this is the new version of the old one! hope you like it!

I stared at the ceiling blankly. I cringed a bit as the alarm clock buzzed. I glanced at it. I never needed an alarm clock. It was just here as a torture device. I sighed and lightly reached over to shut it off. My eyes were heavy but sleep was never an option for me.

I sighed deeply. I sat up and walked to my bathroom. I was a disgusting waste of space. At least thats the idea that was pinmed into my brain. Yet it was true I saw no point in trying after my parents died.

I grabbed the nearest rubber band and leaned over to tie up my hair. After I put it up in a high pony tail, I leaned over the sink, brushed my teeth and slowly walked into my small cubicle of a room. All I had in here was a bed and a hidden photo of my parents.

I went to my bed and plucked the frame from under the too soft pillow. My mother was kissing my dad and I was in the middle with my birthday cake. I was 7 years old when they died. My dad was laughing in the picture, and my older brother, Larson crossing his arms and pouting. I rolled my eyes daringly. My brother had taken over the pack after my parents death, for he was like an heir. I heard footsteps pound up the pack house and I immediately threw the picture down underneath my pillow. I looked up as the door slammed open.

"Good morning.." I mumbled. He shook his all black hair.

"Make us breakfast." He gave me a once over, making me uncomfortable. "Disgraceful," He muttered before trudging out of my room. My inner wolf growled, but I had no expression. I had gotten used to the names and taunts. I learned to keep the hurt locked inside. It worked and I wasn't changing that any time soon. I gulped and walked down the the stairs to see the wolves in our pack lounging around. My wolf was growling out of control, extra sensitive today.

'What's wrong with you?' I asked her.

She was clearly on edge. I pursed my lips,  walked down stairs with my head low, and made sure to be invisible. All eyes ignored me as they sat on the couch and awaited the school bus. I saw Larson with his mate, Tawnya, shoving their tongues down eachothers throats. I let out a sad huff.

I couldn't wait until I found my mate. He was going to love me, treat me the way I supposedly should be treated and he'd acknowledge my existance. He wouldn't boss me around. He wouldn't treat me like a slave. Or at least . . . that was my dream. I was told that I'd never find a mate. Larson said I had no chance at anyone to love me. He said it'd be a waste of their time so no one would bother.

I never used to be believe him, but over the years, it's hard not to. Hope is a delicate thing.

I just glanced around before I walked into the kitchen and scrounged up what we had. I got out the flour and eggs and started to make pancakes.

Suddenly, I then notice a presence was near so I turned around on alert. "What's taking so long?!" Tawnya screeched. My wolf growled.

What was her deal? My wolf was never this angry. Or easily agitated.

"I just started.'' I replied, keeping my eyes pinned to the floor. Did that tile always have that stain?

"Well I guess you should have started faster huh?" She said before walking away. I turned around to start cooking again before she popped up one more time.

"Be sure to be faster next time, the pack is starving." She turned to walk away, but paused and turned her face to me. "It's no wonder you'll never have a mate. You're the weakest, slowest one here." She said with a small smile and walked into the living room. I sighed. I was tired of Tawnya always bossing me around. It was usually her or my brother. Well, most of the pack too. It was upsetting to know that my own brother treated my like trash and didn't protect me from gibes from our other members. My existence seemed to be a crime. And everyone liked to remind me of that.

I always wanted someone to stick up for me. To help and want to protect me; maybe a mate. But that also remained a dream. I finally finished cooking and set the table. All the pack members poured into the kitchen and filled the large table. My brother, the alpha, sat at the top of the table with Tawnya on his lap. I grimaced, turning around.

"What's with the face?" A packmate named Tyler asked. I gulped and turned slowly. Everyone was staring at me with hateful eyes, so direct and so repulsed.

"That's just her face, Tyler" Another girl chimed with a snicker, making others follow suit. I looked at the floor, like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"I didn't-" I tried to make up for my mistake by lying but found it impossible. Before I could speak, Larson got up and marched over to me. My stomach was in a pit of knots as he stared at me with such vile intent.

With wild eyes, he hovered over me. Instinctively, I stared at the ground. With a growl, he grabbed me by my arm and pulled me to his seat with Tawnya.

"What did she do now?" Tawnya asked.

"Did you or did you not give me and my mate a dirty look?" He asked with anger in his eyes. I found no point in lying. I nodded and looked at the smirking pack. He grasped my arm tighter, making me squeak in pain. Suddenly, before I could answer, he pulled me outside and threw me onto the icy, snow-covered ground. Others followed outside to watch. I got up off my hands and knees and faced him with a new flame in my heart. We shared DNA, but that was all. I would never be a sister to him, and he would never be my brother.

