He comes to stand next to me, leaning against the tree opposite me. I take my earlier position and lean against the same tree. "Why did you join this group three years ago?" he suddenly questions.
I direct my eyes to him and put on a blank face. "Like I said three years ago when you asked me this, I want to make my dad proud. He has to know that he isn't suffering alone." I mutter the last part as I turn my head away, letting my blonde hair cover my face.
"There isn't another reason?" he questions suspiciously. I shake my head. What else would there be?
"So, you're saying that you have no other reason to be in this group apart from making your dad proud when you woke up in that battle field three years ago and saw your mum dead? You don't want to get revenge on the person who caused her death? You don't want justice for her?" he questions amazed.
I smile slightly. Everyone always thinks that I'll be mad and sad when they bring up the subject of my dead mum. Yes, she did die in that bloody war three years ago when I was only 15 years of age. The thing is though, I know none of this can be erased. None of this can be rewritten and I've accepted that. I accepted that a long time ago.
"Well?" Callum pushes when I answer him with silence. I turn my head and show him my small smile and glassy eyes. He blinks after seeing my face and he suddenly looks like he regrets asking those questions.
I sigh heavily. "The thing is, beta, what's happened can't be erased or rewritten. It can't change no matter how much I want it to. My mum's in a better place now, with the Moon Goddess. She's probably smiling down at me right now. I've accepted that she's dead and I've moved on. She will be in my heart though, forever and always," I tell him honestly as a single tear slips out the corner of my eye.
Callum graces me with a half smile and warm, kind eyes. "You're gonna be a very wise person when you grow up. Never let anything stop you from achieving what you want." With that said, Callum turns and walks away back into the pack house.
I stay there, leaning against the tree. I just think. I think about what happened that day, the pain, the heartache, the sadness, and most of all... the feeling of emptiness.
"Hey, you need to wake up. Come on, wake up," I hear a soft voice in my ear, as a hand shakes my shoulder lightly. I slowly open my eyes only for them to be met with a pair of brown ones.
I blink a few times before finally realising who it is. I gasp and bolt upright, wobbling a bit on my legs. The man grasps my arm, making sure I'm steady before slightly backing away, giving me space.
"Beta," I respectfully say as I bow my head, my messy blonde hair covering my face.
"What are you doing here? You should be in the safe house with all the others" he lightly scolds.
I blush. "I'm sorry, beta, but I couldn't leave my parents to die. I had to help them," I tell him as tears come to my eyes. Speaking of my mum and dad, I hope I find them soon.
"No offence, but that was a really stupid decision. You could've gotten yourself killed!" he yells at me, going into beta mode and his wolf coming to the surface.
I cower away from him. "I'm sorry, beta, but I couldn't leave them. I just couldn't." I sob as I drop to my knees.
He sighs and kneels in front of me. "How old are you? You can't be older than 14" he mumbles while I raise my head to look at him.
"I'm 15," I quietly say. At that moment, I hear a loud, painful sob. My head snaps up, me thinking the worse.
My eyes search all the battered and limp bodies, trying my hardest to ignore all the blood and stench of death. My eyes set on a man with brown hair and soft, brown eyes that are filled with pain. My dad.
Without thinking, I bolt over to where he's kneeling over a body. I look down and the whole world seems to fall around me. A lady with blonde hair and bluish-green eyes stares lifelessly up at me. Her hair has blood going through it, tainting it to the extreme. Her body is in a weird position and three long claw marks stretch from her neck to her stomach.
This lady... is my mum.
A loud sob escapes me as I collapse over her mangled body. "Mum! No! Please, you have to wake up! Please!" I scream as I start to violently shake her. She can't be dead! She just can't be! She has to be there for my formal, help me when I get a boyfriend, put up with my tantrums, cry at my wedding! She can't miss out on all that! Another strangled sob escapes me as I realise this. She can't be dead!
