Isabella's POV

Isabella, the daughter of Alpha Leclair was on the training field. She moved with great precision and skill, very quick and she didn't look or feel tired even though it was an intense fight. Her packmates on the training ground, watching her every move with great admiration. Most of them envied her and wished they could fight like her. Her opponent attacked, he was a big warrior with  broad chest, battle-hardened warrior, with years of experience but Isabella outsmarted him effortlessly, she moved on her feet and her braided hair flung out like a whip behind her. She dodged his every move very well and hit him on his ribs with her elbow causing the warrior to cry out with pain, but Isabella didn’t give him time to recover. She turned around quickly, sweeping his legs from under him, making him fall on the ground and before he could gather himself she was on top of him, her dagger on his throat. The crowd of people who had stopped their own training to watch her clapped.  

“She’s incredible.”  they murmured  

“She fights like an Alpha.”    

Isabella ignored the words as their  approval meant little when the one voice that mattered the most to her  remained silent.   Immediately she raised her head, her eyes searching for him in the crowd and she saw him standing tall and looking so composed and intimidating.  Alpha Leclair crossed his arms with a stiff posture. His face was unreadable as he watched her.  Isabella put her dagger back and extended her hand to her opponent who paused before taking it as his pride was obviously wounded. Isabella turned around and looked at her father and immediately she saw it in his eyes.  Nothing, no approval,  no acknowledgment, just plain disapproval, sharp and suffocating.    As soon as her father began to walk towards her, the crowd became silent as he was a man greatly feared and respected among his warriors and pack.    

“You fight well,” he said, in a voice that lacked admiration.   

Isabella straightened. “Thank you, Alpha.”   

His gaze narrowed slightly at her formal response.    

“But just fighting well isn't what makes one a great leader he continued and Isabella felt like his words were a knife cutting through her.  

“A wolf can be strong, but that alone won't make you an Alpha.” 

Isabella, though feeling frustrated as usual, forced her expression to remain neutral.    

“I understand,” she said, though the words tasted bitter. Her father nodded and without another word turned and walked away. Isabella was angry, not enough, never enough. The murmurs picked up again, softer this time, cautious. She could hear the whispers. Some of them pitied her. Others were smug, as if relieved that the Alpha’s daughter would never rise above her place. She tried to calm herself down as this wasn't the time but each time she heard these words from her father, it hurt more deeply. 

Isabella walked into her father's study refreshed after the days training. The candlelight lighting up the Alpha’s study, Isabella stood before her father’s large table, desk, her arms crossed in front of her as if ready for some battle. The fire in the hearth crackled, filling the silence between them. Alpha Leclair leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled as he regarded her.    

“You’ve trained hard,” he said finally. She exhaled. 

“Yes”, she replied.

“But you still refuse to accept your place.” he continued, her grip tightened behind her. 

“I don’t see why my place can’t be more than just a warrior.” 

“Isabella” his expression remained unreadable, but the glint in his eyes sharpened. 

“Because tradition dictates otherwise.”    

“Tradition my foot,” she said with bitterness. 

 

“Maybe if I were to be a son, we wouldn't even be discussing this, right?” 

“Well you aren't” her father responded without even looking at her. 

She continued in defiance. “It doesn't mean I can’t be an Alpha.”    

Her father, tired of having this conversation with her, looked up and said to her 

“You are strong, Isabella, and you fight well but that isn't the same thing as leading a pack.” 

“To be an Alpha you must be more than a good fighter, you must command the respect and loyalty of your pack.” 

“But the pack respects me father” she responded stubbornly 

“They don't respect you Isabella, they admire you and there's a great difference.” 

She looked at her father, she wanted to say more but she realized as always that nothing she said now or even in the future will make any difference as his mind has been made up. She sighed, resigning herself to the bitterness she was feeling within her. Her father’s look softened for just a moment. 

“You are meant for battle, Isabella. Not for ruling,”  he said with finality. 

She should have been used to it by now, her fathers rejection. The way he stripped away her rights with such finality.   Isabella couldn't forgive her father in that instant for making her feel less of herself and with that she turned and walked out but just before she got to the door, she heard her father warn  

“The Blood Moon is tonight.”   She paused    “There are rumors,” he continued. 

“Of things not natural lurking in the woods. Be careful.”    

“I'll be,” she responded without looking back and walked out. 

She walked out into the cool evening air as she needed something to calm down her burning nerves. The woods whispered to her and she tried to relax as it embraced her. Immediately her wolf senses became alert as she saw claw marks on the ground but these claws were strange and she could smell blood and she instinctively knew that something not natural had passed through the woods. She knows that her father had sent out some of the warriors to investigate the rumors but they probably hadn't been looking for the right details. From what she was seeing, something that wasn't one of their own had bled in these woods and she made a mental note to inform her father about it.

Just then she picked up another scent, it seemed to have been carried to her by the winds. It was gradually getting closer and stronger. Isabella prepared herself immediately to strike if the need arose. Her muscles began to twitch and she was ready to shift at any instant. She noticed the branches of the trees moving as if something huge was moving through them. She reached for the dagger strapped to her thigh and just then she saw him, a wolf obviously not from her pack. He moved like a commander his eyes like silver shining under the moon. His eyes fixed on her and they stared at each other as if in a kind of silent challenge. There was something else between them and Isabella could feel it. Suddenly he spoke with a smirk on his face. 

“Are you lost, little wolf? Isabella on hearing his voice froze as she felt something, not fear but something far more dangerous. It felt like a pull of fate wrapping its tight chains around her.