"That disrespectful bitch! I want her out!" Tawnya shrieked. Larson hesitantly glanced at his mate. Then his gaze returned to me. My heart stopped, but my wolf begged for a fight. I had to dissapoint her because I however didn't want to fight. I couldn't. I hadn't changed into my wolf in so long,  it'd be too painful and heavy on my body.

"No one will disrespect the Alpha or his mate. Not by the likes of you, a disgrace to this pack," Larson growled, walking down from the porch, and onto the snow. He had his chest squared out, fists clenched.  I searched his eyes for any sign of humanity, remorse, or second-thoughts but to my horror found none. 

I had a choice to make. I could stay here, as I've done all my life since the death of my parents. I could just allow him to punish me in whatever way, wait out the worst of it, and then retreat to my room again. Or I could try. I could try and escape. He was going to hurt me no matter what decision I made. So I made the one that gave me my best chance.

With a shaky step backwards, and a look at Larson, then the house, I turned around and ran for my life. I was already exhausted and tired from all the chaos from inside the house. I exited the premises with adrenaline racing through my veins, my arms pumping as fast as possible. If it weren't for the fact I had a pure-bloodline, I would already be dead in a second. 

I heard the crunch of the snow beneath me as I ran to the edge of our small clearing, entering through the forest.

Snow slushed against my ankles, and branches wildly flew at my face, arms and legs. I heard footsteps behind me and smelt it was Larson.

"You can't outrun me!" He shouted as he was catching up. Desperate tears streamed down my face as I continued to run and jump over broken logs and leaves. I was huffing and panting more than I thought possible. My body should have given out by now, but my wolf was helping me continue. 

'I can't. . .keep . . . going anymore' I said to her.

'Keep going!' she urged strongly. I started to run faster, and now my legs were burning like no other and my frailed body was ready to give out. I had to keep pushing! It was a miracle that I had already gotten this far!

'I need you now.' I said to her. The pain was going to be immediate and agonizing. But this had to be done in order for my escape attempt to be successful. I forced my bones to glide as I ran. I heard snarling behind me and noticed it was Larson, who had shifted as well. I had no chance of escaping him if I didn't turn soon.

I felt as if my face was on fire and my bones were being broken and remade, then broken again while I kept on my feet. My back was aching and I could feel my tail forming. I screamed as I forced myself to change while running.

"You'll never escape us!" 

 My eyes widened. I was in my wolf pelt and still running. I never thought I'd be able to do it so quick since I hadn't phased in a year. I could only talk to him when I was wolf and I could only hear his wolf when I was one. And now, I was one. I felt my speed double and I began sprinting faster and faster till the pads of my paws were numb. I heard panting and realized Larson was just a hair away from my tail. I kept going until my foot was dragged from under me.

I yelped, kicking and thrashing. Larson snarled and kept dragging me. I let out a raw whimper and kicked. With strength that I didn't know I had, I twisted my body, freeing myself of his jaws. He snarled, baring his canines. I didn't have time to fight him. Plus I wasn't as experienced as he was. My only thought was to keep running till my legs gave out. With luck, I'd enter the borders of a new territory, and I knew I was reaching the end of ours. It was both good and bad news at this point.

I escaped him after a second and the chase continued. I smelt something new. It wasn't my pack's territory. 

I was headed towards a new territory that I was sure it was our rivals. Shadowdawn pack. Strict and somewhat brutal. It was Sunscorch - or Shadowdawn. I had another choice to make.

I gulped and looked back at the raging and sloppy Larson. He didn't notice that I was running into a different packs territory, and for that, I'm happy to say he was stupid.

I came to a cliff that overlooked a rushing river. I could only imagine the water as icy, like pin needles in one's skin. I glanced back behind me and saw Larson running towards me with all his speed.  I backed up quickly and ran to the edge before I jumped. I was no longer in Sunscorch Pack. I was in Shadowdawn's Pack territory. I tumbled down the bluffs immediately and landed in the river in a mere second. Water blurred my vision as I hit my frailed bones on the rocks along the water. 

My brain was in shock as the freezing water told hold of me and I could scarcely keep my thoughts gathered as I pawed my way to the surface. Making my way to shore, I looked behind me as soon as my paws could touch the bank.

My brother was standing on the cliff, in his white pelt, snarling and barking at me, pacing back and forth. As predicted, he was furious, anxious for my blood on his claws. However, I knew he was too scared to cross the border, which is only what I could have hoped for.

