PROLOGUE

VENITA:

As I walked through the dark corners of my street on my seventeenth birthday, a heavy ache of loneliness weighed on me. My parents were once again engrossed in work in the depths of their mysterious lab. More than anything this year, I yearned for their company. I wanted them to care about me and my presence rather than work. Sadly, that wasn't the case. They were distant figures in my life, their work consuming them and leaving me to find solace in the company of stray animals I saved and cared for.

Something else bothered me beyond their absence. At the stroke of midnight today, my parents had woken me up for an absurd conversation.

"Venita, we hope you can understand what we did," my mother had said, her voice filled with regret and sorrow, shadowing her usual vibrant tone when speaking to me.

"What did you do?" I asked curiously.

"It was to make you healthy, sweetheart," my father had added. "No matter what, when the time comes, protect it with your life."

"What are you both talking about? Protect what? Who? Just tell me. I won't be mad. Besides, it's my birthday. A day I'm not allowed to have a foul mood," I teased.

"We can't tell you now," my mum said, surprising me. “Just know that it’s inside of you, Venita.”

 We weren't an intensely secretive family. Except for their lab, which was off-limits – I understood that because there was a possibility of me messing something up since I had no understanding of what they were doing – they included me in everything else. So, what was going on?

"I wish you'd just tell me… I'm so confused."

"We promise to explain soon. We love you, Venita," my father ended, his voice a little hostile.

"Love you too, but this is strange..."

I continued walking, still puzzled and intrigued by my parents' mysterious actions. Lately, they'd been acting tense, and I hoped everything was okay. I was planning to have a proper conversation with them after my walk; by then, they should be done with work. What a birthday!

Aimlessly wandering and enjoying the wonders of nature and the fresh air, I stumbled upon a fate that would change my life forever. In the shadows of an alley, I saw a puppy, wounded and trapped in a cage. Its eyes, once fierce, were filled with desperation and pain. The puppy's fur was matted, and it emitted a faint whimper that tugged at my heartstrings. It was lost, desiring freedom and care. I couldn't leave it there, suffering alone.

As I drew closer, it started appearing different. A wolf? No way. Animals like that didn't lurk around my city; it was rare. It must be a puppy. I was still finding it difficult to distinguish between the two, as I didn't see wolves often.

Gently, I approached the cage.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm here now. I'll get you out," I reassured. Even in its vulnerable state, this puppy held an air of authority. It was intimidating, and I couldn't help but tremble as I managed to open the cage, my heart pounding in my chest.

The door to the cage swung open, and it cautiously stepped out. At first, it seemed unsure, but then it came closer. It licked my hand gently, and I knew it was saying thanks. It made me shiver. Its eyes locked onto mine as if it could sense my intentions. I reached out, my fingers grazing its fur, and it didn't flinch. It was as if it knew I meant no harm. Slowly, I began to stroke its head, offering comfort as it leaned into my touch.

Thereafter, the wolf stayed close to me, and we looked at each other as if we understood each other. It was wounded but alive, and it was like we had a special bond. If this was indeed a wolf, my parents would be flabbergasted. They might even ask me to take them to see it. Among my rescues, whenever I told stories about them, they showed the most interest on the few occasions wolves were involved. They went over and over about where to find it, and what it looked like.

After a brief moment, I stood to leave. I had to get back home. When I looked at the puppy, I felt drawn to it. I was finding it difficult to leave it. That was strange.

Waving goodbye, I made my way back towards my home. But what I returned to was a nightmare. My home was engulfed in flames, the orange and red tendrils dancing mercilessly at night. Panic surged through me as I contemplated rushing inside to save my parents if they were still inside. As I prepared to dash for the entrance, I saw my mom tightly held by a figure whose face I could hardly see.

Amidst the chaos and crackling flames, I heard her voice, barely audible over the roaring fire. "Run, Venita, run!"

I was about to ignore her command when the lurking figure snapped her neck and tossed her to the side. My mother was dead.

Reluctantly, with tears streaming down my face, I obeyed her command and fled toward the safety of the woods. But danger lurked behind me, a sinister figure advancing with malevolent intent.

"Make this easy, little girl. Stop running!" the figure said with a snarl.

The deep growl made me sprint harder until my calves began to hurt. I was becoming weak, feeling my body about to give up when I saw something else crash into the figure that had been chasing me.

I tried to see what was going on, but unfortunately, I collided with a rock and fell. Now, I could see that they were wolves. One of them looked like the one I had rescued earlier. It was furiously snarling at the other, standing between us. Its eyes blazed, teeth bared, and fur bristling. The assailant hesitated, taken aback by the unexpected defender. Yet, it howled, fearlessly stepping forward.

The other wolf gave me a comforting look before taking a full swing towards the other. This gave me room to keep running deeper into the woods with no destination in mind. But the nightmare of what I had seen today would forever haunt me. What were wolves doing in my city? Who killed my parents? Why? That fire was not an accident. Most importantly, why did that wolf fight its kind to protect me? What was I meant to protect? And from whom? These were questions that I might never have an answer to or, fight hard to figure out.