Chapter 1

“Come downstairs, my love. It’s time to get yourself dressed up.” Mom sent me a message through mind-link.

“Yes Mom, I’m coming.” I closed my book that I was reading quickly and ran downstairs. Mom was waiting for me with my dress in her hands.

“Come on dear, hurry up.” Mom smiled and pulled me by her hand to the living room. “You can change in here today. The boys have already left to meet their friends.”

I nodded and began to change my clothing. Mom was trying to get the dress over my head.

“Mom. I told you. I’m not five-year-old anymore. I can put it on myself.”

Mom sighed and gave me the dress, “Alright then, but I’ll do the ribbon anyway.”

I took over the dress and started to put it on. First over my head, then arms, and legs.

“Turn around dear.” Mom said and I followed her instruction. I turned my back to her and soon, I felt my dress tug me at the waist.

“Done!” Mom said in a happy tone. “Go and check yourself in the mirror. Hurry.”

I nodded and walked towards the mirror.

I froze in astonishment. I couldn’t believe it was me. The dress was absolutely beautiful. It stopped just above my knees. And the sleeves were loose and went over my wrists. The print was captivating. It had a pink and blue floral print, with a white ribbon wrapping all the way around my waist.

I looked up at my face. I didn’t do anything to it but for some reason it looked different. Maybe because the dress made my electric blue eyes pop.

“Thank you Mom. I… I look perfect. I love you.”

“I love you too, my dear. Now, time to go and join the party.”

I smiled at her and ran towards the front door.

“Bye Mom!”

“Bye, my dear. Have an amazing night.” Mom said with a smile on her face. “Oh, and also, my sweetie.”

“What is it, Mom?” I turned around and looked at her.

“Keep it in mind that you might meet your mate tonight~”

I playfully rolled my eyes at her and ran out the door, meeting with the brisk wind.

“Diana! Finally! I thought you weren’t coming tonight.”

“Well,” I giggled and turned towards Grace, “Mom wanted me to come.”

“Oh, by the way. I love your dress today. It looks great.”

“Thank you so much, Grace! Actually, that’s exactly what I thought when I looked in the mirror.”

All of a sudden, I had a strange feeling. I felt like my chest was tightening, which made it hard to breathe for me.

“Do you feel it too?” Grace asked me.

“Yes.” I nodded, “It’s definitely not right.”

I walked towards the village’s fence and peered into the darkness of the forest. I felt like something was watching me, but I couldn’t see it.

“Aha, gotcha!” A familiar voice sounded in my ears.

“Hank, what are you doing here?” Grace asked. It was nobody but Hank, my big brother.

“Hank, is this some sort of trick or what?” I asked while crossing my arms over my chest.

“No, of course not, my dear sister.” Hank said, “I’m just here to retrieve you.”

“I don’t like the way you talk today.” I rolled my eyes.

“Why don’t you like it, my dear sister? I am a very polite big brother for you.” Hank laughed, “Wait, where were I? Oh yes.” Hank marched towards us and grabbed us by our wrists. Then he started to haul us towards the bonfire. “I have two friends that would like to meet you two. No need to thank me.”

“Boys?!” Grace and I shouted it out simultaneously.

“You mean two boys who want to see us?!” Well, I guess Grace was more excited than I was. To be honest, I was a bit nervous about this kind of stuff.

“Yes, you are right, ladies. They are two boys. Ah, look, there they are.”

Hank released our wrists and pointed to two guys waiting beside each other. One was wearing a dark dress shirt with a tie and dark dress pants. The other was wearing the same but not as dark, and he had his hands in his pockets.

“Hey guys, over here,” Hank called out.

I froze as they started to make their way towards us. As for Grace, you could feel the excitement radiate off of her.

I didn’t want to make any contact with them, so I kept my head low, staring at the ground.

“Umm, hello.”

I looked up to the most beautiful hazel eyes I’ve ever seen. “Oh, umm, h-hi.” Oh gosh, I stuttered.

They guy standing in front of me held out his hand, “My name is Paul, and this is Larry. We are friends of your brother, Hank.”

I took his hand hesitantly and greeted, “Hi, my name is Diana.”

A smile showed up on his face, taking me off guard, “Diana. That’s a perfect name for a beautiful lady like you.”

My face felt so hot and my cheeks turned red. “Thank… Thank y- That’s my friend Grace. Grace, just say hi.” I gestured towards her just to change the subject.

We both looked towards our two friends who were flirting up a storm. Grace was blushing like a mad woman where Larry was trying to get really, really close to my friend.

As they continued to flirt, Paul and I stood there in awkward silence. It was so uncomfortable.

“So,” Paul started. “Would you like to dance?”

Wait. What?

I took a step back by the surprise.

Paul chuckled and held out his hand. “Don’t be shy, Diana. Trust me, it would be a good idea to break the ice and all. I mean, everyone is dancing around the bonfire, our friends are obviously flirting, and your brother is checking out some girls.”

I quickly took a glance at my brother. He was not helping me at all! How could he be so cruel to her own sister!

