I ran down the stairs as screams filled my ears and terror flooded my veins. I sprinted to the front door of the pack house and flung it open— revealing rogues and pack members everywhere tackling, biting, ripping, and killing each other. My eyes squeezed shut, and my hands plugged my ears, praying that this was not real. After taking a few deep breaths I peeled them open again, but nothing has changed, and I began to panic. With only one thing on my mind, I was now determined to fight with everything I had.

Sprinting across the open field, no one noticed me; they were too busy fighting, killing. I made my way through the endless trees searching for my siblings. I don't understand; they should have been in the pack house with me. How could they have been so foolish to leave?

Hiding behind a thick tree, I heard someone coming near. I peeked out from behind the bark; it was Stella's wolf.

"Stella!" I harshly called as I motioned for my sister.

Her wolf's eyes went wide when she saw me, filled with pure terror and regret. She shook her head frantically, and tears slid down her face. All of a sudden another wolf tackled her, teeth ripping into her throat in a flash.

"Stella! Stella no!" I cried as her lifeless body laid limp on the forest floor. Prying my eyes off her, I couldn't make myself look for any longer. My sister, she's gone forever.

The wolf that attacked her turned towards me with pure evil and rage in its eyes. With no brake to even mourn the loss of my siblings, they started running towards me, and I waited for the impact with my eyes shut. I waited for my death as a weak wolf would, yet it never came.

Taking the chance, I looked to see the wolf that killed my sister now fighting with one of the pack guards. I didn't think twice and ran deeper into the woods. My sister's cold, dead eyes fogged my brain, making it impossible to stay focused. What am I supposed to do? How am I expected to tell everyone? I could barely take the aching pain in my heart as it slowly ate at my soul, but I kept running as tears fell down my cheeks, staining the dirt beneath my feet.

I came up to more rogues battling and quickly hid behind another tree. With a racing heart, I peeked out yet again and briefly glanced at the lifeless wolves on the floor. That's until I stopped breathing and became motionless. Oh, goddess. No, please.

My mother laid on the forest floor slain next to my brother, their bodies ripped to pieces, my eyes stung with endless salty tears. I wanted to scream; I wanted to go out there and rip every single one of those damn rogues to pieces. They take my sister, my brother, and my best friend; my mom—my mother! How dare they do this to me and get away with it! What have I done to deserve this?

My heart jerked, and I couldn't breathe. Why? Why couldn't they take me instead!

I wake up covered in a thin layer of sweat with tears rolling down my flushed cheeks. I have this dream almost every night. I'm used to the sweat and tears, but the memories will never fade. My brain is forever tattooed with the images of their dead bodies. Over the past months, I've tried to forget about it all, but I wouldn't make it that easy for myself.

I peel the covers off my sticky body and head to my bathroom to take a shower. Stripping off my pajamas, I switch the shower on and step under the downpour. I relax as the hot water streams down my shaken body, almost as if it's washing away the visuals of my constant dreaming.

I wish I could just forget about the attack, but I can't accept that my family is gone. I found out after the attack that my father was also killed; his life meaning nothing to his murderer. The pack fell apart after the loss of their Alpha and Luna, but they will get over it, I never will.

I turn the shower off and dry my dripping body with a white, fluffy towel from the silver rack. I wrap it around my chilled frame and walk back into my room, glancing at the clock resting on my bedside table. It is five o'clock in the morning, so I might as well just stay up.

I trudge into my closet and sift through my clothes, scavenging for something comfortable and warm. I decided on a pair of sweatpants and one of my brother's old t-shirts that I wear constantly; it still smells like him in some ways.

Heading downstairs and into the kitchen, my stomach rumbles with the desire to be fed. So, giving in, I open the fridge and grab three eggs from the carton. Turning back around, I have a minor heart attack as Frank seems to appear out of nowhere, sitting on one of the counter stools. Glaring at the three eggs now splattered onto the floor, I internally groan.

"Jesus Frank you scared the crap out of me!"

"You're up early." Frank casually ignores my frustration as continues to sip on his coffee. Frank is like my personal guard; he lives in the pack house with me, so I am not alone. He's been there for me since the attack and loss of my family, him now being the only family I have left.

"I had a nightmare and decided not to go back to sleep," I explain while cleaning up the mess on the white tile floor tiredly.

"Sorry about the eggs."

"It's not your fault. I just get scared easily I guess." I throw the paper towel covered in egg yolks into the garbage and turn back to Frank. "What's up?" I ask, leaning on the counter.

