Darkest Before the Dawn

I did not need to hear the sound of dying warriors to tell we were under attack. I didn't need to feel the rumble of paws to sense the arrival of the next wave of enemies. I didn't need to flinch every time the pack link became weaker with each fallen warrior. All I needed was the metallic smell of blood...everywhere.

My senses were overloaded, jumbled in ways I've never experienced. I could hear the growl of the mighty wolves, the earth shaking like quakes beneath my feet. I couldn't find my mother, my wolf still too young to use the mind link to find her or feel emotions or pain. If she were hurt, I'd already be too late. My father would protect her as well as he could, that provided me with very little comfort. I loved my father, but he was not a strong warrior.

A loud crash sounded from the hallway; a large force was slamming against my bedroom door. Trying to snap the lock in two. As the door violently shock as the body slammed into it, I cowered back hiding behind my bed watching in horror as the door flew open.

I let out a sigh of relief when it was my Alpha who came storming through the door. I raised my hands in the air, indicating that I wanted to be picked up as if I was a small child. The Alpha ran towards me scooping me up into his arms.

"Dawn we have to get you down to the safe room with the other untrained wolves." He said carrying me swiftly through the halls of the pack house. The sound of fighting got louder the more we ran towards the safe room. The Alpha quickly puts me down and pushes me behind him.

"The rogues are trying to break into the safe room." He whispers turning to face me, he places his hands on my shoulders and looks me deeply in the eyes. His pupils dilated and I knew he was going to use the Alpha command on me.

"Dawn go straight to my room and lock yourself in my closet, don't go anywhere else I have to help fight." He commanded and I nodded my head in agreement. He let go of my shoulders and runs away. I start running to the Alphas room, my wolf under the power of the Alpha command. I heard the painful howl of a wolf and my heart shrivelled up; it was the cry of my mother. My wolf was roaring in my head, trying to pull me to go back on my ordered path but I didn't want to. Your wolf side is supposed to be the dominant one, who uses the Alpha command and pure natural instincts to decide what's the best path. Although it can be our weakness at times it's how the wolves have lived since the beginning of our history. Though today the Alpha command seemed to be slipping as if it never had been put there in the first place. I blocked my wolf and ran back down the stairs and out the front door. Most of the enemy had either been killed or had retreated. I heard my mother's howl once more and I ran off in the direction of her cries.

My steps seemed to echo through my mind as I sprinted over to my mother, I found her tossed up against the side of the tree. I ran over to her and pulled her head onto my lap.

"Dawn?" She whispered shakily staring up into my eyes in confusion. I smile down at her and softly brush the sweaty hair off her face.

"Yes mother, I'm here now." I whisper soothingly moving to the side of her body so I could place my arms under her armpits and under her knees to pick her up bridal style. Cradling her tightly to my chest, I carried her quickly back into the pack house and towards the infirmary. Sophia the pack nurse rushed over to me and takes my mother out of my hands and onto a gurney. I watch as she wheels her away.

"Dawn why are you here?" The Alpha's voice called out and I turned to face an angry Alpha. His pupils darkened, and his nostrils flared in anger.

"My mother was injured." I told him nervously watching as he walked towards me, practically feeling the anger roll off him.

"I commanded you to go to my closet, how were you able to disobey?" He asks a subtle growl raging under his breath.

"I don't know." I told him shaking nervously as he stared me down, some of the other members nearby have started to notice the commotion and have gathered around to watch our interaction.

"The simple possibility that you are able to easily defy my Alpha command makes you a traitor, nothing more than a worthless rogue!" He snapped taking a step closer forcing me to take a step back to avoid having him directly in my space bubble.

"Your body has no reaction to my command; your soul isn't obedient or loyal. Only rogues have the ability to ignore a command. I should've seen the signs earlier, you are a natural born rogue!" He stated in front of everyone, in front of my family, friends and my pack. Calling me a traitorous, disobedient, worthless rogue and crushing my spirit under his clipped tone.

"I'm not a rogue!" I pleaded trying to get him to understand that I care about my pack more than anything. I have never acted out against him, no acts of rebellion, and no defiance.

"What have I done to make you think so low of me?" I asked tears starting to pile down my face, I wiped them away with my sleeve. Taking deep breaths trying to be able to calm myself down. I was starting to have a panic attack. Rogues were not a name to throw around lightly, it was a serious matter that if continued could lead to banishment. Was there any chance at all that I was as he claimed me to be, was I really a natural born rogue? The cursed kind of wolves that are destined to be killed or banished from any and every pack they lived in because their humans couldn't obey.

The Alpha's face fell in remorse, he almost looked sorry for me. To him I was a pack member, someone he was entrusted to protect and care for, but now in his eyes I'm nothing but the very enemy he had killed earlier today...