A Runt Luna
Chapter 32

"Rory." She called as she was entering the kitchen and was surprised with the silence. With a frown she set her bags on the counter, a yellow note catching her

eye.

Georgia (or Kole) - I am going on a run, be home soon. xoxo Rory.

Her gut tightened as she read the note. Obviously, Rory didn't know that they were still Rogues around.

Picking up her phone she dialed her brother.

"Georgia, I'm a little busy." Kole spoke into the phone, his voice straining as if he lifted something heavy.

"Kole, Rory went on a run. By herself." Georgia said.

"What!" Her brother growled, a crash on the other line made her cringe.

"Ok, call the patrol. Find her." Her brother demanded before hanging up, off to replace his mate. Georgia bit her lip in worry.

Outside the territory, Rory was running, loving the feel of air going through her hair. It felt like freedom, it was freedom. She needed this, Kole hadn't been around as much, although it had improved after she told Georgia what had been going on, she figured she must have talked to him. Pausing to sniff the air, she could smell the change in the weather, Fall was just around the corner. It was her favorite season; the nippy air, the smell, pumpkin flavored everything, and snuggling under blankets.

Her thoughts were cut short, when she felt a shift in the air, sensing someone else was near by; too close. Rory scanned the forest, wondering if she should return to the home but she wasn't sensing trouble, she was feeling fear. Not able to control her curostity she tracked down the smell, noticing how it kept getting stronger and the fear being projected hit her like a freight train as whimpering came from the bushes.

Rory paused as she noticed a pair of clothes in a pile. An odd sight. She made her way to the bushes, only to be greeted by a pair of wide frightened blue eyes of a young wolf. A new shifter, she thought. Slowly coaxing the wolf out from the bushes, she nipped a its ears, as the young pup, curled in on its self. She wasn't sure how long she stayed and comforted the pup, but she knew he was becoming more comfortable, allowing her to clean his face.

"Are you ok?" She asked, through a newly created link. She had no idea how it happened, but she felt the young wolf In her mind.

She couldn't help but chuckle as she watched his eyes widen.

"It's ok, I'm Rory- I'm a human." She spoke. "Do you think you can shift back to your skin?"

"How do I do that?" A male voice questioned back.

"Think of your skin, think of being human." She said gently. She watched as the young wolf closed his eyes, and listened to the frantic thoughts that were going through his mind.

"What's your name?" She asked.

"lan."

"How old are you?"

"I just turned 14."

"Do you like to play sports?" She asked.

"Yea, baseball." Ian responded confused to where the conversation was going.

"Ok, lan. Think about your hands on the bat, think about that feeling you get when you are running the bases. Focus on that."

She watched as the young wolf, took many deep breaths.

It took nearly ten minutes, but finally she watched as the ripple went across his skin, his fur disappearing and being replaced by tan skin. She turned quickly, allowing him time to put his clothes back on before she walked over to a tree, and sliding on the clothes that were hidden inside.

lan was a tall lanky boy, nearly eight inches taller than her, with olive skin, and shaggy blonde hair.

"lan?" She said gently watching him jump as he turned to her.

"Rory?" He asked his voice filled with doubt.

"Yes." Rory nodded with a sad smile on her face.

"I don't- I don't understand." He whispered looking down at his hands. She could tell that he was nearing tears, and didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around him and console him.

Rory didn't know how long that they were standing there before she heard a tree branch crack. She could feel Kole nearing and was unworried, but lan tensed and a whimper escaped his lips.

"It's ok. Its the Alpha, and my mate."

The brown wolf, skidded to a stop, a snarl escaping his lips as he eyed the young man standing behind his mate. He was a young pup, but he wasn't one of their pack and that put him on edge.

"It's ok, this is lan." Rory smiled.

Kole phased back and slid on a pair of shorts.

"Get away from him." Kole demanded looking to the young boy.

"Kole," Rory spoke softly, hurt by the tone that he was using with her.

"We don't know him. He could be a rogue."

"He's not a rogue." Rory shook her head, looking up at him. She could feel lan standing behind her, using her as a shield and trembling into her back.

"Rory, move away." Kole demanded not taking his eyes off the kids behind her.

"NO." She snapped growling at him. Kole looked down at her in surprise. He could see the fury in her eyes and knew that this was not an argument he would win. "He needs help."