The Replacement Bride

Aria Langston.

The screams of my people was what I remembered the most. Piercing, raw and endless. That had cut through the night like a steel blade and they were louder than the roaring flames of our house crashing down and the deafening sounds of wolves fighting just outside the door.

It was pure chaos, the kind our parents had told us when we were pups. About bigger packs attacking the smaller ones for power and strength, the forgotten wars and history.

But I was living in it now, this was real. This was my pack. Silverwood being attacked by Ravencrest.

“Aria!” I heard my mother behind me, trying to pack what little important things we had and stuffing them into a bag as my father pushed the sofa towards the door to avoid the flames from getting to the room we were in.

I couldn’t move as I watched what was happening outside, the gut wrenching screen from our neighbor as a big brown wolf burst open through their front door.

“Aria Langston!” My mothers voice snapped my head towards her as tears filled my eyes, her hands trembling as they shook my back to her. Her big green eyes were wide with fear as she blinked back the tears threatening to fall past them.

“You have to go! You have to escape before Ravencrest wolves catch you!” She shouted through the screams outside and I shook my head in disagreement.

“No! No!” I screamed back at her. I planted my feet to the ground, shaking from the fear of it all. Why did this have to happen? Silverwood had always been quiet, calm and peaceful. We never stirred any trouble with other packs. We minded our business and never interfered with the other packs' fight for power. But I guess having no enemies also meant having no allies.

“Why are they doing this?” I asked, my voice softening as I allowed tears fall from my eyes as my father came to hold my mother, pushing his glasses up his nose.

“I don’t know. The Ravencrest pack have been looking to expand their pack. They are here for power, land or whatever excuse they’ve made up.” My father said and I shook my head again.

“But we are not fighters, we would never hurt anyone. But look at what they’ve done to our home.” I explained, as my mother wiped the tears from my eyes before pushing a bag against my chest.

“Aria, look at me.” She said softly, placing her palm against my cheeks. “You have to run, yo—”

“I can’t,” I cried. “I can’t leave you both. I won’t.”

“You will if you want us to survive. They would be here any moment and they would burn down this house to the ground. If you don’t leave now, you will be caught in it.” My father said as a loud bang erupted from outside causing three of us to jump in freight.

“I have packed a few things for you. Go to the woods. Don’t stop until you are far from here.” My mother said as she helped me place the bag over my shoulders.

“We love you always.” My father said before pulling us into a tight hug.

“I don’t want to leave.” I started to sob, suddenly feeling fear settling into my bones as my vision blurred behind my foggy glasses stained with smoke.

“You would be safe if you run. Your wolf hasn't fully developed yet so don’t shift or you will be slower.” My mom said as she wiped her tears and gave me a soft kiss on the cheeks.

“I—I can’t leave you. Please don’t make me.” I whispered as I cried harder. “Please, mom, dad. I’m scared.”

A loud sound filled the air as the door slammed open behind us. I screamed as I saw movements coming towards us. It was a big brown wolf.

“Get her out of here!” My father screamed as he shoved us away, his body already beginning to shift, bones breaking as fur sprouted up his arms. My mother didn’t wait as she grabbed me by the wrist and yanked me towards the back door.

“I have to go back to your father. I love you Aria. Your father and I do. You have to be strong and live for us.” She said to me softly as she opened the door behind me and pushed me outside and slammed it shut.

“No!” I screamed as I pushed myself up the floor and started banging on the door but it wouldn't bulge.

“Mom! Dad!” I yelled, tears streaming down my face as I shivered in fear.

“Please, I’m scared.” I whispered as I heard a loud scream behind me and I turned around.

Outside was pure chaos. Our pack was in shambles. My people were running around in fear, shifting in desperation to attack, some rushing in panic. The Ravencrest wolves were huge, massive as compared to ours. They were ruthless as they tore through our small village, their loud growls and howls filling the air as they attacked without mercy. I watched their jaws snapping the lives of our smaller wolves.

I saw a young boy, no older than eight, sprinting barefoot across the clearing, tears streaming down his eyes. He looked like he didn’t even have his wolf yet but they didn’t care. A Ravencrest wolf attacked him, pinning him to the ground and dragging him away.

I staggered back in fear. They were ruthless and fear filled every fiber of my being.

It was like living in a nightmare.

I stepped back again, the air was thick with growls and screams from my people and the metallic smell of blood lingered around me. I was too scared to do anything. I couldn’t fight, I couldn’t even transform yet.

I looked at the door again, tears running down my cheeks as I remembered my mothers words.

“I love you too.” I said softly as I sprinted into the woods without looking back. My breath came out in ragged gasps as I tried to find my way in the dark woods, branches tore at my dress and my heart pounded in my chest, threatening to burst out.

My lungs burned with every breath and my feet hurt. The sound of the attack faded slowly behind me but the thick air and smoke followed me through the woods.

I didn’t know how far I had run before I tripped against a branch, falling hard on the forest floor. I screamed in pain as sharp stones pierced through my palm.

Then I heard it.

A low growl that froze me for a second before I slowly turned in its direction.

My breath hitched as I saw the wolf behind me. It was massive as it stepped out of the shadows. Midnight fur surrounded it and I almost missed the streaks of silver that ran along its chest and back. Its eyes glowed under the moonlight, a piercing blue with the same silver sheen as its fur.

It was a Ravencrest wolf.

I staggered to find my footing again, trying to back away but my legs struggled to hold me as I collapsed to the floor again. The wolf took a step forward and I gasped in fear.

It wasn’t just any wolf. This one seemed different from the others, something about it screamed power. I stumbled back as tears filled my eyes again and my body trembled with fear as it drew closer to me.

“Pl-please,” I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper as my lower tips trembled in fear.

But he didn’t listen. He didn’t hesitate to attack me. And in a blur motion, he lunged at me. I screamed as the massive wolf tackled me to the ground, knocking the air out of me. But it didn’t stop as I tried to get away from his heavy force.

Pain shot through my shoulder as sharp teeth clamped my shoulder, not enough to break my bones but enough to tear my skin and force me into submission.

It was meant to make me submit. And I did.

I couldn’t fight anymore. A cry escaped my lips as I felt blood trickle down my shoulders as I laid pinned to the floor. My body went limp as my fear overwhelmed me. Panic surged through me as I realized I couldn’t escape. My vision blurred as I whispered softly.

“Why?”

The wolf jaws on my shoulder loosened and I prepared for the worst, feeling its heavy breath against my skin before it stepped away.

I blinked back my tears in surprise as I dared to look up. It was shifting, the fur melting away and was slowly replaced by skin. My fear spiked as I watched, too terrified to move.

I blinked again, suddenly feeling darkness looming over me to claim me. My shoulder was losing a lot of blood and I struggled to see the person who had attacked me.

The transformation finished and I caught a small glimpse of the person. It was a man, tall and broad, radiating with so much authority and power. But I couldn’t see his face. I blinked again, my glasses foggy and barely making anything.

Suddenly, I felt large hands pick me up carefully from the floor and then the feeling of warm skin against mine. I struggled to look up at his face but I couldn’t stay awake any longer. My vision slowly turned dark but my gaze caught something against his chest.

A tattoo over his heart.

It was a wolf paw print, simple but very striking against his white skin. It was dark and underneath it, I could make out some initials. N.B.

Warmth filled me as the person pressed me against his chest and this time I didn’t fight back the darkness. Exhaustion and pain overtook me as the world around me blurred and everything went black.