4 – Blood

her set lofty expectations for me the moment I was old enough to hold a fork. Sit with your back straight and hands folded in your lap. Never rush to eat your food, and only eat what is on

e food when I was hungry. After that, I obeyed each rule without a fuss, even if my back hurt fr

him. After my first and only punishment for not following these rules, Alex and our cousin Gracie helped me with moving around and clean

ling Alpha Sorus as he walks in and ruffles my curly white hair. A tall man with black hair and tanned skin, Alpha Sorus always has treated me like one of his own, letting me be a pup a

new toy car to show Gemie here. You know how kids are.

r. I had overheard my father and him talk about it one time when waking up in the middle of the nig

g me one last warning look to behave before excusing herself and heading into the kitchen. I can

y father talk about pack matters,

s up the stairs to what to his bedroom. Being the next Beta, I know Alex has been given work from our father to look through on the weekends as a way to train him. Alex hates it as

have a good night. You ready to go, Gemie?" Finally, the conversation ends between the two grown wolves. I grin, looking at

s I leave without a glance backwards or saying goodbye to my parents. The excitem

led with Alpha Sorus asking about my school life and what I've been up to since I last saw the Alpha Fa

urdy pines. I'm almost done telling the Alpha about the book I'm reading when I'm tackled to the groun

tand waiting for us. As usual, Mika is holding a Nintendo DS in his hand, the sounds of a video game blaring from its speakers. I frown in the direction of the twelve-year-old. I know that it's not his fault my brother

how, under the full moonlight, the Unicorns will appear and bring their foals out to play in the pink

rb, and when foals come of age, drinking the water will help their powers manifest. I had heard stories from Lizaria about her overseeing this event and how years ago, she made a

with regular water from the river; Lizaria calls it a moon pool. Sitting on the edge of the pool whenever I visit Lizaria, I always watch the foals play and run around the pink water, mesmerized

iggling. Alpha Sorus reminds us to stay in sight and takes away Mika's Nintendo D.S., forcing him to play tag with us. Now that I'm "it,

hands over my ears and wince. But in front of us, just visible past the trees, is the lake. Wi

from fear of my parents and instead just pure happiness. As day turns into night, Lace and I huddle under a tree, our sleeping

d my shoulder while grinning. I can't help but blush and nod before looking out at the lake, my eyes blurry with the ne

◆

e up... pleas

n, looking around the night, my dream of watching

the forest, causing goose bumps to form. Soft snores from my left and right al

when I

Mika, hoping that the twelve-year-old will be able to help. Shaking the sleeping boy aw

mie?" He asks as

d silently slip out of his sleeping bag while motioning to Lace. I quickly sh

she is right. The iron tang of blood hangs in the air and we

s across the area surrounding the

er is filled with fear, fear she has never shown any of us. Luna Reena is strong, always takin

r from our Goddess as a newborn." The voice rin

orward. I see wolves in both human and wolf form standing around the lake, but I can't see Luna Reena or Alpha

y pack whose wolves gained a new pup that same night is this one. For your insolence in this incident, you will die, just like your husband." A cold voice shake

en are curled up by the tree sobbing while silent tears fall from my face. I know what that tearing sound means, havin

ave the safety of our hiding spot. It isn't until the sun begins to set when wolves from the pac

parents coo over the Alpha pups, helping them from their hiding spot and ignoring me, each one ho

Omegas already cleaning the mess caused by the intruders as the rest block the

lake water. What hurts the most is seeing the Alpha and Luna both missing their heads, both lying dead just at the edge of the lake, where the water