Amara
Five Years Ago…
The cool evening breeze whispered through the trees, carrying with it the faint scent of pine and earth. I sat cross-legged near the edge of the training grounds, watching Ethan as he sparred with some of the older wolves. His dark brown fur shimmered under the soft glow of the moon, and I couldn't help but admire him. At eighteen, my brother already carried himself like an Alpha—strong, confident, and protective.
"Pay attention, Mara-bear," Ethan mindlinked, his tone teasing. "You'll be doing this soon enough."
I rolled my eyes, tucking a strand of my golden blonde hair behind my ear. "I know how to defend myself, Ethan. I'm not a pup anymore."
Ethan shifted into his human form effortlessly, his dark brown hair sticking to his forehead from exertion. He smirked as he ruffled my hair on his way past. "You're still a squirt. But remember, being the Alpha's daughter means you have to be twice as strong, twice as smart. You're not just fighting for yourself you're fighting for the pack."
His words settled in my chest, heavy but full of pride. I had always looked up to Ethan, not just as my older brother but as someone who would do anything to protect me.
Before I could respond, the air shifted. A chill crawled up my spine, and the usual hum of the forest seemed to falter.
Ethan froze, his body tense, his blue eyes scanning the treeline. "Dad's coming," he said, his voice low.
A moment later, our father, the Alpha, appeared. His presence alone demanded attention. Tall and broad-shouldered, with sharp hazel eyes that mirrored Ethan's, he looked every bit the leader he was.
"Ethan," Dad barked, his voice sharp and commanding. "Trouble's coming. Rogues. A lot of them."
Ethan's jaw clenched, his body shifting subtly, ready for a fight.
"What do you need me to do?" Ethan asked, his voice steady.
"Come with me. We'll need every strong wolf on the front lines," Dad said before turning to me. His expression softened, but his tone left no room for argument. "Amara, you need to go to the safehouse. Your mother's there with the young and the women. Stay with her and do not leave until it's safe."
"But Dad—" I started, my voice trembling.
"Amara, please," he said, his eyes locking with mine. "I need to know you're safe. Go now."
Ethan knelt in front of me, gripping my shoulders tightly. "Listen to Dad. Stay with Mom. Promise me, Mara."
Tears blurred my vision, but I nodded. "I promise."
Ethan pressed a quick kiss to my forehead before shifting into his wolf form and running off with Dad. I watched them disappear into the trees, a lump forming in my throat.
I turned and sprinted toward the main house, my heart pounding. The alarm bell rang out across the pack lands, its sharp clang echoing in the night. Wolves darted past me, their movements frantic. I could hear the distant sounds of growls and snarls, the clash of claws and teeth.
"Mom!" I called as I burst into the basement of the main house.
She was waiting by the hidden door, ushering the last of the pack's children inside. Her golden hair glimmered even in the dim light, but her face was pale, her blue eyes wide with fear.
"Amara, hurry!" she urged, pulling me into the safehouse.
The room was crowded with women and children, their faces filled with silent terror. My mother knelt in front of me, gripping my face with trembling hands.
"Stay here," she said, her voice shaking but firm. "No matter what you hear, no matter what happens, you stay quiet. Do you understand?"
I nodded, my heart hammering in my chest.
The moments that followed were a blur of muffled cries and whispered prayers. Then, the sounds outside shifted. Heavy footsteps pounded above us. The growls and snarls grew louder, closer.
The basement door crashed open.
A wave of rogues poured in, their eyes gleaming with malice. The women screamed, shielding their children as the rogues descended upon us. My mother pushed me behind her, shifting into her golden wolf form in an instant.
She fought fiercely, her claws slashing through one rogue after another, but there were too many. The air filled with the sickening sounds of flesh tearing, the metallic scent of blood overwhelming my senses.
"Where is the girl?" a deep, menacing voice boomed.
The Rogue Alpha stepped into the room, his towering frame casting a shadow over the chaos. His eyes locked onto my mother, and a cruel smile spread across his face.
"Kill the rest," he ordered, his voice cold and detached.
