Trespassing is a big deal in the werewolf world. It is deemed a threat and a lack of respect to the pack whose territory you cross and in most cases it means death.

Definite death.

I clutch Gemma's hand tightly. "Message my dad," I whisper, but she shakes her head.

  "I can't. I tried but I just can't get through. It's like there is a block that's been put up. I don't know what to do."

I spin around on my feet ignoring the fact that I am now definitely burning up. I am sweating and I resist the urge to be sick as I glance around taking in the area around us. It's getting darker now and colder so I know we can't stay longer.

  "Ok, Gemma let's just move." I point in a direction. "That route seems familiar, let's go through there."

She glances to me then to the route before taking my hand in hers.

  "Eve you're burning," she whispers, and I can feel her worry.

  "Don't worry," I say, "let's just try and get home."

★☾★

We both head in the direction I suggested but as we continue I have an overwhelming feeling that I was wrong and apparently so does Gemma, because she stops suddenly. Before I know it she is dragging me back, screaming "RUN!" as we both sprint away from where we were heading.

  "We crossed the boundary and now they know," Gemma screams as she continues to pull me behind her. It is difficult for me to keep up; one she is much taller than me so has longer legs but also let's not forget the fact that she is a werewolf with extraordinary speed whereas I am a human who was too focused on taking pills and surviving to take up a sport such as running.

My chest and legs burn as we continue to jump over broken branches and sidestep trees but somewhere behind me I can hear the howls of wolves and the ground shaking beneath their pounding feet.

Oh we are so dead.

Suddenly Gemma pulls me in another direction and I push at her hands.

  "I can't...run..anymore," I mutter as I slow down, causing Gemma to stop.

   "No Eve, we have to keep going. The moment we stop they will find us and then before we can tell them who we are we will be killed." She is panting as well, her cheeks bright red and her hair messed up from running.

I shake my head. "I can hardly breathe. Maybe if we stop running they will stop chasing and perhaps we ca-"

A deafening roar stops me from uttering another word. I see how Gemma's eyes widen and fill with tears. This is it, I think as I reach for Gemma's hand but another roar makes me drop my hands to the side quickly.

Gemma shakes her head and I stand silently, watching as Gemma takes a step in front of me and lays to the ground, her head on the floor, her neck tilted up. She is surrendering, submitting, showing we are no harm.

I still have my back to them so I can't see much of what is going on.

  "Turn around!" a gruff voice commands and the power in those two words makes my legs wobble. I close my eyes and clench my fingers into a fist. I am not going to be helpless. I am not going to be murdered tonight.

I slowly turn, my black hair cascading down my shoulders hiding my face from the others. Something tells me to look up, so I do and in that second I am blown away. 

Seven men are standing around me and Gemma, all well built and strong enough to kill me and Gemma with their pinkie finger. But none of the other men interest me because all I can do is stare at the tallest man, standing in the middle partially hidden by the shadows. He has the most power among the others; so overwhelming i can feel it from where I am standing. So much power that I feel like bending at my knees to submit to the man.

He is an Alpha and a very strong one I realise. But it's not just the power that makes me paralysed, there is something else as well, but I can't figure it out. However I don't need to because apparently he's already figured it out from the recognition that flashes through his face.

I have an urge to approach him but I can't because I am too scared. The man steps from the shadow and damn, there goes my heart. He is perfection and there is no doubt about it. A face carved by the gods themselves. A strong jaw, a pointed nose, jet black hair and piercing grey eyes that make my heart stop.

  "You have trespassed," he growls and suddenly all recognition is removed from his face and only a dark glare and a snarl are left on his gorgeous face.

Noticing the tension, Gemma slowly stands, despite the other wolves growling, and stands in front of me, defensively.

Even til the end she is protecting me.

  "We apologise, it wasn't our intention. We lost our direction and crossed the boundary by mistake. It will never happen again. We mean your pack no harm and we will leave straightaway." Gemma is shaking and even I can feel her fear. I guess she too can feel the power of this Alpha.

One of the men laughs and both Gemma and I turn to him. He is big and bald and there is a long scar cutting through half his face. He smiles, threateningly, though the sight of his yellow crooked teeth makes me repulsed and sick to my stomach.

  "Well you two pretty ladies shouldn't be roaming the woods so late anyway." He glances between both of us. "A wolf and a human, how fucking fascinating." He is mocking us and I want to reach out and smack the smug look off his ugly face. "You must know the consequences of trespassing, my lovely," he purs at Gemma and when he licks his lips and smiles the same disgusting smile, I step up.

I can't take it anymore. I might be a sick and weak human but Gemma was right. I am still an Alpha's daughter and I'm not going down without a fight.

  "You dare to touch me or her and I will show you real consequences," I state, my eyes narrowing in anger. There is slight silence before the bastard begins laughing not just a small scoff but a full-blown belly popping laugh which makes my skin prickle.

Gemma grabs my hand, trying to pull me back but I ignore her.

  "Laugh all you want but if my friend and I don't leave here unharmed then I can assure you that when tomorrow comes your pack will be burnt to the ground." The words fall from my lips and the moment I say them aloud I can't help regretting my impulsiveness.

There is a unison of growls and I know exactly why. I have just threatened the safety of their pack.

The man steps forward and behind him the rest of them follow; they're closing in on us. The only person who stays behind is the Alpha who watches with curious eyes as his men begin to step forward, their eyes glowing black.

It was difficult to pretend that I wasn't scared when all I could see were big men, black eyes and long claws. The prospect of death was heading at me full speed and I turned my head to glance at Gemma who looked scared to her core but ready to fight if the time came for it. I'm so proud of you, I think as I clutch her hand and watch as the men prowl towards us, the one in the front smiling through his yellow teeth.

  "Enough." My eyes dart to the Alpha who begins to emerge from the shadows to stand in front of me. I'm finding it increasingly harder to breathe.

  "You think you, a human girl, can take down my pack?" There was amusement laced in his words and my chest clenched at his voice.

I shake my head, my hair framing my face. "No of course not, I'm human not stupid." He cocks an eyebrow and watches me carefully.

  "I didn't say I was the one that was going to destroy your pack."

  "Then who is?" someone in the background asks. I don't know who because my eyes are still locked onto the Alpha's. I just can't look away.

  "My father, the Alpha of Crescent Moon pack, will have no problem showing you why he is one of the most powerful Alphas in the world." I smirk as the Alpha in front scrunches his eyebrows together.

  "You are Jacob Kronex's daughter?" he asks, confused.

I blink and gasp back air as pain explodes in my stomach. Gemma instantly notices my movement and grabs me by the arm to steady me. I turn to look at her and catch my reflection in her eyes. Pale face, so pale I wonder to myself if there is any actual blood circulation happening in my body. Gemma clutches my arm tightly and that's when I notice I am shaking, trembling like a paper house about to be blown down by a simple gust of wind.

I turn back to the Alpha, though now my vision is blurring and no matter how many times I blink I can't see clearly anymore.

  "Yes , I am Alpha Kronex's daughter and the only heir to the Crescent Moon pa-ack," I stutter as another shooting pain makes me gasp. So much for fighting til the end.

  "What the hell is going on with her?" a voice shouts and in the background I can hear murmurs and voices which all soon just turn into a disoriented blur of noise.

Suddenly an arm wraps around my waist and I'm folded into someone's chest. At first I thought it was Gemma, trying to hold my crumbling body steady, but when the smell of pine cones and wet earth flooded up my nose I knew better.

With all my strength I try to push away, groaning in pain as the hand tightens around me.

  "Gemma," I whisper, "get dad..."

And then I pass out, succumbing to the pain in the arms of a scary Alpha.