(14 YEARS LATER)

“Morning Aria”. I glanced up at the speakers and placed the book I was reading on the table beside me.

“Hello Dr. Khaled, how are you this fine morning?” I asked as I spun in my chair so I could look through the large glass window. Dr. Khaled was an old man with white hair that seemed silver when he stood under light. In his hands he had the usual: a folder, a pen and a small metal tin with my tablets in. He opened a small slot in the metal door next to the glass window and slid the tin into my room. I watched as it skidded across the smooth floor and landed next to my feet.

“I will be much happier when I see you take those tablets, Ari”. I picked up the tin and counted the number of multicolored tablets. Five, just like usual. I placed them on the table and grabbed a glass of water from the filtered jug and drank.

“You know something Aria; I just don’t understand why they can’t just get you a mobile phone. I mean it’s just the most logical thing in the world isn’t it. Getyour dad to buy you a phone so I don't have to bloodywalk a mile just to see my best friend”, Gemma rants.

I burst into giggles as I watch Gemma's face slowlychange colors before she ends up looking like a tomatoready to burst.

“What? Why are you laughing” I just shook my head.

“I think the whole phone thing is unnecessary becauseit’s one less thing to sterilize”. Gemma rolls her eyesand takes a seat in the opposite room. For a second, Iforget that there is a glass window separating us and Iimagine us sitting together in my room, joking aroundand being typical teenagers. But then I reach forwardand I place a hand on the window and i feel the sharpcoldness of the glass and my imagination shatters intofragments.

Gemma sees my face fall and she reaches forward and places her hand opposite me.

“Hey, one day you will get out of here and that day I will take you anywhere. First, I will take you to Starbucks, and we will order the double sundae, chocolate chip ice cream with strawberry, and sprinkles and marshmallows on top.” I sigh as I feel my mouth water.

“Then we will go shopping, and then we will hit the cinema and watch whatever movie you want to”.

I smile. “And the...”

Gemma let’s out a short laugh before leaning in close that her breath fogs up the glass. “.. And then we will go to the forest and I will show you my wolf”.

I let out a tiny scream and jump from my chair, clapping my hands in the air like a child on Christmas being given their best gift in the world. It might seem pathetic that I live in a pack of werewolves and I have never seen a wolf transformation.

My excitement however gets cut short when I get a sharp pain in my chest.

“Woah, Aria are you alright?” I can see Gemma standing up, her hands splayed across the glass and her bluish-grey eyes wide in fear. I hold my hand up, taking a second to get my, breathe back. “I’m fine, just a bit too excited”.

I hear the door opening and then, “Gemma, hello sweetie”. It was my mum and I look up just to see my mum’s anxious gaze.

“Sweetheart what’s wrong?” my mum runs over to the window, pushing Gemma over, just to get close enough to put her hands against the glass and to watch me with her wide blue eyes. “Should I call Dr. Khaled?” I shake my head and sigh.

“No mum, I’m fine. Gemma and I were just talking about the places we are going to go when I get better.” I turn away, not wanting to watch as my mother’s face crumbles and her eyes filled with tears.

We all know that the chance of me getting better and being allowed out of the sterile room was close to zero, but that didn’t stop me from dreaming. I dreamed that one day I’ll feel the grass beneath my feet, be able to look up and see endless blue sky, feel the icy wind in my hair. But as I looked around the room, noticing the plain white walls, the freshly made bed and the spotless tiles on the ground my heart broke not once or twice but multiple times.

“Well, I think that will be soon my darling; I spoke with Dr Khaled and he seems to believe you are making great progress.” I smile and turn around, faking happiness though I know she’s lying.

“Have you finished the preparations for the hunt?” I asl, deciding it’s time to change the subject. Gemma jumps up and down beside my mother, filled with excitement.

“Oh gosh, I can’t wait! It’s better than Christmas,” Gemma squeals and my mother narrows her eyes at her.

“Yes, well I have done everything on my part and your father is busy finishing everything else”, mum says as she places her hands on her waist.

I nod my head. “Is daddy coming to see me later?” I ask, hoping that he will be able to come before he goes on the Hunt. Mum smiles, nodding her head.

“Yes of course. He’s just a bit busy at the moment Aria, but he will come down to see you before going for the Hunt.”

