CHAPTER 1 : THE STRANGE LAND

**NATASHA'S POV**

I fled from my pack to ensure my own safety. I knew Omegas were chasing me, so I had to run as fast as I could or else I would be captured and sold into slavery, or even worse, forced to marry the evil Alpha. I had been married to the late Alpha, who was betrayed and killed by his own Beta. Betas typically hold the second-in-command position after the alpha and generally show respect towards the Alpha. However, this was not the case for Beta Damien.

Beta Damien had always desired to become an Alpha, so he killed my husband and took his place.

I couldn't bear the pain of losing my husband, so my mother took me back to her home to help me heal. Little did she know that this would cost her life. The new Alpha requested my hand in marriage, but I refused. He then sent his omegas to forcefully bring me to him.

The omegas arrived to take me to the Alpha, but my mother resisted and gave me the opportunity to escape.

"Run!! Natasha!!! RUN!!!" were the last words my mother said to me as I ran into the thick bushes. I looked back and saw our house on fire, but I couldn't see my mother. Despite the agony, I continued my journey.

After what seemed like an hour of running, I decided to take a rest beside a tree in the forest. I sat down, catching my breath from the intense run I had just endured. Suddenly, I heard the sounds of paws approaching, and from the scent they carried, I knew they were close. I had to continue running; I had to outrun them or else I would be caught.

I stood up and ran as fast as I could. I moved faster than a little wolf like me should be able to. Despite being 20 years old, my small frame made others perceive me as a young wolf. I ran and ran until I could no longer hear the sound of their pursuit. I attempted to sniff the air to catch their scent, but they were no longer close. I kept running until finally, I ran out of our pack.

At this point, I began living the life of a lone wolf. I survived by eating vegetables and small animals found in the forest. Clean water was scarce, so I had no choice but to drink contaminated water. My once white fur became dirty because I could hardly find the means to bathe.

Although I found temporary refuge sometimes, it didn't stop me from running. I knew that Alpha Damien must have ordered his Omegas to find me, and they would not stop searching until they captured me. The last thing I wanted was to be forced into marriage with the Evil Beta who killed my Alpha husband and took his position.

For more than two years, I continued running and became accustomed to it. It had been a while since I had encountered any other wolves. I moved stealthily from one forest to another to avoid being caught. I knew that Alphas respected each other, so if I were caught in another pack, I might end up being handed back to Damien.

One fateful day, as I was moving through the forest, I caught a scent. I couldn't identify what it was, but I knew they were closing in on me. They were approaching quickly, much faster than I could run. I was confused as to how they could run silently. I was convinced that I was being chased by trained wolves or some other type of being.

I tried to increase my speed, but it was too late. I saw them running from behind me, and suddenly they surrounded me, blocking every possible escape route. Fear gripped me as I realized I couldn't outrun them anymore.

I couldn't comprehend what kind of wolves they were, as I wondered how they could run with such immense speed, even on two legs(human form). They hissed at me, revealing their sharp teeth. Two of the teeth were located in their upper jaw, and the rest on the lower jaw. They didn't shift into their wolf form, yet they were displaying their menacing teeth.

I could feel adrenaline coursing through my veins. I had never been this terrified before. I looked into their bloodshot eyes, long nails, and sharp teeth. I began to move backward slowly as they approached me. I knew I had to escape or face the possibility of returning to Damien or even being killed by them.

Since my 22 years of being a wolf, I had never encountered creatures like these. Just as I turned my back to escape, I accidentally bumped into a muscular man. I looked up to see who it was, but before I could react, the man punched me. Everything in my field of vision became blurry, and even my sight began to fade until everything went dark.

*********

I woke up in a hall feeling exhausted. Even in my wolf form, I tried to shift, but I couldn't. Shifting was a common ability among wolves, though some found it easier than others. Shifting had always been painful for me, as it required breaking down my bones and restructuring them.

Although shifting had become difficult for me over the years, I was still capable of doing it. But now, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't shift.After exhausting all efforts, I eventually surrendered and once again, darkness engulfed my sight.

*******

I woke up for the second time, and I could hear men discussing nearby. I tried to open my eyes fully to see them, but I couldn't. I managed to open them halfway, but my vision was still blurry. However, I could tell that they were discussing me.

"Where did you find her?" I heard the voice of someone whom I suspected to be the Alpha ask.

"Lord, we found her on our boundary, attempting to trespass into our land," another voice answered.

"then she must be punished for that" the voice someone whom I suspected to be the Apha added.

In the werewolf kingdom where I come from, we refer to our leader as the Alpha, so I was perplexed as to why he was being called Lord. Trespassing into another pack's territory was not allowed, and if caught, there would be consequences. It was not new for me to hear such discussions.

I could hear the men approaching me, so I tried to see their faces, but my weakness prevented me from doing so. I managed to raise my head slightly and open my eyes halfway, but everything remained blurry. I could tell they were staring at me before I lowered my head again. They walked away, their voices fading as they left me alone, and for the last time my vision turned black.