I finally turned back and took Paul’s hand hesitantly. “S-sure…”

Paul’s smile grew and he led me closer to the bonfire where the whole festival was.

“But I don’t know how to dance, so…”

He turned around and smiled, “Look around, most people are just bouncing around, but it still looks like they’re doing it right.”

I nodded and he continued to pull me along.

When we reached to where the pack was dancing, Paul turned around. “You ready?”

I gave a small smile and nodded. “I guess.”

The music was rock, so it was loud and easy to “bounce” to. I closed my eyes and let my body move to the music. When I opened them I saw a surprised Paul.

“I thought you just told me that you didn’t know how to dance.”

I blush crept up my neck. “No, I don’t.”

“But you are dancing pretty well, Diana.” He smiled.

We continued to dance, but I felt a bit wrong, even dangerous if I may say it.

By the time we were done dancing, we were tired, exhausted. Paul took me by my hand and led me to where no other pack members were, behind a huge building, the pack house.

“What are we doing here?”

He turned and gave me another smile, but this one felt different. It felt off and a little…threatening.

He sat in the grass and patted a spot next to him. “I thought we could get to know each other better.”

I nodded and sat beside him.

“So, your brother told me that your the, well, he basically said you are the runt of the pack.”

I felt a lump swell in my throat. Why, out of all things, my brother tells him that I’m the runt?

I sighed. “Umm, yeah. I’m not really good at anything.”

“But he told me about your feelings, and how they’re always right. That’s something your good at, feeling things.”

I nodded. “Yeah. For some reason I have these senses. I feel something, it turns out to happen. I’m just…different.”

He surprised me by laughing. “You’re a good different. I mean look at you. You’re beautiful, and you’re fun.”

I turned to him and gave him a genuine smile. “I’m glad you think so. You’re like the-“

I started to tense. A feeling. I had one. I turned towards the fence line and peered out into the darkness of the forest, again. There was something defiantly out there, I could smell it, it was a smell I didn’t recognize.

“Are you alright?”

I snapped out of my reverie and turned towards Paul. “Uh, yeah, just fine.”

“Are your sure? You don’t look like alright.”

I nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

I knew that wasn’t quite convincing, but there was nothing else I could say.

“Paul,” I tried to change the subject a bit, “Why aren’t you here with your mate? My brother told me all his friends have found their mates.”

He was seemingly a bit shocked by my question, but he soon pulled himself together.

“I… rejected her. She was banished from our pack, so I had no choice but to leave her.”

I could feel his pain in the air. I felt like I had crossed the line which I was not supposed to.

“Now I have a question for you, Diana.”

I looked up at him, waiting patiently.

“Would you ever betray your pack?”

His question took me by surprise. Why would he ask me that?

“No, of course not. Yeah, they make fun of me for being different, but I wouldn’t go that far.”

I felt his breath hitch a little.

“Such a shame.”

“What?” I puzzled and asked.

Without answering, he reached into his pockets and pulled out a small glass bottle, a lighter, and a cigarette.

“What do you mean?” I asked again.

He stood up and threw the glass bottle at the pack house, causing it to shatter and spill it’s contents on the wall. He then lit his cigarette and took a long drag of it.

“What I mean is that it looks like you won’t live.”

I stood quickly and took a step away from him. “What are you doing, Paul? What are you talking about?!”

He turned to me with an evil smirk on his face. “Exactly what it means.” He then threw his cigarette on the pack house.

It immediately caught on fire.

Gasoline. It was gasoline in that bottle.

Howls started to erupt from the forest, startling me. What was going on?

There was only one thing I could possibly do.

Shift.

I began to do so. My bones began to crack and snap and form. Patches of hair started to grow from my body and a snout started to form. I barely ever shifted, so the pain was unimaginable.

I released a howl as I finally turned into my wolf form.

“Impressive. You know, you’re the first blue eyed wolf I’ve ever seen. But I shall never see you again.”

He stepped closer, causing me to release a growl.

All of a sudden, screeching and howls erupted from the village.

We were under attack. I could sense it.

“I know you had your feeling, when you were freaking out and looked towards the forest. So I’ll go ahead and tell you what you felt. You felt a rogue.”

I took a step back, making Paul laugh. “I’m sorry it had to be like this, but this is for the best. But, I’ll tell you what. I’ll give you a chance to run away.”

I forced a growl out, trying to seen more confident.

‘Rip him into shreds,’ my wolf yelled in fury.

Paul turned his back on me and began to walk towards the screeching sounds of the innocent. “I thought that was a nice dress. Too bad you ripped it.” With that he disappeared into the smoke.

I quickly ran towards my house. I needed to check up on Mom.

On my way I passed the pack’s warriors fighting against the rogues. But from what I could see, we were falling to them. I passed so many of my pack member’s bodies. Blood was shredded everywhere.

I reached our house, but I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing.

Our house was burning.

‘Mom? Where are you?’ I sent her a message through mind-link.

No respond.

I began to run around the house, searching for her.

“Diana….”

