Prologue

Ally’s POV

Running. 

I was running through a fog so dense it was hard to see. 

It was a trap. 

I shouldn't have ever left the pack, but it's too late now. I wanted to prove myself. 

Too little, Papa had said.

Maybe next year, my sister had whispered just before she left with the patrols to investigate the deaths happening in the human town farthest from the pack borders but under our jurisdiction. 

I shouldn't have followed them. 

But I did.

"Keep moving, Ally. Please, we need to get you to safety." Kara yelled as we ran through the forest, her eyes glowing amber, the only indication that it was her wolf that ran beside me in human form. 

The vampires who'd attacked the village, rogues by the crazed look in their eyes, had wanted the wolves from my pack to come and find them. They'd come prepared, armed with silver arrows dipped in wolfsbane. The ten man team that had left the pack were dead, save my sister. And me, the stubborn sixteen year old who had followed without permission.

Keep running, Allyson. 

"Do not stop" Kara whispered, but it was more than enough for me to spur more energy into my legs. 

This was one of the times I wished we were closer to the pack borders. The vampires wouldn't dare follow us into the pack. 

"Well,well,well, what do we have here? Two beautiful damsels in distress." A man appeared in front of me and I halted mid run, falling on my back.

Kara was beside me in seconds. 

Placing me behind her like a hen protecting her young, Kara glared at the vampire and his friends, two? Three? I couldn't see from behind her. I sniffed in the air around us, hoping to count the number by their scents. Weeks away from the full moon when I was supposed to experience my first change into my werewolf body, my senses were already sharper than most. Another sharp reminder that I wasn't like most werewolves. 

My blood ran cold at the same time that Kara snarled. Ten. 

We were utterly outnumbered. Even my father, the Alpha wouldn't be able to finish them off without being taken or injured.

They were all armed with silver. 

Kara was only nineteen, a werewolf for three years. 

"Go away." I whimpered, when one of them took a step closer. Vampire-turned. Relatively weaker and with no extraordinary gifts like the vampire-born; the Purebloods. 

"I'm afraid I can't do that, sweetheart. We have questions that we think you can answer." 

"Go to hell" She growled, flashing a fang while I shook in horror and gripped my sister's cloth like it was a lifeline.

I was sure my sister would've sent a message to the pack through the mind link. They were going to come. It would take them almost three hours to reach these parts but we just had to hang on. Just had to find a way to escape and hide till reinforcements arrived. We just had to hang on ...

"We won't take no for an answer, darling." Another voice purred. Kara turned and knelt in front of me. I knelt in front of her,my hands in her, tears threatening to escape. 

"We just want you to confirm for us if there are any Unnaturals here. Our source says you are hiding one." 

The dam of tears I was holding burst. 

They'd found out about me. They'd come for me. Just like mama had warned. 

'You must not tell anyone what you are, Allyson. Or they will come for you.'

My sister knew what I was. And I was already shaking my head when I saw the look she was giving me.

Her voice was steady, her eyes on me as she spoke words that I would never forgive her for. 

"Take me with you. But please let her go. I'm what you are looking for."

The vampires burst into laughter and I was too scared and shocked to even process what was happening, my head shaking vigorously as if I could take back her words. 

"Your heartbeat didn't even falter. Either you're telling the truth or you're a damn good liar." I heard impatient growls from behind my sister but she didn't even blink, even though it looked like we were about to be mauled to pieces by demons.

"Fine. But let me say goodbye to my sister." she answered,her voice impassive, save the tears that were trickling down her face. 

"Please you can't do this... Please, don't leave me Kara..."

"Shhh. It's okay, sunshine. Remember that song we used to sing when we were much younger..."

There was a soft whine from the large brown wolf with blue eyes crouched beside me, his sadness a well that I found myself feeding from to try to end the numbness that had gripped me as I sang,

"Like the dew from the heavens,

The rain from the sky,

The bond we share will never end.

In your arms, I'll remain..." I couldn't finish because of the harsh breath that escaped my mouth. I rocked my body slowly as I hummed the tune of the only song that my sister loved to sing before we went to bed.

Today made it three years since that dreadful night. The night she'd been taken. I hadn't shed a tear since that night, my heart broken, my soul wounded by guilt. 

I felt large arms around me, the brown wolf now very much human and wrapping me in his warm embrace and I murmured into his bare chest, my heart breaking but eyes dry. "I don't know who I am without her, Caleb. I can't go on anymore."

"She loved you, Ally. With all of her heart. She didn't hesitate because she knew you'd do the same for her. She wouldn't want to see you like this. Like vegetable. What am I saying? There's a reason your middle name is broccoli." I punched his chest, braving a slight smile at the mention of his nickname for me. "I hate you." "But I made you smile, didn't I?" "Thank you. For being here."

"Now, get out of the way, let me say hello." He said, shoving me to the side and placing his bouquet of lilies in front of her grave. I scoffed and cleaned my dry eyes with the back of his shirt before handing it to him. 

"Come on, let's go,Caleb. I don't want to disturb her." 

He rolled his eyes, shoving his hands into the pocket of the jeans he'd worn after turning back to human "Yeah, sure. After disturbing the peace with your horrid singing voice, you're saying I should go without saying hi. You're evil,woman" I glared at him. 

Meet Caleb. A total idiot and my best friend.

He gave me a sly grin before turning his attention back to Kara and with all seriousness, made a vow that made a tear escape my eye.

"I'll take good care of her, Kara. I don't know how long it's going to take me, but I won't rest until I see the light return to her eyes, I promise."