With my sight taken from me and hands tied behind me there was no chance of finding calm or peace in my time of terror and ultimate doom. I breathed heavily, my wrists aching from trying to get out of my bindings. I blindly shifted my head side to side occasionally as though I could catch a glimpse of my surroundings. My only relief was the feel of my blade resting against the strap around my leg, hidden under my dress. My fear was that during this Wolf Moon hunt, I would be hunted with my hands tied and blinded.

When we arrived, or so I assumed, I was pushed across a tricky surface which aimed to catch my feet on rocks and roots. I fell two times before strong arms lifted me from the ground and slung me none-too-gently over their shoulder. The position wasn't comfortable, but I could only manage small, fearful cries in response.

I considered ways to plead for my life, but knew already it was pointless. These were creatures of godlike magnitude. They were worshipped; feared, but considered deities. Being chosen as a sacrifice was something like an honor, though a painful and forced one. And all sacrifices never came back. Never.

Werewolves weren't merciful creatures.

I yelped as I was dropped roughly onto the ground. I immediately tried to straighten myself, keeping my knife covered and reaching for the ground with my hands to try to discern where I was. The floor was stone, so I was inside somewhere. When I shuffled away, my back hit a wall solidly.

"She smells... wild," A female voice stated without emotion.

"Apparently, she pissed off Alpha Roman," A man responded simply. "They put up a fight this time, though. Had to drop a few humans before leaving."

"At least she's not a crier. Those are so annoying," the woman stated, but I was still stuck on the previous statement. Drop a few humans? Did he mean someone died in the attack? It was something I should have expected, considering how lowly lycans thought of us, but the pain of knowing some of my family and friends were now dead because of me caused sudden and immense grief.

I tightened my thighs together and frowned deeply, but I didn't allow the tears to fall from my eyes. When there was no more talking, I hesitated. I waited, listening for any sounds of lycans nearby. Not even the sound of shuffling feet came to me.

I immediately began scooting along the wall behind me, feeling the texture and the floor for any protruding objects. After touching along the corner of the wall, my hand pricked against something, causing me to wince at the sudden pain of a minor cut. I flexed my hands apart as much as I could and began scrapping it against the sharp object repeatedly.

I did this for the longest time. Every noise made me stop in fear of being caught. When the fabric finally tore away, I had to restrain myself from crying out with momentary joy. I immediately reached for the cloth blinding me and pulled it from my face.

My eyes took a moment to adjust, taking in the sight of a small and worn detainment cell. There were no windows and only a single, barred door. I had no idea of determining what time it was, but it had to be well into the day if not nearly the evening by now. And once the sun rested on the horizon, the Wolf Moon would shine and the hunt would commence.

I skated along the walls of my cell, touching every inch of it as though I could find some sort of crack and manage to escape through it. Only after I tried unlocking or breaking the door, and attempting to dig through the floor, did I finally crawl to the corner of the cell and resolve to the initial idea of fighting to the death.

I stayed perched in the corner, crouching in preparation for a quick attack. My hand had the fabric of my dress raised and was rested over the hilt of my knife determinedly. When it felt like days had passed, the sound of footsteps finally greeted me. I tightened my grip on the hilt, my breath coming short in panic.

The wolf appeared at the door with ease. It was the same lycan that had accompanied the King Alpha to my village. He assessed my position with serious eyes before finally opening my cell determinedly. The fact that he could see I was preparing for some sort of attack but didn't seem concerned told me what little he thought of my abilities.

And apparently he was right.

I lunged and was immediately thrown against the wall. I was too dazed to even cry out, having felt the impact of the wall against my rather human-fragile skull. Instead, I turned into wet spaghetti against the lycan who held me pinned against the wall easily.

"You should have saved your strength for the hunt," The lycan informed me, "Now you'll have a headache on top of everything else." He ran his hand under my dress where he had seen me resting my own before. I hadn't even been able to withdraw my knife from its holster. The lycan paused when his touch found it hidden.

