Anastasia's P.O.V.

My head hit the window as the car hit a bump. I hissed as I opened my eyes, waiting patiently for it to adjust to the darkness inside the car.

"You alright there Ana?" Damien asked from behind the wheel. Nyal looked at me over his shoulder.

"This is a Pathfinder, find a smoother path," I grumbled as I leaned on the shoulder of a sleeping Jared.

They chuckled and the car fell into silence again. We were currently en route to our old lands. Damien, Nyal and I had undertaken surveillance duty of our land and found it odd that they were practically left untouched. This made us take a huge risk, going back home. We had several missions to complete and hopefully we won't get killed.

"Xaden is covering for you in school right?" Nyal asked, the reflections of the tablet screen dancing in his glasses.

"Yup, if we get delayed he will talk to the principal and my teachers discreetly," I replied, my senses perking up as the dark surroundings became more familiar.

"Hopefully he wouldn't have to do that," Jared muttered sleepily. 

I saw the shift within my brothers, the same feelings I got as we crossed over into our lands. This was our home. Damien kept to the borders as we drove to the remote area of our lands.

I exhaled calmly as Damien came to a stop as the headstone appeared. He switched off the engine but kept the lights on as silence came over us. I hadn't been up here since her birthday, it was hard to talk to someone you hardly remembered.

"C'mon," Nyal said gently, "we're on a schedule." Everyone nodded and got out of the car, Damien opened the trunk and he and I took out the silver stakes and wire while Nyal took out the mallet. 

I stayed silent as Damien's pain mentally washed over me. I looked up at my brother, proud that he was able to keep himself together. Jared was sitting in front the gravestone, his head buried in his arms.

Damien got to work, driving the stakes into the dirt with the mallet. I took my gloves from Nyal who was on surveillance duty and carefully got to work threading the wire through the holes in the stakes. The forest was cool and quiet around us, the waxing crescent moon shining down on us. My wolf constantly beat against my senses, wanting to run free on home soil. It was hard to keep her at bay as her strength grew with as the full moon approached, only my work with the silver kept her bay.

I looked up at Damien as I finished the last of the wire fence. It was over a foot tall, with numerous strands of silver forming the fence; no wolf would be able to slip a hand or a paw in between them. Damien and Nyal brought the top piece, a cover built similarly to the fence, over.

Nyal gestured to Jared's huddled form, our time was up. I stepped over the fence and rest my hand on his shoulder. I smiled weakly as he looked up at me teary eyed and tilted my head in their direction.

Jared sighed as he stood up, looking at the gravestone one more time before stepping over. I looked the marble headstone even though I didn't need to, the words were forever seared into my brain. Nyal's and Damien's footsteps broke me out of my reverie.

"Bye Mom," I murmured before stepping out. They lowered the cover before screwing it into place.

Mission secure Mom's grave, completed.

We stood there, having a moment of silence before walking back to the car. I turned around, taking one last look at the grave as we drove away.

Here lies Asilin Ashworth

Mother of many

Love of one

Who gave her life

To protect her sons

Chosen by the Goddess

A strong woman of might

Now a bright star

Shining in the night

~

Take only what you need, Damien warned us as we slunk through the forest. We only have a half an hour window.

We silently agreed as our home came into view. I swallowed lightly and looked over at my brothers, on Nyal's nod, we bolted out of the shadows and into the confines of our home. We huddled around Nyal's tablet looking and listening for any sign that Nightwalker pack was aware of our presence.

We breathed a collective sigh as the pack lands remained undisturbed. On Damien's signal we set to work. Our second mission was to gather more items from our home. Nyal took the first floor of bedrooms where he, Dad and Axel slept and Jared volunteered to take the second floor, where he, Rowan, Asher and Ari slept. Damien stayed downstairs, collecting whatever he could from Dad's study while I crept upstairs to the third floor where Damien and my rooms were.

My heart thudded painfully as I opened the familiar white door. My bed laid there in the same hastily made state as the night we left. The left of my room was mostly my closet, filled to the brim with clothes and dance costumes. I grinned as I plucked a couple of tutus from their crate and shoved then into my bag. I also plucked more clothes from my closet and more shoes, knowing that Kenna, Hayley and I were going to be sharing. I padded across to the right of the room where my bathroom and art supplies were. I grabbed what I could and shoved them in as well.

I didn't bother with makeup which Kenna packed or jewelry which Hayley brought. I looked around my room one last time, the moonlight bouncing off the pastel purple walls, giving it a soft glow. On my wall hung pieces of my artwork which were mostly oil paintings, pencil drawings and watercolours, I bit my lip as I took the pencil drawings out from their frames, the canvas paintings won't fit.

Is that what you need? Damien scolded in my head.

Oh shut up, I retorted as I went over to his room. 

Through our mind link, I packed what he wanted into his rucksack and soon I trudged downstairs with the bags. We stood in the living room, watching Damien place a combination briefcase into his rucksack. We shouldered our bags and without looking back, we slipped out of the house and into the night.

