Why was Sheera here…? Why does she have their son- her own boy- in her arms in that condition? Why was she even holding him in a way no mother would hold their child, but in a way a kidnapper or any sort of criminal would carry a kid?! More importantly… why was she standing with the Nex Pack like an ally rather than a hostage…?“Sheera… What’s going on here?” Killian dared ask.Sheera gave no answer, as she approached Clifford with the big werewolf behind her, and bowed to him loyally. “My many greetings, Sir Clifford,” she said.“You took a while to get here. I thought for sure you decided to back out at the last second,” Clifford said.“Nonsense. I just had a bit of difficulties trying to get this thing under control and Big here disposed of Private,” she simply said, tossing William on the ground, raising Killian and the other Devorares’ bafflement towards her and worries for the boy.“William!” the Alpha cried out, about to rush to his son, only to be knocked down to the ground by
The next day, Ellie had regained consciousness and found herself in a very familiar room. One she could not believe she was in again. Only much worse than the last time.‘Again…? I’m in a cell again…’ she thought.She reached a hand out to the bars, hoping that the room she was in was not really what she thought it to be. Upon feeling her finger burn on contact, Ellie hastily recoiled and curled up in a ball.‘He… He really believed it all… He believed a bunch of strangers, who are also his enemies… over his own mate… Then again, when has he ever believed me in anything?’To say Ellie was in disbelief of her own situation- of the events that led to her current state now- would be an understatement. Regardless of how much William detests her, how could he easily believe in what other werewolves claim? More so when those very werewolves were part of the pack he insinuated to have a bad history with? She did not want to think what she went through last night was real, but here she was… S
It was a cold night at the Nex Pack, as Lyra, Hayden, and the other juvenile werewolves knelt before their Alpha. Most of them were quite frightened being in his presence. Specifically since they gave in their reports about the mission.“Let me see if I got this right,” Drake spoke after taking in a breath. “Not only did you kids find your target and let her go free, you told her everything about herself. In the presence of two other nobodies, no less. Did I get that right?”“Nobodies they may be, Alpha, they are also someone close to the target,” Lyra corrected. She being the only one not fazed by the menacing aura he was emitting.Her casual response only served to increase Drake’s rage, as he personally rushed down to his stepdaughter and slammed her face down to the floor. “Do you really think this is supposed to be funny in any way at all?” he questioned. “You don’t seem to understand how severe the situation is here. In this pack, it is one thing if our target manages to escape
Meanwhile, at the Hermit Pack, days had passed since the encounter with the Nex Pack. After getting the time to personally grieve, it was now the day when the Hermit Pack was to move out and merge with the Devorare Pack. With news of Jengo’s passing already well known to all the werewolves in the Hermit Pack, the Devorare Wolves- well aware of their Alpha’s full feelings towards their late Beta- did not want to bother their leader with the preparations, and thus managed to get everything done in time.Of course, the preparations made were not just for the Hermit Wolves’ relocating, as one certain werewolf had just found out.“Alpha William… Tell me you are not serious about this!” Raymond requested.“I believe I made myself clear plenty of times these past few days, Alpha Raymond,” William said, looking over some documents. “Especially when I requested you to make such arrangements. You who is the only other person present at the time of Jengo’s death, in addition to being a fellow Al
“So that’s what he’s decided…” Ellie could only say, after being told of the punishment William gave her by Raymond.“Unfortunately, yeah…” the Alpha weakly said. “B-But hey. Look on the bright side. You’ll still live. You’re not going to die.”“Not now, at least,” Ellie solemnly added. “William may not have decided to kill me, but making me into a slave? You know as well as I do that that’s even worse than being exiled. And here I thought I wouldn’t be used as a tool ever again…”Slavery amongst werewolves… While it was not something common amongst any werewolf pack, it was still a well-known punishment amongst many. Usually done to werewolves who committed an unspeakable crime as irredeemable mutts, or members of a fallen pack’s Alpha’s family as trophies. Either way, once branded as a slave, no longer would that werewolf be seen as an equal. No longer would they be treated as a person. Instead… they will be treated as a tool they aren’t.Since slavery was a practice that was rarely
Ellie ran in the woods as fast as she could, away from what she had overheard back at her home.‘How could they…? After everything I did for them…? Even enduring that…’ she thought.Just a little earlier, instead of training or be out hunting like any other werewolf would, Ellie was at home, just got done with a certain rite she was to do in this pack. It was not something any werewolf could do, but it was more of less one that she- and only she- was required to, according to her parents.It was a rite, known as the Wolf Swap Rite; a painful weekly process that allows a werewolf unsatisfied with the wolf they were born with to exchange it for a new wolf more fitting for them. At least… That was what Ellie’s parents had told her, when they made her undergo this rite for the past two years. It was not because she was unsatisfied with her wolf, as it was just that they want her to be a better werewolf than any other. The only way to do that was to switch her wolf- her fate- for a new one
It was silent in the woods, as Steve and Maddie stared at Ellie, puzzled to see the outsider here, when she should’ve gone hunting for food.“Ellie. To what do we owe the pleasure of seeing you here?” Maddie asked in a sickeningly sweet tone.“Don’t bother playing nice,” Ellie said with a light sneer. “I heard everything. Not just from you two, but mom and dad- No… Lila and Aiden, too! All this time, despite everything I did for you all, you guys just used me! I know you hate me, Maddie, but everyone else, too?! Even you, Steve?!”Maddie became livid by how this werewolf was acting, especially towards her lover. “Hey! He doesn’t have to take your attitude!”Ellie turned her attention to her ‘sister’ in rage. “On the contrary, after everything we’ve been through? Not to mention the fact that we are mates! I deserve answers! Do you have any idea how high a treason this is for a werewolf! Steve, how long have you been with Maddie behind my back?!”Rather than be flustered by the question
A long time of running later, Ellie felt herself get tired and, upon seeing no one coming after her, stopped right by a large, thick tree.“Looks like I lost them,” she muttered. “But… now what do I do…?”Ellie knew it was only a matter of time until Maddie and her family gather up some werewolves to search for her, force her back home and complete the rite. Should that happen, her escape would be for nothing. She could try to fight back, but with how weakened she got because of the Wolf Swap Rite, if what Maddie said was true, there was no way she could hold them off like she used to.“Why is this happening…?” she wondered aloud. “What did I ever do to deserve this? Mom… Dad… Why did you abandon me in the woods if this was going to happen…?”Overwhelmed by the events leading to her situation, Ellie could only silently cry.Minutes into her crying, Ellie heard something from deeper into the forest, catching her attention, and ceasing her tears. “Hello? Is someone there?” she called.N