The Moon Wolf

Chapter 5 (1st Draft)

Penn couldn't get a good sleep. Every time she dozed off she dreamt of the Orthos pack. She wasn't the least bit sure she'd get a warm welcome. It was one thing for them to adopt what was left of the Griffin pack because of blood ties. However, it was quite another thing to welcome a rogue into their midst for any amount of time without trying to go for her throat.

But why she was stressing about it was beyond her. Truthfully, besides Mia, Lily and possibly Cassidy, who all seemed genuinely fond of her, she doubted the orphans would likely want anything to do with her once she'd got them to someplace safe. As it was now, they were still more afraid of her than anything else. So, no one but herself was thinking about her sticking around. And why she was even contemplating it was beyond her. Wasn't the plan just to drop the kids off and get back to her old, solitary life - her quiet life?

Penn sighed with frustration and a touch of self-loathing. She had grown soft in the last five weeks. Somehow, without her realizing it, she had grown fond of the pups and altogether too protective of them. So much so that she was day dreaming about sticking around to make sure they were all happily situated. 

But, there was nothing to think about, nothing to settle in her mind. She growled at herself. Once she dropped the pups off and made sure they were safe, she was going back to her solitary life in exile. That was always the plan and she was going to stick to it no matter what.

That is, if the Orthos wolves would even let her live. She wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they hunted her down and tried to kill her after she and the children parted ways. After all, pack wolves were taught to kill rogues.

The restless dosing was more than Penn could handle, and she jumped up, startling the pups a little, as she suddenly transformed into her skin. When she came near the children to get her pack and pull out her clothes - clothes Lara had given her to wear knowing she'd have to be in her skin a great deal of the time while with the pups - the kids all looked away and plugged their noses.

It was likely the smell of dry blood that had them squirming in their seats. Penn was more amused than annoyed by their behaviour and peculiarities now - now that she was getting use to their finicky, un-wolf-like behaviour and tastes. Ignoring them, she pulled on her filthy clothes and chuckled softly to herself realizing that she couldn't smell much worse than the rest of them. Not a one of them had had a bath or washed their clothes in weeks now. None of them had any right to complain.

Cassidy and Jackson, knowing the drill, got up and came over to her once she was dressed. They were expecting instructions. Penn looked at them with the same inscrutable expression she generally wore. Neither of them could read her when she was like this. They exchanged nervous glances not knowing what to expect when she opened her mouth.

"We are nearly at the Orthos pack's territory," Penn began, drawing in everyone's attention and not just the two oldest pups. "Soon you'll have warm beds and meals three times a day. But, before that happens we will need to arrive there safe and sound. And, even after we cross into their territory nothing is settled until we talk to Cassidy and Jackson's uncle. Understood?"

There were some nods in response.