Favoritism Kills

I was tricked into leaving the pack by Raeya Wargan. She told me the Moonbeam Grass that one of my dads, Aidan Rafe, needed could only be found deep within the forest.

"If you pick the Moonbeam Grass yourself and give it to him, he'll surely love you again!"

I wanted Aidan's love so badly that, even knowing how dangerous the forest was, I followed her without hesitation. But I never expected her hatred for me to run that deep.

Using the cross my dad, Maxim Ulfric, had given me, she covered it with silver powder and drove it through my limbs and pierced the last strike straight through my throat. Then, she flung my battered body into a Rogue's den.

"Loveta Senka, why do our dads love you best?"

She held up my cross necklace and grinned wickedly as she continued, "My mom died saving them, so I should be the Cinderhowl pack's most precious little princess! Tell me… Will they still love you if you're tainted?"

She yanked me by the collar and threw me into the thicket before the Rogue's den. As she turned to leave, she didn't forget to mock me.

"The forest's loneliest Rogue King lives here. He hasn't seen a she-wolf in years, so I'm sure he'll be thrilled to meet you. Enjoy!"

The noise we made seemed to stir the Rogue in his den as a low, warning growl echoed faintly from within the dark cave.

I struggled to crawl out of the thicket. The silver had ruined my enhanced healing ability, so blood kept gushing out of my wounds.

The metallic smell of blood seemed to drive the creature within the den wild.

Panic seized me, and I mustered all my strength to flee toward the edge of the forest. The roar behind me told me that I'd been targeted by the brutal Rogue King. And I, an underage she-wolf with injured limbs, could never outrun him at the peak of his power.

Through the mind-link, I reached out to Ethan Skoll, my second dad, for help.

Ethan was the strongest Beta warrior of the pack and led the forest patrol. If he gave his order, his men would save me within minutes.

But when I told him what had happened, he scoffed in disdain. "You still haven't dropped this habit of lying, Loveta. No pup leaves the pack without reporting, and the gate guards would never let you out. How could you possibly be alone in the forest?"

I panicked and quickly explained, "It was Raeya who snuck me out! She fooled the guards! We snuck out here because we wanted to—"

"Enough, Loveta! Why are you framing Raeya? Today's her coming-of-age ceremony, and we're all preparing for it.

"She's been busy since dawn, so how would she have the time to take you to the forest?"

My steps faltered as I stumbled to the ground.

It struck me that today was Raeya's coming-of-age ceremony, and mine was supposed to be tomorrow, but my dads seemed to have forgotten about it.

The ache in my chest drowned out even the pain from my wounds.

I remembered how, every year, my dads would shower me with the most exquisite gifts on my birthday and promise me the most unique gift on my coming-of-age ceremony.

"You'll be the happiest young lady in the entire Cinderhowl pack!"

Their doting words still seemed to ring in my ears as Ethan's roar came through the mind-link. "I don't have time for your games, Loveta. We're about to begin the prayer ritual for Raeya, so stop bothering me."

With that, he brutally severed our mind-link. No matter how many times I reached out with cries of help, I was met with no response.

The howls behind me grew louder. I was nearly overcome with despair when I spotted a patrol passing the distant forest's edge. I could even make out the patrollers' faint voices.

I tried to call out for help, but the silver had damaged my vocal cords and only allowed me to make weak, kitten-like noises.

Out of desperation, I sent another message to Ethan through the mind-link. "Please send your patrol into the forest, Ethan! I'm just 600 feet away from them!

"A Rogue is trying to hunt me down, so please tell them to save me!"

As I ran, I frantically waved my hands, knowing that I could be saved if just one of them looked my way. But that was when I heard the patrol leader answer a call.

"The Beta said to end patrol and head to the pack house to find his lying daughter.

"What a headache. Ms. Wargan's so gentle and well-behaved, so why can't that little liar learn from her?"

No! I was right here, not at the pack house!

My silent screams were to no avail. I could only watch as the patrol turned away and disappeared from my sight.