"Anna, the pack, is going under, people are joining new packs, even becoming rouge. I don't know how much longer we can go without an Alpha or Luna. There's barely anyone left."

I stay quiet, absorbing the non-surprising information. People are going rouge? Maybe that's not such a bad idea.

"How many are left exactly?" I question, curious.

"Around thirty."

"Then what's the point, let's just close down the pack, give up."

"Are you crazy! Your grandparents built this pack on their own!" He shouts, taken back by my disturbing decision. "How can you just throw that all away?"

"Three-fourths of our people died in the attack almost a year ago, and the ones that survived are leaving," I say calmly. "You said it yourself; the pack is going under."

Frank sighs and rests his head on the counter. "Where will the thirty of us go?" He lifts his gaze to me.

"We can join another pack nearby, don't get me wrong it kills me to make this decision, but we don't have a lot of options left."

~•~

I spoke to the Alpha of the Moon Stone pack over the phone since they're the closest pack to us. He said that he would be happy to let us join his pack, my father made strong allies with the Moon Stone Pack and I'm thankful for that. My father always knew to have more allies than enemies.

The pack house was cleared out, and everything was placed boxes for storage. It was weird to see the place I have grown up in without pictures on the walls, or any signs of my family at all.

I've been thinking a lot about joining the new pack or becoming rogue. At first, I figured I was crazy to think I could become rouge and survive alone, but now it's all I want to do, to be free. I could travel the country, go to places I never got the chance to go because of the pack. Pretending to be a human just sounds like my best shot at a real life.

Of course, I didn't tell Frank about my plans because if I did, I'd get locked in a cell so that I couldn't leave him. So I decide to escape when we arrive at the new pack and head south to California. Having a fresh start will be good for me, maybe I will forget about the gory attack that haunts me every day. Forget about how I lost everything.

"We're here." Frank nudges me as we pull up to the Moon Stone pack house, glancing out the window I examine the white mansion before me. It's quite fancy, surrounded by green grass and trimmed bushes. Soon we get out of the car and make our way up the front steps and towards the grand looking doors. I pushed on the doorbell and heard the chime sound on the other side of the walls.

It didn't take long for someone to answer.

It was a tall, lean guy; I sensed power radiating off him, he must be the Beta.

"Oh, your here, I'll take you to the Alpha and Luna." We followed him into the pack house and down a hallway till we came up to white double doors. He pushed them open revealing the Alpha at his desk and the Luna sitting on one of the couches off to the side of the room.

"Ah, you have arrived, welcome." He motioned us to come in and take a seat. Entering into the dark-colored room, I sat down on one of the leather chairs in front of his desk as he ordered.

"Thank you so much for letting us join your pack, especially under these conditions." Frank thanked while I just continued to study the room. My eyes landed on the Luna, she was pregnant, at least seven months. Like many people say she had a certain glow around her like joy and happiness took over her soul.

"Congratulations," I say to her trying to focus on the present and not my escape plan.

"Oh thank you." She sweetly smiled. "Only two more months."

When we finished discussing joining the pack and other details they showed us where we would be staying. It's a lovely house, close to the pack house. The inside is spacious and modern, especially the kitchen which I adore.

When they left to give us privacy to unpack, I went upstairs and picked out my room, well more like a hotel room.

I sat down on the edge of the bed in the middle of the room, after I finished bringing my suitcases upstairs. Getting up, I sat on the floor in front of my bag.

Lazily unzipping it, I lifted the top, inside was my packed duffle bag full of clothes, food, water, and other essentials. I pre-packed so I would be ready to go and not waste any more time.

There was a light knock at the bedroom door, and I quickly zipped the suitcase back up and answered it.

"How do you like things?" Frank asked, leaning on the door frame.

"It's nice," I answer abruptly and rather awkwardly.

Giving me a funny look, Frank rolled his eyes. "Okay well, I'm going to go take a shower. Don't destroy anything."

Huffing at his stupidity, I shut the door in his face and got back to work.

Dear Frank,

I appreciate the friendship and comfort you provided me with throughout the years. I would like to thank you for taking care of me when I lost my family, you were there for me, and I'll never forget that. I have decided to leave and become rogue. I need to be free and replace my bad memories with happy ones. I'll never forget you.

Thank you,

Anna.

I didn't want it to sound too emotional and risk him coming after me.

Carefully placing the note on the bed's soft comforter, I grabbed my duffel bag and turned to the window.

It's time to go.