Zoey’s POV

This was the worst day of my life.

I curled into a ball while I camped under this big, old, rotting tree. My body was dripping wet from the sudden rainfall, shivering to the cold of the night winds. The evening breeze started to blow stronger than I expected. The trees, which were silent a while earlier, were now swaying side to side because of it.

My body was shivering hard. When I ran away from our pack, I didn’t bring any camping supplies. I only brought two sets of clothing and some fruits to munch while looking for a place to stay. Nothing could have prepared me for this condition. I guess I would never have been prepared. I admit that my sudden decision to run away from my pack without any plans was now taking a toll on me.

Feeling sorry for myself, I embraced my knees tighter. I had never felt so alone and vulnerable like this.

All of a sudden, a bright, flashing surge of electricity struck the nearby tree. A loud, booming sound followed afterward. I let out a high-pitched sound of shock as a response. Smoke came out of the tree while a slit formed in its trunk. Then, its body gave up on its weight, making it split in two, slowly but violently.

The scene made me shiver, not in cold but in fear. What if the tree, where I was sitting was next? What if lightning struck me afterward? What if I die here?

From where I was sitting, a mild flash of blue caught my attention. Since everything was covered in darkness, it was easy for me to have noticed it. My forehead creased. What would that be?

Moments passed and the mysterious blue spark inched closer. I embraced my knees tightly as my heart pounded out of control. Little by little, the unknown sparkle revealed its form. And nothing could have prepared me for what had happened next.

The blue light was coming from a pair of ocean-blue eyes owned by a massive brown wolf.

Terror crept underneath my skin. I held my breath trying to calm my nerves under such horrible circumstances. Of all the possible moments I could encounter a rogue wolf, why now?

The brown wolf inched closer in my direction. I tried to push back my body until my back hit the trunk of the tree. I have nowhere to go. I could no longer run as my energy was already drained from earlier. And even if I tried to fight and defend myself, it would be a futile effort as well.

I closed my eyes and remembered my mom’s face for the last time. I took a deep breath preparing myself for the inevitable. I was sure that my end was near. And hell, I was not fucking ready!

Moments passed and the strike I was anticipating still didn’t happen. The heavy rainfall earlier was now changed to a cold drizzle. My body continued to shudder as I dared open my eyes.

The wolf was gone. Instead, a silhouette of a man faced me.

His blonde hair fell into his face. He lifted his hand to tuck the strands on his ear revealing his sparkling blue eyes. His body was carved perfectly, with years hiding behind his face.

He was good-looking, no doubt.

“W-who are you? What do you need from me?” I asked, pouring the remaining ounce of courage I have in me. It was one thing to ask for his name, but more importantly, I needed to know why he was here.

The mysterious man remained stoic as he opened his mouth for a response. “My name is Parker Thompson. And you are?”

But instead of feeding his curiosity, I queried, “Why are you here?” Yes, I was still afraid, yet I was proud of myself for letting these words out.

The man stroked his hair backward and let out a faint smile. “I wanted to know the name of the extremely rare female rogue I just found shivering under a rainstorm.”

Seeing the man soften his demeanor, I calmed down a little. For the first time since the rainstorm started, I stood up. “Zoey Davis. Now that you have my name, can you leave me alone now?”

“I mean no harm,” he responded. “I have been living in Crestwood Mountain for ten years. Since then, I decided to live in isolation. From an alpha, I chose to become a rogue, and damn, it wasn’t easy! So I figured you needed some help especially after seeing you cry under that tree and probably contemplating what you're doing out here all by yourself.”

My forehead creased. Why was he telling me his life story? I was not interested to hear any of it. All I wanted was to be left alone. It was better like that instead of me trusting a naked stranger who tried to lure me with the story of his life if that was true.

“The rain already stopped.I don’t need—.”

“I know what you are.”

I was caught by surprise hearing those words. And yet, I hid it from him. “What are you talking about? I don’t know what you’re saying.”

