pix of Ruari ----->

*  *  *  *  *

I never thought this day would come. When I left the pack and decided to go rogue five years ago I never considered the possibility that they would come for me, that they would force me back.

I should have stayed where I was, living across the ocean where no one knew or recognized who I was. There I have no pack, no family or friends. I was alone but I was happy, at peace.

Why did I bother? Why did I even think of coming back? I was doing fine on my own, more than fine to be honest. I answer to no one but myself. I was free.

Loyalty. It's what forced me to come. The pure sense of attachment and devotion is what forced me to risk my newfound happiness and freedom.

"How did you know I was here?" I asked Lorcan Burnell, a member of my old pack Moonscape.

"We stationed guards on the premises. And we've been tracking all flights in and out of the country just in case your name shows up." He explained like having access to flight itineraries and passenger manifests were a common thing. I guess being the most powerful pack on this side of the world has its perks and privileges.

"What do you want with me?" I asked backing away slowly, making sure I have all of them in my line of sight. I don't like surprises and there were five of them ready to pounce on me.

Forget the fact that Lorcan is the current beta of Moonscape everyone on his entourage are high ranking warrior wolves. I could take down one or two maybe three but that would be pushing me to my limits. But I have no chance of winning or escape if all five come to me at once.

Still, I know my abilities and they don't. That gives me an edge over them. I know what they're capable of. I've seen them train. I know their strengths and weaknesses. And if my memory serves me right there's no one in the pack who could match me in speed. I could outrun them all. They're all seasoned fighters. To stay and fight would a big mistake. But if I run I could be halfway across state lines before they could track me down. I just have to bid my time.

"We're not here to hurt you Ruari." He said gently, patiently, like I would believe that fucking lie! They all hated my guts and wanted me dead. No one from my old pack made a secret of that.

I took a few calming breaths, running a simulation of my escape route in my head. I can't let my guard down especially not around them. Good thing I had the forethought to procure a map of the vicinity before actually coming out here.

Lorcan must have sensed my intention to bolt because he took a step forward as I took another one back. He kept on mimicking my movements, maintaining the same distance we had from the moment they cornered me.

I noticed the warrior wolves move to some unvoiced command. They were communicating through the pack link and since I am no longer a member of the pack I cannot tap into the conversation. I shivered when I felt another presence not far behind me.

Shit six! I'm surrounded. Fuck trying to bid for more time. I have to make my move now if I want to escape!

"I didn't take anything when I left."

Money, clothes, documents, everything that connected me to Moonscape Pack was left behind. All I had when I walked out the door of the pack house were the clothes on my back. I didn't want them to accuse me of stealing or some other bullshit they could come up with. I didn't want to give them any ammunition to use against me in case they ask another pack for help in tracking me down.

"Unless you're here to kill me, I don't know of another reason why you'd come looking for me."

Lorcan seemed unfazed and casually moved closer as I took another cautious step back.

"We need you to come back with us Ruari."

"No!" I growled angrily, an expression that seemed to take them by surprise because they looked more alert and on guard. I realized until that moment they were underestimating what I could do.

Bad move lads, very, very bad move.

"It's been five years. Why now?"

"Believe it or not, we tracked you down the night you disappeared. But we never considered the possibility that you would flee the country until it was too late." He was now inching to a convenient position where he could easily try and grab me, all the while distracting me with his lies. "We knew you'd hear about what happened to Mirabelle. We knew how important she was to you so..."

"So you waited for me to conveniently show up!" I snarled cutting him off.

I felt sick. After five years I made it fucking easy for them to get to me! But whom am I kidding? Even if I'd known they were waiting, I would still come. As I said, I'm risking everything out of loyalty.

Mirabelle Walter meant everything to me. She's the one who gave me comfort and love when everyone in the pack shunned me. She cleaned my wounds after the others beat me and fed me when I was denied food. Mira was a bit eccentric but no one dared to say anything bad against her for helping me because she was an elder of the Moonscape council.

