Four

"You need to go now." His voice was direct and sharp as he spoke.

"No, you can't banish me. You have to restore me as the heir." I still couldn't believe my twin would betray me like this.

"Enough!" The command in his voice made me flinch.

He stepped forward and—to my shock—placed his hand on my cheek. His touch was gentle, almost tender then a bitter smile played at his lips.

"Everything I did," he whispered, "was to protect you."

For one moment, I wanted to believe him. I wanted to lean into that touch and pretend I had a father who loved me.

Instead, I pushed his hand away.

"Protect me?" My voice shook with rage. "You protected me by humiliating me? By treating me like a disease?" Tears burned behind my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. "I didn't ask to be born this way. I didn't ask to be wolfless. But I've made peace with it. Why can't you?"

"There's nothing I can do now." His voice turned cold again, sounding distant. "Leave tonight. That's all."

Something inside me shattered.

"Fine," I said quietly. "Fuck this. Fuck all of this. I don't want to live in this mess anyway."

I turned and walked away.

Behind me, I heard him say something—so quiet I almost missed it.

"I'm sorry, April."

But I didn't stop. Didn't turn around.

Because sorry wasn't enough.

It had never been enough.

I stood alone in the hallway after he dismissed me, my father's words echoing in my mind.

"Everything I did was to protect you."

Protect me.

From what? From who?

I looked down at my hands—still shaking, What threat could I possibly pose to anyone?

Unless...

Luke's warning. Father's fear. The way everyone had looked at me tonight—not with pity, but with something else. Something that looked almost like...

Terror.

What did they know that I didn't?

I shook my head. It didn't matter. Not anymore.

I was done being their victim.

It was actually tiime to leave though fucking place.

I went to my room and started packing. I was leaving; I couldn't stay here anymore. Maybe I was actually going to Nevermore Academy, but I wasn't planning to come back. I was only going there to get stronger, even though I knew I would face hell. A wolfless girl like me training at an academy that bred strong alpha wolves — that was its own kind of hell. But anything was better than here, at least. I wasn't going to be stuck in this life anymore.

After stuffing my bag, I pulled on my leather jacket, grabbed my things, and sneaked out of the house.

I went to the garage, took Ice's keys, grabbed my helmet, and started the engine. The familiar rumble beneath me felt like coming home.

I drove slowly toward the gate, helmet on, visor lifted. One last look in the mirror at the pack house behind me.

"Goodbye," I whispered with sadness.

Then I noticed something wrong.

The guards who were supposed to be standing at their posts were on the ground. They seemed like they had gotten their necks torn apart.

What the hell?

I was about to gun the throttle when I heard it.

A howl. Loud and raw and full of killing intent.

My hands suddenly went cold with fear.

Four guards rushed out from the shadows, their head guard Maxwell at the front. He pointed directly at me, his face twisted with something that looked almost like satisfaction.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?"

"Maxwell?" My voice came out smaller than I intended. "What's going on?"

"Where do you think you're going?" He stepped closer, and I could smell the aggression rolling off him in waves as he looked down and pointed towards where the guards were lying dead.

“Check them” He ordered the guards that rushed in together with him.

“They are dead sir, she killed them” The guards quickly replied.

WHAT!!! I DID WHAT?

“What hold on I didn't..I just noticed..” I tried saying it but I was caught in shock.

“WHERE THE HELL DO YOU FUCKING THINK YOU ARE GOING CRIMINAL!!” Maxwell shouted

"I'm leaving for Nevermore Academy. Father sent me—"

"You can't leave." His face darkened, teeth bared. "You're under arrest."

My heart stopped. "Under arrest? What the hell did I do? I told you I just saw the dead just now?"

"For attempting to harm the Luna and killing the pack’s guard in your escape —" his eyes gleamed, "—and for stealing from the pack treasury."

The words hit me hard that it left me speechless. Because what the hell.

I was about stepping down from my bike when I heard his voice sound very serious and deadly.

"Take her. Arrest her immediately."

"Maxwell, if this is a joke, stop it now." My hands were shaking on the handlebars. "I'm leaving."

I was starting to sense a foul play here like I had fallen into a trap and I didn't want to be stuck in any more of this shit. I didn't kill anyone so my conscience was clean. It was probably a mistake, anyways they should solve it.

I was going to stay out of it.

I snapped my helmet shut and started Ice, heart hammering against my ribs.

Behind me, I heard Maxwell's voice cold order being sent out and I knew it was getting real.

"Arrest her immediately!"

The sound that followed will haunt me forever.

I heard clothes tearing followed by bones snapping. The crushing sound of bodies reshaping themselves. And then came the howls.

Multiple hunting howls that were calling on all nearby guards to join the hunt.

I looked in my mirror and saw them. Four massive wolves where the guards had been, their eyes glowing in the darkness, fangs bared furious at me ready to devour me.

"Make sure she doesn't come back," Maxwell snarled to the last guard, and my heart skipped.

And I understood.

This wasn't an arrest.

This was an execution.

I was really in danger.

My bike flew forward as i sped up running away from home because I had to survive the werewolves chasing me from behind, although I didn't have a wolf inside me, being born a lowest rank werewolf i still had heightened hearing, sharper scent, quicker reflexes and strength, though still far weaker than those born with active wolves.

I twisted the throttle. Ice roared beneath me.

And the hunt began.

And that's how it began, my fall from the pack and the hunt that followed.

Yes, you guessed right - they're about to try and kill me.

Maybe you think I should've stayed. Maybe you think I should've fought harder.

But you'll see soon enough leaving was the only choice I had.