There is No Running Away

Mere minutes later, Jade Pack's official website posted an announcement. The link was shared across all of their social media accounts. "We regret to announce that Danielle Ivy Ward, the former heir-apparent of the Jade Pack has been expelled from the pack and exiled for one hundred and fifty years on grounds of violent, impulsive and indiscreet behaviour towards fellow pack members. We are also pleased to introduce the new alpha heir-apparent of the Jade Pack — Brandon Julius Ward. May the moon goddess bless his rule."

While some rejoiced, some were heartbroken, and others were indifferent. But everyone, without fail, knew that by losing Danielle, the pack would never be the same again.

People began to disperse after paying their condolences. They didn't want to endure staying in that wretched presence any longer. And Gerald, by most of them, wouldn't be missed. They gave the family space to take care of Gerald's mangled body.

Suddenly, they felt a tug in their minds. Every wolf in the pack grunted with pain as the heir-apparent broke her links with her pack, with her family and with her father. Howls instinctively filled the air, representing the wolves' primal reaction of grief and confusion. With such an able leader abandoning her pack, it wouldn't be long before the pack members doubted the pack's leadership and its ability to rule.

*

Danielle was almost flying past the trees in the woods in her wolf form. The wind tore past her fur. It felt like she was being pierced by dozens of needles. Her heart thumped erratically. She was experiencing an adrenaline rush. Feelings from various corners of her mind were jumping around, turning her mind into a mess.

So, this was what it felt like to break a pack bond. She felt exhilarated by the freedom that came with it and the relief she felt by breaking away from those chains of duty she never wanted to fulfil. A part of her was also feeling apprehensive, but she decided to not pay attention to it right away.

Breaking the pack bond had, however, taken a toll on her wolf, Lupa. Lupa was the one who had to bear the brunt of her decision. She refused to talk to Danielle for making her suffer. But Danielle knew she would come around eventually once the pain subsided. Saving Naomi and killing Gerald was not Danielle's decision alone - Lupa too was in perfect accord with her human half.

Danielle felt guilty about leaving Naomi alone to fend for herself, but she had been left with no choice. She had calculated the timing of the pack's discovery of Gerald precisely. It left her some time to go to her room, stuff her important belongings into a duffel bag and take off like a bullet towards the borders.

The moment she crossed the borders, they found Gerald's body. Naomi had told her telepathically that she had gotten away from the messy situation. Only then did she break all links and ties she had with the Jade Pack. Feeling like an uncaged bird, an unleashed beast, a thrum of enthusiasm ran through her body. She felt like nothing could tie her down. As her muscles were exercised to their limits with the speed she was going at, she called out to her wolf, "Lupa," she spoke cautiously, "are you feeling better?"

Lupa didn't respond. Just when Danielle was thinking of ways to coax her wolf, Lupa answered in a belligerent tone, "Do I have a choice? I am stuck with you anyway, aren't I?"

Danielle chuckled. "Come on, don't be like that. You know even I didn't have much of a choice there, right?"

"Of course you did," Lupa snorted. "You could have killed our so-called father and taken over the pack in twenty minutes, tops. I had even laid out excellent plans for that fight. I wanted to see his stupid face twist with agony."

"Killing him would be merciful," Danielle said flatly. "If he needs to serve his sentence, it better be on my terms. The time isn't right for that yet."

"I do not admire your patience," Lupa grumbled. "Immediate. Things should be instant and immediate. Why at all wait, I don't understand. Even when we were at camp. You were so cautious and… patient all that time." Lupa shuddered.

"Well," Danielle said, having had this argument many times in the past. "How about I give you control for a while?"

"Give me?" Lupa sneered. "I take control. Nobody gives me control."

"As you say, my queen," Danielle acceded with a smile. She gave up her control and Lupa took over. Danielle could feel her joy and cheer at being in full control of their wolf form. She knew Lupa had to be let out once in a while, otherwise, she would start feeling trapped and caged. Especially now that Lupa's mood was off, it was all the more important to give her control.

Ahem, 'let' her take control.

Lupa carefully sniffed the land and manoeuvred herself onto no pack's territory. They would have to go through so much trouble if they accidentally stepped on a pack's territory. It was then that she realised fully that she was now finally a free wolf. Or a lone wolf, depending on how one might look at it.

Such wolves were known as wanderers. Wanderers were a complicated part of the werewolf community. They belonged to no pack. They did, however, come directly under the crown. They were accepted according to the laws of the kingdom, but legal acceptance didn't always mean social acceptance. Wanderers were discriminated against in workplaces. Whenever an employer asked for a CV and read saw the 'Name of Pack' section marked as pack-less, the applicant would be considered abnormal and be immediately rejected.

They also faced bias in educational institutions where the children of Wanderers wouldn't be let into schools under the crown. Even if they did, they would experience a lot of hate. They faced bias even in communions. They could only settle down in narrow strips of land which was no pack's territory and struggle for their livelihood and the upbringing of their children.

Facing such bigotry amongst their own kind, Wanderers had long begun to form groups and associations of their own which began to conduct violent, forceful and coercive activities to restore their rights. This was always seen as a constant struggle between society and the outcasts. The crown held a very ambivalent attitude towards this issue. On occasion, it was known to turn a blind eye to their plight.

Being a Wanderer seemed free only on the surface. In reality, it was anything but. The way Lupa carefully trod on werewolf territory knowing she belonged nowhere made both her and Danielle realise that they were now Wanderers themselves. All that she had heard about their experiences as social outcasts would be something she would have to embrace. But could her dominant wolf, Lupa, tolerate any form of disrespect or face a situation where she had to bow before someone?

The answer would be an unequivocal no.

If that was the case, then it seemed like she would have a colourful life as a Wanderer. Maybe some years from now, she could carry back some tales for Naomi's amusement. Musing in this manner, Lupa shot off in the southwestern direction. It was where her destination lay, and she had to make sure she got there before her father's guard dogs caught up to her.