The Hybrid

9. Rogue

Leaves crunch under my black boots as I make my slow trek through the forest. I have been walking for hours and by now the sun was rising in the distance. The light provided not only vision, but warmth.

At this point I am not in the SilverMoon pack anymore. I don't know exactly where I am, or where I am going. Liam had told me to come and find him if I ever wanted to see Addison again. I woke from my dream knowing that his house was in the west forest. It was far from the SilverMoon pack. But where exactly? I have no idea what landmarks will tell me where Liam is located. I don't know how far I am supposed to walk through this dense forest.

Maybe Tyler was right. Maybe I shouldn't have knocked him out cold with a frying pan. I mentally slap myself. Why would I do that to my mate?

I walk for another hour, slowly growing hungrier with each step I take. I only have three apples in my bag, so I will have to use them wisely. I finally decide to eat one.

I crunch into the juicy red fruit as I continue my long journey. I wonder if Tyler has woken yet. Just as I take the last bite of the crisp apple, I hear an extra crunch of leaves behind me. Someone is there.

I drop the apple core and whip around to survey the area. It could be Tyler here to drag me back. No, he would make himself known quickly.

Maybe one if his men found me first. Will they be violent when they capture me? I remember the knife I had taken from Tyler's nightstand. I quickly pull it from my backpack and steady the blade in front of me.

The rustling gets louder.

What if it is a rogue? A wolf that has been rejected from their own pack. Any story I have ever heard about rogues has been filled with violence and despair. They were vicious and bloodthirsty. Some rogues would form rogue packs. They would rape lonely women, murder them.

The bush next to me rustles again, causing me to jump into the air. A small rabbit jumps out from behind the bush.

I let out a shaky laugh at the bunny. My heart beats in my chest from the scare. Then I move a few steps towards the brown rabbit. Maybe I can catch it and have something real to eat. Sorry bunny.

I make another step towards the rabbit and it runs away from me. I make a move to chase it and something wraps around my ankles and I am pulled off of my feet in one sudden move.

I open my eyes and immediately feel the blood rush to my head. I look around and see my long hair in my face. I am hanging upside down by a rope that holds my ankles closely together. Another trap. Great.

Luckily you have your trusty dusty knife... er where is it?, my wolf questions

I pat my sides for the knife just to realize that it lays on the ground beneath me. It must have slipped out of my hands as soon as I got trapped in this rope. Now it lays a good three feet below my grasp.

"Ughhh" I groan in agony. I start to swing back and forth from my feet in hopes that I can grab that stupid knife. The swinging just causes rope burn on my ankles. Luckily the bear trap incident has already healed otherwise I would be in much more pain than I currently am.

I take a deep breath. There is nothing for me to do to free myself.

So I just hang there.

.

.

.

It has been hours. The sun has peaked into late afternoon. During my long forced pause in my journey to get Addison back, I have done a lot of thinking. Then I think at some point I fell asleep. I wake from my doze to the chilling sounds of footsteps.