Gemma excuses herself after looking at her watch.

“Oh shoot! Aria I’ve got to run. Mum asked me to grab something from a store and if I don’t leave now, they are all going to be closed in a few hours.” I smile and wave as she runs out of the room, leaving me and my mother alone.

“Is it true?”

I stirred awake and opened my eyes. The light in my room was tuned off but the room opposite the glass was still lit up and I could hear my father’s voice. Just as I was about to sit up, I heard another voice- Dr Khaled.

“Yes, she isn’t getting any better. In fact, it seems like she is getting worse and there is nothing we can do to prevent it”.

My father let out a growl and I decided it would be better to stay in bed, pretending to be asleep.

“So, what is your plan?” my father asked the doctor

“The next step I believe is to ask Aria. It’s time she took control of her own life”. My eyes flew open and I stayed still, lying motionless as I continued to listen to my father argue with the doctor.

“Are you suggesting that I let my daughter die?” he growled. “Are you telling me that you can’t save the Alpha’s daughter?! My father’s snarls made my hairs stand on end and I tried to maintain my breathing.

There was a loud ‘thud’ and a frightened gasp and I quickly sat up slightly, and watched with wide eyes as my father grabbed Dr Khaled by the neck and pushed him up against the wall. Even with minimal light to judge by, I could clearly see the blood drain from the doctor’s face and an overwhelming urge to stop my father and to save the doctor built up in my body.

“You are lucky that you are good at your job, otherwise I would have no problem letting my wolf rip you into shreds”. My dad let go of the doctor, who quickly slid down the wall and crumbled onto the floor. I quickly fell into my bed and closed my eyes tightly, feigning sleep.

“Don’t you dare mutter a word about what we discussed to the luna or to my daughter. If you do, I will rip out your tongue and feed your dead body to the dogs.” My heart thumped against my chest like an African drum and I held my breath, praying for Dr Khaled’s safety. I had never seen my father so angry and suddenly I realized why he was the Alpha of the biggest pack in the country.

That night I didn’t sleep. I tossed and turned but sleep evaded me and finally when I did manage to close my eyes it was already morning and Dr Khaled was outside my room with the usual tin of tablets.

However this time it was different.

I had done it.

I finally made it out of the sterile room and ate the chocolate sundae and went shopping and watched a movie at the cinema. My dreams were slowly being pursued one step at a time and I was forever grateful to my parents for letting me finally leave. I was still in the pack territory, but after countless times begging, my father had allowed me to go out with Gemma.

Just Gemma and I.

There were no guards, no doctors, no protective parents, just me and my best friend.

“I don’t know”, I reply as I kick a rock with my feet, “it was too cheesy for me. Too hopelessly romantic. I mean the main guy did not deserve the girl but at the end of the story they both end up getting married and having kids. How unrealistic.” Gemma bursts into giggles as she dances around me.

“Aria, I’m a freaking werewolf. I’m not realistic but I still exist”.

“True, true”, I reply amidst laughing. The wind picks up slightly and I shiver, earning a worried glance from Gemme. I shake my head. “I’m fine. I am just enjoying this feeling of freedom”.

Gemma remains silent before she rolls her eyes.

“That was your mother again, asking if you were fine,” I smile, tightening my grip on Gemma’s arm. Because Gemma is a wolf, she can communicate with the pack using a mind link, but since I am human, I don’t have that advantage.

“Tell her I’m fine, that I am having the best time of my life”. I close my eyes enjoying the feeling of the wind on my skin.

“I already did”, Gemma replies as she pulls me down onto a bench, facing the forest. She lays her head on my shoulder and closes her eyes.

“You have no idea how much I wanted to do this with you. Things like shopping and watching a movie with your best friends are so insignificant but when you can’t do them you finally realize the true value of it”

I close my eyes as well, feeling a painful pinch in my chest.

“I’m sorry; you got a defect like me as a friend. Not only am I just a human, I’m also pathetic little human whose body can’t even work by itself”. Gemma silences me with a hug.

“Don’t say that. You are the most powerful human I know. For goodness sakes you are the Alpha’s daughter and not just any Alpha but the Alpha of Crescent Moon. You have no idea what that title means”.

