Prologue

Pain. It was all I could feel, just excruciating pain. I had no idea what was going on. My body was squirming under my sheets, trying to clutch myself, desperately trying to stop the pain, to hold myself together.

I let out an agonising scream. Immediately I heard multiple footsteps running, gaining on me every second. My body coiled up, my muscles tightening.

I wasn't paying attention, I couldn't, the only thing on my mind was the pain. Snap. I heard the sickening crunch of my bones breaking.

Suddenly it dawned on me that I was being carried outside, the cold air hit me, making the pain only a little less excruciating.

The open field of our packs land was so tempting, it was like something inside of me was tearing me apart limb by limb, desperately trying to escape.

Why? I wondered, why did it want to get out so badly?

I didn't have time to dwell on that thought as before i knew it my body was writhing in agony, feeling my bones break, snapping one at a time.

I let out a yelp as my spine twisted. My entire body began to twist around, forming something new. A new form. Oh.

Now that I think about it, it was stupid that I hadn't thought of it before! I was having my first shift.

Although it was a lot easier to remember that when the pain was half gone.

As if the beast was finally being let out, there was one last shock of pain before it all began to fade, as if the demon was finally being coaxed out of me.

Gasps were heard all around as a warm coat of fur sprouted down my body.

I peeled my eyes open, noticing for the first time that my pack was surrounding me, looking down at me in shock. And there was one warm hand resting on my arm, I looked up into the warm brown eyes of Dustin, my best friend, and the soon to be alpha of our pack.

"Cassandra?" He asked, warily.

I gave him a grin, not really noticing that I couldn't exactly smile in wolf form. It was nice to know he still recognised me.

I stood up on shakings legs, looking expectantly at my pack, what do I do now?

They all just stared at me in shock.

Maybe being a wolf wasn't all I thought it would be. Maybe I was a monster.

I slowly began to back away, shaking in fear, what had I become?

I looked at Dustin, he still looked astonished, but his gaze softened when he saw me looking at him and he held his hand out cautiously.

I yelped and turned round, running off into the woods.

I ran far, and boy did it feel good.

It was like the monster that had been escaping my body had taken control of my body instead, and it loved it.

In the distance I saw a smooth lake, the water was still, nothing moved inside of it.

Slowly I approached it, before I looked, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, peeling them open I glanced towards the water.

My eyes widened, was that me?

The imagine in the water was beautiful, a Snow White wolf stared back at me with my grey-blue eyes. I used to joke to my friends, saying my eyes were like ice.

It seemed funny now, my eyes contrasted deeply with my silky fur.

Oh so that's why they had looked at me in such shock... I was a white wolf.

A white wolf was extremely rare. A pack that had a white wolf was considered strong and magnificent. I wasn't sure if I could live up to the standards though.

I barely even knew what this entitled, It felt so good to know that I would be able to make my pack proud.

I grinned at myself in the reflection, before turning back.

Trotting happily through the forest, I didn't notice the screams.

I should have, especially with my new, improved, wolf senses. I had heard that white wolves had it even better too.

I should have seen all the signs.

The faint scent of metallic rust.

The loud growls of wolves I was not familiar with.

But when I stuck my head through the treeline, all I saw was wreckage.

Dead wolves on the ground, wolves that I knew.

I couldn't breathe, instead I desperately looked away, backing into the woods.

The world around me stopped, nothing made sense, what was going on?

I ran as far as I could before I collapsed, I had never trained a day in my life and I was just so... exhausted.

I fell asleep, curled up on the forest floor, I had the worst nights sleep I'd ever had.

My dreams were filled with nightmares, of watching myself in the lake, seeing my reflection turn into a monster.

When I awoke, I was starving and tired, but I knew I had to go back to my pack, I had to check for survivors, I had to know who I had lost.

It took me a lot longer than it should have, but eventually I made it back to my pack.

I didn't bother to check my surroundings, I didn't notice I was being watched. All that mattered was the two bodies next to my paws that I knew to be my parents.

I fell to the ground and whined, nuzzling my nose into their necks, desperate for them to just get up and laugh, saying it was all a joke.

They didn't.

As I looked around me, I counted 52 bodies on the floor.

My pack had 53 members.

I escaped.

The others died.

Something inside of me died along with them in that moment. In that moment I swore to myself that I would avenge their deaths. I told myself that no matter what, I would kill the pack who did this.

And taking a deep breath, I made myself remember the scent. The scent of the wolves who did this.

And when I heard a low growl behind me, I told myself I'd be ruthless, I would do anything, even if it meant risking myself, to avenge my parents death.

I turned around to face the muddy brown wolf. He simply bowed his head in submission. My wolf accepted it, I could feel her inside of me. She could feel my potential. We were a rare, white wolf. We could do anything. I knew that for whatever reason, she felt trust inside for this rogue we had never seen before.

So, in trusting my wolf, I decided to go with the rogue.

And that is how I met Blaine, my beta. And that is why I am who I am today. Of course I had to change my name, I didn't want anyone to remember me.

That is how I became the strongest alpha in the world.