Chapter 1

She ran as fast as her small legs can go, following this instinct inside her. She had been running for hours. The bruise on her rib and her swollen thigh hindered her from going the pace she wanted. The faint sound of rushing water tells her that there’s a waterfall up ahead. Come on Estelle, just a little bit more. She pushed herself.

She brushed away the long leaves covering her path and stumbled upon a small clearing with a mini waterfall at the center. The water had been calling her to it. She dragged her throbbing feet towards it. Her whole body hurts and burns, her thigh aching from the blows it received. She clutched a hand to her ribs, trying to put a pressure on the pain but instead making it hurt more. She was only a few steps away from the edge of the water when she tripped on a rock jutting out from the ground and fell.

Her vision began to fade as she hit her bleeding head on the ground. The impact of the fall on her body intensifies the pain. It hurts everywhere. Black dots covered her vision and everything became cloudy. She fought to stay awake and tried to crawl towards the water.

Just a sip, She begged.

Her body began shutting down.

Blurriness. 

Her eyes closed shut.

***

They were running through the forest. Some of the men leaping from tree to tree, keeping up with the rest of them on the ground. They had been going on like this all night. Blending in with the darkness and silent as the dead, never making any unnecessary movements.

Out of a sudden the one at the front stopped abruptly.

The rest followed suit and the ones on the trees jumped down from their previous position. They waited for him to speak.

“Someone crossed the line.” His voice, though low, was heard clearly by his comrades.

Some began frowning in confusion, others remained impassive. How could anyone cross the line? No one can ever crossed it without the knowledge of how. The boundary line and the whole territory is concealed and anyone who passes by sees it as if it is just the same as the rest of the forest.

So who managed to see through the veil?

The man who spoke began walking left and his men automatically followed him. He doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to catch the intruder. No, he thought. Whoever crossed the line is harmless. He knows, of course. He can feel whatever living thing that does cross it and all who is inside it. And whoever this is, isn’t a threat to him or his pack at all.

He approached the area that was breached slowly, not wanting to startle the intruder. As he moved on, he cursed in his head as he realized that it was the location of the waterfall. He requested to put a veil on his territory for a reason and the reason is that. The sacred waterfall.

He instantly changed his mind about the intruder. “Whoever that entered is harmless, but has found the waterfall.” He said. He heard a few of his comrades cursed.

“When we reach, don’t attack but be on alert. It could be more than one. Just be prepared.” They nodded understanding what he meant. Be on standby, draw weapons only when necessary and be vigilant.

They trudged on silently in the dark of the forest, the only sound was the whispers of the wind and gentle rustling caused by the wild animals. They reached the path to the waterfall in a few minutes and everyone heightened their own senses.

“Alpha, look!” One of his men, Jack, pointed out to a figure that was lying on the ground by the waterfall.

They moved forward, inspecting the figure with their eyes. It turned out to be a small, petite girl and she looked like she was reaching out for the water but didn’t make it. The man who was called alpha stepped closer to her to examine her face and check whether she is from any of the pack nearby. Maybe, he thought, she just lost her way. But that didn’t explain her finding the sacred waterfall.

He held out a hand to turn her over since she was laying on her front, in an awkward angle. But almost as soon as he made contact with her, he knew she was his beloved.

“Shit!” He cursed. His men, who had crowded around him and the girl, looked at him in surprise. Their alpha rarely swears so to hear him spew out something vulgar in it is a rarity. The elder men who noticed the tender touch the alpha had on the girl smiled, a rare form of expression on the warriors. The younger warriors don't really seem to understand what is going on until they pay extra attention to the alpha’s actions. Their eyes widened in surprise. They never thought they would get to share this moment.

He brushed his fingers lightly on the bruise on her cheek and the cut on her lips. “My dear, what happened to you?” He whispered. He picked the girl up in his arms and froze when the girl cried out in pain unconsciously.

The men sniffed the area in case there were others that were with her. When they are satisfied with their inspection, and are sure that there is no one lurking around the trees, they follow behind their alpha who is rushing to the house. He wanted to run but was afraid that he might hurt the broken girl in his arms more. He could hear her soft whimpers and tightened his hold on her. He tried to minimize her pain by controlling his movements but it was no use.

His brows furrowed in frustration. Why does the pack house seem so far away right now? He was glad that his men understood what was happening and were acting out of their own initiative. But then again, he thought, they are warriors for a reason.

When they reached a thick tule tree, they whispered a chant under their breath and slowly, an invisible hole materialized in the middle of the massive tree, expanding until it reached the size of a huge door. Anyone standing here could now see through the tree and also see what surrounds on the opposite.

Houses surround an entire glade. The whole pack who were walking about their business stops at the sight of their mighty alpha standing on the entrance with a girl in his arms. No one said a word as he ran past them to the pack house - his mansion -, no one moved. They stared at the group that followed behind in bewilderment.

As soon as he was inside the house, whispers erupted among the crowd.

***