"Sneaky girl!" He exclaimed with amusement before laughing and releasing his grip on the weapon. "I won't tell if you don't. Maybe it'll make things more interesting. Come on, then."

I was roughly pulled from the wall and shoved from the cell. I struggled to keep up with the pace the lycan demanded of me, my head still throbbing and my vision only just beginning to come into full focus. We stepped outside and I was only able to glance at the horizon of buildings, a far more intricate and well-off village than my own, before I was turned the opposite direction and into the woods.

My heart raced painfully in my chest with each step I was forced to take. Being able to see didn't help my fear at all. In fact, I began to see people... werewolves. They stood in human form, just a few at first. But the further we walked, the more there appeared to be. All of them were either my age or older. I wasn't sure how I would have felt about children hunting me as well.

There were hundreds of them. At some point, I couldn't see what the fun even was in hunting a single human on one full moon. Only one or a few could enjoy the kill; the rest would just be witnesses or just be in the same vicinity. What was the point besides senseless murder?

I was shoved through the pack and in front of the entire crowd was a single man who stood looking up at the sky watching the moon with a look of intense hatred across his features. I suspected wolves revered the moon; considering it something with a deep connection to their culture. It was strange to see such a look on a deity shapeshifter when looking to that bright orb.

King Alpha Roman Stone, as he called himself, turned his steel blue eyes from the sky and found me within his sights. I stared at him, my eyes wide with terror, but again finding something curious and amazing in seeing the silhouette of such a powerful creature standing in the light of the moon.

"Centuries ago, humans broke the peace with the wolf packs by slaughtering our innocents in the thousands. Tonight, we hunt yet another just as they hunted us. We spill the blood of another human, not for the honor our moon goddesses. We spill this blood in spite of them. We do it for us; for the lycanthropes in our pack and all packs alike."

There were cries of agreement; loud and hungry for a taste of my blood. I trembled fearfully, looking around at the faces of these creatures as they prepared for their hunt. When strong, forceful hands gripped my upper arms, I gasped in terror. I turned to peer at the King Alpha, expecting to be ripped apart right then.

"Run, human. Feel the fear you tried to force on us. Feel the impending doom our mothers felt when your men tore down their doors with horrific weapons. And then feel the pain of their deaths and know nothing you do will save you or your kind," The King Alpha growled, his words thick with historic anger; as if he had been there all those centuries ago himself.

He turned me, facing me towards the woods where no wolves stood in my way. And then he released me. I stood frozen, stuck in a moment where time paused and not a breath could be heard.

Then I ran.

I breathed loudly, nearly hyperventilating as I bolted through the trees in sheer panic. I did this for only a moment before I tripped over a jutted root, landing roughly on the floor of the forest. I pushed myself up, leaning against the adjacent tree and taking a moment to breathe deeply. While I tried to gain control of my breath, I thought about my little brother. I touched the outline of the knife on my leg, recalling my promise to him and to myself.

I pushed myself back onto my feet, running through the trees with renewed vigor. I didn't have to be so blind while running. I spent much of my time in woods similar to this. My skin was still tainted from my previous hunt. I didn't have to act as though my surrounding was so unfamiliar.

I began to erupt short, sharp whistles followed by clicking my tongue as I slowed my running. I paused after a couple tries, looking around for tracks or evidence of wildlife. I reached out with that part of my soul that connected with that wildlife, that was so fond of the forest and its creatures.

Two rabbits emerged from their hiding spots and I quickly flattened myself against a tree, hearing a howl in the distance. My heart rate spiked, suspecting this meant they would be coming after me.

"Come here, little ones," I whispered as I approached the rabbits. They were antsy, but they held still as I knelt beside them. I pulled my knife from its sheath and pushed it against my hand, hesitating to look at that crescent birthmark on my palm of my left hand. I then forced myself to slice the blade across my hand, wincing at the angry pain that resulted. I grabbed the first rabbit, rubbing my blood on its paws and parts of its fur at random. I did the same with the other before releasing them. I hissed to them, "Run!" And as though they could understand me, they ran in two different directions.

