Packs are cruel. The little girl's situation just reminded me how fickle and cruel packs can be, especially towards people they don't consider as pack or family.

Yet, what made someone pack? Clearly not blood, as the little girl had been left to fend for her own in a decaying house away from pack territory

Left without family and friend, offered no warmth, food or education. Praying that she'd starve so they wouldn't have to deal with their unwanted guest.

And yet, when I had knocked on the door with one hand, clutching onto the plastic bag with Molly's food, she had been so warm and pleasant when she opened the door.

I could tell she was wary, eyes flitting back and forth to scan our surroundings, worry clear from the frown on her face. The moment she inhaled, she slowly relaxed a bit, undoubtedly smelling that I was still in a rather weakened state.

Perhaps it was indeed because I wasn't pack, or that I didn't have a rank and thus no aura to emit, but, the little girl smiled warily, sniffing once more as her eyes flitted down towards the bag.

"So, you gonna let me in so we can have some breakfast?" I asked while lifting up the slightly steaming bag. Her stomach growled long and obnoxiously, making her blush before she took a step back to allow me in.

The door slowly creaked back open after she shut it, the wood warped from the same dampness that clung to the air. I sighed and kicked it shut, motioning her further into the house and towards, what I assumed, was a kitchen.

Flicking on a switch, I scowled when there was no surge of power to be found, nor any heating to chase away the chill of the morning.

In fact, the hairs in the back of my neck stood on end as I could feel the cold draft flowing through the house, most likely from cracks in the wall or a broken window somewhere.

Glancing at the girl, I set down the bag of delicately wrapped breakfast, what I was told was several bacon and eggs sandwiches.

The second I gave her permission, the girl nearly darted for the bag headfirst, ripping the wrapping off with her teeth before devouring sandwich by sandwich, barely breathing in-between bites.

"Don't choke, it's not going to run off on it's own." I grumbled when she coughed slightly, flushing at my reprimand before she continued eating, albeit a bit slower.

"You're different." She murmured, eyes darting to me with suspicion as her nose flared, trying to analyze my scent before her attention w as torn away to the sandwich in her hand.

I sat down in one of the chairs, letting my gaze flicker across the room. "Am I now?" She nodded sharply, nostrils flaring with each delicate whiff she took.

"You're rogue... but you're not. And you're pack, but then again... you're not? You're something in-between." She frowned down at the remainder of her sandwich. "Why are you here?"

A huff escaped me, because honestly, why was I here? "I'm here to teach you how to survive kiddo." I replied honestly because I wasn't going to force her to make a choice. If she wanted to avoid packs and live life as a nomadic wolf, she needed all the help she could get.

Including the knowledge of how bitterly cruel the outside world truly is. But I wasn't going to warp her reality like this pack was attempting to do.

I had a suspicious feeling they were the ones who cut off the power towards the house and aided along in the deterioration of said house.

Anything to hide the disgrace in their pack. I huffed slightly, a smirk curling my lips as I realized I'd have to change my lodging. After all, Drake has made sure the pack would want me to be as comfortable as possible.

If I were to remain in the girl's house, they'd need to put on the power and water once more, which would help immensely.

"W-who are you?"

I blinked, giving my head a little shake as the girl eyed me over the now empty bag. "A little late to ask that after you let a stranger in your house, isn't it?"

She huffed slightly, though seeming a tad more wary before I shook my head on a deep sigh. "I'm Kyle, kid. And lesson number one is to not open the door to anyone you don't know, alright?"

Nodding, her hands wrung at the tattered shirt hanging limply on her skinny form. "I'm Ellie. And I only opened the door cause you didn't smell like the rogues or pack."

"Good thinking using your wolf, kid. Trust it with your life." I replied softly, cracking my joints before standing from the chair.

"Now Ellie, can you show me around the place? I'll be staying here for a while with you, if that's okay." She nodded hesitantly, blue eyes wary as she slowly slipped of her seat.

I could already sense that her heartbeat was slowing from its previous erratic gait, undoubtedly her wolf realizing there was an adult nearby to protect them and slowly relaxed in my presence.

A sigh escaped me as I shook my head, realizing that Drake was right. Even though she seemed wary of my intentions, her wolf trusted me based on the fact that I was neither pack nor rogue.

If Drake himself had come over to pick up the kid, he'd have unwillingly traumatized the kid for life.

Her wolf was too young, too wary especially after what happened with her parents. Untrusting of a pack that made it's intentions clear, her wolf had imprinted on the fact that pack could not be trusted.

Makes perfect sense. But... sometimes, there are a very few packs out there that are worth trusting.

The house was small and showed a faded warmth of the family that once occupied it. It was very clear her parents had every intention to live here happily as a family, with or without the support of their pack.

And I had a suspicion to share with Drake that perhaps, Ellie's birth pack might have allowed the rogues to come near her house, hoping that they'd take care of the nomadic mother and their daughter.

An annoyed grumble left my lips, startling Ellie slightly before I shook my head and motioned her ahead. Her room was on the farthest side of the house, sheltered underneath the roof and the warmest place.

She sank on her bed, pulling her knees closer to her before looking at me through a mess of long hair.

Ellie's eyes never left me as I walked through her room, checking the sturdiness of the walls and her window before glancing outside to make sure nobody was watching.

"You... kinda remind me of Mommy..." Her nose twitched as she sniffed before leaning closer to her knees. "She smelled in between too. Not pack but, not rogue. Mommy said it's why the pack didn't like her, as she hadn't chosen to bond with them."

I sighed, nodding softly. "Some packs demand absolute obedience and respect, to instantly accept the pack as family, yet they don't apply the same curtesy to anyone wanting to mate within the pack."

Ellie's eyes saddened before they sparked. "But, there are others who don't?" I nodded, giving the kid her space and kept my eyes on the view outside, wandering the premises.

"Some packs don't mind nomads, even accept them heartily. They don't even need to become a true part of the pack if they don't want to."

Ellie laid her little chin on her knees, frowning and letting out a deep sigh before shaking her little head in denial. I didn't press on the matter, as it would only allow her to push away the idea and thus, her trust in me.

Her curiosity would make her ask more later on. Plus, her own wolf would search for any contact it had been craving but sorely lacking as well.

Speaking off, I could see her eyes glow slightly as she whimpered, glancing at the darkening sky. Her eyes flitted towards the star shaped light still plugged in the socket, but it remained darkened.

Fucking assholes.

I huffed and grumbled to myself before stepping out the hallway, motioning her back when she made to scramble from the bed.

Memories from the past provided me with the knowledge on what to do, even though it would rip open old, aching wounds.

Removing my clothes, I shifted and nudged the door back open, clothes held in my mouth to place on the bed. The second she spotted my wolf, her own form wavered before a brown little pup tumbled from the bed with whimpers and whines, tail tucked low and wagging between her legs.

As soon as I hugged and laid down on the mat near her bed, she crawled closer, instincts taking over as Ellie's little pup form dug into my fur for warmth and comfort.

And I felt absolutely sorry for this kid, knowing she went through a horrible time. Waiting for her family that would never return, in a pack that wanted her to starve.

With a reassuring grumble, I softly lapped at her head, watching her eyes grow heavy with sleep. For a second the moonlight caught on her pink gums and sparkly teeth as she yawned widely, little tongue curling out.

And then she curled up and huffed in my fur. Whimpers slowly quieting down until she was fast asleep.

A sigh escaped me as my tail curled closer to the little pup, chin placed on my paws as I kept an ear out for our surroundings.

Fucking hate kids... They're too adorable for their own good...