A New Chance

1

     As I was being dragged through the forest, I thought of my life. I knew that I was going to die. There was no avoiding that fact now. My life was about to end. My life had been pretty normal up until the pack changed hands. What really happened was that the pack was invaded, and in order to save the lives of his mate and children, our alpha gave the title to a ruthless and savage man.

    It wasn't long until our pack began to change. I first noticed the shift when I witnessed one of my dearest best friends kill an innocent rogue pup. The little boy hadn't been any older than seven or eight, but the new alpha had ordered Jared to kill him, to show that his loyalty and allegiance lay with him and the pack.

    I watched as one by one, they all fell. The people that once had been kind, caring and loving were now murderers who felt no remorse, no regret. Yet, I resisted. I refused to become like him. I refused to give my soul up to live. And for ten years, I survived everything he had thrown at me.

    My body was a roadmap of scars and burns. Every bone in my body had been broken more times than I could count. And yet, in the end, he had won. He had finally guessed my weakness and he had used it against me. I lifted my eyes up and looked around me. I knew I should fight. My wolf and soul begged me to fight, to live. But I couldn't.

    I couldn't because I refused to kill any of those I loved. My eyes landed first on my father, than my three brothers, and then finally my best friend. None of them showed any emotion. It didn't bother them that they were about to kill someone that had loved them their whole life, someone who had been there for them no matter what.

    My father grabbed my arm roughly and threw me before them. Quickly, I was on my feet but I didn't run. I would not die while running away like a coward. I would stand and face my death with courage. I watched them, waiting to see who had been given the order to kill me. When my youngest brother, Seth, stepped forward, my heart shattered. I had raised Seth after the death of our mother.

    He was more like a son than my brother. He slowly walked towards me until he was five feet from me. I looked into his eyes but saw nothing. I couldn't see anything except for darkness looking back. The Seth that I loved wasn't in there. They were just shells of who they had been.

    Suddenly, hatred and anger filled me. He had taken everything that had once been good and turned it to evil. He had crushed the very essence of the pack from it. I didn't know how, but I swore that I would one day make him pay. "Any last words?" Seth spoke and I turned my eyes back to him.

    I wouldn't beg, that I had promised myself years ago. This wasn't their fault. Standing up straighter, I look him dead in the eye and spoke loud enough for all of them to hear. "I forgive you." The words just fell out of my mouth. Seth looked at me and for a split second I saw a flicker of something in his eyes, and then it was gone.

     "I know that none of you will remember this, not for a long time. When you do, just know that I don't hold this against you. This wasn't your faults. The blame lies with Sirius Borodin. I love each and every one of you. Just remember that." I take a deep breath of the clean forest air and wait. The five men in front of me don't move.

     I wasn't sure if they were waiting for me to try and make a run for it. No one except for the execution squads ever came back from the forest, so no one knew how they died. Slowly Seth pulled out a silver dagger. The blade, I could smell, had been coated very heavily in wolf's bane. My resolve didn't waver. I remained where I was.

    Seth's eyes met mine and I waited. A confused look flashed through his eyes. I lower my voice to where only he would hear me. "It's alright Seth. I understand. This isn't your fault. Do it."

     "No." He spoke almost to quiet for me to hear, but I did. And I knew what would happen if he failed to kill me. "DO. IT. The Alpha will kill you if you don't. And I wouldn't be able to live with that." I watched as one lone tear fell down his cheek and I smiled at him. "I love you." I whisper as he stepped forward, dagger ready.

     He was fighting the alpha order, I could see that. But I couldn't allow him to be killed. He was my little Seth, and I loved him more than my life. Keeping my smile on my face I step towards him and grab the dagger. He wasn't expecting it, but he tried to get it back. But it was too late to stop me.

      I rammed the dagger into my chest. "No." A strangled sob came out of Seth's mouth as he watched me. "It's for the best Seth." I fell to my knees, still doing my best to hold myself up. "Don't hate yourself for this. It wasn't your fault." Suddenly, our father stepped up behind Seth and laid his hand on his shoulder.

    And then my brothers joined them. I stared at my family. Jared slowly joined them and I smiled at them. "I love each of you." I say, my voice growing weaker. Slowly I pull the dagger out. The damage had been done. They would be safe for now. My father takes it from me and I see tears on his face.

    I fall back onto the ground and struggle to breathe. "Goodbye Rebecca." They say and then they're gone. I don't know how long I laid there on the forest floor staring up at the sky that was getting darker by the minute. Goddess, please have mercy on my family. Bring them back to the light. Save my pack from the destruction it's bringing to itself. I prayed as I felt myself growing so sleepy.

    Suddenly, I heard the sounds of hundreds of wolves racing towards me. And yet, I wasn't afraid, not for myself. My thoughts went to my father, brothers and best friend. I prayed that they could escape the death that was headed their way. Wolf after wolf flew by me, only glancing down at me. They were worried, I saw, but their mission came first. And I understood. It was my time to leave this Earth anyway.

     Several more wolves flew by me and I smiled. They looked so free. I wished that I could have shifted once more before I died, but Sirius had locked her in my mind. I could feel her every now and then. And there was a rare occasion that I heard her. But I hadn't shifted in nine years.

    And I hadn't met my mate. For that, though, I was thankful. Sirius would have taken him from me as well. My breathing grew weaker. The end was closing in. Voices startled me. They were heading my way. And as I closed my eyes, I found myself listening.

    "...Sirius went down hard. But he still died."

    "I still can't believe how far he drug that pack. It was sick man, just sick."

     "What will be done with the survivors?"

     "We'll try to see if we can't bring back their humanity. If we can't, they'll be put down. We can't have them turning rogue. The death count would be through the roof." The second man said something but I didn't catch it. "Wait, you smell that?"

     "Yeah, it's coming from over there." They started running, getting closer. "Is she dead?"

      "I don't think so. I can just make out her heart beat." I felt a brief touch on my throat as one of them tried to find my pulse. "Wolf's bane." One of them said as he started applying pressure to the stab wound. I wanted to cry out, to tell him to leave me alone. But I couldn't find my voice to do so.

      "Tell Doc to have surgery ready. It'll be a miracle if she pulls through." The one who spoke quickly lifted me up and started running. I didn't mean to, but a small whine slipped from my lips. "I'm sorry little one. I'm taking you to help. Hang on please." I felt it when we left my pack territory. Since I hadn't had permission, my bonds snapped and I cried out from the pain.

      He realized what happened and sped up. But my time was over. "Tell Seth that I don't blame him," I whisper before I stop fighting the darkness. Peace washed over my body and I was finally free.