CHAPTER 3

“We have never been this far away from the clan’s territory on our own. We should go back.”

Damon Hunt stared shrewdly at the path behind him and for the umpteenth time, he was convinced it was the right one.

If he was one to listen to what anyone says, he would be back with his clan already, instead of wandering around looking for a tiny blade of uncommon grass.

He needed the stupid weed desperately. He would enter into the enemy’s territory if he had to, as long as Stanley his brother stopped whining for a second.

“I do not think this is a good…..”, Stanley trailed off at the cold, deathly stare directed at him. If he was a lesser man, he would have whimpered or cowered with his head bowed but he continued staring his Alpha in the eyes.

Well, maybe that luxury was because they weren’t just Alpha and Beta, but because they were brothers.

Still it wasn’t too long before he lower

He was just worried. He could not seem to be able to shake off the ominous feeing he had been getting since they got to the border of there own territory and started veering into the enemy’s.

Maybe it was because he knew what the Scanthin clan would do to them on sight.

Just the week before, the Lauchair clan had raided the Scanthin clan, leaving mayhem in their wake and it was just a matter of time before the alpha of Scanthin retaliated.

But when he did, Stanley wished to be home with his army and ready, not caught unaware and lost in the forest on enemy’s territory.

“Eve needs the sage leaves,” Damon explained for the thousandth time.

“Fuck Eve,” Stanley replied under his breath.

“Louder?,” Damon asked turning towards his brother, his golden eyes darkening to a feral dark amber.

“Nothing, I said nothing,” Stanley replied grudgingly.

“Fuck Eve, fuck Helen and fuck everyone else who made you into this cold hearted asshole,” Stanley said in his head. For all he cared, Eve and Helen could go to hell.

What his brother of little words never would admit was the fact that he still felt guilty at the death of Helen’s son and he would spend the rest of his life repaying for that guilt paying penance for a sin he didn’t even commit.

And as for Eve? She was just a bitch whom Damon fancied himself in love with. In his humble opinion, it was just a great load of lust cloaked in tenderness.

But then, all these he could only say to himself and seethe and steam about within him.

If he had said another word, Damon would have used that as an excuse to have a go at him, as he had probably been itching to do since they started their freaking journey. And he was not in the mood to be beaten to a pulp.

He stared sadly at his brother’s hard profile as he bent close to the ground, looking for the stupid leaves.

Damon was not always that way.

There was a time his brother used to be the most reasonable and caring person. A time when Damon loved a witch name Star Kante , she became too powerful and fed on the pack's blood. And Helen's son was what broke the carmel's back before she was apprehended. Damon felt betrayed but he had to follow up with his father's command of killing Star . And ever since then he hated witches and believed they had no self control.

" I found it ." Damon said joyfully holding the leaves he had just plucked

" now can we return home, it is getting late already." Stanley said with fear of the Scanthin clan catching up with them.

" you can go back with some of the pack , I will stake here till the morning with the rest."

" I can not leave you here alone with no plans Damon."

" take this along with you for Helen ." He handed the leaves quickly then retreated backwards as about four wolves followed suit .

****

Her eyelids flip open so fast they hurt. Orange lines streak the sky like it’s on fire, like the whole damn world is burning. It’s only when she attempt to lift her head that every inch of her screams as if someone is dragging blades down her body. She swallow past her dry throat and whimper at how much it hurts to do just that. Her mouth tastes metallic and pasty. She flick her tongue out, running it over cracked lips.

She moan as her stomach quivers, she hurt so bad that she could not move again without feeling sick. Crying, she laid there, remembering how she fell off the cliff. She had no idea how she survived. Though with her body screaming like she was on death’s door, she wasn't sure she ’d call this survival.

She had left home discreetly just like one of those days she tried to figure out what her powers were about, her suppose marriage had made her so sad that she needed some space to herself only to walk into the path of the wolves .

When she finally opened her eyes and twist her head to take in more of her surroundings, blinding pain shoots across her skull. The world tilts on its axis, and she stiffen until it settles.She closed her eyes again when the sight she saw almost made her puke.

She was lying on the bottom of the cliff, surrounded by jagged rocks. Beyond them lies a dense forest of wild trees and grass, leaves blowing in the breeze. She had no idea by what miracle she didn’t land on the sharp rocks and get impaled.

With a groan, she bite down on her lip to rid the harrowing agony as she pulled herself to sit up. Taking it slow, sucking in shallow breaths with each move. Her fingers had turned red.

Her power saved her… somehow.

Like her mother had done, she rubbed her fingers, but it won’t come off. Mother had two black fingers also singed from her magic backfiring, always covering them up by wearing gloves. She had no control over her magic either, which is why she told them not to use theirs , but she didn't even know what powers she had.

The magic in your blood is unstable, it’s wild and can hurt you or kill you just as easily as it does others. So she only ever taught Sara and me one ability: we could avoid wolves .

When she rolled over to get up, fire lashes her sides, and she stopped to see the eyes hovering around her

" it's a witch." One of the wolves called out to their leader

" what witch." Damon asked as he approached them

" Scar of Scanthin " Scar manage to respond herself.