"Ahhhhhh!"

Screams tore through my throat in an attempt to lessen my pain.

"Jack, hurry! Everyone, I saw them! This way!"

I lost track of how many minutes had passed before I caught distant voices that drifted into the wind.

By now, every inch of my skin is covered with burns as the fire slowly dies down into a spark before vanishing without a care.

"Alleria?"

A soft cloth gently draped over me. My fur covered body was now bare.

Raising my head up from the ground, my blurry sight was met with a familiar silhouette. I froze staring at her purple eyes. Her figure is outlined by soft light.

I instinctively closed my eyes shut before opening them again and was once again met with a pair of hazel eyes.

"It's okay, Aunt Rhona is here. Don't be scared we are here now, Jackson too. Everything's gonna be fine, I promise."

Her soothing voice came from the top of my head as a warm hug enveloped my trembling body.

"Jackson, I found your mate. She needs immediate care!"

Feeling insecure, I let my eyes roam the area except for one place. Numerous pack members are busily running back and forth. Some are tending to the injured, some are moving the bodies, and some are scouting around.

Behind her, Jack's voice sounded, "Move her here, be extra careful."

Hearing his voice somehow calm my nerves albeit only a little. I felt the slipping link to my wolf eased a bit as his presence gives me hope that my wolf is still with me.

Aunt Rhona helped to put me on the stretcher as I kept my eyes ahead unwilling to look back. I just can't.

Am I afraid, beyond scared and yet I couldn't help the prickly tears that pooled around my eyes.

I stared at the sky with tears freely flowing from the corner of my eyes as they carried me along with the wounded back into the pack house.

It was then that I noticed that it was already dawn.

....

Everywhere that we passed by was in chaos. It was as if a battle had taken place on the whole territory. It was messy.

"Alleria, we are sorry for your loss. We know it's hard to accept but the pack has to move on. We lost our Alpha too, as the heir, you need to be strong."

Poks' mother and Beta's wife, Belinda, grab my hand in comfort.

I shook her hand off and scoffed trying not to be rude but my emotions came bursting out.

"He's my dad, how dare you compare my pain to yours? It's not my turn to be strong yet. Mom can handle it. Please, I am mourning!"

"I know. I am sorry that you have to experience this but the Luna can't-"

I snapped. The grief, pressure and helplessness unwillingly turned into tears.

"But I am fourteen!"

Despite my body being fully covered by gauze and experiencing the pain of losing my father, the responsibility that they throw at me didn't give me the time to heal from them.

"You don't have to worry, the council is aware. You just need to be present."

"Can I see her?"

Silence. Taking a deep breath I blink my tears back.

"I understand."

I averted my eyes from her as I bit my lip hard while trying to stop myself from choking a sob.

Despite my unwillingness, the night came and Belinda arrived to escort me into the council meeting.

When we arrived, the meeting had already started. Their muffled voices overlapped as we reached the door for the council.

The moment we pushed through the door, their voices stopped and focused on us. The room is brightly lit with the crescent shaped table filled with people, sitting behind.

After greeting them with a simple nod, my eyes landed on Jackson who is standing before the council, who just smiled. Beta Holand also stood beside Jackson.

"We gathered here today to specially seek for you, the heir apparent, Alleria. We wanted to know how you are?"

The emotionless voice reverberated throughout the hall.

"I am fine."

The council is made up of high ranking elders that hold different and important posts in the pack. Each of them wears masks and cloaks.

It was the first time that I met them as they only appear in the case of an Alpha's death.

"Two days ago, our pack lost an Alpha, sixteen deaths and nine were injured. The investigation led us to track six rogues and a witch, together with a trace of a very powerful curse."

There was silence. My nails dig into my gauze covered palm.

"At first we thought that Alpha Derek was cursed but there is no trace of curse on his body. Are you really fine?"

"I am."

The elder nodded. There was a quiet murmur for a while before they nodded among themselves.

"The council believes you. As the only one with the blood of an Alpha running down your veins, you are destined to lead us. However, we had our suspicions regarding your burns that show not a sign of getting healed."

Another elder announced, "Before the official ceremony of acknowledging your rightful position, the council has decided to do a confirmation ceremony. Please come forward."

Confirmation? I silently looked at Belinda for an answer, to which she appeared equally puzzled.

Shrugging my uneasiness away, I walked towards the middle of the council.

On the table lies a close box.

"Open the box. Inside the box lies a special fragment that will tell us the authority and power of your blood."

Without further ado, I held the box and carefully opened it. My forehead creased as I felt a prickling pain stab my head but then it was gone.

"Impossible! It's a curse!"

I snapped back to reality as I moved my gaze away from the fragment.

Red laced with purple menacing energy began spreading from my palm. The place where I stood is flooded with the same energy.

I dropped the box as I clutched my mouth. Dark blood started trickling from the corner of my fingers.

One by one, elders began kneeling while those with weaker members collapsed directly.

The door of the room was forcefully slammed open.

"Elders! The situation is bad, the whole pack began collapsing suddenly!"

The room became even more panicked.

"Stop her! Stop Alleria! Protect the pack!"

"... It's not me..." I whispered through coughing blood but they don't seem to hear.

I watched as more and more people approached me, but no one could go near me as they started falling to the ground the closer they got.

A woman's horrifyingly familiar voice echoed in our ears.

"O' Ilog Pack. How exciting was my Parting gift? Worry not, you'll be able to meet your demise soon enough."

My body begins trembling as I listen. Her voice is pouring directly into my mind. It was sickening."

"But! You can live a little longer by destroying my medium. That's right kill her."

She enticed them as I took a step back. My eyes staring wide at the elders and the people ready to pounce on me.

"Kill her, for those who are connected with her shall die without a grave."

I unconsciously gritted my teeth, inching to the door in fear and trepidation.

"Everyone stop! Don't be toyed by a witch, come back to your senses!"

Beta Holland angrily growled. But he was a step late.

Two werewolves pounced towards me, but were engulfed by the curse.

"S-she killed them?"

"The curse is feeding on her vitality, Alleria is weak, as long as there is no more to supply it, the curse will be revoked." The head of the elder said.

"A bond can influence vitality. Severance..."

Severing our bond? No, we can't! the presence of our bond kept my wolf's presence a bit stable. If it was severed-

A bad feeling started creeping to my gut.

"N-no...!"

"I, Jackson Lothan, rejects you Alleria Landry as my mate. I'm sorry!"

It was like a mirage of phantom comfort suddenly shatters. My heart immediately feels like burning.

"You are destined to reign with blood my wolf-less mutt." she whispered.

───※ ·❆· ※───

SURPRISE!