I used my blade to rip off a piece of my dress, wrapping the fabric around my hand. Then, I began to run again as well. I could hear the howls coming closer and closer, but it seemed to me they were spreading out and not as focused on me as would be expected.

I kept running, my stamina keeping up with my legs. I leapt over a log, turned a corner, and suddenly found myself in the audience of a large, black wolf. Its fur was impossibly dark, like a shadow in the night. However, its eyes were a sapphire blue, bright and near illuminating as it peered at me. I expected to fight it, the knife ready in my hand, but there was something about it that made me feel as though I weren't in danger of it.

At least, I thought so. The wolf suddenly looked into the moon and howled, long and loud. More howls followed, alerted to my position. I immediately turned and ran, believing the wolf would follow the call with an attack. However, a glance back revealed the wolf standing where I had left it, watching me go silently.

I didn't stop. Just because one wolf didn't attack didn't mean another wouldn't. And this was proven when I was crossing a small stream and was suddenly knocked down viciously. The knife dropped from my hand as I hit the ground. Claws immediately swiped at me, slicing across my stomach painfully. I screamed loudly, no doubt alerting even more wolves, but then forced myself to roll away and reached for my knife.

I looked up, spotting the grey wolf standing just feet away with bared teeth and bloodied claws. I only had enough time to take a single breath before it lunged for me. I immediately dove backwards, gripping my knife with two hands and shoving it forward. The blade sunk into the wolf's neck. If it were a tiny blade, it might have been useless, but it seemed just big enough to cause damage.

The wolf yelped horribly, rolling away from me and taking me with it. I ripped the knife from its throat and instead aimed for the eye, thrusting the blade into the socket deep enough to hit brain even through that abnormally large wolf head. I tore the knife away and stabbed the wolf again, blood spilling over me thickly. It seized under me familiarly, the death throes of an animal something I had become accustomed to in my experience as a hunter.

However, when the wolf began to shift under me and took the form of a middle-aged woman, a wave of illness rushed over me. I reached for the knife planted in her eye and found it was embedded into her skull, no doubt from the shift change. I struggled with it for a moment and cried out in disgust and frustration. When wolves howled nearby, I winced and opted to try running for it again.

As I ran, leaving behind the dead lycan and my weapon, I found my strength beginning to wane significantly. I held my hand and arm over my stomach, feeling the agony and wet damage of the lycan's claws.

I made it only a short distance before I stumbled and then stopped. In the distance, wolves were waiting as though they knew I was coming long ago. I turned sharply and more wolves were coming into view. I was surrounded. Coat after coat of wolves shifted under the moonlight, knowing I was caught. It was the end of the hunt.

I thought about my family back home. I thought of my little brother, so reluctant to let me go. I thought of my dad, strong and protective as he taught me to string a bow with ease. I thought of my mom and all her smiles, now smothered by those terrible wails of despair as her only daughter was sacrificed to the Wolf Moon.

I looked from the wolves to the moon, my hands falling away from my wounded stomach. Then, as if moved by something other than myself, I lifted my left hand to the moon. I offered that wounded hand, bloodied from death all in a single day.

"Mother," I cried out pitifully with tears in my eyes, calling to a woman I know couldn't save me. However, as the word left my lips, another image flashed behind my eyes. Another woman, familiar like my mother, offering me comfort; a goddess reflected in the moonlight.

I felt an urge pulse throughout me. Just as the wolves surrounding me howled and attacked, diving towards my battered form, I fell to the floor of the forest onto my knees roughly. I slammed my offered hand to the ground and a burst of power rippled around me, clawing through the wolves simultaneously.

