Chapter. 1

 The sound of glass shattering and screams reach my ears first. I rush to find my mother, but when I get to my door, it won't open. I pull and beat on it, trying to get it to budge, but nothing happens. I hear the howls from outside and some inside the house. I smell smoke but not close. I scream out to my mother and then my father. I can hear someone in the hallway. Then I hear it,

 "Ivy, are you in here?" 

 "I'm in here. The door won't open. I can't get out.

 "Go to the other side of the room, Ivy, and stay there so I can get the door open." I don't say anything else and run for the other side of the bed. I drop down beside the bed, and as I do, I hear the wood of the door splinter and pieces crash to the floor. Before I can get up and look, my brother comes around the bed, grabbing my hand and pulling me. 

 "We have to go and now. Mom and dad want us in a safe place." 

 "Are they ok?" 

 "Yes, but we have to go." I don't say anything else as we sprint through the house. As we get closer to the back door, I hear more howls, but I don't look to see where they are coming from. We bust out the back door and into the yard. Jax, my brother, still holds my hand and pulls me along with him. He is faster than me, and I can't keep up with him. I start to fall as we make it inside the tree line. 

 "You have to run, Ivy, NOW," I feel the tears in my eyes as I try to run faster. Then Jax is ripped from my hand. The sudden pull makes me lose my balance, and I tumble to one side as Jax is thrown the other. The huge wolf jumps over me and lands in front of Jax. 

 "RUN IVY, AND DON'T STOP," Jax tells me in our mindlink, and I listen. I run. I run as fast as I can. My legs are burning, and my muscles are screaming, stop, but I don't. I continue to run. 

 I jump awake, covered in sweat. I reach over to my nightstand and grab the glass of water I left sitting there when I came to bed. I down the whole glass before getting up and heading into the bathroom. I cut the water on cold and splash my face. I look toward the window. It's still dark outside. I head back into my bedroom and grab my phone a little after four in the morning. I decide to go ahead and get ready for the day. I put on my leggings and top and head downstairs. Finally, I make it to the kitchen and start my coffee. While it's getting ready, I find my runners at the door and slide them on my feet. I sit at the table and take a few sips of my coffee. The warm liquid feels good going down my throat. The dreams have been fewer and fewer over the years but yesterday was my brother's birthday. Every year I quietly celebrate his and my parent's birthdays. I never saw any of them again after that night. As the loss and heartache start to settle in, I get up and head for the door. It is a little chilly this morning, but I want the burn from the air and the workout. I take off running on the path outside my house. I run as fast as I can. The wind pulls my hair back, and the breeze nips at my cheeks, but I don't stop. The forest is beautiful this morning. The smell of fresh dew and the trees is calming. 

 "I like when we run," Ember says. 

 "Would you like to run this morning?" I ask cause she is my wolf. She needs to stretch her legs too.

 "Do birds fly?" She asks as she laughs. I slow down and move over to the edge of the path and remove my clothes and shoes. I place them in the bag I always carry. I learned it is easier to keep a bag with me on my runs than come back for my shoes. I take a back seat in my mind as Ember shifts effortlessly. As soon as her paws hit the dirt, she takes off. 

 She is fast, and when I say fast, I mean really fast. My human eyes could not keep up with her when she is running at full speed. I wish I would have had her the night I lost my family. Then, I might have been able to save them.

 "I wish I could have been there to help you, Ivy." She says, and I hear the sadness in her voice. She is the only one I talk to about my past and family. The Alpha and Luna know some of it, but I have never opened up to them about that night. They never pushed me to either. I come out of my own thoughts when Ember starts to slow down. I see we are almost at the lake. 

 "Do you think I can run back from the lake?" I ask her wanting to enjoy the forest some myself this morning. 

 "After I have my water." She says as she shakes her tail and walks up to the lake. She is a diva if nothing else. 

 "You do know that I can hear what you think, right?" I laugh cause she is a diva, and she knows it. 

 "I have every right to be a diva. It is in my blood. You should let your diva out more you might like it." She says as she drinks her fill. I only laugh cause a diva I am not. I don't even like to wear dresses and heels, forget it. I feel the shift and get my clothes and shoes out and back on. I waste no time heading back home. I have to get ready for work and training this afternoon. I do enjoy the forest as I run. I make it back home in no time. 

 "I could have got us here faster, "Ember says even though I already know that.

 "Bet it would take you longer to shampoo your hair, though," I say and laugh out loud at the noise she makes at my comment. But I need a shower and shampoo cause I have less than an hour to get to work. My boss is nice, but you don't want to make him mad and to be late is his one way to do that.

 I hurry and get my shower out of the way. I throw on my clothes. I head downstairs and get my shoes on while my bread is in the toaster. I throw some strawberry jam on the toast and head out the door. I jump into my car and head for the diner—Reid's House. I bet you can guess my boss's name. Yep, it's Reid. Hopefully, the day goes by fast, and the customers are not asses.