“I know you are a shifter. I have been following you since you crossed this border. I told you, haven’t I? This is my home and nothing could be hidden from me that this forest had seen.”

My eyes widened in disbelief. I tried my best not to attract any other wolves around. Also, I was positive that encountering another wolf in this place was a million chances for one.

Of course, my first instinct was to lie!

“You’re out of your mind. Female shifters are nothing but a legend.”

The man stepped closer but with utmost care. He didn’t want to intimidate me. I could sense that. “No need for you to hide it. I saw it with my own eyes when you shifted. But I could also sense that you were not used to the shifting process judging by how slow your transformation was. And with that, I can help you. You have entered my territory. It was only proper that I welcome you seeing that you were not a threat.”

His explanation was long but not complicated. And honestly, it was the truth. While my wolf was kind enough to adjust to my shortcomings when her spirit bound with me when I shift, it was evident that we still struggled with it both. What do I expect? I only discovered this ability less than twenty-four hours ago.

I swallowed hard. A part of me wanted to run away and avoid him, yet the other part was stating otherwise.

Should I trust a stranger in the middle of the woods? Should I trust his word that he would help me with my newfound ability?

“Why don’t we continue this conversation in my house? You’ve been through a lot. You deserve a hot cup of coffee and a decent meal to warm your body. You may have been a wolf but you still need to rest and fill up your energy.”

His invitation was enticing. I really need shelter to spend the rest of the night with. Not only was I cold and tired, but I was also hungry.

“What do you say?” He asked once more while offering his hand to me.

“I…I…” I hesitated. But seeing that this was an offer worth accepting, I heaved a sigh and let out my answer.

“Okay. I’ll come with you.”

Zoey’s POV

Who would have thought that the salvation I was desperately yearning for earlier, would come from a rogue?

All my life, I thought rogues lived like cavemen, with rocks for a pillow and cold ground for a bed. But after meeting Parker, my views about them totally changed.

Rogues had a very bad reputation in our society. Most of them were plunderers, thieves, and murderers. They were known to have committed the worst crimes you could possibly imagine. To be called one was not only derogatory but a curse to many as well.

In werewolf laws, the worst possible punishment you could receive was not the death penalty. Rather, it was banishment from your own pack. To live alone in a world where staying in solitude would mean danger. It wasn’t surprising that most of the rogues die young. If not murdered, they mostly pass away due to hunger.

So once you became one, it was almost certain that you would lose your sanity. They were men of discord and haters of peace. Nothing nice could be brought out of them.

But Parker Thompson was different. His life as a rouge was one of a kind, almost like a far-fetched dream if I were to ask.

“Welcome to my humble abode.”

I scanned the place as Parker guided me inside. The log cabin was not as big as ours yet enough to make at least three people comfortable.

Seated in the heart of the Crestwood Mountain forest, the cabin that extended in length was illuminated with yellow lights. This created a warm atmosphere that drew me inside. In short, the ambiance was both cozy and welcoming. As weird as it sounds, it felt like home.

I continued to feast my eyes, as I scanned the whole place. Lighter shades of color made everything fresh while the outside was dominated by dark, shiny woods. Truly, the house was a masterpiece. No, it was an art.

“Did you…Is this house made by you?” I asked as Parker guided me to the table while he worked his way to the countertop kitchen.

“Hmmm…Yap. Why?” He answered while serving me a cup of freshly brewed coffee in a brown mug.

“Hmmm…Nothing. I just found this house too perfect for—”

“For a rogue?” he uttered. I flinched, as I was afraid to have offended him with my words. But as they say on a lot of occasions, just be yourself and everything will be fine.

“Well, yeah. I am just in awe of seeing your beautiful home. I never imagined a werewolf living alone could possibly pull off something like this in the middle of the jungle.”

Parker smiled. “Well, you have a point. I was just lucky that my pack was full of skilled carpenters and craftsmen. I learned how to work with wood at such a young age.”

