CHAPTER TWO

EMMELINE

Fearful screams arose from every corner of the hall as everyone present flew into a frenzy. My heart felt like it was about to leap out of my chest as I staggered backwards from a mix of confusion and fear.

Because everything had happened so fast, I barely had time to process anything. One second my father was officiating my mating ceremony, and the next he had flown to the center of the madness, fighting off the werewolves that were storming into our estate.

WE WERE TRULY UNDER ATTACK!

ON THE DAY OF MY MATING CEREMONY!

All around the hall, combat had ensued with Lycans being cut down mercilessly and killed brutally. It was a bloodbath. I had never felt so much horror. Blood rushed through my ears as I looked around for Jonas, barely escaping the people zooming past me and causing a stampede.

"Jonas!!" I screamed helplessly, fighting my way through the crowd and simultaneously struggling to avoid the silver bullets whizzing left and right. I couldn't believe that the best day of my life had turned into a battleground in the blink of an eye. Tears blurred my vision as I tried to make sense of it.

"Emmeline!" Jonas' voice reached my ears. He grabbed me close and pulled me to his chest. "Run! Run back into the mansion and use the secret door. And don't you stop until you're out of danger, alright? Go!"

He pushed me toward the mansion. But I shook my head vigorously, letting the tears spill.

"I-I can't leave you! Come with me, please, let's go together. Together forever, remember? I can't leave without knowing you're going to be okay."

Jonas pulled me into a fierce hug, kissing me deeply. "I love you, Emmeline, but it is my duty to defend the pack. You have to go."

Suddenly my sister, Lucy, emerged, her eyes wide with fear. "Emmy!" She yelled, rushing to my side to cling to me.

Jonas speedily pushed us to the direction of the mansion. "Both of you, run. And no matter what happens, don't look back. Just keep going." With that, he turned away and joined other warriors who were fighting the werewolves.

My eyes filled with tears again as I cast one look though the hall. Several dead bodies strewn across the floor. I could see my father, Jonas and the few warriors left trying to fight back the werewolves. Why had they suddenly turned on us? Why? Why did the moon goddess let them do this?

"Emmy, come!" My sister yanked on my arm, leading me away from the scene so we could use the secret exit.

I slipped off my shoes and ran as fast as I could, but the length and weight of my dress was slowing me down. Pausing, I bent down to tear off the lower half of my dress. When I raised my head to call out to my sister, I saw two men standing in the doorway. They attacked us, and in the blink of an eye, I had landed on the ground.

"I've got the princess!" One of the men sleazily pulled my sister by the leg as she screamed loudly to be released.

"NO! LUCY!!" I cried, jumping to my feet as I raced towards her. But before I could get close, something hard and heavy connected to the back of my head, knocking me to the ground once again.

I writhed in pain, struggling to keep my eyes open. The taste of metal filled my mouth before I felt the blood streak from my lips. In the distance I could still hear my sister screaming.

"N-No…Lu..Lucy…" my words were barely a whisper.

I was so lightheaded that I could barely move from where I lay. The horrifying screams from the battleground reached my ears, making tears form in my eyes at the thought of the horrors that would have happened. When I managed to open my eyes, the realization that the Lycans were going to lose hit me like a ton of bricks.

We were outnumbered, and the werewolves had already captured my mother and sister. I could see Jonas huddled in the corner, blood spilling from a wound in his stomach. My wolf cried out in pain for the predicament of our mate. Even my father was helpless.

I couldn't help but reflect that even on such a day, I remained invisible. Not a single soul noticed I was missing. I was helpless, powerless, and useless like I had always been. So with tears in my eyes, I did the only thing that came to mind. I pushed myself into the nook of corpses and laid between them, pretending to be dead.

The battle ended quickly. Soon, every single Lycan was killed except my family. My body trembled as I watched them force my mother, sister and Jonas to their knees. The great doors were opened again and more werewolves with a different insignia trooped in. The foreman who appeared to be the leader cast one glance at them.

"They have two daughters. Where is the second?”

"My men are searching for her as we speak. No one knows what the second daughter looks like, so that is proving to be an issue," the second man said.

My heart pounded loudly as I scooted closer to the corpses, scared that I might be discovered.

From where I lay, I saw my father crawl forward. "Please…spare my family and take me instead."

A round of laughter ensued from the werewolves.

“Do you think you’re still in charge? The great Lycan King is now powerless and weak!” their leader spat, licking his lips.

Without warning, one of them grabbed Jonas and buried a dagger into his chest, stabbing him over and over again until his throat was slit and he was dumped to the ground.

"MATE!" My wolf cried out painfully. A piercing pain shot through my entire being as I slapped a palm over my mouth to stop me from crying out. The pain coursed through my veins like death itself, so overwhelming that I nearly passed out.

My chest felt hollow and empty as my shoulders wracked with broken sobs, hot tears streaming down my cheeks. I couldn't watch anymore. My eyes shut tightly as my mother, was shot in the head.

BANG!

I heard my mother’s body fall to the ground with a thud, followed by my sister’s scream. It was loud, and nerve wrecking. I felt the gunshot like it was me who was shot. By this time, I was already shaking terribly that they would have almost seen me.

The werewolves didn’t spare anyone as they shot my sister and father next.

This could not be real.

This couldn't be happening. This was a nightmare and I wanted to wake up. My throat burned and my eyes felt hot as I lay there among the dead corpses, praying that I was indeed trapped in a nightmare.

“Find the second daughter. No one leaves here alive!” The command came from the leader.

The werewolves soon scattered, looking for me.

Bile rose in my throat as the reality dawned on me. My entire family had been killed right in front of me. I would never see them again. And I was next.

Excruciating pain like I had never felt before rushed through my body, consuming me whole, sucking the air out of my lungs.

They killed my family. They killed Jonas. They were gone forever.