Chapter 4

A week passed fast with Larry busy with pack business not noticing what was happening in the packhouse, Anita was happy that the week was ending because that meant that her mother will get to see someone and get the help that she needs. Laura didn’t say a word the whole week, the only time she would speak is when Anita reads to her and she would say something like “Xavier, what happened to your voice?” or like “Xavier why don’t you sleep in our bed anymore, did I do something wrong?”

All those things hurt Anita because her father was not there, when she tried to talk to her, she would not say a word, that hurt Anita making her feel like she was doing something wrong. It was dinner time and Rosewood pack members who lived in the packhouse gathered in the dining room for dinner. They were laughing and talking about the day’s events.

Anita walked in with her mother and the room fell into an uncomfortable silence. “I wonder why she doesn’t just kill herself when she can’t take the pain, now we must be feeling pity for someone who’s not even willing to make the effort to live.” One of the she-wolves commented and Anita heard the comment. But she chose to ignore her comment and proceed to help her mother seat.

“It’s like she is the first she-wolf to lose a mate.” Another one commented but still, Anita ignored the comment. “She is just being dramatic this one because this is no way for someone who was in a leadership position to behave and just forget her responsibility and just focus only on her grief.” Another said and now this became the topic amongst pack members.

“I wonder what we saw in her to agree on her being our Luna.” Another said while the rest agreed. “But we had no choice, unfortunately, our late alpha had her as a mate, there was nothing we could have done.” Another commented and now this became a full-on conversation. Everyone discussing how incompetent Laura was as the Luna of the pack. “Shut up! Or I will make you!” Anita could not take it anymore and exploded. The she-wolves laughed. “You can’t be serious now Anita, can you not see how crazy your mother looks?”

Anita did not ask questions and went charging to the she-wolf then kicked her hard making her fly landing on the dining table and one of its legs broke. The crockery that was on the table fell on the floor and chattered to pieces. That is the exact moment Larry walked in, he watched as Laura sat there even when the table broke, she did not move, Anita jumped on the table landing on top of the she-wolf and pounced on her.

The pack members were still too shocked to react or try and stop the fight. “Enough!” shouted Larry looking at the scene coldly, everyone that was in the room got terrified and whimpered away because Larry let his power flow around him making the room temperature decrease a few degrees and the atmosphere was now cold and dangerous. Everyone cleared the way for him to pass but Anita did not stop beating the she-wolf up.

She was only seeing red as she fought, she was taking out the anger of losing her father and her mother going crazy on her. She never got to grieve and release the anger of losing her father and now she was releasing everything. But the she-wolf was unfortunate to be at the receiving end of it. Larry went to her in hopes of removing her from the she-wolf. He got close and touched Anita on the shoulder but on instinct, she kicked Larry hard making him stumble back and Tyson was quick to hold him from the behind to balance him.

Anita did not stop even then, she left the she-wolf and charged to Larry then when she got to him, she kicked him in the groin making him bend down. Both he and Tyson didn’t expect that kick so they were caught off-guard. Anita was only seeing red; she didn’t notice that it was her uncle that she was attacking.

In her mind, she was only seeing the rogues that attacked her father and was determined to kill them and avenge her father. She kicked Larry on the chin making him bite his tongue in the process and blood came out of his mouth. Tyson went forward to try and stop Anita but she dodged him and kicked him hard on his ribcage making him fall on his side.

Pack members finally came to their senses and charged for Anita holding her in place while Tyson and Larry were trying to catch their breaths. Anita was one of the pack’s best warriors and had implacable fighting skills. Taking down Larry and Tyson would not have been a problem for her. Even now she was fighting while being held by five warriors in place. Her trainer walked over and held her.

“Calm down Nita, it's only us, there is no need to fight.” Her trainer and mentor one of the oldest and most skilled warriors of his time tried to calm her down. This was the first-time seeing Anita this way, even in training she was always level-headed and fought with precision and style. She would not mind letting herself get beaten just to calculate her opponent's moves and study his or her weaknesses then after that, she would beat you at your own game.

This time she was different, this time it was like she was fighting an unknown enemy and there was no stopping her. She was using her training and even mastering the techniques that she was finding difficulty mastering during training. All of that made it hard for the warriors to restrain her until her trainer stepped in and held her. When Anita heard her trainers voice she calmed down then looked around, she saw the damage around the room and the she-wolf that was covered in blood being taken out of the packhouse.

She scanned the room for her mother and found her still seating there among the mess that was created. She sighed in relief when she saw that she was okay, ‘You messed up Nita.’ Her wolf told her. ‘What did we do Linsey?’ she wasn’t sure what she had done, all she could remember clearly was attacking the she-wolf that was talking nonsense about her mother.

‘We attacked the alpha and Gamma Tyson.’ Anita’s eyes went wide with shock, she looked at her uncle and found him looking at her coldly. She didn’t know that kind of look from him and it scared her. “So, now you have the guts to attack your alpha in front of the pack huh?” Anita was remorseful, she didn’t mean to attack them but her anger got too much that she didn’t even know what she was doing.

