Chapter 1

Clara

“These herbs are so fresh, I can’t wait to get back to the packhouse and make healing potions out of them.” My mother smiled fondly, her eyes caressing the herbs like they were her lover. 

I don’t think I have met anyone so passionate about their job as she is. It is her love for it that prompted me to also choose to be a healer. And she was kind enough to ask if it was what I really wanted. 

“I would never understand why you look like a young lady in love every time we come to the woods for herb restocking. Does it make you happy that much?” I asked, chuckling. 

She nodded still grinning. “Yes, aside from being a Luna who can help people in need. It soothes my heart to know that I can help heal them too. Seeing the lives that could have been lost all well and happy, makes my life worth it. If I die now, I definitely wouldn’t have regrets.” 

“Mum!” I whined, stomping my feet. “Why do you always talk about death so casually?” 

“Because it is inevitable. And you my dear need to be strong, you never know what the fu…..” she paused abruptly, furrowing her brows. 

“What is it, mum?” 

“Shhhh.” She put a finger to her lip. “Can you smell that?” 

Stopping in my tracks, I flared my nostrils, sniffing the air. Before my brain could register that there were strangers on our pathways. About five rogue wolves with their blood-stained fur and claws leaped out of their hiding place, circling us in a split second. Mum and I backed up against each other, scared at the sight. 

“What is going on mum?” I asked stupidly. 

“We are under attack; that's what this is.” She replied, throwing the herbs in her hand into the air and brandishing her hunting knife at the growling wolves. I did the same. “Back off!” Mum snarled when one made to claw at her. Her knife hits it on the side. 

Everything happened in a flash, Mum and I kicked and sliced at the rogues. One of them clawed at Mum, pulling her to the ground. She stuck her knife in his jaw and an ear-piercing howl filled the woods. I turned at the sound and got knocked down, my knife bouncing away from me. That was all the assailants needed to cripple Mum and me. Two hefty wolves pinned me down while the other three held mum.

“Mum!” I squealed, struggling against them. She stretched her hand out to reach me. 

Just then I felt a sharp pain in my neck and everything became a blur. 

When my lashes fluttered open at the voices arguing in the background, I realized I was tied against a tree in a clearing of the woods. My head ached when I tried to turn my head to find my mother. There she was next to me, head hanging low with blood trickling down the side of her head. 

“How can you do this to me, Richard! Why would you betray me after so many years of being friends?” A voice that sounded like my dad’s questioned sadly. 

I blinked rapidly to get a good view of those people talking. That was when I saw my dad on his knees with the rogues from earlier who had shifted back to their bodies holding a threatening pose. The other person who appears to be the leader of the rogues had my mouth agape. Beta Richard. 

Beta Richard cackled. “This has nothing to do with personal feelings. This is pure ambition. Don’t be sad because I am the one leading this race.” 

“This is a cruel act!” Dad snarled, attempting to stand up only to get kicked back to the ground. I whimpered at the sight. 

“Stop being so stubborn, Alpha Bennett. You are running out of time. Don’t tell me you intend to choose a mere position over your precious family? Sign the paper and you all will be free.” He said, flashing a paper in his face. 

My father bowed his head for a moment before speaking. “You promise to let us go? I will move my family far away from the pack, just don’t hurt them.” 

“Sign it.” Richard insisted on handing him a pen. 

“Dad, no!” I got my voice when he took the pen. 

“Clara, my dear. I am so sorry, I promise to get you freed okay.” He sniffled, scribbling his signature quickly. 

Richard glanced over at me and then at my father after taking back the paper. “Untie them.” He ordered. 

The rogue did as told, freeing us. Thankfully Mum was conscious enough to move. We didn’t bother to exchange words as Dad and I held Mum and began walking away as fast as our legs could carry us through the woods. It would have been best to shift but Mum wouldn't make it with us. Dad kept apologizing as we scurried off. 

We didn’t get too far when loud gunshot sounds reached us. We exchanged fearful gazes and kept moving a bit faster than before. But we weren’t so lucky. 

Richard appeared with some guards from the packhouse behind us. If they weren’t pointing their silver bullet-filled guns at us I would have thought this was a rescue mission. 

“Not so fast, Bennett’s” was all I heard when the bullets started flying. 

My parents fell lifeless next to me in a pool of their blood. I screamed at the sight. 

“There is nowhere to run now, Clara. Just surrender.” Richard said, a satisfied smirk on his face. 

But I will be damned to make it easy for him. Since I couldn’t shift, I put my body into action and ran into the deep woods while they ran after me.  I didn’t bother to look back knowing that could stop me. I just need to get out of the woods and find a pack nearby that could save me from the monsters. 

Blindly running, I bumped into a hard surface, causing me to stagger backwards with my vision blurred. Blinking rapidly, I realized it was a man whose face didn’t seem accommodating in any way.  He was accompanied by another man who was sitting on a horse. 

“Please, help me. Help me. They won’t stop chasing me.” I begged when it dawned on me that they weren’t from my pack. They could save me from my woes. 

He stared at me like I was some sort of leech, taking a step backward. “Who are you?” 

I glanced behind, Richard and the guards' noise getting closer. “Please, I will explain it to you later. Just help me. Please.” I begged, sobbing. 

“You know this is another territory, Calvin. Let’s go. This is not our business.” The other man said. 

“Please. My life is in danger. Help me.” I wailed, feeling faint as I crouched on the ground breathlessly.