We sit in silence for a while longer watching as the sky begins to darken.

“Shall we?” Gemma finally says, making me alert again.

“What?” I ask in confusion as I notice the amused glint in her eyes.

“Shall I show you, my wolf?”

I screech in excitement as I jump up and drag Gemma into the woods, laughing and giggling as we both run through the forest. It was always something I had wanted to see, because I can’t do it myself so I want to watch someone else transform. The thought of a wolf emerging from a human body seems magical and impossible and before I leave this world, I want to experience it myself.

We reach a clearing, where the soft forest bed squelches beneath our feet and I glance up to meet Gemma’s gaze.

“Now please promise me you won’t freak out”, she whispers and I roll my eyes. I have waited my whole life for this moment and even if the world was ending or we were being attacked by zombies I would still stay to the end.

Gemma takes off her large overcoat which reached her knees and hands it to me, and I hold it tight against my chest. She then kicks off her shoes and keeps her eyes on me as she clicks her neck side to side. Then she reaches forward and crouches against the ground and suddenly it happens.

The hairs on my arms stood tall as I heard the snapping and rearranging of bones in Gemma’s body. It looked so unnatural but at the same time so natural and couldn’t look away as her body elongated and dark brown hair sprouted over her body. Her hands became paws with long claws and her mouth changed into a snout. A tail grew and the only thing ‘Gemma-like’ was her eyes which still remained a sharp bluish-grey.

My jaw dropped in awe as the wolf approached me slowly as if not to scare me.

“I’m not scared Gemma,” I whisper as I reach out my hands and place them on her soft fur. Stroking her, I notice that the wolf is the same height as me; it makes me smile.

“You’re so beautiful,” I say and I wonder if she can understand me.

Gemma bends down and for a second, I am confused until I realize she is telling me to climb onto her back. I shake my head. “No way, I’m too heavy and I could hurt you”.

What I say seems to make her laugh as she sticks her tongue out and wags her tail. She nudges me continuously until I have no option apart from gently pulling myself onto her back. I hold onto her fur gently, because I’m scared, I will hurt her and she slowly begins to trod throughout the forest. I laugh as I feel her pick up speed and holding onto her fur tighter, I feel her body move beneath me. The taut muscles stretch and as she sprints through the forest, dodging trees at lighting speed which makes my breath catch in my throat. She is not afraid at all and I know that in reality she could be running at a faster pace but she is restraining herself for my sake.

Eventually, after a long time of racing through the vast forest, she slows down and we stop near a lake and I get off her back. She shifts back and I hand her back her coat and shoes before pulling her into a hug.

“Oh, my goodness”, I scream. “That was fucking amazing”.

Gemma laughs as we both sit down by the lake and let our feet dangle in the icy water. We don’t recognize the hours going past as we enjoy the silence and talk to each other about everything and nothing.

“Aria, we have to go home now,” Gemma says as she stands while I pout and stare into the distance watching the sunset.

“I don’t want to go back yet.” I whisper, knowing fully that she is listening. Gemma strokes my hair and sits back next to me.

“We can do this again tomorrow if you want”, she offers and I nod my head but I know she is unsure herself.

Throughout the day I have been getting sicker. Even though I’m still standing and laughing, I can feel my skin burn and my head pound. I am becoming weaker and every time a pain kicks in my body I regret leaving the sterile room, ‘only for a second though’ because as soon as I feel a wince of regret, I quickly shake the thought from my mind. How could I regret such an amazing evening?

“Alright,” I whisper as I stand up watching curiously as Gemma stands tall, her eyes wide in what looks like fear.

“What’s wrong?” I ask as I step closer to her.

“Don’t move Aria”, Gemma whispers, fear truly showing through her voice. “I can’t believe I didn’t notice this before. Oh shit, what am I going to do?” Gemma is panicking now, her face losing all color and beads of sweat gathering at her hairline.

“What’s wrong?” I ask again, getting worried myself. Gemma’s frantic eyes turn to me.

“There is a territory boundary here. I can sense it because it is so strong, but I don’t know where it is”

“Well then let’s just move away from here”, I reply.

“But I don’t know in which direction Aria. The boundary seems to be all around us and I fear that if we move in the wrong direction, we might cross the boundary and be trespassing.”

OH SHIT.

