Rogue!”

Damien growled loud and angry. It was such an insult to be called a rogue. Especially when you weren't one and Damien, by right was a king. His teeth were bared and it didn't help that he had fresh blood from the hunt still on his teeth and muzzle.

The beta smirked sensing a challenge. He would lose, and it would be his bitter end that he would meet.

“GO NOW!” Mark yelled shifting into his wolf and charged.

I tugged at Damiens tail and we bolted realizing that nearly half of the wolves followed after us. These wolves were from the crescent pack. They were very skilled and highly trained warriors. We should know, Pa helped train them. We didn't want to kill these wolves. We simply wanted to escape unharmed.

Mark taught us that we should never kill unless necessary. It didn't help when wolves were out to kill you. We still hadn't learned whether the crescent pack was our ally or foe, so as of right now, they were not to be trusted.

Damien was leading the way while I brought up the rear. The sound of fighting was carrying through the trees. My paws were growing tired from all the work they had done tonight.

I was a newly shifted wolf. I hadn't built up the stamina that I needed in this form yet. It wasn't long though until we reached the border of their pack lands. They wouldn't follow us beyond their borders, so that was our best shot.

Pushing my legs harder and faster, I could hear the thumping of my paws against the ground. Damiens large wolf leapt through the barrier and I followed.

Those wolves skidded to a halt and growled in our direction. One had shifted back and sneered. “You may have escaped now rogue, but this will be the last time that happens.”

Couldn't he tell we weren't rogues? Our eyes were red, we weren't mangy and disgusting. Our wolves bodies and coats were well taken care of. No rogue would be our size, or as clean and filled out as us. Nor as calm. Any rogue would have taken the opportunity to fight, to kill. We didn't.

I huffed my annoyance out and growled back stalking closer to the borders. I was angry. Angry that they dared to try and attack us. To capture me. To try to harm me and my brother. Then to dare and call us rogues. We are Alphas children. Children from a pack that helped solidify the grounds for theirs. He dared to disrespect us?

I felt the wind pick up blowing my fur and the branches of the trees around us. Storm clouds rolled in and thunder sounded nearby. I couldn't stop the rage that was building up.

“Damien, Allue, listen to me very carefully. Mark and I are being brought in for questioning. More wolves arrived and we couldn't fight them off. We will find a way to get to you. We promise. Please don't go back to the cottage. Whatever you do, stay together. bi sàbhailte. We love you.”

That popped the fuse on my anger. Lightning struck around us and some of the wolves backed up whimpering in fear. I growled unable to hold back my anger any longer. I sounded menacing. I sounded almost evil. I sounded rogue.

The rain started pouring harder and harder. What had started as a few droplets was now a torrential downpour. I looked around unsure of my surroundings. What was happening? This storm came out of nowhere.

Damiens wolf came up to me and nipped at my ear, catching my attention. I knew we had to leave.

The ground grew muddy fast with all of the rain. The further I got from those wolves, the calmer I became. We got to a cave a few miles away and took shelter there. We shifted back while Damien went to gather materials for a fire. Surprisingly the rain was letting up. It wasn't stopping, but the skies had calmed a bit.

I was sad, why was everyone I loved being taken from me? Who would be taken next? Damien? Absolutely not. I wouldn't allow it.

I let a few tears slip down my cheeks. There were so many emotions for one day. What a birthday this has turned out to be. I realized my locket was still around my neck. Despite having no clothes due to shifting I was surprised to see this still here and intact.

“It is enchanted. As long as you wear it, it will not break or shatter when shifting.”

“What do we do now brother?” he came and sat next to me after starting a fire.

“We wait. But Allue, we need to talk.'' I turned to him confused. “I think we discovered what one of your gifts is.” he looked to the entrance of the cave then back at me.

“I think you brought this storm. It intensified the angrier you got. The wind, the water, the lightning...I think you were controlling it. Well controlling it isn't the word I should use. I think your anger, your emotions...controlled it.”

It was strange. How the skies were clear all up until I got extremely angry. How this storm seemed to appear out of nowhere. Perhaps he is right. Perhaps I can control the weather. But then again, maybe this was all coincidence. I guess we would find out. But for now we wait. I hoped they would find their way out of this.

Damien had since fallen asleep trying to regain a bit of energy. I looked to the sky through the falling rain.

“Please, Pa...if you're listening. Help us. I need a sign. What do we do?”