The Alpha's Raven- SAMPLE

Chapter 5

WITH A heavy heart, I follow the Protectors and the Charges back to the village center. I can feel the shame starting to build itself up inside me, making my stomach churn with nausea. There's no doubt in my mind that once the pack learns of what happened, they'll look at me with disgust in their eyes. They'll look at me like I'm a rogue before I'm even exiled. I start mentally preparing myself for the words Alpha Jon will say to me to make my exile official.

Will's body is carefully placed onto a pedestal that sits in the center of the courtyard. It is our way of displaying the deceased for the pack to pay their respects, our form of a viewing before the burial. Beta Braxton grabs a white sheet from his car that sits a few paces away and tossing it over Will, making sure it covers his whole body.

Earlier, before we got close enough to the village for the pack members to see us, we stopped to pull the bolt from Will's chest. As gruesome as it sounds, it was needed. We waited to make sure no blood was going to seep from the wound, and then we continued.

I walk slowly, trailing a good distance behind the others as we gather around the pedestal. Silent, we wait for the pack to gather in the courtyard. Almost immediately, I feel all eyes of those gathered on me where I stand in my spot by the front of the pedestal, my head hung in shame. My hands stay folded together behind my back, my feet set at shoulders width, and my face void of any emotion. It is here that I stand guard over my Charge one last time.

I swallow thickly, squeezing my eyes shut to try and keep the tears at bay. Will has been my Charge for several months. He wasn't my first charge, but he's probably the last one I'll ever have. He's grown on me more than anyone else ever has. My parents included. I have gotten so used to spending pretty much all day with him. From now on, it'll be me; just me. I'll be on my own as a rogue after Will's burial ceremony is finished.

Exiled wolves don't usually fare well alone. Hopefully, I'm an exception.

I stiffen as Alpha Jon starts speaking, his voice invading my thoughts. I look up, now noticing that the entire pack is now standing in front of us. My skin starts to burn under the heat of their gazes.

"This morning at oh-nine-hundred hours, William Martin was shot through the heart with a bolt during the pack's toughest training exercise," he explains, his tone firm and unwavering, like an Alpha's voice should be.

A cry comes from somewhere in the crowd, echoing through the silent courtyard. The sound causes my heart to break, and I squeeze my eyes shut harder, silently praying for Will's mother to forgive me.

"It was an unfortunate accident; one that could not be prevented, or one that could be stopped." False. "Will was made aware of how dangerous this course is, and the risk he was taking by trying to complete it. This brave and courageous sixteen-year-old will not be forgotten." Alpha Jon turns to face Will's body, setting a hand on the granite pedestal. "May he rest in peace."

The crowd repeats the last sentence in a low murmur, but I stay silent. Alpha Jon is wrong. Will's death could have been prevented. If I had just told him to stop after the bullet hit his leg, he would still be alive.

Slowly, I start to grow furious with myself. It's my fault. And I'll gladly accept the exile as punishment. I deserve it.

"As for his Protector." Alpha Jon's voice catches my attention and all eyes return to me. "Future Beta Raven Steely." I look to him as he turns to face me, knowing what he's about to say. "Your Charge was killed, and therefore, you have failed. You are stripped of your title, of your position to this pack. You are no longer a member of the White Wolf Pack and are hereby exiled to unclaimed territories."

I swallow the growing rage inside me and bow my head in respect. I tense, bracing myself for the pain that comes with being separated from your pack. It starts in my heart, searing through my chest and my veins, spreading to my limbs. A cry is torn from my lungs as I clutch my chest, the agony bringing me to my knees. It grows stronger, burning me from the inside out.

It finally gets to the point where my vision starts to fade, black spots dancing in front of me. They taunt me and sing to me about an easy rest. I let it pull me under.

Slowly, I'm tugged out of unconsciousness by the constant sound of chirping birds and chattering squirrels. I groan, closing my eyes to block the light, the pain in my chest only a dull annoyance. Dry leaves and twigs crunch underneath me as I sit up. Confused, I look around, noticing I lay in the middle of the forest. I take a deep breath in through my nose. Unclaimed territory.

I let out a low growl. My packmates dragged me out here while I was unconscious and didn't even stick around to see if I was going to wake up. They must not have cared very much about their Future Beta. Well, I don't blame them. I failed at the one thing that was allowing me to stay in the pack since I was assigned that position.

They wouldn't care for a rogue. Hell, I wouldn't either.

With a grunt, I climb to my feet, looking around and surveying my surroundings. I take another deep breath, trying to figure out which direction was North. The wind blows in my face, bringing the scent of the White Wolf territory with it. The wind is blowing from the South.

White Wolf's territory is surrounded by packs on all sides except for the North. To the North are the unclaimed territories, mainly because no one wanted to share borders with the Blood Moon Pack, who's territory is above the unclaimed ones. They are known for showing no mercy to anyone who crosses their borders without permission from their Alpha or an escort from a member of their pack, no matter their status. Or so the rumors say.

I gulp and glance around me, not entirely sure on what I should do. From the faint smell of my old pack, I know I'm several miles away from the border. I must have been out for a while.

Finally making a decision, I turn North and shift into my wolf. The change happens instantly, black fur replacing bare skin. I take a few steps in the direction of the Blood Moon Pack, then hesitate, second guessing on whether that was the way I wanted to go. It's not like there's a lot of options. South is the only way I can't go right now. I am no longer welcome there.

Rogues aren't welcome anywhere.

My heart falls. Now that I'm a rogue, no one is going to want anything to do with me. Any pack I come across will try to kill me, and any lone rogue or group of rogues would most likely do the same thing. That is if I make it long enough on my own to end up with that sort of problem. I have no doubts I'll be fine on my own, though. There's a reason I was picked by the Elders to be the next Beta. If I can't survive on my own, then they made a mistake.

With a rough shake, I start off at a trot, following my nose and letting it lead me away from the White Wolf Pack. Not once do I bother to look over my shoulder. There's no looking back. Not now and not ever.

It's a while before I decide to stop for the day. For several hours, I kept moving, wanting to get as far away from my old pack as possible. The sky above me is dark, the occasional star peeking through the forest canopy. Spots of moonlight give little light, but thanks to being a werewolf, I can see as well as if the sun were still out.

I glance around, trying to find a spot where I can rest, hoping for a small cave or something similarly well protected. Somewhere I can hide for the night without worrying about being ambushed by rogues or any wild animals stupid enough to attack me. Unfortunately for me, there's only open space, nothing that will conceal me.

I let out a low huff, lowering my head in defeat. My heart squeezes as thoughts of my room back at the main house flash through my head. Anything I would give to sleep there one more night instead of the hard, leaf-covered ground. It's something I'll have to get used to because it'll be my bed for a long time until I can somehow get an apartment in the human world, or am miraculously accepted into another pack.

A snort makes its way out of me as I paw together a pile of soft leaves under a low hanging branch. 

Good one, Raven. Like that will ever happen.