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.

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 out. I don’t know what to do”

I spin around on my feet ignoring the fact that I am definitely burning up now. 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 and colder now 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 at me then to the route before taking my hand in hers. “Aria, 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 out 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’s much taller than me so has longer legs.

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

I still have my back to the 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 leg wobble. I close my eyes and clench my fingers into a fist. I slowly turn around, something tells me to look up, so I do and in that second, I am blown away.

Seven men are standing around us, all well built and strong enough to kill us with their pinky 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 in the shadows. He has the most power.

He is an Alpha and a very strong one I realize.

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

We apologize, 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 straight away.” Gemma is shaking and even I can feel her fear.

“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. Gemma grabs my hands and tries 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 threatened the safety of their pack.

“Enough.” My eyes dart to the Alpha who begins to emerge from the shadows to stand in front of me. I’m finding it hard to breathe.

“You think you, a human girl, can take down my pack?” There was amusement laced in his voice 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 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 Alpha in the world.” I smirk as the Alpha in front of me scrunches his eyebrows together.

“You are Jaxon 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 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.

“Yes, I am Alpha Kronex’s daughter and the only heir to the Crescent Moon pa-ck”. I stutter as another shooting pain makes me gasp.

“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 pain tightens around me.

“Gemma,” I whisper, “get dad.....”

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

When I woke up, I thought for a split second that I was back in my own bed. I was lying on a bed. I was lying on a bed, warm and comfortable and it smelt clean and nice and for that split second, I was overcome with a great sense of happiness and then suddenly I heard beeping.

*Beep, Beep, Beep*

I blinked several times and turned my head to the side where there was a monitor set up. I watched as a heart rhythm traced on the screen and it took me a few seconds to notice all the wires that were attached to me before I realized it was my heart rhythm on the screen.

I glanced around the room and realized that I was back at the same medical room I was in when I first woke up.

“Hello”, I gasped in shock as a woman approached me. ‘Bloody hell, where did she come from?

“I’m glad to see you’re finally awake.” Her voice, so sweet and she smiled politely. She turned to the cardiac monitor and started to press some buttons, examining my heart rate closely.

I woke up having a very faint memory of what happened before I went unconscious. I decided to ask the doctor what had happened and then I remembered Gemma.

“Do you mean the she-wolf that was with you?” “Well, she has gone back with your parents”

And then it dawned on me that my parents were here to save me. Memories of what happened floods back to my mind and I begin to cry, my heart begins to ache again as I remember what happened.

*FLASH BACK*

I woke up after being knocked out by the pain and I noticed I was in a medic room. Gemma noticed I had woken up and ask how I was to which I replied and I asked if we were home and she said no, the Alpha lets us use their medic room after I passed out. My parents rushed in not long after and I received much scolding. The Alpha walked in also and my parents began thanking him for sparing our lives. Just as we’re about to leave he refuses and demands my parents leave without me, which leads to a heated fight and I decide to surrender to spare my parents lives as well as Gemma’s. I was taken to the dark cell, spending 2 days in there, crying and begging to be released. Refusing to eat food until I passed out again”.

*FLASH BACK ENDS*

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

“Well, everything looks fine. Let’s get you disconnected from all these”. She gestured to all the wires attached to me.

Her voice brings me back to reality.

I glanced around once again as she took off the wires and noticed a bag of blood handing up.

“Oh yeah, you were severely anaemic so I gave you a blood transfusion.”I watched the doctor with an amused expression.

“Um- I stopped to clear my throat when I sounded croaky,” “sorry, I just- um you do realize I’m a prisoner here”

The doctor looked up at me and raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, I’m aware” she stated as she continued to unplug me from the monitor.

“I'm sorry I just can't process why you would treat me. Surely as a prisoner it doesn't matter if I'm anaemic or not.”

The doctor smiled knowingly.

“I'm only following orders. To me it doesn't matter who you are. If you need help I will help, prisoner or not.

She offers me some clothes and I get to realise I'm wearing a Hospital gown. And she replies, “Honey they are no use to you now”.

The doctor informs me that my body is always trying to kill me, which always makes me sick. Then wonders how I have been alive all along, and then it clicks to her that I've been locked up in a sterile room.

Then her next statement shocks me.