I skidded to a halt and nearly collapsed at the sight.

It was Mom! And she was dying! She had blood surrounding her and she was sprawled onto the ground with many wounds in her. She wasn’t even in wolf form.

“My love, don’t talk, just listen,” she said while breathing heavily. “Just run. Get out of here. Please.” She began to groan and I stepped forward.

She tried to push me away, but she couldn’t, since she was literally running out of strength.

“Please, just-“

She went silent and stopped moving.

I think she… she was gone.

My wolf began to go crazy. She wanted to fight so badly, but I held her back.

I released a howl of pain.

They killed my mother. They killed her. And it’s all Paul’s fault.

Paul.

I trusted him. We all did. He was friends with my older brother.

Hank.

I left him with Grace. I’ve gotta find them.

I darted from my mother’s body, swearing I’ll bury it once this was over. As I took a turn towards the bonfire, I stopped.

Hank was in wolf form holding off three rouges while Grace was still in human form, crying over a body.

It was Larry.

He wasn’t part of the attack. I thought that he was since he came here with Paul. But I was wrong. Paul had tricked him. He had tricked everyone.

I was snapped from my reverie by a howl of pain. I looked at my brother who had taken down a rogue. He was one of the best fighters in the pack, he could hold his own.

I rushed to him and sent him a mind-link.

‘Where’s Solomon and Thomas?’

It took a moment before he sent one back.

‘They’re patrolling on the border.’

My brothers are still fulfilling their duty! I only wish they could run for their own lives.

I was snapped from my thoughts when a rogue swiped for my head. Luckily Hank blocked it.

‘Just get Grace out of here now! She can’t fight in the condition she’s in.’

I nodded and ran to Grace, immediately sending her a mind link.

‘Turn to wolf form. We have to go.’

She looked up at me. There was no emotion in her eyes.

“He might have been my mate Diana.”

‘Come on, Grace, just turn.’

She nodded slowly and began to turn, whimpers escaping her mouth. When she finished, she stepped beside me. ‘I’m ready.’

I nodded and began to run, Grace in pursuit. Hank was still holding the rogues back, buying us time.

We passed so many bodies, it was hard to distinguish who was who given the fact that we were running truly fast.

All of the buildings were on fire. Some of our pack members were just sitting in the grass by their burning houses, awaiting their death. I shook the thought of them out of my head and continued to focus on our escaping.

‘Diana, we’re about to pass the fence line.’

I nodded and pushed myself to run faster.

‘We have to pass it and keep running, until we find a safe place.’

Grace didn’t give me a respond.

I knew that she understood. It’s just that she didn’t want to accept the fact that we had to leave the village.

When we were closing up on the fence line, we didn’t slow down. Instead we started to push ourselves to the limit to speed up. And we did it. We finally crossed the fence line.

‘Can we stop now?’ Grace asked me.

I shook my head and answered, “No, Grace, we can’t stop now. We have to go farther. Away from this.”

I could feel her uneasiness, but I knew she agreed.

We continued to run for ten more minutes at full speed until I collapsed. I’ve lost all my strength.

‘Are you okay?’

I nodded and tried to stifle my heavy panting, but it was no use.

‘Diana, ya know, if you look back at the village, it doesn’t look like it’s on fire. It looks like the festival is still in full swing.’

I looked towards our village as Grace was doing. She was right. But if only it was just the festival. Mom wouldn’t be dead.

‘Grace, my mom… She’s, she’s dead.’

I began to whimper and Grace started to nudge me. Who knew that the festival of celebrating the Moon Goddess would become a disaster.

I nearly jumped up as howls started to erupt from nearby.

The rogues, they were tracking us.

‘Diana, can you stand on your feet?’

I tried to lift myself up but fell right back down. ‘No, I can’t. Grace, just run for your own life.’

Grace shook her head. ‘Turn to human form. I’ll carry you on my back.’

‘But I-I have no clothes.’

She started to nudge me. ‘Who cares?! Just hurry!’

I nodded and began to shift. My bones began cracking and popping back into place. The fur on my body began to disappear along with my snout. Soon I was a fifteen year old girl in the nude next to a giant wolf.

‘Now climb on!’

I nodded and did so. Once I was on top I held onto her fur tight, letting her know I was ready.

She began to run as fast as she could, but I could tell she was to tired.

‘Diana, how close are they?’

I looked back and peered into the darkness. “Very close. About twenty feet.”

I could feel Grace start to growl. ‘Rub your arms on my fur. NOW.’

I didn’t ask questions. I did exactly what she said.

‘Diana, I promise you, we will see each other again.’

“Grace what are you-“

Before I could finish, Grace bucked me off of her. My body began to roll down one of the steep hills in the forest. I crashed into many bushes and trees, and worst of all, the rogues were still chasing my friend.

Then I understood it all. She had me rub my scent onto her. She was risking her life for me.

She wanted me to survive.

My body continued to roll. I could feel wounds etching themselves into my torso, arms and legs. And when my head hit an oak tree, I didn’t feel anything else. I fell into complete and total darkness.