Chapter 1 : The Wolfless Avalynn

“What is little Avalynn doing here alone?”

My shoulders slumped down in disappointment. After Adler’s annoying remark was his evil laugh that I got used to hearing growing up. I knew he wasn’t alone, given the series of supporting chuckle I heard from his fanatic friends.

That’d probably be Rake, Jonshon, Owen and Gunner. The same group of friends I hated since the day I learned the word asshole. The five of them, including their leader, Adler, were the strongest guys in our generation. Everybody knew that.

They did too.

I turned around controlling every muscle of my face. If there was one thing I hated about hating them, it was not being able to express it. There were a lot of times I tried, though. I regretted each time. The satisfaction wasn’t enough reciprocation for the wounds they gave me.

Which was why I was planning to lay low and avoid conversation. Because now that almost the rest of the pack were on pack run, there’d be no stopping them.

“Probably thinking of her future mate.” Rake laughed, tapping Johnson’s shoulder repeatedly while his other hand covering his mouth like he was damn rapping. “Except she wouldn’t have any.”

Owen chortled. “Tomorrow is her seventeenth birthday. Spare her, Rake.”

“Her seventeenth birthday?” Adler glanced at his friends. A devious look in his eyes reflecting. I immediately knew he cummed jerk ideas. “Don’t tell me you came here wishing you’d find your mate tomorrow…”

Adler walked closer. So did Rake, Johnson, and Owen. They both shared the same freaky smile they always wear before doing anything nasty.

My eyes shifted at Gunner, who, at the same time moment looked away. I knew for a fact he wouldn’t do anything. But he surprised me everytime.

“Please, Adler…” I looked down on my feet. I was already walking backwards. “I’ll leave if you want this spot.”

“I’ll leave if you want this spot.” Adler mocked me. “Hold her.”

My lips parted. My head automatically went up and saw Rake, and Jonshon trotting towards me. I mentally cursed a lot of times. I was at the dead end. Behind me, perhaps only fifteen steps away was the pond I was looking at before they came. I had nowhere to run. And even if I try, I was sure it wouldn’t take them long before they catch me.

Shit.

Before I could even do anything, Rake and Johnson grabbed both my arms. My eyes widened. I tried to struggle for released but Owen joined them. They lifted me up from the ground, and threw me to the water. Everything became blurry to my ears as I sank and tried to kick my way. I was startled that I breathed water. Out of breath, I used both my arms to flap. I knew I was at my limit when I managed to pull my head up above water.

I gasped for air.

“Goddamn!” Rake was laughing hard. “Gunner, you should have recorded it!”

I coughed a lot of times, before I swam towards the shallow area with all my might. I could feel the water I breathed inside my nostrills and it hurted a lot. I was so close muttering curses, had it not been for the fact that I didn’t want to make a mess a day before my seventeeth birthday.

“I have to say, Avalynn. You don’t look too bad when you’re wet.” The scoundrel, Johnson said as he looked at me. I was already crawling to the mud. “Don’t you think, Gunner—”

“What the fuck, Avalynn!”

My eyes went through Johnson as I heard a familiar voice. It was Jade! My shoulders relaxed as if her presence brought me relief. It did. I went up and breathed hard. Though I was wet and dirty, it was better than wounds and pain.

Jade came on the right time.

“Ugh.” Owen groaned. “You always ruin the fun.”

Jade glared at him, and then to the rest of the fucktards who came to ruin my peace just to make fun of me. “Is bullying Avalynn all that you can do?”

Jade Marley. My bestfriend. I knew I said Adler and his group were the strongest in our generation. But I didn’t say they were the only ones. If there’d be an Alpha for a female, that’d be her. The only peace officer who could shut down Adler, Rake, Johnson, and Owen.

She was my closest friend. Or perhaps I didn’t need to use superlative since there’d be no one else to compare my relationship with her to. She was the only one who would talk to me. She was naturally nice, and easy going.

If not because of her, I would’ve been dead.

“Easy, Jade. We were just having fun with your wolfless friend.” Adler smirk.

“If I could slash your mouth with my claws, I would, Adler.” Jade threw him a scornful look.

“But you can’t because I’m the future Alpha.” Adler’s grin grew wider.

I shook my head. “It’s fine, Jade.”

They were on par in terms of strength. But Adler was influencial. Messing with him would be no good. It was why until now, no one stood against him. And I refer to his friends Rake, Johnson, Owen, and Gunner, as his fanatic friends since they were his lapdogs who would bark at whatever he would do.

“Are you okay?” Jade walked past Adler. Her face a mixture of irritation and concern. She closed the distance, and offered me her hand. “Let’s go to your house and clean up.”

I nodded, avoiding the guys’ gaze. I accepted Jade’s hand, even when I had felt a little ashamed taking it with my filthy hand. It was dirty while hers were clean and soft.

Jade pulled me up, and smiled at me. It was when I secretly tried to glanced at Gunner, who was then already looking at me. He looked away, once again. Probably guilty. But that was only if he still had conscience.

Gunner Hewlett was my only sibling. Adler and his friends knew, of course. Which was why I hated their group a lot more. At the same time, I couldn’t blame him.

Gunner cutted me off as his sister when our mom died. The whole pack did. Nevertheless, since I had nowhere to go and I was still Analisse Hewlett’s daughter, they allowed me to stay. They probably hated that they permitted me to, though.

My mom was attacked by rogues when I was twelve. She was with me in the woods when that happened. She fought them and protected me, and I was supposed to do the same.

But I couldn’t shift. I wasn’t able to. My supposed to be wolf betrayed me that day.