"You've become so heartless Alpha Deucalion, the day you returned from that strange human land that you don't feel anything for anyone except your pack. Don't you see you're killing a young she-wolf who seemed much younger than your sister," she complained.
"Leave Madison, you have no business here," warned the alpha.
"I do," I felt the female stand before me, protecting me.
"I will not stand here like all the other she-wolves and watch you mistreat a young she-wolf," she protested.
"She's not like anyone of the she-wolves in the pack, she's a thief and scoundrel just like her kind."
My eyes slowly opened to look at the female who had the heart to help me. The alpha spit in my eyes preventing me from seeing her. My eyes closed.
"I'm the alpha of the pack and I will not have you speaking to me in such a way."
"I'm your aunt, sister to your father, the previous alpha and I will not stand to watch you kill a young she-wolf."
"I leave her to you that he comes off my land before noon," I heard the alpha as he walked away.
"You all may go home as well!" the kind female shouted at the crowd, disappointedly.
"I'm so sorry about what happened to you she-wolf, I wish I was here in time to safe you."
She wiped the alpha's spit from my face. My eyes opened and I was now able to see her. She was an elderly dark-haired lady. I wanted to cry, thankful that a wolf had the heart to save me, but as always I couldn't as much as it was hard fighting tears of pain, and sadness that were built up inside of me from every bad treatment.
"I'm going to get you help to carry you to my house, your wounds need to be treated," said the female.
"No," I answered her.
I couldn't go with her, I was not safe here nor will I be safe in her home. I was much safer in the depth of the forest.
"Your body needs treatment, it's too weak to heal on its own."
"No, I just need food I'm hungry," I told her.
She looked at me confused.
Suddenly I saw her searching in a bag. From the bag, she took out a weird clear container. She opened it and a flavourful scent hit my nose.
"Here, I hope this piece of chicken can give you the strength you need."
She placed it before my mouth. My head slowly moved from it. I didn't like it, it didn't smell like the meat of the animals I'd killed. It smelled like she added something strange to it.
"Don't you want it, it's good to eat."
"It doesn't smell fresh," I retorted.
"Haven't you ever eaten cooked meat?" she asked appalled.
"No."
"Please taste it and you'll see it's good."
She again placed it before my mouth and I licked it. The taste was good. I eat it quickly. After I was through she gave me some water from a strange container, I licked it. I could feel my body begin to slowly heal from the energy I'd acquired from the kind wolf. I couldn't wait to get up and return to the depth of the forest.
"Thank you," I told her as I watched her put away the container into her small brown bag.
"You're welcome," she retorted,
"Your wounds are slowly healing now but I fear the scar won't leave because of the whip my cold-hearted nephew used to hit you," she told me. "You may walk around forever with that scar."
She then sadly touched my forehead, seeing the word he had written on my forehead, "nothing."
She began to cry. My eyes closed before I could too.
"How old are you?" she asked.
"Eighteen," I retorted.
I know I shouldn't be speaking to any stranger but she is the only wolf who is kind to me. All I can do is give her answers to questions I'm not afraid to respond to.
"Why did you choose to be a part of the rogue pack?" she asked curiously.
I couldn't answer that question. I wasn't a part of the pack. I looked away from her.
"Were you alone that's why?"
I nodded. My answer wasn't entirely a lie. I was in fact alone but I knew nothing about that pack. Though I was been punished for being a part of a pack I never knew of, it was better than anyone discovering I was a part of The River Pack.
"I'm sorry," she apologized.
I whimpered, sadly.
She gently touched my head and my eyes closed comforted by her touch. I felt myself having enough energy to leave. I tried to get up straight away, but my body quivered as I did.
"Take your time," she stood up as well.
I was now standing on my four feet.
"If my daughter was alive today, she would be your age," I heard her.
I looked at her sadly, now knowing why she fought to save me.
"I wish you could stay with me until you've fully healed. If you're worried about the alpha he wouldn't bother you there, he barely visits me."
"It's okay," I told her.
"I could even try to make him take you as a new pack member."
"I'll be fine," I lied.
I was thankful she was trying to help me who was nothing but a stranger to her, but I was not safe with her and too around that cruel alpha.
I thanked her and limped back into the depth of the forest.
As I arrived at the depth of the forest, I curled up in my home, not bothering to get rid of the blood from my fur. I cried like a pup of everything I'd been through. At that moment I now knew more than ever why my grandmother didn't want me to leave the depth of the forest, it was not only because of The Grey pack but others. Outside of the depth of the forest was a cold world and I was better off without it. I wished I had never once yearned to see it, knowing what was waiting out there for me all along.