I just looked ahead and never turned back. I was out of the abusive pack. And I was now in a new and very dangerous one. I'd heard little about Shadowdawn. They were strict but not overly ridiculous I learned. So I kept going.

I ran until my legs were about to fail me. My left hind leg was bleeding, and I could only limp at this point. I came to a slow walk until I heard growls around me. I flicked my ears to and from, my everything was beginning to sound like it was under water.  My body was about to give out any second. I managed to stay up, tucking my tail, keeping ears laid flat against my head to show I meant no harm and I was no threat to anyone. It was a desperate attempt, but it was better than nothing.

Out of the thickets of trees, stood three wolves. One was all grey with white splotches. I could tell it was a female. Her stone grey eyes were gentle but meant no funny business.

The one to the right was a chocolate brown and was glaring at me with distrust in his eyes. I didn't blame him. I wouldn't be happy if someone . . . well . . if my pack treated me better then I WOULD care, but I was dead to them so I really woudn't care. But I did understand him.

The one in the middle was the Alpha, I could sense it. His eyes were a deep blue and his fur was all black. He stood tall and he was massive. His blue eyes looked me up and down as if I were a menu and he was deciding on what to order.

"Why are you in our territory?" He mind linked sternly. It was gentle but urging. Alpha's had the ability to mind-link with anyone they pleased.

"I had no other choice... " I trailed off, thinking about the way my own brother tried to kill me. It was too much.  I was beginning to get dizzy.

Unknown POV

I felt an immediate urge to charge at first. There was a strange she-wolf in our territory and that was unacceptable. I pressed further to see what was going on.

'Aron, tell Danica to take my left. You take my right. I'm doubtful she's a threat. But always be ready.' I ordered to Aron, my second in command.

'Yes Alpha Damon.'  He replied to me. I sighed. I didn't want to be dealing with this right now. I was the Alpha and I had other things to worry about right now than some straggler.

' It's a wolf from the Sunscorch pack. She looks . . . I can't describe it.' Danica said to me in our link. I hurried over to her, and her mate. Together, we trotted to her. She stood there, tail tucked and ears back, fear surrounding her atmosphere. She shook, and her fur was out of place, as if she'd just been through Hell and back. At closer inspection,  I saw that she was injured.  I asked in mind link, "Why are you in our territory?"

"I had no other choice..." She trailed off. Her green eyes were lost and full of panic and worry. Her skinny frame swayed a bit before she fell in a tuft to the snow, eyes in the back of her skull.

Danica ran behind a tree and I heard a howl before she came out in her human body. She wore a loose tank top and running shorts. Her blonde hair was loose at her shoulders and tucked behind her ears.

"She's not going to make it out here. She looks terrible...and her leg... She's in bad shape, " Danica said before walking to the back of her. I was glad I brought her. She was the pack doctor and one of my most trusted in the pack. I looked over the white she-wolfs body and saw her bloodied leg. Around it was scarlet red snow. My chest tingled and a breeze picked up on my face. My eyes softened on the body on the ground. I slowly walked over to it, tingles spreading throughout my pelted form. I trotted behind a tree and phased into my human-self. I threw on shorts that Danica had left out and walked out to see her and Aron trying to stop the bleeding of the leg.

I walked over slowly and touched her fur. It was matted and dirty. Her ribcage was easy to spot and her hip bones were showing. Her legs were like small twigs and her muzzle was also small as well. Her ears were rugged and her nose was dry.

What had happened to her?

Danica touched her face, and I felt a sting of jealousy.

"Be careful!" I snapped, making Danica back away immediately. My possessive tone shocked her and me. That wasn't like me. I don't snap at my packmates unless I really needed to. Plus - Danica hardly touched her.

"I apologize for shouting - it was unfair of me." I said to her. She nodded in understanding. "We're taking her back to the house. Danica, phase back and tell Aron to phase to a human. I need you to go and get all the healing supplies. Aron will help me carry her back.'' I said. She smiled and nodded before forcing her body to change into a grey wolf. She ran to Aron and fed him the news. He looked at me before going behind a tree and coming back as a human. He ran over to me with only shorts on.

"Damon?" He said, asking for permission. I smiled, he always knew how to be polite. My wolf was screaming inside.

'What?' I hissed at it.

'It's her. The one we've been waiting for. Our mate.' He replied.

kinda cheesey whoops but I like cheese. Tell me what you thought below! Comment and vote (: