My life consisted of surviving on my own at the moment, out in the woods by myself. Using only what I had on me, or the stolen things I had acquired while lurking around different packs, lucky I was a panther in a world of werewolves and elves, but mostly werewolves. Elves were a myth, well so were panther shifters but here I am.

'We need to rest' my panther sighed, she called herself Cleo. I couldn't argue with her suggestion.

'I know' I agreed

'What pack are we in?' she asked

'Fuck if I know, does it matter?' I asked

She stayed silent, she always was the worrier. She is almost like a mom to me since my family was dead except for my uncle. Which I have no idea what the hell his name is he always had me call him uncle. When my family died I went into foster care for a bit then my uncle came for me and my nightmare started. By the time I ran away I was bruised, beaten, and scarred. Better a life alone then the hell hole he had me in, just thinking about it made my skin crawl.

'Do you think there's a place to stay near?' Cleo spoke up

I shifted behind a tree, digging in my back pack i threw on the only thing I owned which was a black long sleeved shirt, jeans and converse, I left my hair as is, down cascading down my shoulders hiding the scars on my neck from the silver, it was a bitch to most shifters including me.

Once I dressed, I looked closely at my surroundings. It was a clearing not far from the place where I used to sit and think at a lot when my parents first died. I must be the next pack over from my old pack which is now just rogue territory, I made my way across the clearing until I came to a small town.

Walking, I got some stares, but I kept going driven by sleep exhaustion. Coming across a run down Inn I thought would be perfect. I opened the door to see an older lady comfortably reading a book in her chair.

Until she saw me.

"What can I do for you?" she asked.

"I need a room" I stated tiredly.

"Your rogue, aren't you?" she said squinting her eyes.

"I won't tell if you won't" I said slipping the two hundred dollars I stole from some chick at the other pack I crossed in weeks ago.

She smiled slapping a key onto the counter "enjoy" she said putting the money in her pocket

Grabbing the keys, I headed to the appropriate room number and pushed the door open. It was simple, one bed, a lamp, a nightstand, and a bathroom.

"Take a shower you smell" Cleo begged.

I nodded "for once your right"

She huffed, "I'm always right"

I rolled my eyes closing the door, it was good to finally have somewhere to stay that wasn't the woods. Truth is, I missed having a bed to sleep on. I missed normal. But right now, the shower was the only thing on my mind, I couldn't wait to take a hot shower after months of running

.

.

.

After my shower I felt much better, my hair no longer caked in sweat and grease. I wiped off the mirror, looking at it I gasped, I hadn't looked at myself in months.

The once beautiful girl was nonexistent, my hair was limp, my face thinned just like the rest of my body, my scars still telling my ugly truth, and my eyes dull green rather then the bright green they had been. It was true I wasn't loved or taken care of by my uncle, but he always fed me. He made sure I was a certain weight to hide the abuse when the people from the foster care system came to check on me. But no matter how many fake smiles I put on to cover for him he would still beat me, cut me, whip me, etc.

All my emotions numb at this point I walked away from the mirror, craving the small bed which matched the smell of the room, perfume and regret. But I didn't care, I fell onto it and was instantly in a deep sleep.

Marcus p.o.v.

I growled as I lined up more unmated girls from different packs because none of them were my mate. I had been searching for years, I needed my Luna and I wouldn't stop for anything until I found her.

"Get. Out." I snapped to the young women lined up and they scurried away in fear.

"Marcus don't scare them, its not their fault they are not your mate" Beth said walking into the room, Beth was my beta female being my sister, she was mated to one of my Beta a dear friend named Kyle.

"I'm just frustrated" I grumbled, Kyle walked in wrapping an arm around Beth.

"Marcus, we have a rouge situation, one was spotted not too far from one of our towns" Kyle stated revealed.

"Patrol the woods by the town and the town itself, I don't want any pack members harmed" I spat, not in the mood to deal with the rogue filth today.

Beth stepped forward, "well about that, its me and Kyle's anniversary and I was hoping..."

I cut her off "of course Beth, you two have fun, but tell Josh, Miles, and Tyler to do the patrol and to report to me if they catch the thing"

He nodded "Yes Alpha" he said dragging a smiling Beth out the door.

I was tired of looking for the mate that was supposed to be mine years ago, I searched pack after pack and came up short. My parents were dead so I had to make sure I had all requirements met for my pack, Beth did some of the Luna work which I was happy about and she would check the pups, talk to the females, and so on.

I just want to find my mate.

"We will" Sam insisted, Sam was my wolf, a dick but still a part of me.

Alex p.o.v.

I woke from my nap, I felt better than before but still tired, I guess you can't sleep off a weak body. My stomach rumbled pulling me back into reality, I had to go get some food.

Or steal some.

.

.

.

Walking into town I made sure to not cause any attention to myself. I strolled casually into a store called Handy Lots.

Fun name.

I take the bare minimum no matter what, the less you take the easier it is to not get caught. I walk in, the lights were almost painfully bright, the music peppy. I wouldn't stick around long enough to hear more then a snip of it because I made my way to the beef jerky snatching one into my pocket, then over to the water bottles swiping one of those as well,then I felt eyes on me.

I look over slowly at a group of three men, not just any men but pack warriors, I could tell by the power radiating off of them.

When I say I bolted out of the store I mean I BOLTED! The people inside the store were left wide eyed and mouths open, watching a rogue girl running from pack warriors on their land.

Oh well.

I ran immediately for the door, the pack warriors followed hot on my trail. Surprisingly they didn't shift, just ran after me in human form. I considered shifting but I know they would skin me alive, at least that's what uncle had told me, and honestly I believed him. They were getting close, but I found the exit.

Thank God.

I shot out of the store heading straight for the woods behind it, not giving a damn about the few people I had knocked over.

Oops

The chase continued for awhile I knew if I could make it off their territory I could get away, the problem is that their territory was fucking huge, so I would be running for a bit.

One warrior jumped on my back causing me to fall headfirst, I got a mouth full of grass, spiting it out I crawled to get up, one of them stepped on my hand causing me to yell in pain.

"Rogue" I looked up at the tall blond hovering over me.

"Please! I'm human!" I lied.

They looked at each other for a moment "human or not you are still a rouge, you need to come see the alpha."

Fuck that.

Alphas scared the living shit out of me "please just kill me!" I begged

He laughed "its not that simple", a van drove up beside us with the brown-haired man driving "josh, open the back" and the back door opened.

They held, me pinning my arms to my back, I lashed out trying to wiggle out of their grasp, "fine have it your way" blondie said as I felt a crack on my head.

And.

Darkness...