1:The Attack

I stood at the edge of the forest, my senses heightened by the moon's silvery glow. It was a gibbous moon and it would be full in a few days.

The night air was crisp and carried the familiar scent of earth and pine. As a werewolf, my connection to the natural world was stronger than that of an ordinary human. I reveled in the freedom and power it granted me.

Blackwood, my home, was a sanctuary for werewolves. Nestled deep within the ancient woods, the town was hidden from prying eyes, shielding its inhabitants from the outside world. Here, the supernatural and human realms coexisted, an intricate balance maintained over generations.

Tonight, however, an uneasiness stirred within me. My keen instincts sensed an underlying tension. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to disrupt the fragile tranquility we had enjoyed for so long. The forest whispered its secrets, but their meaning remained elusive.

I raised my face to the sky, letting the crisp clean air ruffle my midnight dark hair. Wispy tendrils brushed my cheeks, as soft as a caress. The atmosphere was serene, but my uneasiness remained.

As I turned to make my way back home, a rustling sound halted me in my tracks. My heart quickened as I whirled around. I peered into the dense undergrowth. Emerald eyes, sharp and alert, scanned the surroundings.

The moon illuminated the entire forest, casting a mysterious glow and making the shadows dance.

Suddenly, a figure burst through the foliage. It was a large, black wolf, its eyes wild and menacing.

I recognized it instantly. It was a rogue werewolf. I could see the darkness in its eyes and the way it stood on its hind legs.

The creature growled menacingly and bared its canines, trying to intimidate me. Thick saliva dripped from its mouth as it crouched low to the ground, ready to take a lunge. When it noticed I didn't cower away, it roared and charged at me.

I braced herself, ready to defend my territory. I crouched to the ground and shifted into my wolf form, a silver coloured wolf. My transformation was smooth and I turned and snarled at the approaching rogue, emerald eyes glowing eeriely, lips curled, revealing sharp canines.

I lunged at the rogue wolf, my agility and strength unmatched. Claws clashed, teeth gnashed, as we engaged in a fierce battle for dominance.

But my opponent was cunning, matching my blow for blow. The rogue wolf possessed a ferocity that surpassed any I had encountered before.

My instincts warned me that this confrontation was not just about territory; it held a greater significance. Something had possessed the rogue to attack me.

Our fight continued, our primal instincts taking over. My muscles strained as I pushed against my adversary, determined to protect my home and pack. I unleashed a powerful swipe, my claws slashing at the rogue wolf and catching it off guard. It yelped in pain and retreated, disappearing into the shadows.

I stood panting, my chest heaving with exertion and adrenaline coursing through my veins. I slowly shifted back into my human form and leaned against a large oak tree. My ears remained alert, listening for the slightest sound that would tell me the rogues were still rampant.

After a long while, I finally felt safe and my tensed shoulders relaxed.

However, the encounter arose suspicions within me. I knew it wasn't just an isolated incident. Rogues attacked in packs, but this one had attacked me on its own, targeted me for a reason.

There was something more to the incident that just occurred.

Paws pounding against the hard earth sounded behind me and I turned when I perceived the familiar scent of Alec and Medea, my best friends.

Two identical brown wolves raced into the clearing where I stood and halted beside me, sniffing the air for any sign of danger.

Satisfied that there was none, they both shifted.

"Are you okay, Serenity?",Medea was the first to ask and she peered into my face, her brown eyes filled with worry.

"I'm fine, Medea",I said with a smile and tucked my hair behind my ear.

"We heard the howls",Alec said next, standing on my other side but his blue eyes were trained on the surrounding bushes. "The werewolf warriors were after the rogue that broke through the border..."

"The rogue broke through the border?",I repeated, my brows creased with a frown.

"Pretty strange, right?",Medea continued. "Rogues always attack in packs, but this particular one seemed like it had a hidden intention. It was after something"

"And we knew you went for a run. We had to make sure you were okay. Did you encounter the rogue?",Alec asked.

It was just as I suspected. The rogue had targeted me for a reason. But what reason? Why me?

Without mincing words, I explained my encounter to my two best friends and told them about my suspicions.

"I know it doesn't make sense",I said. "But I can feel it within me. That rogue didn't just attack me on a whim. I think I was purposely targeted"

Alec and Medea exchanged quiet glances without saying a word. After a while, Medea turned back to me.

"We should go home. Your uncle will be so worried. Tomorrow, we will go to Alpha Gabriel and tell him about it"

At the mention of the Alpha's name, I felt my stomach erupt into a flurry of gyrating butterflies. Just the thought of the handsome alpha had my knees going weak with need and longing. I couldn't deny the desire that always pooled beneath my stomach whenever I was near him.

Alpha Gabriel was a blazing ball of hotness and sexiness. He hadn't found his mate yet, but I knew he could never be mine. The moon goddess would never make my dreams and fantasies come through.

I will be twenty in one year time, the age I would find my mate. I hoped every night that I would be mated to Alpha Gabriel, the man every woman desired. But deep down, I knew it was just wishful thinking.

Alpha Gabriel was out of my reach.

Pushing the sinful thoughts I had of the sexy alpha away from my mind, I shook my head and focused on the matter at hand. I didn't know why, but a foreboding feeling remained with me.

And I knew it had something to do with the rogue that attacked me.

"Alright",I said finally. "Let's go home"

...

The run home was quiet, except for Medea and Alec who were being all lovey-dovey.

Alec and I had been friends since we were kids, until he turned twenty and found his mate, Medea.

Sometimes I let myself wonder;what if the reason Alpha Gabriel hadn't found his mate was because I hadn't come of age? What if he was actually my mate?

The thought jolted me and I quickly shook it off my mind. If I let myself hope on being Alpha Gabriel's mate, I would only be left with a broken heart when he eventually found his mate and it wasn't me.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when we arrived at my home.

We shifted and Alec and Medea walked me towards the door.

"You sure you're okay?",Medea asked again, draping one hand over my shoulder.

"Honestly, I'm fine Medea. You're so sweet to worry, but I am",I assured her and threw my arms around her in a hug.

"I could stay here if you want",she offered.

"And let Alec lay miserable through out the night?",I laughed. "Not a chance"

Alec was about to give a comeback when the door swung open.

My uncle Lucian stepped outside with a relieved expression on his face. He was a tall man with a full head of brown hair.

"Are you okay, honey?",he asked and pulled me close, examining me thoroughly. Then he stared at my friends. "Where did you find her?"

"I'm fine, uncle Lucian",I quickly assured him. "I wasn't hurt"

Uncle Lucian stared at me for a long while, then at my friends. He remained quiet for a while, staring at Alec and Medea with an unreadable expression.

"Alright then, go on in",he said finally and gently ushered me into the house. "Your dinner must have gotten cold by now. It's time you put an end to your night runs"

"Not happening",I called over my shoulders and waved to my friends. "See you tomorrow guys"

I skipped into the house and stood by the hallway. I didn't know why, but something felt off with the way uncle Lucian was acting. Not long after, I heard him talking to Alec and Medea.

"What happened?",I heard him ask and I listened as Alec recounted everything I told him in the forest.

"She suspects the rogue wolf attacked her for a reason",he finished.

"I knew this would happen",Uncle Lucian said next. "Ever since Serenity lost her parents in the rogue attack, I knew a problem like this would arise"

"What do you think the problem is, uncle Lucian?",Medea asked and I could hear the worry in her voice. Uncle Lucian's next words rendered me speechless.

"I think they know what she is",he said.

I stood behind the door in the hallway, my heart slamming against my chest.

What did uncle Lucian mean? What was I?