Chapter 1

I ran down the stairs as screams filled my ears and terror flooded my veins. I sprinted to the front door of the pack house and flung it open— revealing rogues and pack members everywhere tackling, biting, ripping, and killing each other. My eyes squeezed shut, and my hands plugged my ears, praying that this was not real. After taking a few deep breaths I peeled them open again, but nothing has changed, and I began to panic. With only one thing on my mind, I was now determined to fight with everything I had.

Sprinting across the open field, no one noticed me; they were too busy fighting, killing. I made my way through the endless trees searching for my siblings. I don't understand; they should have been in the pack house with me. How could they have been so foolish to leave?

Hiding behind a thick tree, I heard someone coming near. I peeked out from behind the bark; it was Stella's wolf.

"Stella!" I harshly called as I motioned for my sister.

Her wolves eyes went wide when she saw me, filled with pure terror and regret. She shook her head frantically, and tears slid down her face. All of the sudden another wolf tackled her, teeth ripping into her throat in a flash.

"Stella! Stella no!" I cried as her lifeless body laid limp on the forest floor. Prying my eyes off her, I couldn't make myself look for any longer. My sister, she's gone forever.

The wolf that attacked her turned towards me with pure evil and rage in its eyes. With no brake to even mourn the loss of my sibling, they started running towards me, and I waited for the impact with my eyes shut. I waited for my death like a weak wolf would, yet it never came.

Taking the chance, I looked to see the wolf that killed my sister now fighting with one of the pack guards. I didn't think twice and ran deeper into the woods. My sister's cold, dead eyes fogged my brain, making it impossible to stay focused. What am I supposed to do? How am I expected to tell everyone? I could barely take the aching pain in my heart as it slowly ate at my soul, but I kept running as tears fell down my cheeks, staining the dirt beneath my feet.

I came up to more rogues battling and quickly hid behind another tree. With a racing heart, I peeked out yet again and briefly glanced at the lifeless wolves on the floor. That's until I stopped breathing and became motionless. Oh, goddess. No, please.

My Mother laid on the forest floor slain next to my brother, their bodies ripped to pieces, my eyes stung with endless salty tears. I wanted to scream; I wanted to go out there and rip every single one of those damn rogues to pieces. They take my sister, my brother, and my best friend; my mom—my mother! How dare they do this to me and get away with it! What have I done to deserve this?

My heart jerked, and I couldn't breathe. Why? Why couldn't they take me instead!

I wake up covered in a thin layer of sweat with tears rolling down my flushed cheeks. I have this dream almost every night. I'm used to the sweat and tears, but the memories will never fade. My brain is forever tattooed with the images of their dead bodies. Over the past months, I've tried to forget about it all, but I wouldn't make it that easy for myself.

I peel the covers off my sticky body and head to my bathroom to take a shower. Stripping off my pajamas, I switch the shower on and step under the downpour. I relax as the hot water streams down my shaken body, almost as if it's washing away the visuals of my constant dreaming.

I wish I could just forget about the attack, but I can't accept that my family is gone. I found out after the attack that my father was also killed; his life meaning nothing to his murderer. The pack fell apart after the loss of their Alpha and Luna, but they will get over it, I never will.

I turn the shower off and dry my dripping body with a white, fluffy towel from the silver rack. I wrap it around my chilled frame and walk back into my room, glancing at the clock resting on my bedside table. It is five o'clock in the morning, so I might as well just stay up.

I trudge into my closet and sift through my clothes, scavenging for something comfortable and warm. I decided on a pair of sweatpants and one of my brother's old t-shirts that I wear constantly; it still smells like him in some ways.

Heading downstairs and into the kitchen, my stomach rumbles with the desire to be fed. So, giving in, I open the fridge and grab three eggs from the carton. Turning back around, I have a minor heart attack as Frank seems to appear out of nowhere, sitting on one of the counter stools. Glaring at the three eggs now splattered onto the floor, I internally groan.

"Jesus Frank you scared the crap out of me!"

