Chapter Text
The golden wolf shivered as she sat beside a shaggy dark brown wolf with blue eyes under the light of the full moon. The other wolves were dotted around the wooden cabin as they waited for the Pack Alpha to lead them up to the mountains to run under the Moon Goddess's light.
A steel grey wolf appeared and growled at them to signal the start of the Run before turning and trotting in the direction of the mountain. The other wolves, about 20 in total, followed in accordance to their pack rank.
‘Be careful tonight, Waves, remember we can’t shift until the morning. If you get into trouble, get to safety and wait for me.’ The golden wolf heard in her mind and nuzzled the brown wolf in thanks before taking her place at the very back of the line.
The Earp pack was the largest shifter pack in Ghost River County and were lead by Ward Earp, son of the legendary Wyatt Earp, a powerful shifter and Lawman. The late Pack Alpha had taken his pack and settled in the small frontier town of Purgatory, a town full of outlaws, farmers and shifters.
The wolves began to let out excited yips and howls as they got to mountain and began to separate into smaller groups, some off to stretch their legs, others to hunt and some were happy to let their wolves take over and live wild for the night.
Waverly, the packs weakest member, preferred to wander the mountain alone. She loved being in her wolf form and enjoyed listening to the sounds of nature, animals moving around and the scents the surrounded her.
The snow had yet to melt on the mountain and the golden wolf hated how cold her paws would get and would really have preferred to stay home as she hated feeling any sort of chill. However, on the nights of a full moon they were forced into their wolf forms and couldn’t shift back until morning so she had no choice (like in every other part of her life) but to follow her Pack.
She climbed up a rocky out crop and looked over the landscape, using her excellent eyesight to survey. She wouldn’t stray further up mountain tonight, not with certain pack members roaming around.
Her ears twitched and flicked as she listened to the nature surrounding her. Owls hooting, foxes hunting and the creaking of the tree branches as they swayed in the gentle wind.
The light of the full moon made everything shine.
Waverly liked being alone. No one hurt her when she was alone. Her father was a bad bastard, plain and simple. He was a cruel and vicious Alpha who subjugated his pack and treated the pack Omegas with extreme prejudice and none more so than his youngest daughter.
Any unmated omega had no rights in his pack unless the omega had an Alpha to protect them like a parent or sibling. Waverly only had her beta sister and her beta aunt and beta uncle so she had no one who could protect her.
He allowed and Alpha or beta use the omega as they saw fit from the age of 15 and when she had her first heat he would gift her to whoever he felt like to be their mate and property.
Wynonna took more than a few beatings for Waverly but she didn’t know the extent of the abuse and the omega didn’t want her to know. Her sister could end up challenging her father and getting killed in the effort. Ward would show no quarter to any opponent.
Close to midnight, she got up and shook out her fur, deciding to walk down to the base of the mountain where there was less snow and wait quietly for her father to summon the pack for them to return to their homes
She was lost in her thoughts as she passed through the vegetation when she suddenly felt something tighten around her neck and she slammed to the ground. She began to struggle but the thin wire around her neck tightened and she couldn’t breath.
For half a moment she considered letting the snare kill her but her wolfs sense of preservation over powered her and she stopped moving.
‘Wy?’ She said through their link and the beta responded instantly, hearing the breathless in her sister voice.
‘Baby Girl, what’s wrong?’
‘I’m caught in a snarl, to the west near the base of the mountain.’ The omega whimpered
‘Stay as still as you can, I’m coming.’
A few wolves saw the dark brown wolf galloping down the mountain, including her father and Willa, their oldest sister, the Alpha heir to the pack. They all asked Wynonna what was wrong and the beta told them what had happened.
Many said they would search for the omega and after 20 minutes everyone heard Willa’s voice in their minds, gleefully giggling.
‘Found her.’
‘Wy...’ the Omega’s shaky voice sounded weak. ‘Willa’s he...re.’
‘I know, hang on, I’m coming.’ The beta promised and a moment later, she saw her older sister snarling down at her younger sister and slammed into Willa to push her away.
The larger dusty brown wolf snarled at the dark wolf as the Golden wolf shivered on the ground. Ward arrived and snorted out a laugh as he saw the omega.
‘Leave her, if she survives the night she can get herself out.’ The male growled and Wynonna gasped.
‘we have to help her!’ The beta argued but Ward laughed.
‘If she was idiotic enough to get herself into this mess she can get herself out.’
Wynonna was about to argue when they heard the sounds out a dog barking excitedly and a horse clomping through the dead leaves and last of the snow at the base of the mountain, only yards away.
‘Everyone, move!’ Ward ordered, knowing if a human saw them it could get sticky. Wynonna whimpered and didn’t move so Willa grabbed her by the scruff and bit down hard to make her submit.
‘Go, Nonna, I’ll be alright.’ Waverly’s weak voice rang in the betas mind as Willa dragged her away.
‘Bye, Runt.’ The female Alpha laughed as they left Waverly alone.
The omega was shivering with cold and fear. If this was a fur trader or hunter checking his snare, she was done for.
‘So this is how it ends?’ she asked her wolf, who whimpered back.
‘I’m sorry, Waverly.” Angel said.
A couple of seconds later Waverly smelled the dog and a chunky pitbull appeared, barking and wagging it’s tail but it didn’t approach her. She heard hoof beats coming closer and an annoyed but soft voice followed.
“Would you ever whist, CJ.” She heard and closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable before she heard a “Whoa!” and the horse whinnied, spooked and began stepping back.