My dad engulfs me in a hug as I sob into his chest. He wraps his arms around me and buries his face in my hair, trying to hide his own tears.
"Please, mum, please," I beg in a silent whisper as I continue to cry on my dad's chest. My mum is dead... and there's nothing I can do about it.
I wipe away the tears that have been falling down my cheeks. I will never forget how my mum looked when I found her. I will never forget that look in my dad's eyes as he cried. I will never forget that awful day.
This mission has given me the chance to at least bring some little justice to my mum. I know I said that I've moved on and I have, but I want my mum to know that I helped bring an end to those who caused her and all my family pain.
I'm getting into those select 10 whether I like it or not and there's nothing anyone can do about it.
4
ALEX
I storm into Taylor and Ally's room with a determined look on my face. I told them yesterday that we're doing training and I'll be damned if they sleep through it!
I stand in the middle of their room and observe how they're sleeping soundly and peacefully. Too bad I'm gonna ruin that for them, I think evilly.
I suck in a big breath before screaming at the top of my lungs, "Rise and shine, ladies! We have training to do! Get your asses out of bed! Come on! Chop chop! Training awaits!"
I get groans in return for my loud screaming. I roll my eyes at the two of them as they groggily lift their heads from their soft pillows.
"What the hell, Alex? It's five o'clock in the morning," Ally mumbles as she drops her face back into her pillow.
"Yeah, get stuffed. I want sleep, sleep is good," Taylor mutters unintelligently.
I grumble under my breath as I watch my two friends fall back asleep. "If you don't get up, I won't make your dinner tonight," I warn them in a serious tone.
Truth be told, I cook for the Alpha, Luna, Beta, and some of my friends. It's honestly an honour to be cooking for Axel, Celina, and Callum. Yet there's always an empty space at the table that nobody fills...
Both Taylor and Ally just mumble something incoherent at my warning. I sigh deeply and walk out the door. If they aren't gonna train with me, then I guess I'll just have to do it myself.
I quickly make my way to the kitchen, trying to be as quiet as possible. I open the cupboard and quickly snatch a Milo cereal bar. What? I need to eat before training!
As I happily munch on my Milo bar, I hear a loud yawn from the door. I lift my head up and stand up straight from my former position of leaning on the kitchen bench. As soon as I realize who the person is, I drop my head in respect. Why is he up so early?
"Alpha," I mumble quietly, still not wanting to be too loud. As soon as he hears my voice, his head snaps up and his eyes widen at me.
"Alex? I didn't expect to see you up this early," he says with surprise evident in his voice. Likewise, I said in my head.
I keep my head down as I reply. "I didn't mean to disturb you, Alpha. I was just getting some break then head to the gym," I tell him as I chuck away the wrapper of the bar.
Just as I'm making my escape to the kitchen door, Axel's voice stops me. "The gym? Why are you going there at this time of the morning? On a Saturday, nonetheless," he questions suspiciously.
I lift my head and look at him. His white hair sits messily on his head, like he's just woken up, and his silver eyes hold sleep. He's shirtless, so his abs and toned arms are on clear view. To any person, he would be the definition of perfect because well, he is. He's the Moon Goddess' son, he has to be.
"I'm training, Alpha. I wish to be a part of the group who's chosen
to be assigned on the mission. I don't want to risk any chances of me not making it, so I'm training every morning at five. Again, I'm sorry if I disturbed you, Alpha," I say truthfully, deciding to answer his earlier question.
Without waiting for a response, I push through the kitchen door and make my way to the indoor gym the pack house has.
I go straight to the treadmill for a warm up, but I'm in a full blown run 20 minutes later. What can I say? I love my running. It lets me think and try to understand why everything around me happens because it does.
For example, I try to figure out why my dad won't let me stay with him. Not even a week after the war, my dad sent me to live in the pack house because he said he needed to mourn his dead mate. I accepted that, but that was three years ago. Since then, I've only stepped foot in my real home about seven times. Sad, I know.
