Roman

I

• Lena •

I have learned of the history of how my kind came to be. My father fought in the war between the humans and the wolves. He tells me the story any chance he gets, always reminding me to be connected with my wolf, to cherish her, and never hate her. For hate, he says, is the base of all evil.

Evil.

The word itself is ugly. The word describes Alpha Xander. He is the epitome of evil, doing whatever it takes to conquer neighboring packs. Killing alphas, killing families, killing...everything.

He is relentless, heartless, full of hatred. No one remembers exactly what caused him and his wolf to loath each other so much. I don't really care. What matters is that he is someone I do not wish to meet, and hope I won't ever have to.

My father is the alpha of my pack, and he has been preparing wolves for war against Alpha Xander, he's been preparing safe houses for women and children. My mother, as stubborn as she is, is constantly telling him that she will not stand by and let him fight alone. I guess that's what the mate bond does. Makes you do crazy things no matter how dangerous the circumstance is.

"Lena, come inside, it's getting dark!" My mother calls from the back door of our pack house.

I jump, startled by the sudden noise of her voice. I had been sitting for hours in the forest and I didn't even know. The sky had slowly started to fade into pinks and oranges, the sun lowering behind the horizon.

"Coming, mom," I reply, standing, and making my way back home.

Something bad is going to happen, I can feel it. Sarai, my wolf, tells me.

'Quiet, nothing will happen. Father has it all under control'

Lena, you have to listen to me, they're coming, they're almost he-

Alarms echo through the air, signaling an attack. I quicken my gate, breaking the tree line just as wolves burst through the bushes on the other side.

We had no time for this, we aren't prepared.

I see my mother, a good two hundred feet in front of me. I run to her, seeing the fear etched in her eyes.

"Lena-"

I turn just in time to see a wolf jump at me. I lift my arms, waiting for the impact, but it never comes. One of my pack members tackle the wolf to the ground, holding it's throat between his jaws.

I turn and keep running towards the house.

"Mom!"

I yell, just as a wolf lunges at her. I'm too slow, and the wolf's teeth sink into her neck, ripping her spine away with the shake of its head.

Adrenaline pumps through me. I hear the howl of my pack members, the heartbroken, mourning, tone cause by the loss of their mates.

My lungs feel as if they don't want to take in any oxygen, yet I know they are because of my hyperventilating. My heart beats in my ears and dark spots fill my vision.

I feel myself stumble backwards and feel myself hit the ground. Everything slows.

The grass is cool against my skin, the sky slowly turns a purple color. The wind blows softly and the air smells fresh. Above me, dark eyes penetrate my own, and then everything goes black.

                                  ~•~

I can't open my eyes, but all of my other senses seem to be on high alert.