Accepting the darkness

Ember’s POV

It’s been two years since I last saw my mother and brother. After our father died, mother was forced to take on the responsibility of a family. One day she went on a hunt, to feed us, and a bunch of brazen rogues attacked our little pack.

My last glimpse of Caden, my little brother, was of him lying in the mud, his small body curled in on itself. One of the men kicked him, and I saw him clutch his stomach weakly in response.

I lost consciousness with his name on my lips, wondering what mum would do when she came back and found us gone.

I woke up in what resembled a concentration camp. Humans and werewolves from different raided places were crammed together in horrible conditions, their faces painted with despair. Fortunately for me, I didn’t stay there long.

The very next day, I was dragged out of the camp and shoved into a filthy old van. From snippets of conversation among the traffickers, I learned that a hundred of us had been sold to Alpha Thorne, the most feared and revered Alpha in the plains.

“They say he’s so cruel and evil, no other Alpha dares to challenge him,” whispered Kaya, a wiry human girl I’d met at the camp. Her bright blond hair was so long it nearly dragged on the ground. So I’d braided it into one thick plait for her to keep it out of the way.

At the sound of that name, I clenched my fists.

“I’d kill him if I had the chance,” I muttered in a flat tone, glaring at the men outside.

“Shhh! Keep your voice down,” Kaya hissed as she glanced around nervously. “You don’t want that kind of attention.”

“I don’t care,” I snapped, although my voice was low. “I don’t know where my brother is. I’ve watched everyone here, and he’s not among them. He’s my only priority.”

Kaya’s green eyes softened, but her voice was stern. “Then don’t die. How will you find him if you make the traffickers angry and get yourself killed?”

She was right. As much as I hated admitting it, I couldn’t afford to let my anger get the best of me. I had to stay alive, for my brother, for my mother. Worry stung my chest but I kept my face blank, locking my emotions away.

“Stop right there!” a trafficker’s bark suddenly cut through the air.

Everyone turned in the direction of the commotion. A young man had bolted from the group, sprinting toward the tree line in a desperate attempt to escape.

The tall man perched on top of our cage jumped down without a word. As he gave chase, his body began to twist and contort. His bones snapped and realigned, fur sprouting from his skin. Within seconds, he had transformed into a massive brown werewolf.

Gasps erupted from the humans around me. For many of them, this was the first time they’d witnessed a shift up close. The werewolf’s strides were impossibly fast, and in mere moments, he was upon the fleeing man. With a bone crunching bite to the neck, the escapee fell limp on the ground.

Kaya gripped my arm, her nails digging into my skin. I turned to her and saw tears streaming down her face.

“That’s what happens when you try to run,” one of the traffickers sneered, his laughter cutting through the group’s silence.

“Each of you is worth a hefty sum,” he continued, pacing slowly in front of us. “Don’t think you can escape so easily. That boy? He was sold to Alpha Thorne. And trust me, the Alpha doesn’t take kindly to disobedience.”

The werewolf trotted back to the van, blood still dripping from his jaws. He was enormous, his head was level with our knees even as we stood in the cage. He growled low, then rammed his massive shoulder into the side of the cage as a threat. The impact sent most of the group scrambling to the opposite side, huddled around each other and trembling.

But I didn’t move.

The truck came to life, and we began our journey. The werewolf ran alongside us, his pace steady and relentless.

Hours passed, and he never slowed.

“He’s so strong,” Kaya whispered, with awe in her voice. She tilted her head up to look at me. “Can you run like that?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted quietly. “I’ve never turned.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Never? Are you… a wolfless?”

The word hit me like a slap, a reminder of my incompetence. And I snapped my head toward her, my eyes narrowing in offense.

Kaya’s face turned pale. “I’m so sorry. That was rude… I shouldn’t have, sorry.” She stammered, shrinking away from me.

The rest of the ride was silent.

By evening, the road signs began to change, the simple black squares with “THORNE” printed in bold letters made my stomach twist with unease.

When the truck finally stopped, we were greeted by the sight of Alpha Thorne’s massive estate. The towering iron gates loomed like monster teeth, daring anyone to enter.

My skin prickled as a chill crept over me, this was his territory.

The man who killed my father.

And I had no idea what awaited me next. But I want my mother and brother back—at any cost.