Chapter 2

SCARLET

10:30pm. Home.

"You know… staying here is going to be hard. People aren’t going to forget what happened." My father said to me. His voice cracked slightly,

“I have spoken to a few people in the Shadow Flake Pack. Maybe... It's time to think about leaving. I want you to start over.” My chest tightened, I wiped my face with the sleeve of my hoodie, my heart thudding painfully in my chest. Great, even my family doesn’t want me around them.

"You want me to leave," I said quietly, not really a question but more like a confirmation of what I just heard.

"I don’t want you to suffer, Scar. Not more than you already have. It’s the only way for you to find peace."

For once, he wasn’t hiding behind Mom and Alyssa or avoiding hard decisions. It was just him, sitting here with me, offering me the one thing I hadn’t expected from him—an out.

And I hated that part of me was considering it.

NEXT MORNING, 5:30am.

My father pulled me into a tight embrace, his arms wrapping almost too tightly around me. I bit the inside of my cheek to stop my tears, but it was no use. Hot, stubborn tears slipped free, streaking down my face. I was really going to miss him. He’s the only one who atleast had my back in this house, even if he was still mostly controlled by Mom.

“If she wants to leave, she might as well do it now,” my mother’s voice cut through the moment, cold and indifferent.

I felt my father’s grip shift slightly, a sigh escaping his lips. He didn’t respond to her. Instead, he held me just a second longer before slowly letting me go. I watched as he unfastened the familiar bracelet he always wore—the one with his initials etched on the inside. Without a word, he placed it in my hand and gently closed my fingers around it.

“Don’t forget your home ,” he whispered, his voice thick with meaning. I nodded quickly, too overwhelmed to trust myself to say anything.

It was time to go. I wiped my face with the sleeve of my jacket and grabbed my bags, my heart heavy as I turned toward the door. Just as I was about to step away, my mother’s voice stopped me.

“Here.”

I turned slowly, surprised to see her holding out a set of keys and a thick brown envelope.

“Take the Porsche,” she said, her tone flat. “You’ll need money for upkeep too.”

I blinked, staring down at the envelope and keys in disbelief. Of all the things I expected, generosity wasn’t one of them. My father looked just as startled, But when I glanced back at him, he gave me a small nod, as if telling me it was okay to accept.

I let out a slow breath and carefully took the keys and envelope from her outstretched hands. I dipped my head in a small bow, forcing out the words.

“Thank you, Mom.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she muttered, already turning away. “You should leave now.”

****

My grip tightened around the steering wheel, as I sped down the highway. The radio murmured in the background, but the music barely registered.

My thoughts were not anywhere near here. What was waiting for me at Shadow Flake? Could running away really change anything? I was just a wolf-less twenty-five-year-old outcast, who is a cuu outward and whose life seemed to have no sense of direction.

Then the radio suddenly crackled, distracting me from my thoughts. The next thing I heard almost made me slam my legs against the brakes in shock.

“Scarlet Tanner has been declared wanted by the Alpha of Twilight Zone. She reportedly fled earlier this morning, stealing a large sum of money entrusted to her mother by the Pack and taking her family’s Porsche.”

A beat of silence followed before the announcer’s voice lowered unfavorably.

“A generous reward will be offered to anyone who finds her—alive or dead.”

My heart slammed into my ribs. Shit. I should’ve known better. The sudden generosity was very fishy—it was all a setup. Of course, it was. How could I have been so naive? Hii o w could I have been so stupid.

I barely had a moment to think before I saw them—cars closing in through the rearview mirror. My pulse spiked, and instincts took over. Slamming my foot down on the accelerator, I sped faster, the tires squealing as I veered sharply onto the open road.

Proving my innocence wasn’t even an option. Not with the Alpha involved and everything that happened yesterday. I needed to escape.

My hands gripped the steering wheel so tight my knuckles turned white, my heart pounding in a rhythmless beat, I didn’t even have the time to feel pity for myself. I just wanted to live. They were getting closer. I stole a glance in the rearview mirror, only to see the cars trailing dangerously close—closer with every passing second.

My chest tightened with every ragged breath I took, my heart hammering so violently I could feel it in my ear. They were relentless. I knew that once they caught me, there would be no mercy.

Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, a dark fur cut through the trees—wolves. Their sleek bodies darted between the shadows, moving in perfect sync with the cars tailing me. They weren’t just any wolves. They were warrior wolves. Their glowing yellow eyes locked on the car, like they’d already claimed me as prey.

I pressed the gas pedal to the floor, the engine roaring in protest. For a brief second, I thought I might outrun them, I definitely would. But then —thud- thud- thud— the car jerked violently. A warning light flashed on the dashboard, and the engine sputtered.

“No... no, no, not now!” I shouted, slamming my hand on the steering wheel continuously like it would help, even though I knew absolutely nothing about cars. I must give it to my mother, she carefully planned this to perfection.

The car lurched to a stop, coughing its last breath before the engine gave out entirely. There was no time to think, no time to curse my luck, no time to blame my mother. The sound of claws scraping against the ground and the hum of engines grew louder.

I yanked the door handle, threw myself out of the car, and ran. How was a mere human like me going to outrun the number of wolves chasing me right now? My feet pounded against the dirt as I sprinted. If anything, I wasn’t going to give up on my life very easily. I sighted a towering sign barely visible through the trees.

WILLOW BROOKE

The letters stood bold, dripping with warning. A chill crawled down my spine. Willow Brooke. The most feared of the seven packs in the state. No one entered unless they had a death wish.

I was between the devil and the deep blue sea, but I didn’t have the luxury to hesitate. I could hear the wolves’ snarls closing in, their hot breath nearly brushing the back of my neck. Without a second thought, I crossed the boundary into Willow Brooke territory, not caring about what was waiting for me in it. Better to die in the hands of strangers, than in the hands of people I consider family.