CHAPTER 1

Arianna’s POV:

“You called?” My guard, Derek, said as he entered the room.The scent of blood lingered in the air, he paced in front of me. 

 “Your father is in a meeting with the pack leaders,” he continued and tapped his foot.

“Urgh!” I said and folded my arms and stamped my feet. “He is always in a meeting. I need to tell him about something.”

Derek rolled his eyes and folded his hands. I turned my back as I paced back and forth. Everyday it is usually like this. I never get enough time with him from one pack meeting to another. Responsibilities that come with being an Alpha.

The bonfire festival is coming up, but there’s been a recent attack by some rogues.

“You always have something to tell your dad,” Derek said and headed towards the door of my room. 

He is not allowed to stay in my room longer than necessary. He has been my personal guard since I was 5. I have two personal guards, Derek and Aaron. 

I needed to figure out a way to meet Dad. 

“Urgh!” I threw myself on the bed while Derek stepped out and closed the door. Maybe I should just assist with the Bonfire preparations. 

“Let’s go to the town hall to help out with the preparations,” I said as I opened the door to meet Derek. 

“Alright.”

By night fall the town hall glowed with firelight and shadows are dancing across the crowds. The scent of cinnamon and warm bread, laughter from the pops playing a little distance away. Men sitting in circles, sharing a drink. Years back I would play around while mum organized the hall. She died during the birth of my younger brother, Austin, Dad hasn't been the same since then.

***

The earth stuck to my feet as I ran, my lungs burned, branches clawed my arms. Behind me, the rogues howled, their snarls being heard in a distance, got closer with every heartbeat. The forest I used to go for a run to clear my head felt unsafe. 

An hour ago, the air had been filled with music and laughter. The bon fireflames scattered the sky, howls echoed from the forest. The whole pack gathered in front of the town hall to celebrate the bonfire festival. Some wolves in human form, some shifted. 

I stood near the fire, my dress touched the grass and heat from the fire warmed my face. I always feel at peace during the bonfire festival. My mum used to say if it goes smoothly, then the moon goddess is happy with them. 

She was right. 

The first scream cut through the celebration, followed by the sound of glass shattering. The firelight flickered, the rogues bursted from the treeline. Panic erupted. Wolves shifted mid air and growls were being heard. 

“Take the pops on that wing, I will take care of this one,” I told Aaron, pointing towards the left side. 

“Alright, Princess,” Aaron replied, shifted and ran towards the wing. He attacked a black wolf that's near one of the pops.

My heart thundered against my ribcage, breath quickened and shallow as I shifted and growled at a brown wolf, a few feet away. 

I saw Derek run towards me, I nodded towards the pops. Then I pursued the brown wolf and tackled her to the floor. I felt a claw dig into my sides. The rogues outnumbered the pack. I ran towards the forest. 

I saw my Dad and Austin being surrounded by seven big wolves. Austin and Dad are the strongest wolves in the pack, even with dad being old and prepared Austin to take over. This seemed like a not so random attack. That's all I saw before I entered the forest. 

Now my steps felt heavier and screamed for relief. My vision is blurred, the growls are got closer. Hot breath brushed my heels as the rogues closed in, their claws tore through the underbrush, but my legs kept moving. I tripped, my knees hit hard on the dirt, pain shot up my legs. 

Bones snapped and howls were heard, they were shifted back to human form. The last thing I saw was the pale shimmer of moonlight breaking through the trees, then everything went dark. 

My eyes opened to the white ceiling and the sound of water dripping. It echoed against the stone walls. The air is damp, heavy with the scent of earth and ash. I tried to sit up right, but every nerve in my body tightened. I am on a narrow bed covered with ragged fur. The room was dimly lit by a bedside lamp on an uneven and rough rock, table and chair just opposite the bed side. 

Fully seated, my heart skipped a beat and snapped my head to the side, I looked around. This place is not familiar, it's not my room or any place in the pack. The walls are not made of wood or plaster but carved from the mountain.

A prison.

I moved my feet to the ground, my legs trembled as I stood and my feet met the cold stone. I faced the window and turned to the heavy door at the far end. I wondered if my body could take me there without falling, but before I could decide the door creaked open. 

Two men stepped inside.

The first, Light skin, tall and well-cut jet black hair. His aura is commanding, it filled the room with his presence. He took a few steps into the room, his eyes reflected gold in the firelight- Alpha eyes. The second follows closely behind, he is leaner but still feels intimidating. His gaze was sharp and scanned the room then me, from my feet to head. 

There's silence in the room. The sound of water dripping is still being heard. 

I rubbed my arms. I was raised by an Alpha and when mum died, Dad became deeply cold. I dropped my hands to the side, I don't want to show any sign of weakness. 

The Alpha's chest raised with a slow inhale and his nostrils flared. He froze mid step. His eyes locked on me, widened slightly before he narrowed it.

The beta looked from me to his Alpha and back to me and raised a brow. I felt my wolf stir. The silence is thick, he parts his lips and one word

falls into the air, branding itself into my fate. 

“Mate.”