"You're up early." Frank casually ignores my frustration as continues to sip on his coffee. Frank is like my personal guard; he lives in the pack house with me, so I am not alone. He's been there for me since the attack and loss of my family, him now being the only family I have left.

"I had a nightmare and decided not to go back to sleep," I explain while cleaning up the mess on the white tile floor tiredly.

"Sorry about the eggs."

"It's not your fault. I just get scared easily I guess." I throw the paper towel covered in egg yolks into the garbage and turn back to Frank. "What's up?" I ask, leaning on the counter.

"Anna, the pack, is going under, people are joining new packs, even becoming rouge. I don't know how much longer we can go without an Alpha or Luna. There's barely anyone left."

I stay quiet, absorbing the non-surprising information. People are going rouge? Maybe that's not such a bad idea.

"How many are left exactly?" I question, curious.

"Around thirty."

"Then what's the point, let's just close down the pack, give up."

"Are you crazy! Your grandparents built this pack on their own!" He shouts, taken back by my disturbing decision. "How can you just throw that all away?"

"Three-fourths of our people died in the attack almost a year ago, and the ones that survived are leaving," I say calmly. "You said it yourself; the pack is going under."

Frank sighs and rests his head on the counter. "Where will the thirty of us go?" He lifts his gaze to me.

"We can join another pack nearby, don't get me wrong it kills me to make this decision, but we don't have a lot of options left."

I spoke to the Alpha of the Moon Stone pack over the phone since they're the closest pack to us. He said that he would be happy to let us join his pack, my father made strong allies with the Moon Stone Pack and I'm thankful for that. My father always knew to have more allies then enemies.

The pack house was cleared out, and everything was placed boxes for storage. It was weird to see the place I have grown up in without pictures on the walls, or any signs of my family at all.

I've been thinking a lot about joining the new pack or becoming rouge. At first, I figured I was crazy to think I could become rouge and survive alone, but now it's all I want to do, to be free. I could travel the country, go to places I never got the chance to go because of the pack. Pretending to be a human just sounds like my best shot at a real life.

Of course, I didn't tell Frank about my plans because if I did, I'd get locked in a cell so that I couldn't leave him. So decided to escape when we arrive at the new pack and head south to California. Having a fresh start will be good for me, maybe I will forget about the gory attack that haunts me every day. Forget about how I lost everything.

"We're here." Frank nudges me as we pull up to the Moon Stone pack house, glancing out the window I examine the white mansion before me. It's quite fancy, surrounded by green grass and trimmed bushes. Soon we get out of the car and make our way up the front steps and towards the grand looking doors. I pushed on the doorbell and heard the chime sound on the other side of the walls.

It didn't take long for someone to answer.

It was a tall, lean guy; I sensed power radiating off him, he must be the Beta.

"Oh, your here, I'll take you to the Alpha and Luna." We followed him into the pack house and down a hallway till we came up to white double doors. He pushed them open revealing the Alpha at his desk and the Luna sitting on one of the couches off to the side of the room.

"Ah, you have arrived, welcome." He motioned us to come in and take a seat. Entering into the dark colored room, I sat down on one of the leather chairs in front of his desk as he ordered.

"Thank you so much for letting us join your pack, especially under these conditions." Frank thanked while I just continued to study the room. My eyes landed on the Luna, she was pregnant, at least seven months. Like many people say she had a certain glow around her like joy and happiness took over her soul.

"Congratulations," I say to her trying to focus on the present and not my escape plan.

"Oh thank you." She sweetly smiled. "Only two more months."

When we finished discussing joining the pack and other details they showed us where we would be staying. It's a lovely house, close to the pack house. The inside is spacious and modern, especially the kitchen which I adore.

When they left to give us privacy to unpack, I went upstairs and picked out my room, well more like a hotel room.

I sat down on the edge of the bed in the middle of the room, after I finished bringing my suitcases upstairs. Getting up, I sat on the floor in front of my bag.

Lazily unzipping it, I lifted the top, inside was my packed duffle bag full of clothes, food, water, and other essentials. I pre-packed so I would be ready to go and not waste any more time.

There was a light knock at the bedroom door, and I quickly zipped the suitcase back up and answered it.