The dog stopped barking but kept close, wagging its tail with such force its butt wiggled. The woman jumped off the horse and moved closer.
“Shit, its still alive.” The woman muttered and moved a little closer. Waverly growled and opened her eyes to see the human who’s face was full of pity and concern. She didn’t come closer once Waverly had growled. “You poor thing.” The woman said before getting up and pulling her thick leather gloves off as she walked back to her horse, the dog following.
Waverly squeezed her eyes shut again, ready for the woman to come back with a revolver but hoping she would just leave. Her heart was hammering in her chest and blood was pumping in her ears as the woman walked back with something in her hand.
“OK, Sweetie, let’s get you out of this...” the woman cooed and Waverly opened her eyes again, seeing the woman had a pair of pliers in her hand, looking incredibly nervous. Waverly could sense her fear but couldn’t smell anything, too focused on breathing and not moving. “Please, don’t bite me...” the woman whimpered nervously as she looked into the animals eyes.
Waverly was shocked by the gentle way the woman spoke to her and immediately felt safe. This woman had no intention of hurting her so Waverly closed her eyes and made sure she stayed still as the woman moved forward slowly and muttered to herself as she took in the snare.
“Fucking trappers, leaving old rusty snares out here... damn, you are a big Wolfie... Nice wolfie... please don’t kill me when you’re free... I wont hurt ya, I promise...” she said as she worked on cutting the wires as carefully as she could. “Haught, you’re a fucking idiot, if you get eaten, it’s your own damn fault.”
Waverly was so cold and felt so weak that she almost became unconscious from lack of air and exhaustion. She felt the wire around her neck loosen suddenly and she coughed before sitting up quickly and the woman fell back, landing on her ass with her hands up, looking petrified.
“Oh fuck...” the woman hissed as her hat fell off, revealing a long, fiery red braid. Waverly, despite her fear, couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she was before she weakly slid back to the ground. She heard the woman breath a sigh of relief and back up a bit before standing and going to her horse.
Waverly wanted to thank the woman but had no way too and even if she did, she hadn’t the strength. She heard the woman’s heavy boots coming back but she couldnt even open her eyes, in fact, she passed out.
When she woke up, the sun was rising and she was back in human form but she didn’t feel as cold as she expected, In fact, there was a thick, warm blanket on her and she sat up with confusion before seeing a couple of strips of dried meat and a shallow tin dish of water placed on the ground.
“What the...?” she said out loud before the memory of the previous night's events flooded her mind. The human? What human would waste food and a thick, heavy blanket on a wolf? As surprised as she was she was even more grateful. Her stomach growled and she ripped into the Jerky before standing and wrapping the blanket around herself then began walking back to the Homestead. The blanket smelled like vanilla and horse but she wrapped it tighter around herself, inhaling the smell deeply. It made her feel warm and safe.
Half way there, she heard something crashing through the trees and smiled when Wynonna appeared and shifted to human before pulling the omega into a tight hug.
“Waves! Thank the Gods you’re safe.” The beta sobbed. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t stay.”
Waverly shushed her sister before smiling.
“you couldn’t. It’s OK, I’m safe. My throats killing me though.” She said and Wynonna tutted as she saw the bruising around her sisters throat.
“Where did you get the blanket?” Wynonna asked, confused.
“some woman saved me from the snare last night and I passed out but woke up with this on me.”
“Was she a shifter?”
“No, I don’t think so, I didn’t recognise her and she was scared that I would attack her when I was free but she did it anyway.” Waverly said, still perplexed but grateful.
“Huh... Well as weird as that is, I’m so happy you’re alright. Gods, I kept trying to sneak out but Ward posted guards to make sure no one went to help you.” The beta said, begging her sister to understand though the omega knew it wasn’t her sisters fault.
They walked in silence, Wynonna informing most of the pack through mind link that the omega was ok, until they neared the Homestead and heard Ward shouting angrily. Waverly looked at her sister for an explanation and Wynonna snorted.
“he’s pissed that Nedley hired a deputy and its not an Earp pack member. You know he doesn’t like any human having any sort of power in this town.”
“Huh... is he a local?”
“I don’t know, I just over heard what he said to Willa but it would be best if you avoid the main house until he calms down. Let’s go to Gus’s, show her you’re ok and get fed.”
Just as they got to the Earp Homestead, Waverly begged her sister not to tell anyone the truth on how she got out of the snare and let everyone think she got out when she shifted. If Ward found out a human stranger had seen her up close he would be so angry.
Waverly went to the barn where she slept and dressed in a simple faded paisley dress as Wynonna saddled her horse before they got on the animal and rode the 10 miles to the McCready’s Homestead where their uncle grew as many plants as he could, including veg and fruit as well as some cattle and goats.
Their aunt rushed out to greet them and gave Waverly a tight hug.
“I was so worried about you! I’m so sorry.” Gus sobbed and Waverly shook her head . “let’s get you in and checked over. You can rest here instead of going to the saloon today.”
“You know I can’t do that. If Daddy goes to Shorty’s and sees I’m not there, he will be so angry. I’ll be fine once I eat.” The omega assured the salt and peppered haired woman, who huffed and took them inside.
After breakfast, Waverly borrowed a ribbon from her aunt and tied it around her neck as a choker to cover the nasty bruise on her throat before Gus drove them both in her cart towards town where they worked in Curtis and his brother’s, Shorty, saloon.
Waverly was forced to work every day by her father, who took her wages and drank them but it was better then hanging around the Earp Homestead.