I understand why dad won't let me go back though. I look exactly like her. Like my mum... I have the same blonde hair, bluish-green eyes and figure. The only thing I share with my dad is my nose. Apart from that, I'm like an exact replica of my mum and it hurts when I see the look in my dad's eyes when he sees me. I see the hurt, sadness, and guilt. I can't even look into my dad's eyes anymore, it just hurts too much.
I continue to sprint for another few minutes until I feel like my legs are about to collapse. I slow down to a leisurely walk until I catch my breath. Jumping off the treadmill, I head to the punching bag.
I strap my knuckles and breathe in and out. In and out. In and out. I keep breathing until I'm calm, then I let all my emotions bubble up and take control of me. All the anger, sadness, annoyance, disparity, everything.
You know what's annoying? When you don't know what you're training for. That's really annoying! I joined the group three years ago and I don't even know the reason why it was formed! Hell! I don't think anyone does!
I think it has something to do with a certain someone who was captured a long time ago in a certain war. In other words, Comrade. He's the one that's supposed to sit in the empty seat. He's the one that's supposed to be with Celina, along with Callum. He's the one that's supposed to make all the girls swoon. Comrade is the one who's supposed to be here and happy.
Listen to me! I don't even know the guy! I've heard about him though, and for me, that's enough. I continue to punch and kick with all my might, not caring that the wrap around my knuckles has torn. I just keep punching as I try to clear my mind. No more thinking. I just want peace and if destroying a poor punching bag is how to do it, then so be it.
Since I'm so concentrated on the punching bag, I don't notice the person sneaking up behind me before they lay a hand on my shoulder. Out of instinct, I turn around while gripping their wrist. I twist it so that the person's whole body turns, then I forcefully push them down towards the floor face first. I put my knee at the small of their back as I continue to grip their wrist in my hand. Whoever snuck up on me is a very unlucky man.
"Remind me never to sneak up on you again," he groans in a voice I know all too well. Matthew.
I chuckle as I loosen my hold and stand to my feet, offering him my hand. He takes it with a grin and hauls himself up to his full height, which is way above me and most certainly above Ally.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't my favourite person! How ya doin?" Matthew asks in a joking manner. I laugh at him and slap him slightly on his chest.
Matt and I have been best friends since high school. I met him through Callum since they're brothers. He's a year older than me, so he's 19, but he's still the first person I go to when I need to just calm down. Unless it's at five o'clock in the morning and I've already felt the wrath of Taylor and Ally. That reminds me, no dinner for them tonight.
"I'm doing good! Why are you up so early?" I question. If I know Matt, it’s that he never gets up early. I'd be lucky if he gets up before eight!
"Alex, it's 8:30" he says slowly like he's talking to a mentally disabled person. I roll my eyes at him and lightly slap him on his chest. That's still pretty amazing to see Matt up before eight on a Saturday.
"Not my fault. I lost track of time," I mumble under my breath, but he obviously hears it since he's a werewolf.
He chuckles at my annoyed face before the smile on his face drops when his eyes set on my knuckles. I also look down and notice that since the wrap has torn, my knuckles are bleeding and the flesh is torn.
Matt immediately grabs my hands and runs his thumbs lightly over my knuckles. I wince as it makes contact with my skin. Damn! That burns like a bitch!
Matt sighs. "Al, you shouldn't push yourself like this," he scolds, using the nickname he gave me.
I look straight into his eyes and show him my pain and despair from everything that's happening around me. His face softens at the sight.
"I don't know what to say, Al. You know I suck at the caring thing," he tells me with a small smile. I laugh through my nose and nod my head in agreement. He really does suck at that.
Instead of using words to show me he cares, he pulls me into a bone crushing hug. I hug him back with just as much force. This is what I love about Matt, he'll have no clue what to do, but he'll still make everything better.
"Now then!" he exclaims, pulling back with a smirk. "Why don't you take on the beta and see if you win?" A challenging spark lights up his eye and I'm sure mine does the same thing.