"How do you like things?" Frank asked, leaning on the door frame.

"It's nice," I answer abruptly and rather awkwardly.

Giving me a funny look, Frank rolled his eyes. "Okay well, I'm going to go take a shower. Don't destroy anything."

Huffing at his stupidity, I shut the door in his face and got back to work.

Dear Frank,

I appreciate the friendship and comfort you provided me with throughout the years. I would like to thank you for taking care of me when I lost my family, you were there for me, and I'll never forget that. I have decided to leave and become rogue. I need to be free and replace my bad memories with happy ones. I'll never forget you.

Thank you,

Anna.

I didn't want it to sound too emotional and risk him coming after me.

Carefully placing the note on the bed's soft comforter, I grabbed my duffel bag and turned to the window.

It's time to go.

I quietly closed the front door and turned to face the forest, also know as my new beginning. The deep dark abyss of the woods during the night always gives me the creeps, but there isn't enough time to waste cowering over it. Hesitantly, I made my way down the porch steps and the driveway. I walked along the dirt road until I came to the forest line, I took a deep breath and walked into the dark city of green.

After a couple boring minutes of walking, I decided to shift into my wolf to speed up the journey. I set down my duffel bag and stripped off my clothes; I didn't want to rip them like most careless people. Placing my clothes inside the duffel bag, I shifted into my golden brown wolf, just like my mothers. Picking up the bag, I I carried it in my mouth, and continued deeper into the woods, heading South.

After about two more interminable hours I was exhausted, I guess that's what I get when I leave at ten o'clock. Prancing up to a soft brush of bushes under a giant tree, I curled up under the foliage and relaxed my aching body. I peered up at the full moon, high in the sky with stars scattered around it, my eyes slowly shut and soon enough I drifted off to sleep.

My eyes fluttered open, and I was greeted by large trees, jade bushes, aged rocks, and a girl about my age... Wait, what. Immediately I got up, shaking the leaves and dirt off my wolf, ready to defend myself.

"Can you shift back?" She asked politely.

First I thought this is just a plan and she's going to attack me, but scanning her carefully I noted a few things. She has nothing with her, she doesn't seem like much of a fighter, and she has Alpha blood. I could sense her power as soon as I calmed down.

I nodded and grabbed my duffel bag going behind the tree that doubled as my temporary bed. Shifting, I put my clothes back on and walked out.

The girl was now sitting on a medium sized boulder, but when she saw I was done, she jumped off the rock and came closer.

"I'm Katy." She held out her hand, and I shook it.

"I'm Anna," I stated nervously, what was she doing in the middle of the woods? What if I crossed on her land?

"So what are you doing out here?" She asked curiously.

"Uh, I was just about to ask you that." I countered raising an eyebrow.

"I'm on my way to Blood Moon pack, just farther South." Her arm stretched out and not surprisingly pointed South.

"Oh. I'm going to California." Picking up my duffel bag, I decided that it's better to keep moving.

"We're going the same way; I'm going to Oregon."

"Oh ya, I guess so." I nodded and started to walk.

"Why don't we walk together, we're almost at the Washington, Oregon border?" She asked with puppy dogs eyes. "I've had a lonely trip."

Amused by how charismatic she is I smiled. "Sure why not." She did seem kind of cool, and having company would be nice. She had long Blond hair cascading down her back and bright blue eyes, making my dull brown hair seem boring.

But we started walking and got to know each other.

"So are you from Washington?" She asked looking up at me.

"Yeah."

"Are you a rogue?" I could hear the regret in her voice, but I didn't mind her question.

"I guess, I left my pack last night." I sigh, I wonder how Frank is doing. Hopefully, he understands why I made this decision, I mean I already made a friend which is a good sign.

"Why did you leave?" She asked curiously.

I glanced down at my feet and took a deep reassuring breath.

"Oh I'm sorry, you don't have to tell me."

"No it's okay, my pack got attacked almost a year ago killing most of us, and the pack was going under so we split up, and I decided to become rouge. I wanted to be free." I lightheartedly explained, ignoring the gruesome details.