"Stop!" I cried out, reaching towards them all with that power in anguish. For a moment, there was dead silence. When I didn't feel the pain of teeth and claws ripping into me, I lifted my head from the ground slowly. Dozens of wolves stood just steps away from me, paused in mid step and panting loudly. I could feel the breath of those closer, frozen under my order.

I hesitated, keeping my hand clenched into a fist with confusion. I recalled my connection with the wildlife; how they could hear me sometimes and did as I asked. The pain of my wound was throbbing, but I was afraid of staying where I was.

"Stay back," I ordered, igniting some dangerous growls from many of the wolves. Some shuffled their feet in place, trying to step forward, but finding it difficult. When one made a step, I cried out, "Stop! Back away!"

The wolves whimpered, stepping back as I asked. More wolves appeared in the distance, but just as each stepped into range it was as though they were caught in a web. They froze where they stood, some huffing with confusion.

I tried to move from my knees to my feet, but cried out when the pain intensified and I ended up on the ground again. I panted, focusing on the wolves around me determinedly. I knew if I didn't focus, they would attack again. However, I couldn't stay here.

I clenched my hand over my stomach again, ignoring the blood now dripping dangerously over my legs. I winced and whimpered as I stood, staggering as I caught my footing. Just as I did, another wolf joined the circle of what had grown to at least a hundred and continued to increase. I could feel whatever was happening was becoming strained under the sheer amount of wolves surrounding me.

The larger wolf stepped through the frozen wolves, huffing and growling angrily. I focused on it, holding out my injured hand.

"Stop!" I demanded desperately, "Don't move!"

The wolf slowed impossibly, struggling against my order. I could feel that connection reach for him, twisting through his stubborn mind and demanding that he listen to my words. The amount of focus I needed was extreme and somehow I knew this wolf was the King Alpha. He remained frozen for a moment, catching the attention of the other wolves.

When he didn't approach further, their heads turned to me and back again. I watched as the wolves stepped away, many leaning forward to bare the back of their necks towards me. It was as if they were offering themselves for me to hunt rather than the reverse.

The King Alpha snarled angrily, pushing against my demand furiously. His fur was a blend of dark brown and red, flashing under the moonlight and trading colors easily with every breath. Even as a wolf, I could see signs of battle and scars through his coat. He was terrifying.

He took a step forward, breaking through just momentarily.

"Don't come closer," I ordered, my voice trembling from weakness. I pushed against him with that demand, the power flaring within me again. The wolves surrounding me sniffed the air, some whimpering and huffing in a way I couldn't quite understand.

The King Alpha sniffed the air as well, tilting his head. And then he began to shift. His bones reformed, his skin evolving around his form, and he lifted himself until he was on two human feet. I felt my will falter, unsure of how to connect to a creature that looked too human to be wildlife.

He took another step towards me.

"Stop," I demanded weakly and the connection was there enough to make him hesitate. There was something crossing his features as he took me in, fighting against my order simultaneously.

"You smell like wolf," The King Alpha declared, his voice low and angry.

"I killed one," I both explained the smell and threatened at the same time.

"And you think you can kill me? You think you can take my pack?"

I glanced around at all the lycans still in their wolf forms, bowing obediently towards me. Could I take all of them on? I doubted it. I didn't even think I'd get this far. I didn't even know what was going on.

When I turned back to the King Alpha, he was significantly closer.

"Stay back!" I cried out in fear. The power flared within me once more, lifting whimpers from around me. The King Alpha hesitated again, his eyes skating over me with confusion. He took a deep breath, sniffing the air around me as he hadn't yet gotten any closer.

"You smell like... my mate."

The utter confusion in this statement could do nothing to equal my own. My breath was extremely labored at this point and the pain in my stomach was unimaginable. He took another step forward and when I tried to order him back, I found my vision blurred.

I breathed the beginning of a curse and fell into a doomed darkness. The only thing that followed was the whisper of that word.

Mate.

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Music: True Colors by Kesha/Zedd (Nolan Van Lith Remix)