My mouth formed an ‘o’ afterward. Well, cut the crap about stereotyping rogues. Truly, Parker Thompson was something else.

Parker turned his back and went to one of the rooms. When he came back, he was carrying a set of female clothing.

“I think you should take a shower first while I am cooking our food. The bathroom was on the left wing,” he said while handing over the wardrobes.

I looked at the clothes and man! I never expected to be this excited seeing this warm, neatly pressed shirt and shorts. “Thank you.”

I wasted no time and went straight to the shower room. When I opened the wooden door, I was dumbfounded at how simple yet grandiose the design was.

The bathroom sink was carved through a trunk of a tree. A tiny, square-shaped mirror was sitting on top of it. On the left, a space was dedicated to the shower with curtains circling the sides of it. On its right, a back-to-wall toilet type was sitting. It was not the usual type of toilet I was used to seeing, yet it was a perfect addition to a log cabin sitting in the middle of the forest.

I took off my dirty, damp clothes and went under the shower. The water was not hot but way better than the cold outside.

As the water washed off the dirt from my body, I noticed that my shoulders began to tense. Without any warning, tears started rolling down my face. A lot had happened in the span of twenty-four hours. It was too much to bear for an eighteen-year-old girl. Worst of all, everything happened on my birthday.

My date of birth was supposed to be a celebration.    But alas, it turned out to be the worst!

Minutes later, I was done. I took the white towel from the little wooden stool on the side of the sink and dried myself with it. I rushed to put on the clothing that Parker gave me earlier. Then, I looked at myself in the vanity mirror.    I smiled when I saw the wardrobe he gave to me was a perfect fit.

My eyes were a bit red and puffy but fine. As I combed my hair, I heard a faint grumble on my stomach. Wow! I was really that hungry!

After I fixed everything that I used, I went back to the dining area. I didn’t have a hard time looking for it because the smell of the food became my guide. On my way there, I noticed that wooden bookshelves were covering most of the wall area. Needless to say, the dwellers of this house were fond of reading.

“Wow! Shane’s clothing fits you well,” Parker uttered when he saw me. I guided myself to the wooden chair and drank the glass of water before talking again.

“Yeah, it was a shock for me too. Where is she? I’d like to thank her for letting me borrow her stuff.”

The smile written on Parker’s face faded. I noticed that and became nervous. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

He smiled but was full of bitterness. “Don’t be. My sister was gone and we both had nothing to do with it.”

Parker took some plates and other tableware from the cupboard. Seconds later, he was holding two plates of fish and chips served on top of the table.

I smelled the aroma of the hot meal. “Thank you for this.”

“Don’t mention it. You can start eating now.”

And I did. The meal was delicious! No other words could sum up how happy and satisfied I was.

We were both quiet as we started to empty our plates. And right when I was about to take the final bite, I felt Parker’s stare piercing through me.

"You know, you could stay here as long as you want. The forested mountain of Crestwood was such a big place. Why don't you just stay here? We could use some help around here. ”

“Doing what?” I asked.   

“Hunting down rogues. This place had become their lair and spoiling the woods with the blood of their innocent victims. A lot of wolves who lost their way fell victim to their murderous act.”

I flinched. A vigilante job for a wolf who just turned of age? Could I even sign up for that?

“I-I don’t know how to fight,” I admitted. “I might become a nuisance to your job more than the help you seek.”

“Well that’s easy,” he scoffed dismissing my objection. “I will train you. I will help you master your ability. The moon goddess blessed you with a very special gift. It would be a bummer if you will put that to waste.”

His words pierced through my soul. For the first time, someone had seen my worth and potential other than my mother. Someone was willing to see me for who I was and not for the exceptional siblings I was born with.

“So….What do you say?” He asked once again, trying to read what I was thinking.

Chinned up, I gave him a reassuring smile. “Then let’s do it. Let’s hunt those rogues down.”