"Oh, I'm so sorry about your pack."

"Thanks." I continue to watch the dirt and leaves covering the forest floor. "So what about you, why are you out here and not at your pack?" I ask changing the subject.

"My bossy brother the Alpha-" She said in a funny voice. "- made me go and talk to the Alpha of Moon Stone about some alliance." She says in a bored tone.

I'm surprised I didn't see her while she was at Moon Stone, well I was only there for an hour at the most.

"So don't you have family or a mate that you're supposed to be with?" She asks looking up at me again.

"Oh um, my family died in the attack, and I haven't found my mate," I mumble, so much for no gruesome details.

"Oh. I'm so sorry." She peers down at the floor, apparently thinking she hurt me.

"No, it's fine, it happened a while ago." I brush it off like nothing, even though it was. Who knew a couple of months, was as long as a while.

"So have you found your mate?" I ask trying to lighten up the conversation.

"No, but it's not that big of a deal." She shrugs. "How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

"Oh, then you should find him soon." She smiles.

We kept walking for about two more hours until we reached the border, we kept walking after that for at least another hour talking about her pack and school, even though I graduated last school year. I learned that she loves to sing, so I told her how I loved to dance. I've been dancing since I was five, it took my mind off pack business and rouge issues. When I was eight, I got into ballet and stuck with it since, but I stopped dancing after the rouge attack, I'm probably pretty rusty.

"Oh, the Blood Moon territory border is just up ahead." Katy motioned further ahead. It was getting dark out, so I checked my watch, it's eight o'clock. We kept strolling until a man came into view.

"Come on; they don't bite." Katy chuckled. I followed her up to the tall, muscular, intimidating man and started to get a bad feeling.

"Hey, Mikey I'm back!" She calls to him, his face softened, but when he saw me, he became alarmed. Katy noticed and rolled her eyes.

"She's my friend, and we're just going to the pack house."

"Katy I better go-"

"No I won't let you sleep in those creepy woods, plus there have been rogue sightings close by." She argued. I just sighed, but I am a rouge.

"I don't want to be a burden."

"Hey, I could use some company, it's not like my brother will paint nails and do each other's hair with me!" She whined dramatically, using it to her advantage.

"If it's not too much trouble..."

"It's not now come on!" She grabbed my arm and dragged me towards a big mansion like house, which I'm guessing is their pack house. We hurried inside and into a living room with comfy looking white couches and a big flat screen tv. She pushed me down on one of the couches, and I snuck into the plush cushions. Katy turned on the TV; we watched Friends and Full House for a while. She was laying down on the couch next to me and laughing hard whenever something funny was said during the shows. I decided to loosen up and laugh along with her, she noticed and turned around smiling at me. Talk about an instant friendship.

We continued watching TV and laughing our butts off until someone interrupted our giggling fest.

"Katy whose your friend?"

We turned around to see a muscular guy with shaggy dirty blonde hair.

"That's Jackson, our Beta," Katy informed me not caring about what Jackson asked her.

"Katy, did you at least ask Tyler?" He sighed massaging his temples with his fingers, seeming stressed.

"Um no, but I'm his sister I don't have to ask, she's my friend it's no big deal." Katy waves her hand motioning for him to leave.

"Fine but if you get in trouble, it's on you." He points to her, turning on his heels he walks away.

I tense in my spot and sit up straight.

"Hey it's no big deal, Jackson can be such a rule follower." She rolls her eyes.

"Katy am I allowed to be here?" I ask her seriously.

"Anna there's no need to be worried just chill okay? My brothers out of town anyways, he's visiting one of his Alpha friends."

"Okay...but if I get in trouble, it's on you." I point at her.

"Wow, I've been getting that a lot lately."

After another episode of Full House, our stomachs started to rumble and made monstrous noises, so we headed to the kitchen.

"What would you like to make for dinner?" Katy asks me.

"I'll eat anything." I shrug, and that was the truth.

"How about pasta?" Jackson pops his head into the kitchen.

"Okay, then I guess we're making pasta." Katy glances to me, and I agree.

