Rise of the Bloodstone King

Diane's POV

I stared out across the vast terrain of nothingness, watching the sunset as the sky put on its final show for the day. Today was my only day off, and after I helped my parents at home, they allowed me to come hang out at my favorite spot behind our house at the top of the hills, which overlooked the Red Moon Pack border.

Our house is located at the far east end of the pack territory. People rarely come in this direction, so I usually hide here to avoid being bullied and spend some alone time with myself.

Ever since my sixteenth birthday, when it was confirmed that I was unable to shift, I have been living the life of a relegated person in the pack.

There has not been a single day when I have not been called weak, ugly, pathetic, a disgrace, a loser, and so many other hurtful words by my fellow pack members. I have lost all my friends and was even being bullied and abused by most of them, except for Josh and Jessie, Alpha Clinton's children. Aside from my parents, the both of them have been my rock through it all.

I sat on the ground, hugged my knees, and rested my chin on my forearm. I continued to stare off into space, wondering what my life would have been like if I had gotten my wolf two years ago. As I immersed myself in my thoughts, I noticed something running towards me. I squinted my eyes to get a better look, then I realized it looked to be some dog or coyote in the distance.

Although there were many of those in this area of the pack, at the rate that this one was moving, I knew it was a regular canine. Then the sudden smell of something rotten permeated my nostrils. I swallowed, feeling sick. We were taught from a very young age what that smell meant.

"Rogues!" I cried out.

I stumbled backwards, trying to get up as fast as I could. I forced myself to stand steady and started to run as fast as my legs could carry me, but without a wolf, there was a limit to how fast I could run. My legs burn as I push myself to run even faster, trying not to stumble over logs, holes in the ground, and large rocks. But unluckily my foot got stuck in a small hole.

I cried out as I looked back and noticed more swarms of rogues on the field. There were so many! I got my leg free and stumbled backwards. The sound of a threatening growl made me turn around slowly, and I came face to face with a massive rogue that smelt like sewage.

Drool was dropping from the rogue's lips. It reared back on its hind legs, ready to pounce on me, but right before it did, a huge brown wolf leapt over me and tackled the rogue. I felt my heart skip. I didn't know whose wolf that was, but I was glad it came on time. I stood up and started running towards our house.

Soon I could hear the snarls of the rogues gaining on me, so I headed for the pack house instead, knowing that the rogues would catch up with me if I should head home. "Rogues! Rogues!" I kept screaming as I continued running towards the pack house. Soon the alarm to signal an attack on the pack came on, and all pack warriors started coming out from the pack house.

I continued to run towards the pack house, hoping to get into one of the bunkers for safety, but in my attempt to get there, I was knocked over by a pack warrior who was transforming into wolf form. The force had me rolling on the ground. When I looked up, I saw the hordes of rogues coming in my direction, but before I could do anything, a wolf grabbed my hand and started dragging me away.

I turned to see a familiar black wolf dragging me away from the fight.

"Mom!" I cried out.

She shifted back to her human form. "Diane! You need to run," she said and started shoving me away.