~

Stop here Ana.

I brought the vehicle to a stop and quickly shut off the engine and lights at Nyal's command. I turned in my seat to look at Jared and Damien in the back. This was our last but most dangerous task for the night. We were at the northern border of our land, where for months we endured taunting from Maximus Kali until it came down to a battle. The bitter scent of the Nightwalker wolves told us that they were close, only a mile or two from the border according to the cameras.

Alright, Nyal said as he finished hooking up a wire, the plan is: Damien and Jared; you climb the trees and secure the receivers just how I showed you as quickly but carefully as possible. Ana, you and I are staying on the ground, I'll have my headphones on, making sure each receiver is picking up audio as Damien and Jared turn them on while you, his eyes landed on me, watch our backs. All of us are at a disadvantage here, you're our strength.

I nodded, my stomach rolled at the thought of my brothers' lives being in my hand my wolf however, welcomed it.

Everyone ready? Jared asked. We looked at each other and nodded.

Let's go, Damien said and we quickly exited the car.

 We ran as quickly and as quietly through the woods as possible. My heart pounded as we reached the fringe of our territory. My wolf fought against me as she remembered the stand offs that happened her, the anger she felt at being helpless and the need for revenge. I swallowed the lump in my throat as I focused and kept my eyes and ears open, waiting for any sign of the enemy.

It was long work as the wires and receivers needed to be set up carefully and precisely. Nyal, Rowan and Ari were the techies in the family, developing the audio devices that would help us get an insight to what was happening in the Nightwalker pack. All hope was on the biggest receiver, hopefully it would pick up audio from the heart of the camp, where their deluded alpha was.

I glanced behind my shoulder to see Damien and Jared ascend with the big one into the canopy. Nyal nodded and I went back to my work. So far, we were undisturbed and while that encouraged my brothers, it made me uneasy.

My nostrils flared as the sudden breeze brought a bitter smell with it. My wolf surged to the surface, ready to taste blood. I clenched my fists as I struggled to get her under control.

Nyal looked up as he noticed the change in my stance. Upon seeing my pained expression, his eyes glassed over as he contacted Damien and Jared. I bit back a growl as the scent became stronger, we didn't have much time.

Move! Damien shouted in my head. 

I forced my legs to corporate as I ran behind Jared. My wolf was furious, urging me to turn around and face the enemy, not run away like a coward. She was livid with bloodlust.

I was swept off my feet suddenly. Jarred out my thoughts I looked up to see Jared's face a mask of concentration as he ran, I hadn't even noticed I stopped. I struggled involuntarily against his chest, my wolf lashing out at him.

"Drive!" Jared shouted as he tossed me into the car. Damien started the engine as Jared hopped in and slammed the door.

My barriers broke and my wolf took over. I beat my hands against the windows as the car moved.

"Let me out!" I cried. Jared wrenched me away from the windows and I dug my nails into his skin as he tried to restrain my hands.

"Faster," Nyal urged Damien while I struggled against Jared. My wolf was hysterical, we were leaving our home in the hands of the enemy, the threat was so close and we wanted to eliminate it. I threw my head back as a searing pain ripped through my body. I tasted my blood as my canines extended, cutting my lip.

"The silver she worked with earlier is restraining her wolf," I faintly heard Nyal say, "we need to get off our lands now." Damien grunted as he slammed the gas pedal.

"Ana, fight her," Jared smoothed my hair as my back arched in pain.

"I can't" I breathed as a crushing pressure on my chest.

"You have to," Damien's voice was laced with his power as Beta. "You can't return to the Blackwell lands as a wolf.

"She won't be leaving our lands human if you don't speed up," Jared stated.

"Please please please," I begged. "Let me out! Go back! I need to get out." I cried out as another tremor wracked my body. I faintly heard Jared trying to comfort me as the shaking increased. I desperately tried to force my wolf back down, scared that I shifted while I was in the car.

"Jared get her out!" Nyal shouted as the car hurled to a stop. Jared unlocked the door and unceremoniously tossed me out of the car as my claws extended, digging into the soil.

Now let me tell you how this shifting process goes. Normally, there was little to no pain after your first shift. Your bones would meld and reshape, your fur would emerge from your skin easily and your claws would extend while your senses become sharper. This is what the average werewolf would experience when they shift into their wolf form willingly.

Of course, my wolf and I were not normal. I cried out in pain as my bones moulded themselves and my fur protruded from my skin. My grimace of agony became a feral snarl as I struggled to stay in the forefront of my mind, refusing to let my wolf completely take over.

I growled at Jared as he approached, my wolf smelt his wolf as he close to the surface, automatically seeing him as a threat. Jared held up his hands, a sign of peace but kept his defensive attitude. My wolf snapped at him before turning around and making a break for it, trying to run home.

Damien's dark silver wolf instantly blocked my path. I growled and tried to get past him. He snarled, pulling his muzzle up to show his teeth. I snarled and he did the same, neither of us backing down. Damien slowly padded over to me, teeth exposed, trying to get my wolf to submit.

