Chapter Five

ELLA

"That's why they're called Alphas, because they possess powers that no ordinary wolf has," the old she-wolf spoke more.

The old she-wolf then let go of the walking stick and stepped toward us, showing that she had never needed it.

I realized she didn't walk with a bent back anymore, and moved with a strong and youthful stride.

Mom immediately shoved me behind her, once more extending her claws with a flash of her fingers, to protect me.

"And your daughter's mate, he isn't an alpha because he's the firstborn of an alpha. He is a born alpha, chosen by the moon goddess, and more I cannot tell you."

I was soon stunned to see as all the warts vanish from her face, and before us no longer stood an old beggar but a beautiful, young, long red-haired she-wolf.

Mom aimed at her throat the fastest with her sharp claws, but she was struck with a glowing green light from the red-haired lady without her even raising a hand. It made Mom's body so still that the only parts of her she was able to move were her eyes.

Mom looked straight at me with extremely horrified eyes.

"Please don't hurt my mom; just take me to my alpha mate." I fell onto my knees before the she-wolf and lowered my head.

"I am neither you nor your mom's enemy." The she-wolf gently touched my head, and I looked up at her with tearful eyes.

"How could I do such a thing to such a pure-hearted wolf like you?" she said with a wide smile that also reached her eyes.

"Let my mom go then," I said, not trusting her, and I wished then that I had listened to my mom.

"I will do so after I have delivered what I've brought for you, Luna Ella," she said.

"Please don't call me a Luna, for I never asked to be his Luna," I sobbed.

"Oh, honey." She gently raised me up to my feet, staring at me with pitiful eyes.

"Oh, honey, I'm deeply sorry for what is happening to you and your mom. If only I had not trusted someone back then, you and your mom wouldn't be living such a difficult life."

"What do you mean? I asked.

"Please take this." She fished something from her pocket, instead of answering me

She placed it within the palm of my hand, a silver necklace with a moon pendant.

"This moon necklace will prevent your fated mate from finding you and also from recognizing you as his true mate, until I have sorted out everything." She closed my finger over it.

"What do you mean until everything is sorted out?" I questioned her again.

Once more, she ignored my question by saying, "Please wear it before the full moon appears tonight. I'm sorry that I'm not strong enough to protect you from going to him, but I'm sure with your mother's love for you, I do not doubt that she will stop you from doing so."

"Make sure you never take it off once you wear it, or your fated mate will know you're his once you're close," she gave me a warning before disappearing.

The moment she was gone, Mom was finally able to move.

"We have to get you as far away from here as possible before the Alpha comes. He must have grown impatient waiting for the mating season to find you and has sought a witch's help," Mom said, quickly heading towards the house.

"But why would she refuse the opportunity to kill me or capture me instead of returning to tell him where I am?" I followed her, not sure to believe that the red-haired she-wolf was working for the evil Alpha.

"Because she's up to something, El. You lack the knowledge I have about witches. They're cunning and conniving and can never be trusted, which is why many packs burn or slay them once they discover any within their pack. "Mom searched for something under the straw bed.

She took out a white container with a strong, awful scent that made my nose burn and started pouring it all over the place.

I watched the pale yellow liquid saturate everything in our home.

"What's that?" I covered my nose.

"Gasoline," Mom said, heading towards me.

She pulled me out of the house with her and went for a piece of fiery wood from the cob stove.

"This will get rid of our scent." She tossed the fiery wood into the house.

I jolted back as the house was abruptly consumed by bright yellow-orange flames, and I was frightfully reminded that it was the exact thing my fated mate had done to me in my dream.

The heat of the fire against my face made my fear increase

"Sadly, I also can't get rid of our scent from the woods," Mom said.

"The smoke will have to do so for a while."

We both watched the black smoke rising from the fire, filling the air with an unbreathable charred scent.

"Come on, let's leave." Mom shifted into her dark brown wolf.

A spine-chilling roar cut from the fire, making my knees go weak. It felt as if the flame was telling me that I too would be consumed by it soon, just like in my dream.

I looked down at my hand, tightly closed around the necklace that the witch had given me, to notice a bright white light shining through the gaps between my fingers.

Opening my hand, I saw the pendant shining as bright as the moon.

"Put it on; it will stop your fated mate from recognizing you as his," I heard the witch's voice in my ear as if she were still here.

Scared of being burned alive, I quickly put it on.

"Ella," Mom called.

I burst out of my clothes into my wolf, having the color of pale sand.

As I did I quickly looked down at my neck, worried that the necklace might have burst from my transformation like my clothes and worst of all, be lost.

I was relieved to see it was still around my neck and hidden within my fur.

Immediately, I ran to catch up with my mom.