The Fated King

Why?

That question plagued my mind as I watched from my hiding place as rogues forcibly shoved my parents to their knees.

The last words my parents said to me engrained themselves into my head. The ones uttered, urging me to run and survive no matter what. Then, the rogues ripped their throats out, and I gagged. I shifted immediately, trying to remain out of sight as my pack fell to rogues. The rogue that killed my parents was too busy relishing in the successful murder of the Alpha and Luna to notice my fleeing form.

The incomplete transfer of power gave me the misfortune of sensing as every one of my pack members died. Feeling one remaining link as I was reaching the border of our territory gave me hope that I wouldn be the sole survivor of this massacre. A hope that disappeared as the link was severed.

Resisting the urge to howl at the loss of my family, I ran as fast as my four legs could carry me through the forest. Victory howls rang distantly, and I continued to run until I could no longer hear the monsters who hooted in triumph at the slaughter of my entire pack. I had no clue where I was going or what to do now that I had no pack.

Today was my fifteenth birthday and the day I was to become Alpha. The ceremony was the most vulnerable point of a pack since it required every member to submit to their new Alpha. There were always precautions taken to avoid unwanted visitors, though. Thats what threw my pack off guard.

The only thing I couldn wrap around my head was the rogues attacking. Yes, they were savages, but even rogues had a code they followed. A temporary ruce. One put in place on the day of an Alphas ceremony. Nobody knew the reason, but many speculated it had to do with the wolfs instincts to honor the transfer of power.

Until now, my wolf supplied. My breath rushed out of my lungs quickly, my heart pounding in my chest, and I ignored my bodys cry for rest. There was no resting. Not until I got as far away as possible.

Slow down, Simon. We
e as far as we can get. If you continue to burn too much energy so quickly, we won be able to travel tomorrow.

Yeah, I know you
e right, Sim, but-

No, Simon. Slow down. Or Ill force you to, and you know I enjoy doing so.

Fine.

I sighed as Sim retreated, slowing my gallop to a trot before coming to a complete stop. I surveyed the area, taking in all the trees and sniffing the air to see if I could catch any rogue scent but every scent I caught belonged in nature. There didn seem to be any rogue scent, but there was a scent that caught my attention. It wasn a scent I was familiar with, but I knew it wasn something to worry about right now.

The fatigue hit me at once, and it took everything in me to remain standing on shaky legs as the previous adrenaline was fading. I finally realized the state of my body as I felt my thundering heart slow and burning lungs start to take deeper breaths. My jaw opened wide on its own to release a jaw-breaking yawn that ended in a tried whine.

Simon, let me take over. Ill bring us to safety, but you need to rest yourself.

Okay, Sim.

I felt him take the mental reins as I withdrew to the back of our shared mind. I looked on tiredly, my mental eyelids sliding shut as I fell into a fitful sleep.

~

Simon.

I grumbled, shifting to find a better spot, but the surface underneath me was cold. The usual warmth wasn there. Shivers traveled up my spine, and I whined in discomfort, searching for my blanket that seemed to have disappeared. I opened my eyes, trying to understand where I was before my memories came crashing back.

Attempting to stand, my progress became hindered as something tightened against