Ana, Nyal's voice rang clear in my head, I know you're in no state of mind to shift back. My wolf growled in agreement. So our offer is, you can run back to just outside Blackwell territory with Jared but once we're near the boundary, you MUST change back. Deal?

I waited for my wolf to consider the offer. She had a soft spot Nyal and his wolf because he taught her how to fight and use her strengths. She stopped snarling and relaxed on her hind legs. Deal, I replied.

My wolf stretched out her limbs as Damien shifted back and Jared's wolf emerged from the shadows. My wolf circled him slowly, muzzle pulled back slightly as she studied his brown and white wolf. She stopped and reared back, ready to run. Jared's growl drowned out the sound of the Pathfinder's engine as we took off into the night.

~

I snarled as Rowan's and Asher's wolves came into view as I entered a clearing not too far from Blackwell territory. I screeched to halt and stood there snarling at them. I was exhausted after running for most of the night and now the first signs of daylight shone over the treeline. My wolf had control of most of my mind now; I didn't have the energy to fight her.

"What happened?" Axel asked as he stood between them. 

Two doors slammed shut as Damien and Nyal exited the car, their eyes glossy as they shared what occurred earlier. Axel frowned in confusion as he stepped back, giving his spot to Damien. My wolf was on the defensive, definitely not liking how the 2 wolves and 4 men stood.

"Anastasia," Damien said, "shift back." I felt the compulsion to obey his Beta command but there was a glass wall between me and my wolf. I pounded against it, trying to reach my wolf to get her to obey.

"We ran all the way here," Jared said, muffling a yawn. "Exhaustion is supposed to make the shift easier."

"Ana," Nyal tried, "fight her; shift."

My wolf snarled and reared back on her haunches, ready to attack. Rowan and Asher stepped forward ready to fight her.

"Well exhaustion isn't helping the situation," Axel commented. He stooped and looked my wolf dead in the eye. "Alright Ana, we can do this the easy way or the hard way."

My wolf tensed as memories of the hard way flashed in her head. She snarled but it turned into a yelp of pain and she whisked around. Ari stepped out from behind the trees, a blowgun in his hands. My eyes traveled down to my hide where a tranquilizer dart stuck out from my dark brown fur.

Sorry Ana-Banana, Ari said as my eyes slid shut.

~

I pulled my chair back gruffly and let my binder fall to the table before resting my arms on it and burying my face in them. The original plan was not to go to school today and sleep off the sedative but when Hayley texted me a reminder of today's Spanish test, I had no choice but push through my classes.

"Are you sure you don't want to go home Anastasia?" Xaden asked roughly, angry at my stubbornness. I nodded my head without looking up and drifted off into a light sleep.

I groaned as my phone rang a couple minutes later. Cael chuckled before plucking it out from my back pocket. "Hello good afternoon," he answered, cluing me into an unknown caller. There was a pause as he listened to the other person. "Yes she is, please hold for a moment."

I snapped up when he prodded my side and looked at him. He mouthed the words "arts school" and I immediately grabbed the phone from him. "Good afternoon, Anastasia Ashworth speaking," I chimed.

"Good afternoon Ms. Ashworth, I am Mrs. Goodwind, admissions officer at Hugo Fontaine Arts School," a gentle lady spoke. "I am calling you with hopes to arrange a showcase date as you have been considered for spot in our school."

"I'm very appreciative for the consideration," I replied catching my friends' attention as they leaned in closer. "When is the most convenient date?"

"Three months from today," Mrs. Goodwind replied. I did a quick calculation, estimating it to be the last week of high school. "You'll be required to do an interview as well as prepare a portfolio and a couple dance pieces for a live audition, in keeping with your interest of pursuing a double major in art and dance."

I listened to all the additional items I needed to bring and prepare, scribbling them quickly on my binder. I bit my lip as I thanked her and hung up.

I looked around the table, everyone had contained their excitement in while I was on the phone. Kenna and Hayley squealed and hugged me as I started to smile, Cael clapped me on my back while Xaden graced me with a small smile.

I was so relieved to get called for at least one audition. I would tell my family at dinner, knowing the commotion they would make.

Xaden volunteered to buy us celebratory sodas, leaving me exposed as he left to get them.

I felt eyes on me and judging by the chills going through my body, he was looking at me. I looked up, unsurprised to see his ice blue eyes on me. I smiled at him and he smiled back but mine faded when I saw Isabel sitting next to him. Their chairs were a bit farther away than usual and I could see the tension between them. I sent a quick smile his way before Xaden sat down, his massive form effectively blocking me.

"To Anastasia, whose blood, sweat and tears finally paid off," he said.

"And," I added as we raised our cans, "to the best set of best friends any girl can ask for." We all cheered and laughed as the bell rang.

Author's Note 

The institution mentioned in this chapter is purely fictional. 

Any resemblance to reality is purely coincidental. 

~Raqs