Mirabelle was the one who helped me survive the life of a rogue these past five years.

I am an orphan, a runt. All I know about my parents is they were killed during a raid. I have no other family and since I was young I've been picked on and beaten by the others. I was everyone's favorite punching bag basically because I never tried to defend myself. I didn't understand what I did wrong to deserve such treatment but I didn't complain. I was just happy to be a member of the pack even if they didn't want me.

When I didn't phase at the age of thirteen, like most werewolves do, the beatings became more violent. I was useless, a waste of space. The last straw that threw everyone off the edge was when they found out I was mated to the future alpha, Ciaran Blackburn, and by then everyone just wanted a pound of flesh, mine to be exact. It didn't matter that the mating bond wasn't anything I could control or that I was innocent of anything they were accusing me of. To the pack I was an abomination that they could not get rid of.

After Ciaran rejected me I was dragged outside the pack house and beaten half to death. My only consolation was that my mate never ordered the beating and he didn't join them in bleeding me dry.

I understood why they did it. The pack didn't know what to do with me. They couldn't kill me because they feared the consequence of killing one of their own and most of all, they were afraid of what my death would do to Ciaran.

I was left bleeding and unconscious on the clearing. When I regained consciousness, I was in my room with Mirabelle tending to my wounds. She didn't say anything as she watched me cry. She just looked at me sadly and hugged me until the tears stopped coming.

I contemplated about killing myself but like the pack I was afraid of what my death would do to Ciaran. Even if I were rejected, my death would be a blow to him and his wolf. It would weaken him and might drive him insane. So I decided I should just leave. It was raining heavily that night, the perfect time to run away. The rain would wash away my scent and tracks just in case they come after me, which back then I doubted they would do.

I don't know how Mirabelle knew but when I stepped outside the pack house she was there, waiting. She didn't try to stop me or say anything to change my mind. She just enclosed me on a strong, motherly hug and whispered "Find Jasper Gale," before letting me go.

Jasper Gale turned out to be a procurer. He has a legal and an illegal office five cities away from where the pack was. After I told him that Mirabelle sent me he didn't ask any question other than what I needed to be done. And within two days I had all the legal documents I needed to travel, a plane ticket, a suitcase full of clothes and an envelope of money.

I don't know how he managed to do everything in such a short time but I left the country under the guise of an exchange student on my third day as a runaway. When I arrived at my destination I was surprised to find he also arranged for my high school transfer and accommodation. Jasper and I kept communication through electronic mail. It was him who told me about Mirabelle's death.

To say I was heartbroken would be an understatement. Mirabelle was the mother I never had. She passed away without seeing or talking to me, not once, during the last five years. Jasper warned me that coming back might be dangerous. He's been hearing some rumors that someone is looking for me. It's a gamble but I wanted to pay my last respects to Mirabelle in person. I asked him to book me a flight back and to give me the layout of the cemetery just in case.

It never occurred to me they'd actually be here, waiting. I should have known though. I was a rogue. The manhunt for wolves like me would stop only when we are dead or absorbed by another pack.

I bared my teeth when I felt another presence. Seven... Fuck me now!

"Ruari, you have to calm down. I promise, we mean you no harm." Lorcan pleaded lifting his hands in surrender, showing me that he's not carrying a weapon. "If you just come with us we can clear this misunderstanding."

Fuck that!

"I'm not going back, not when I know what's waiting for me!" I growled glaring at him and smirked when I saw him flinch.

I know he's lying when he said they're not here to hurt me. They can't kill me because of my connection to their alpha but they could do worse things than ending my life. Actually, killing me would be more merciful than taking me back alive.

I promised myself I'm not going back there, not if I can help it. 

"If you want to take me back, you'll have to kill me first!" I snarled feeling the color of my eyes changing. And to everyone's surprise, I phased.