“Uncle...I mean, alpha I apologize for what is have done, I didn’t mean to, my anger got the better of me and I ended up behaving the way I did.” She tried to explain herself, she really didn’t mean to. “Tyson, remind me again what the rules say about someone attacking their alpha,” Larry asked he was both humiliated by his niece and angry that Laura seemed to still be in her vegetable state.

She was supposed to have been showing signs of coming back by now but there was nothing, her daughter attacked and badly injured another she-wolf right in front of her and she did nothing. She just sat there looking into space like there was something more interesting going on there than what was going on right in front of her. “It says that anyone who attacks their alpha is to be banished from the pack or killed depending on the situation.” Answered Tyson, he was not angry at Anita, he understood her and he sympathized with her. Now he didn’t like where Larry was going with this but he brushed it off thinking that she was his niece and he wouldn’t go that far.

“Thank you, Tyson, since now Anita is old enough to attack her alpha and uncle. I think she is old enough to be independent as well.” Anita felt guilty about what happened but she didn’t think that her uncle would do any of those things, yes, it’s a rule but he of all people should understand where she is coming from. However, she lowered her head and bared her neck surrendering to her uncle. Trying to show that she was no danger and meant no harm to him.

“Alpha, I deeply apologize for my behavior, I know it is inexcusable. I let anger consume me and I ended up doing something I never intended to do. For that, I apologize and I am willing to accept my punishment.” She apologized once again. But Larry chuckled coldly. “You have grown peanut; I see that and your fighting skills are implacable. I must compliment you on that as well, it means that will do well out there.”

he told her coldly but Anita shook her head. “No uncle, please, am sorry! I didn’t mean to please forgive me.” She pleaded seeing where her uncle was going with his words. He moved closer to her and held her chin tightly digging his nails on her skin, making her look at him. “Now listen closely, you are going to leave this place together with your crazy mother and never return.” He told her coldly, Anita could not believe what she was hearing.

Where was she supposed to go with her mother like that? She looked at her new alpha in disbelief, well he was not going to be her alpha for long since she was being kicked out of the pack. She was hurt because this man used to look at her with nothing but love in his eyes. But today those very same eyes looked at her with nothing but disgust and hatred. All this hurt more because this man was not just her alpha but her uncle too. “Remember, I own this town, every business that is here is related to this pack one way or the other and I will let them all know not to hire you. I want to see you living like the rat that you are, a rogue, that is your punishment for what you have done here today.”

Larry said coldly, pack members were shocked by his words and some felt that he was taking the whole thing too far. The she-wolf Anita attacked was already being healed by her wolf, then he and Tyson didn’t have any major injuries for him to be giving such a harsh punishment. Larry saw the questioning looks he was getting from the pack members and he fumed in anger but he didn’t show it.

“I see that some of you don’t agree with the punishment, let me remind you that since her father died Anita has been different and distant to all of you. Today she attacked one of your own and for what? Nothing that required the beating she gave her, need I remind you that Anita here is the best warrior we have in the pack? If she could not control her anger today what will happen next time, will you all look the other way when she kills one of you?”

There was a change in the attitude of pack members thinking about what Larry was saying, it was true that Anita was the best warrior, she started training when she was only nine years old while other wolves started their training at the age of twelve and others thirteen or fourteen. This made her more experienced, plus her father got her special trainers to train her every day after school and she was trained in every fighting technique there was.

That is why it was difficult to restrain her just now, but the fact remained on other pack members' minds that Anita has always been a sweet girl and never fought unless it was necessary. A moment ago, she was provoked, and yet she was the one receiving such a punishment. But all those who thought that way bite their tongue and dared not voice their concerns.

“The Goddess knows that I don’t want to do this to my niece but you all have to understand that my responsibility as alpha is not to my family only but to the pack as a whole. With that being said, I alpha Larry Rosewood banish Anita Rosewood from Rosewood pack. She will never set foot in the pack lands again or she will be killed on sight. The same goes for her mother, Laura Simons.”

After he spoke Anita could feel the pack bond breaking and there was silence and emptiness inside her, she could not explain, the pack bond had been broken and she felt it. Tears were just flowing down her cheeks, she could not believe what just happened, it was like she was in a nightmare she could not wake up from. “Uncle...” Larry did not let her finish. “Be out of the pack territory first thing in the morning, warriors Jason and Sam will escort you out of the pack lands.”

He told her then left the dining room, Anita stood there for a while crying, pack members were now looking at her with pity in their eyes and some were guilty because they started this whole thing. If only they had kept their mouths shut, none of this would have happened but there was no going back now, the bond had been broken and they didn’t feel that closeness to her anymore. To them, she was just another stranger now and the next time they saw her, they will hunt her down like an animal and kill her.

That was the life of a rogue, always being hunted and running for their lives. Anita had just become one in a matter of minutes and she still could not believe it. She wiped her eyes dry before going to her mother and helping her up. She walked upstairs with her and left the pack members mumbling things she could not make out.