The darkness pressed in around me as I stepped out of the black SUV and into the woods. I prayed silently that no one would notice a teenage girl wandering through these trees, dressed all in black, in the dead of night.
I hesitated, rooted to the spot, fear tightening in my chest. What if someone *did* notice? I took a deep breath, forcing myself to remember my mother’s instructions. *Just cross the border, head towards the main street. Your aunt will be waiting.* I started walking, trying to mask my scent as best as I could.
You’re probably wondering why all this is necessary. Well, when you’re the most wanted wolf in the nation, you learn to be resourceful. It’s not about murder or kidnapping or attacking packs. Not directly, anyway. It’s… complicated.
My father, the previous Alpha of the Blue Moon pack, went on a rampage for power after… well, after he “lost it.” That’s what my family calls it. “Emotionally unstable.” He’d made enemies over the years, naturally. Everyone has enemies. But he finally snapped and decided to take down any pack he saw as a threat.
And how did I get blamed for all of it? I, Amy Barlow, did nothing but sit on the sidelines and watch my father’s mental health crumble. I was eleven years old. What could I have done? I couldn’t just walk up to him and tell him to stop. I didn’t even *know* what to do.
Over the years, more and more packs wanted a piece of me, hoping to leverage their anger at my father. Too bad none of them understood that he was already dead. He’d crashed his car a few years ago. A drunk driver. Only humans saw it, along with my mom and me. He’d been furious that night, needed to clear his head. It was a stupid, reckless drive.
The packs have had various reasons for wanting me over the years. Some want revenge for what my dad did to their pack. Others want to hurt me *through* him, and plenty think they can ransom me for a fortune. Too bad they’ll never get the chance. My father is gone, and I’ve been covering my tracks ever since.
My mom and I stayed with the Blue Moon pack after his death, and they protected us for a long time. They didn’t blame us for his actions. But recently, the threats started escalating. Packs started demanding I be handed over, and when the Blue Moon refused, things got dangerous. I realized I was endangering everyone by staying.
So here I am, approaching the border. The plan was simple: live with my aunt in whatever pack she’s in. But then I found out she’s in the Silver Crescent pack – one of the strongest in the nation. They’d sniff me out in minutes. And since I left the Blue Moon, I’m considered a rogue. Most packs don’t take kindly to rogues.
Now, I’m hoping my wolf, Rachel, can hide our scent long enough to reach my aunt. I’m banking on the Silver Crescent pack thinking I’m human. My aunt is a witch, and she’s brewing potions to mask my wolf scent long-term.
A branch snapped under my foot, and I instinctively bit back a cry. My heightened werewolf hearing told me that sound had caught the attention of wolves along the border.
“Shoot,” I muttered under my breath. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid. Footsteps crunched through the undergrowth, drawing closer. I curled up on the ground, hoping they wouldn’t see me in the dark. A howl sent me scrambling to my feet, glancing around. The wolves were heading back toward the pack house, or so I assumed. I picked up the pace, running through the forest, not caring who heard me now.
A low, deadly growl stopped me dead. I turned slowly, dread tightening in my chest. The power radiating off this wolf was unmistakable. An Alpha. I tried to remember what the Alpha from this pack was like, but my mind drew a blank. Was he kind? Forgiving? Or ruthless and power-hungry?
I met his eyes, and it felt like he was looking straight into my soul. His chocolate brown eyes were cold and piercing, and his coat was as black as midnight. He was bigger than average, but the aura around him… that was something else entirely. Sweat beaded on my forehead. If he could see through Rachel’s disguise, my neck would be snapped before I could blink.
He lunged, his growl escalating to a deafening roar. I backed up, a wave of conflicting emotions washing over me. On one hand, an Alpha was advancing on me like I was prey. On the other, if he knew I was a rogue… well, that was a death sentence.
I spun around and bolted, feeling him gaining on me. I tried not to use my werewolf speed, but when a bloodthirsty Alpha is on your tail, you don’t have much choice. My legs burned as I pushed myself faster, dodging trees and leaping over logs. The sound of his pursuit faded, and I realized why…
I was on the main street.
…
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