Ch. 1

My alarm sounded loudly, reminding me of my obligations in the day. I sighed hard, snaking my hands from the blanket and grabbing my phone to turn it off. "Eloise you need to wake up. You know Delmar hates being left waiting," my mother's voice warned from the other side of the door. She was right, he had quite the temper.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and rubbed my eyes sleepily as I walked to the tiny worn down closet. People in my faction didn't have much. We didn't have the space or money for many possessions. I reached in pulling out a grey shirt and faded denim skinny jeans I'd owned for a few years now. Another yawn escaped my lips as I laced up my worn out black boots.

"Eloise!" My mom yelled, causing me to roll my eyes as I quickly went to the mirror and started to brush my hair. It was barely to my shoulders. After.... him , Luna Hylda and Alpha Finn cut it off. They used it as a way to shame me, getting rid of my hip length dark chocolate locks. They had accused me of conspiring with Gerwulf to burn the pack crops and harm the Luna as an act to start a rebellion. My only escape from the hanging block was Delmar stepping up and offering to take me as a slave, in place of Gerwulf. People took it as a kind gesture... but it wasn't. He took every opportunity to torture and berate me. Honestly I'd spent almost everyday wishing they'd just killed me.

I touched my cheek gently, moving over the pink scar below my eye. When Gerwulf had kissed me, he had burned my skin. Because of this people now started to call me 'witch kissed' , saying I was as cursed as him. Truthfully I had begun to believe so. My life had been plagued with bad luck ever since that night, only in the last moments being saved by the grace of the moon goddess and having my life spared.

I quickly ran down the stairs, putting on my faded green backpack. "Hurry up, hurry up!" my mother called out, handing me an apple and ushering me out the door. Together we both walked out and headed to the pack house. We bowed and greeted the servants in the kitchen, going in our opposite directions. I gave a small smile to Mathilda, the head of the kitchen," guten Morgen... is Delmar's food ready?" She gave me a warm smile, the wrinkles on her face showing her age as she grabbed an elegant wooden tray and handed it over," best hurry up, young master is already awake."

My eyes widened and I quickened my pace, making it to the third story breathing hard. I paused momentarily trying to catch my breath in front of his door, only for it to open. "You're late, mute," Delmar practically growled, as he grabbed my shoulder hard and yanked me in. I shook in fear, trying to keep my eyes off of him as I sat the tray of food at the small table. He stormed over, roughly pulling out his chair and staring at me with a sadistic smile," tell me mute, do I scare you? Gerwulf was my brother you know, you weren't scared of him."

I quickly shook my head, feeling my cheeks flush. Saying his name was almost forbidden by this point, it was rare you heard it outside of whispers. Not long after he'd been exiled there was talk of him building a new pack, beginning to attack the allies of the Harvest Moon pack until they broke their alliances.

"SPEAK!" Delmar commanded, his evil smirk only widening as I jumped in fear. "N-No... m-master..." I spoke quietly. He chuckled and began eating, waving me away to gather his clothing for the day. Once he finished eating I hurriedly dressed him, tending to his hair as a maid entered the room and cleaned his breakfast mess. Delmar began his descent downstairs and I followed behind him like a shadow. We soon reached his regal looking school and he turned to stare at me," don't be late, I have an important task for you after school." I nodded, my heart thudding in fear thinking of the awful tasks he could put me up to. Last week he forced me to carry burning hot cauldrons from the kitchen to be cleaned and laughed as I cried. My arms still ached from the newly formed pink scars.

"Please enjoy your day, master," I responded coldly as he entered the school and I did the same, only using the servants hallway that led to the lower basement area. I was still allowed to be educated, the pack saw it as a way of keeping tabs on me... especially now that Gerwulf's attacks had become closer and closer to pack territory. It was only a matter of time before he managed to breach our territory or die trying. I sighed hard at the thought and tried my best to pay attention during the day.

The day only seemed to drag on until the lunch bell finally rang out. Thankfully Delmar was content with eating in the cafeteria so I had no obligation to see him until the end of the day. I however wasn't as lucky. Servants had to bring their own food or choose not to eat. The pack had no mercy for such lower class folk. I had a routine of going out into the far away park to calm my nerves as I snacked on whatever scraps my parents could afford to spare.

The wind swayed the autumn leaves on the trees and I smiled watching as some fell gracefully on the ground, a bright red cardinal seeming to come from nowhere. I looked around, making sure I was alone as it landed next to me going up in a cloud of smoke. Only a carefully folded note and a small box lay where it once was.

This was my biggest secret.

Not long after that fateful night I had began to receive messages from Gerwulf. I have always known his plans of usurping Keifer once he had stepped up to become alpha. Two years ago he had done so, and the attacks on allies had begun. Harvest Moon Pack was crippling beneath the newly formed enemy that was the Ash Walker pack. I knew he planned to attack soon and I desperately hoped for the opportunity to leave and be reunited with my best friend.

I had no hope in this pack. My parents only had me because it helped them gain more rations and brought another source of income once I started working as a child. They may as well be strangers to me, never having shown much warmth. I was so frail that I couldn't imagine becoming a stronger wolf. It would be a miracle if my mate didn't reject me. I was not a desirable person, nor was I attractive compared to the she-wolves that could afford things like makeup, nice clothes, and more than a bar of soap.

I shook my head, trying to suppress the sadness as I picked up the items and unraveled the note. 'Happy early birthday El, keep this on you. I'll be there soon' was all it read quickly turning to ash in my hands after so long. I was thankful for the effort he put into not endangering me, being caught would surely mean death or worse. The small velvet box opened to a knife.

Just looking at the blade you could tell it was enchanted. The moment I opened it, it had heated to a near point of glowing. Why would I need this? Was he worried I would become a casualty?

I sighed and rested a few more minutes before getting up and walking back to the school building. The knife was carefully tucked into my backpack. My birthday was only a few days away and I hoped he arrived before then. I didn't want to chance finding a mate and being unable to abandon a place that never felt like home.