Chapter 1 - Celia

I should have been born a mermaid. I thought as I broke the surface and took a deep breath. I began swimming, cutting across the lake as fast as I could. I love coming up to the lake. I run five miles every morning to get here, swim laps and then run five miles home to get ready for school. Stopping for a moment, I floated, listening to the world waking up. I flipped over and resumed my laps. I always feel free when I am swimming. I should have been born a mermaid. Pity they aren't real, I thought. But then again, maybe they are and stay hidden like my kind.

I'm an unranked member of the Moonless Night Pack. Unranked because I was born female and in our pack not all females have wolves. All males have wolves, they normally announce themselves between age 15 and age 18. Females may find their wolf on their 18th birthday or when their mate marks them. But not all females have a wolf to find.

I stopped swimming after my 50th lap and floated, simply enjoying the chill of the water and the peace of the lake. I floated for a few minutes, knowing I should head for the shore but just enjoying the calm morning as the world woke up.

Suddenly, I noticed the eerie silence. The birds and forest creatures had gone quiet, as if they sensed a threat. Then I heard the splash.

Shit! Someone else had jumped into the lake. I looked around as I treaded water. There was a man swimming towards me. I inhaled deeply to see if I could identify him. No scent of a wolf and no scent that was familiar. I quickly dove down and swam under the water. The man was definitely slower than I was. I swam full speed towards the shore. As I broke the surface, I checked to make sure the man was still swimming towards where I had been floating, he was. I swam quickly to shore and raced to where I had left my clothes and shoes. I grabbed them as I ran past and headed for the tree-line.

I paused just long enough to pull on my shirt and shoes. I'd be faster with my shoes on. Without thinking about it, I dropped my shorts and socks.

I tore through the woods as if I was being chased by the devil himself. I ran this path every morning and I knew it well. But fear changes everything. I felt like the trees were trying to grab me and hold me for the man. My heart was beating harder and faster than normal. It was from fear rather than exertion. No one ever came to the lake this early. And that man was not a member of Moonless Night Pack or any pack, no wolf smell, so where the hell did a human come from?

No human should be this far into our pack lands, it's remote and rough terrain. The nearest town is over 60 miles and the closest hiking trail to our border is over 40 miles. Even someone lost shouldn't make it this far!

No rogue could have gotten this far. Our border patrol is impressive, I know how they train since my father is the head Epsilon or Warrior.

This is what freaked me out. There shouldn't be anyone near the lake, it's miles from the border.

Shit! I crashed into something hard and solid. I hit so hard, I lost all the air in my lungs. I stumbled back and felt strong hands grip my arms, holding me up. I inhaled and exhaled rapidly. My heart was trying to hammer itself out of my chest.

"Celia, what's wrong?" I heard a familiar voice ask in a worried tone. Carson.

"I was at the lake. No one is ever there in the morning and I swim. But a man jumped in and he shouldn't have been there." I babbled. I knew I was talking too fast and not making sense, but that didn't stop me. I'm sure he thought I was an idiot. "I swim alone and he was just suddenly there! I don't know what he wanted but, but..." I trailed off, breathing so rapidly I was close to hyperventilating.

"Don't worry. You're safe." Carson spoke slow and soft. He was still holding my arms and he squeezed gently. His hands were warm and being held felt so nice. My breathing started to slow. My heartbeat was still too fast and I felt dizzy.

"Celia, tell me what the man looked like." Carson said as a wolf came out of the trees and bumped into Carson's hip. Carson let go of one arm and slide a backpack off his shoulder. The wolf grabbed it in his teeth and darted behind a tree.

I tried to think clearly. I wasn't sure what to say.

"I'm not sure. He was in the water, his hair looked red. But I don't know anything else. No one is ever at the lake. How did a human get this far?" I breathed deeply, trying to clam down. I willed myself to calm down. Mike stepped out from behind a tree carrying the backpack and pulling his shirt down over his bronze, toned abs.

"Hey kid", Mike started to say something. But Carson interrupted, "Her name's Celia. We need to head to the lake."

"Yeah, I got that. My question is for Celia." Mike made my name sound dirty as he said it. "What were you doing at the lake alone at this time of the morning?"

For being only a couple of years older than me, Mike seemed like such an adult. He was unmated and had all the cockiness of a high-ranking member, he was only a second year Epsilon in our pack, but he definitely acted like he held a higher rank. He always had. Although younger, Carson out ranked him as he had gotten his wolf young, he had joined the warriors at age 14. I remember my Dad mentioning Carson because it was so rare to have a wolf at 14.

Carson squeezed my arm again, breaking my thoughts about Mike and ranks. I hadn't realized he was still holding onto my right arm. It felt comforting.

"I run five miles to the lake, swim 50 laps and run five miles home every morning before school. I like swimming. It calms me. I like swimming at the lake, it's peaceful." I looked down as I finished speaking. No one understood why I did this, so I had stopped talking about the lake shortly after I started my morning habit.

"You run to swim." Mike said with a tone that clearly implied I was crazy.

Carson spoke to Mike but continued looking straight at me, "Celia isn't the issue. We need to get to the lake and catch that human. We have to get him to Roger."

I sighed. Of course my Dad would be the one they report to. I shook my head just thinking about how much trouble I was going to be in when my Dad heard I was alone at the lake. "Could you not mention running into me when you talk to my Dad? Please." I asked Carson quietly.

Mike answered first, "No. We are not omitting you from the report." He smirked.

Mike was still the same cocky jerk he had been in school. He graduated last year and to be honest, I did not miss seeing him in the halls.

"Roger doesn't know you go to the lake to swim?" Carson said, but it sounded like a question.

"No. I go early. Dad is usually already at the training fields when I leave and I am back before he returns for breakfast."

"Okay. We need to go to the lake. Head home Celia." Carson said. "Mike let's both stay human. It might be easier to act like we are just two guys hiking to get this guy."

My right arm suddenly felt cold as I realized Carson had let me go. I stepped back from him and took a step to the left getting ready to move past him and start jogging again. "Celia, I'll see you in English." Carson said as he started moving in the opposite direction. I thought I saw a smile as he said it, but that couldn't be.

I took off running fast, heading home. I glanced around, I was right around three miles from home. Now that fear wasn't controlling me, I could think clearly. I picked up my pace, wanting to be home. I needed to tell my Dad before the guys reported to him. Maybe, I'd be in less trouble if I told him first.