CHAPTER 6-Found & Saved
Two Months Later…
Reagan was stumbling through the woods of…he didn't even know where he was. All he knew was that he was weak. He had barely been able to stay alive the past two months. Savaging food from dead and mostly-eaten animals, picking scraps out of dumpsters at restaurants and gas stations. It would only last so long. He was finally dying.
He tripped over a log and fell down a hill, landing with a loud thud at the bottom. He sighed and tried to get up, but his body wouldn't cooperate. His strength was gone. He laid there, breathing heavily. This is how it ended. His parents were gone, and his girlfriend hated him. Everyone hated him, it seemed. Now, he was lying somewhere in a thick forest where no one would even notice him pass silently. He coughed violently and closed his eyes. Any second now, the sounds would fade from his ears forever.
Suddenly, he thought he heard the sound of footsteps running towards him. Then, paw was placed on Reagan's chest above his heart.
"Still alive," a calm voice spoke from above. "Chris, go get some leaves!"
"Okay, Don!" More footsteps.
"What's wrong with him?" another voice asked.
"Looks like he's about to starve," said Don.
After a few moments, the footsteps returned.
"Here, Don. Is he okay?"
"Thank you, Chris. He will be, if we move now."
Reagan, still lacking the ability to move, was lifted onto someone's back. He opened his eyes slightly and saw wolves on walking next to him. He was too weak to do anything else. His stomach growled loudly and everything went black.
Reagan awoke inside of a small den. He didn't know where he was, but he noticed that a large leaf was tied around his injured leg. Also, his hunger was gone. He felt a sense of satisfaction.
"Good afternoon."
Reagan turned. A large wolf was standing in the entrance.
"It's good to see you're okay. You almost died of hunger out there."
"Where am I?" Reagan asked. "And who are you?"
"My name is Don," the wolf said, "and you're in the Peacemaker cave."
"Peacemaker?"
"Yes, Peacemaker. We are a group of omegas who travel around wherever we can and find packs. We enter in our groups and speak to the wolves there in an attempt to help them let go."
"Let go of what?" Reagan asked.
"Let go of their own self-seeking desires all the time," Don replied simply. "Where are you from?"
"Somewhere in Montana," said Reagan. "I left two months ago."
"Why?"
The question stung him. He knew he had to tell Don, but the memory hurt him.
"My girlfriend, Suzie. She…raped me."
Don nodded. "I'm sorry about that. Why didn't you tell your parents?"
More pain from memories.
"They died in a caribou accident."
Don sighed. "You've had a rough life, then…haven't you?"
Reagan nodded.
"Wasn't there someone to take care of you? A pack leader?"
Reagan paused. "There was Roger," he spoke in a quiet voice.
It began slowly coming to him. Roger was willing to take care of him, but he constantly rejected it. Roger had been right about Suzie, and now there was a scar on Reagan's leg to prove it. Also, Roger had offered to take care of him again afterwards, but Reagan had run away, choosing a life outside of home. He almost had starved to death, and it was only because of Don and the Peacemakers that he was still alive.
"Are you alright?" Don asked.
Tears began swelling up in Reagan's eyes.
"No. Everyone hates me. I have no parents, my girlfriend tried to make me her sex servant, and I completely ignored Roger's warnings when he really was trying to help me." He began weeping uncontrollably. The emotional pain had become his life now.
Don placed a paw on his shoulder.
"I don't hate you," he said, "and neither do any of the Peacemakers. We want help you."
"Even after all I did?" Reagan asked.
"Even after all you did. I hate having to see a life die. If you're willing to accept it, I'm offering you a place with us."
Reagan thought about it, and nodded.
"Thank you."
"Not a problem." Don chuckled.
Reagan seemed interested. He had a similar laugh to his father. He missed him, but it was okay, because Don was his second father now.
Thus, Roger's wish for Reagan's protection was fulfilled.