The rogues obeyed without hesitation. The women and children who had sought refuge here—the last remnants of our pack—were slaughtered before my eyes.
"Run, Amara!" my mother screamed through the mindlink as she lunged at the Rogue Alpha.
I hesitated, frozen by the horror unfolding around me.
"Run!" she screamed again, her voice breaking.
My legs finally obeyed. I bolted toward the hidden exit, tears streaming down my face. As I fled, I heard my mother's final defiant roar before it was cut short.
The cold night air burned my lungs as I ran blindly into the forest. My legs ached, and my vision blurred with tears, but I didn't stop. The sound of my heartbeat drowned out everything else, even the distant snarls and screams that had haunted me moments ago.
But then I stumbled into the clearing.
And everything inside me shattered.
The moonlight revealed a horrifying scene—bodies scattered across the ground, some in human form, others frozen mid-shift. The metallic tang of blood filled the air, stronger than before, choking me.
I staggered forward, my knees buckling beneath me as I took it all in. My pack. My family. All of them… gone.
And then I saw them.
My father lay sprawled in his wolf form, his once-mighty hazel eyes now lifeless, his fur matted with blood. His body shielded another, as if even in death he was trying to protect.
Ethan.
His human form lay crumpled beneath our father's massive wolf, his blue eyes staring blankly at the sky. His strong, confident face was slack, devoid of the teasing smile I'd known so well.
"No," I whispered, my voice cracking. My body shook uncontrollably as I crawled toward them.
"Ethan… Dad…" My voice was barely audible, choked by sobs that racked my chest. I reached out, my trembling fingers brushing against Ethan's bloodied hand. It was cold.
A scream tore from my throat, raw and guttural, echoing into the night. It was a sound I didn't recognize as my own, filled with a grief so profound it felt as if it would consume me.
I clung to Ethan's hand, my tears falling onto his lifeless skin. My father's massive body loomed over us both, a silent sentinel even in death.
The weight of the moment crushed me. I felt as though the world itself had stopped, leaving me in this endless, suffocating pain.
The sound of footsteps pulled me from my grief. My head snapped up, my instincts screaming danger.
The Rogue Alpha emerged from the shadows, his towering form illuminated by the pale light of the moon. His golden eyes glinted with triumph, a cruel smile tugging at his lips.
"Well, well," he said, his deep voice dripping with mockery. "The Alpha's little princess. I wondered if you'd manage to get away."
A growl rumbled in my chest, low and shaky, but full of defiance. My wolf stirred weakly, her spirit bruised and broken but not extinguished.
"You'll regret this," I spat, my voice trembling but resolute.
The Rogue Alpha chuckled darkly, shaking his head. "Oh, I doubt that. You'll learn soon enough that no one escapes me."
Before I could react, he moved with inhuman speed, his hand snapping out and gripping my arm like a vice. I struggled, thrashing and clawing at him, but he was impossibly strong.
"Let go of me!" I screamed, my voice raw with desperation.
He only tightened his grip, his golden eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Such spirit," he said mockingly. "You'll be fun to break."
I kicked at him, my nails digging into his arm, but he didn't flinch. Instead, he lifted me effortlessly, throwing me over his shoulder like I weighed nothing.
"Put me down!" I shouted, pounding my fists against his back.
The Rogue Alpha didn't respond. He began walking toward the forest, his steps steady and unhurried.
I twisted and writhed, my heart pounding with panic. "You'll never get away with this!" I screamed. "Someone will stop you!"
He laughed, a cold and menacing sound that sent chills down my spine. "Who? Your pack is dead. Your family is gone. There's no one left to save you."
His words hit me like a punch to the gut, stealing the breath from my lungs.
I turned my head, catching one last glimpse of my father and Ethan lying in the clearing, their lifeless forms bathed in moonlight.
Tears streamed down my face as I whispered their names, a broken plea to the night.
But there was no one left to hear me. No one left to answer.
And as the Rogue Alpha carried me into the darkness, I realized he was right.
I was alone.