"Oh and make extra, Michael and Nicole are coming over too!" He popped his head out of the doorway and yelled thank you from the other room.

"Okay then, let's get started!" Katy cheers, grabbing packages of Bow-Tie noodles out of the pantry.

"Who's Michael and Nicole?" I ask leaning against the kitchen counter.

"Michael is the third in command and Nicole is his mate."

"Oh okay, where are the pots?"

"Down in that cabinet." She points to a white cabinet next to the large fridge.

"Let's get cooking!" Looking at her weirdly, she just continued to act like we were suddenly on a televised cooking show.

Together we decided to make chicken Alfredo pasta, using the recipe that my pack taught me. I used to help the pack members make dinner when I was younger, they adored my help and taught me secret pack recipes which made it all worth it.

When we were finished, we poured the pasta into a big glass bowl and set it on the dining table along with plates, silverware, and glass cups.

"Jackson dinner is ready!" Katy called from the kitchen.

The doorbell rang, and I heard talking, as it grew louder Jackson and two other people entered the dining room. "Oh, Anna this is Michael and Nicole." They waved at me, and I waved back. "This is Katy's friend Anna."

"Hi," I mumble, ignoring the fact that in one day I went from a lonely rogue to having dinner with the Beta, third in command, and Alphas sister of Blood Moon.

They greet me back, and Katy joins us in the dining room. "Okay everyone we shall eat!" She cheers again, and we chuckle as we pick our seats at the table. I sat beside Katy and Nicole, across from Jackson.

"Oh my god it's incredible!" Nicole moaned while eating her food.

"It's Anna's recipe," Katy tells her.

"Anna this pasta is the best thing I've ever put in my mouth!" She complements, not noticing the hilarious looks from her mate.

"Oh, thanks."

During dinner, we chatted about random stuff, whenever someone would ask me about my pack or family Katy would change the subject, which I was grateful for. It turns out Nicole is pregnant; she said she's almost at two months. We talked about baby names and their plans; it cheered me up to talk about babies instead of deaths.

When we all finished, I helped Katy clean up the plates and put away leftovers. I also received many more compliments on the food. For once after the attack, I was... happy.

After we had finished cleaning up Katy and I joined the others in the living room. We just chatted more until we heard a car door shut from outside. I started to feel funny, but I couldn't put my finger on what was causing these uneasy feelings. The air filled with an irresistible scent, it was musky, woodsy, and sweet. I started squirming on the couch like I was being held down.

"Anna, you okay?" Katy asked me with a concerned look.

"Yeah, yeah I'm all right." I breathe out, but I was lying. The scent was starting to become stronger, making me more restless. I could hear my wolf whimpering on the inside, wanting to go to something.

Trying to control myself I took deep breaths and attempted to clear my mind of all thoughts.

All of the sudden the front door swung open forcing me to turn around.

He was tall and muscular like a warrior. His face was chiseled with a jaw like stone, and his eyes were a dark blue oasis. This man standing in the doorway was the most handsome, perfect, sexiest person I've ever set my eyes on. Our gazes connect, and I'm in a trance, my wolf keeps yelling at me over and over again one word.

Mate

It's my mate.

This perfection of a person standing in the same room as I, driving me insanely crazy, is my mate, my other half. My heart stops and doesn't plan on acting anytime soon. I couldn't read his expression, was he disappointed that I am his mate? Did he not want me? Am I not good enough? My wolf started to panic as these thoughts ran through my mind continuously. Just being in the same room with him I felt safe, I felt needed.

"Oh, Tyler you're back early," Jackson mutters surprised.

I tear away from his hypnotic gaze and stare at Katy wide-eyed. She notices my staring and shakes it off turning to face Tyler.

"Oh yeah, Tyler this is my friend Anna, she's going to sleepover." She states not even caring about his answer.

I glanced back at Tyler—my mate. His eyes are still resting on me, only causing me to become hotter and bothered.

"Tyler!" Katy yells trying to get his attention.

"Tyler." She waves her hands up in the air.

She gazes back at me, then him, then me, then him. I think she's finally catching on.

"Oh."