Oh, it's so on.
5
One week later…
ALEX
We all stand out in the grounds, only 20 of us left now. Callum got rid of the ten of us just the day before, so this is our final test.
"As you all know, this will be the final test to see who shall be assigned the mission," Callum begins as he locks eye contact with each and every one of us.
"Your task is simple, don't get caught." We all look at him confused before he continues to explain. "You could say that your task is like a big game of tag. Every man or woman for themselves. If you get caught, you must return to the grounds. The last 10 remaining shall be a part of the group. The last person remaining shall get a surprise."
I look towards Taylor and Ally. They're both staring up at Callum with determination and strength in their eyes. They want this just as much as me.
"You'll have five minutes to separate yourselves from each other before the taggers are set loose," Callum goes on and we all nod in understanding.
"Who are the taggers?" I suddenly ask. All eyes turn to me while Callum lets an all too familiar smirk grace his face.
"Taggers! Will you grace us with your presence?" Callum exclaims towards to the house. To my utter horror and disbelief, Axel and Celina walk out of the house with training gear on. A series of profanities are heard as we all realise that we're gonna have to outrun the alpha and luna.
"I will also be a tagger, so be prepared. You have the alpha, Luna and beta all chasing after you. Again, if you get caught, make your way back to the grounds. You have five minutes to run and hide. Take your positions!" Callum announces, so everyone bolts to an opening in the forest.
I look to my right to see Ally; she looks back at me. I nod at her and send a silent 'good luck' her way. She smiles slightly then looks ahead of her again.
I look to my left and see Taylor cracking her knuckles. I smirk at her and she smirks right back at me. A silent challenge is said between us -- I'm so gonna win this.
"Three!" Callum announces in all mighty voice, startling mostly everyone. Here we go...
"Two!"
I crouch down low so that I can get a good propulsion. I look around me and notice that everyone has shifted into their wolf forms except me. I look up to see Axel, Celina and Callum looking at me curiously, but I just smirk and focus my attention back to the task at hand.
"One!"
I take in a deep breath through my nose and slowly let it through my mouth. I block out every noise around me, only listening to my racing heartbeat and even breaths.
"Go!"
Without a second thought, I launch myself in the f
orest. I just run forward, not making any turns or cuts, just straight ahead.
I still didn't shift into my wolf form, I run fast enough anyway. Plus, I've learnt a few things these past three years. I know that when in wolf form, your scent is more distinct and can be tracked more easily. When you're in human form, however, your scent is slightly masked and is harder to track. I'm using that fact to my advantage.
I spot a clearing coming up ahead, but didn't stop. I just bolt straight through it like lightning. If you were looking, you wouldn't want to blink.
I continue on when I hear three distant wolf howls, each belonging to the taggers. I chuckle lowly and sprint for the nearest tree. Without slowing my pace, I run up the tree horizontally, all the way to the top. I rest myself behind some branches and leaves so I can see them, but they can't see me.
I just sit there, listening and looking for any movement that could slightly distinguish a wolf. After all, I'm the only one in human form.
About 20 minutes pass and nothing happens. I decide to get down from the tree and have a little snoop around to see where everyone else is. Just as I'm about to jump from my position, a blonde coloured wolf comes barreling through the trees.
I freeze in motion and observe the wolf carefully. It's not Axel or Celina, since their wolves are black and white, and it's not Callum because his wolf has a more sandy colour to it.
The wolf looks around frantically and that's when I notice the panicked look in their eyes. This wolf is being chased by a tagger.
To prove my point, a white wolf comes barreling through the trees and goes to tackle the blonde wolf. The wolf's eyes widen and a startled yelp escapes it as it jumps out of the way at the last second.
I watch the scene unfold as Celina circles with the blonde wolf. The poor thing looks so scared that it actually makes me want to help. So, without thinking it through, I jump down from my tree and growl.