Chapter One: Distress Call

The day we had anticipated for many days had finally, approached, our little village filled with angry men, silver bullets and a deep hatred for those animals, prepared to fight to the death against the one enemy all of us loathed with our entire existence, the werewolves.

We had gotten a tip off from one of our spies deep within Alpha Curtis’s pack, a man I despised more than most, that the Alpha King would be arriving today in hopes of locating his mate. Our leader Markus, saw this as the perfect chance to show these vermin that our little village can pack a punch, show these beasts how their reign of terror can only last so long.

As the sun rose sending an orange glow to filter through the trees of our land, the warmth from the summer breeze felt heavenly as I stood beside my longtime boyfriend Daniel, whose hands gripped onto his pistol laced with silver and my waist pulling me closer to him.

“I can’t believe you’re forcing me to wait here; I have more skills and experience to deal with these monsters than most here. I should be with you; these people took everything from me.” I spoke breaking through the tense silence that took ahold of each person, their minds on the task of staying alive that any fruitless conversation seemed useless.

“I’m not doubting your capabilities for a second, you’ve held your own in so many battles we’ve fought but Erin, this is different. This isn’t some deranged Alpha we’re attacking, this is the fucking Alpha King, imagine how much backup he has who are willing to die in his place.” Daniel sighed repeating the same words he’s recited since the battle was announced, but he was only further proving my point.

“Exactly! We have no idea what kind of war this Alpha King has up his sleeve, you need all the help you can get yet, you’re keeping me here!” I exclaimed trying to make him see that keeping anyone back who has the will to fight will only jeopardise the victory, but slipping his pistol into his belt, Daniel only smiled.

“I will be just fine Erin I promise, no matter what happens or what this war may look like, I will always come back home to you. It will take a lot more than some entitled crown wearing asshole to keep me away.” Daniel said looking me in the eyes while his hands reach around his neck and unclasp the chain with the ever so special pendant that he wore around his neck and gently, placed it upon mine.

“I can’t lose anyone else Daniel especially, not you.” I whispered, allowing only him to hear the vulnerable side of me, such a side most here would take advantage of but for Daniel, I didn’t mind.

“That will never happen Erin I promise, in order for me to stay alive in this battle, you can’t be there, my focus will be on protecting you and nothing else. I need you to wait here so when I return home all bruised and wounded, I can have my favourite nurse take care of me.” Daniel sniggered with his forehead against mine, even though I was mad at him for not taking me, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“I love you.” I smiled placing a soft kiss on his lips praying this would not be the last, where his hand cupped my face looking me in the eyes.

“Alright, let’s head out!” Markus shouts towards the group of fighters, some looked ready to go while others held onto their loved ones a little tighter.

Placing another kiss on my lips as a goodbye, Daniel slowly pulls away from me ensuring our fingers touched until we could no longer reach, where I was forced to not allow the tears which so desperately, wanted to prick my eyes to show. Watching as all the men followed Markus, I couldn’t have known what was truly waiting for me on the other side of the woods.

The longer the silence of the woods continued, the louder my heart pounding in my chest became. The silence is something I once enjoyed but now the man I loved was within that deafening silence, I prayed for any noise to break through and give me an indication of what was happening. The village had tried to continue as normal in their absence, medical supplies at the ready for when the wounded returned and needed assistance.

But the feeling which clung to the air was thick and heavy, this battle was different, it was not some Alpha we were battling, but the leader of them all. All I could seem to do was pace up and down rubbing my arm nervously, I didn’t know what the matter was, but my body felt off, as though something life changing was planned to happen but as I paced, I couldn’t quite work out what that was.

“Pacing won’t do much help Erin, it will only worry you further.” Suzzie, an older woman in the village tells me as I continued to pace, not having the words to express what I felt, I simply sent her a forced smile and a nod hoping to continue my silent pace alone.

“That boy of yours will be fine, he’s a fresh face with fire in his belly, he isn’t going to let some blood thirsty animal take him down! He’ll be walking through that treeline before you know it.” Suzzie continued to break the silence with a smile on her lips, even though my body still wouldn’t allow me to rest as it jittered around as though something was going to happen, I had to smile and realise she was right, Daniel wasn’t the kind to go down without a fight.

Before I had the chance to calm down and help the others who continued to gather whatever supplies we would need for their return, out from the trees and bursting into the sky in colours of red and purple sat the flare of help, a distress call I had prayed I wouldn’t see.

“Daniel.” I whispered watching as the paint like substance of the flare cascaded down through the air, my heart pounding in my chest even louder than before.

“They need help! Any able person grab your weapons and prepare to fight!” I shouted my own orders to the village people who watched the paint disappear from sight, shock and worry on their own faces.

Within minutes, I led the charge towards Alpha Curtin’s pack, the fire in my own belly and a silver dagger in my back pocket.

“I’m coming Daniel.” I spoke to myself jumping over the fallen debris of the woods, each log I’d jump the more my body begged me to go faster.

But when I arrived at the battle, it wouldn’t be Daniel that I found but a man who also held such a fierce fire in his eyes, but his were set on me.