Homecoming… Kind of

4 years… 4 years is how long I've been on the run. Yet it still feels like yesterday when I was forced out by my alpha. I go into autopilot and let my wolf take control while my brain replays that tragic day.

…

I was 16 years old and had just started turning 4 months prior. I was still in training and that night, I had won in our sparing matches and my lucky prize was to go out on patrol with the guards on duty. Man I wish I would've lost a round that day, I really wish I hadn't been on the boarder that night.

"Sophia, I have to go see what's going on on the eastern side of the territory, will you be okay by yourself for a little while?" Rowan, one of our packs strongest fighters and the man I was shadowing that night looked at me awaiting a reply. "Yeah I got this! You heard how I kicked butt in training today!" I was trying to make up for the lack of confidence I had. I shouldn't have lied, I shouldn't have let him leave me alone was all I could think as I watched the large brown wolf dash into the dark.

Shaking my head I thought to myself I got this! Just stay awake! You can always mind-link if trouble comes. Ha! If only I stayed awake.

…

Snapping out of the memory I shook my head and sniffed while continuing to run full speed in wolf form. 'Something feels off' my wolf spoke in my head, 'I feel like we shouldn't be here.' 'I agree let's head south for a while and see if we can't stay away from whoever that smel-' a breeze blew by just at that moment and the most glorious smell of fresh cut grass and musk hit me. My wolf and I simultaneously decided to follow that smell. 'We're getting too close to Alpha Adam's pack' my wolf warned half heartedly, we both really wanted to follow that smell. The mention of Alpha Adam quickly through me back into my earlier memory

…

Something quickly jerked me awake 'crap! Why'd you let me fall asleep?' I mumbled to my wolf. 'I tried to keep you awake dear, you just didn't listen.' She pushed back. 'SOPHIA' the alphas voice roared in my head, 'GET BACK TO THE PACK HOUSE NOW!' 'We're in so much trouble' my wolf and I thought simultaneously as we bolted through the woods at top speed. Thankfully I'm on of the fastest runners in the pack and I would be to the pack house in no time. As I neared, the sent of blood burned my nose, but what scarred me the most was the sight that met my eyes when I entered the clearing behind the house.

"Wha…What happened?" I stuttered as I slowly approached in human form looking at the whole pack standing in a circle and blood coating the field. Alpha Adam turned towards me with blazing eyes "Rowan left you with one job…. One simple job and you couldn't even do that!" I cowered under the alphas stare and dominant voice. "You are a pathetic excuse for a wolf! Why didn't you stop them?" "Stop who?" My voice was barely a whisper but the quiver in it was louder than ever. I looked around the pack, catching my mother and fathers heartbroken and disappointed looks they merely shook their heads at me. "Look for yourself" Alpha Adam commanded shoving me forward. I gasped and began crying immediately. "Lucy" I bawled. 'Not Lucy' my wolf wailed in my head. Lucy, the alphas sweet,perfect 2 year old daughter, who looked up to me and thought of me as her older sister, was laying there on the ground covered in blood and unmoving.

"Lucy snuck out to find you because she heard you were on patrol tonight, and two rogues darted out of the woods and killed her before we could stop them" the pain in the alphas voice hurt us all. "They came in through where you" the alpha looked at me pointedly while consoling his poor mate "were supposed to be on patrol, several warriors tried mind-linking you, what the heck happened?" He spat out the last part. I could feel the alphas anger and hatred for me radiating off of him. "I feel asleep Alpha, I don't know how it happened but I fell asleep and never heard any of the mind-links" I bowed my head ashamed ready for whatever punishment came my way. What I was not ready for were his next words. "I Alpha Adam of the Creekside Pack hereby exile you Sophia Miller". The instant ache in my heart as I lost the connection to my pack caused me to fall on my knees. It burned white hot and I cried out in pain. I looked up at my parents and my saw my mother crying into my fathers chest. Suddenly two warriors shifted and jumped towards me snarling. "Leave now!" Alpha Adam commanded with pure hatred in his eyes… that face seemed so real, and thats when I realized it's because I was actually looking into his hate filled eyes.