Prologue (pt 1)

Fourteen years ago...

Birds squawked in fright and took off as a brown wolf tumbled through the forest, snagging branches, pebbles, and any other loose debris as he crashed down the small hill.

The wolf's form collided into a larger tree at the bottom, stopping abruptly when the big part of nature refused to let the wolf break it.

The sound of more paws fiercely trampling along the forest floor tore the peaceful quiet apart. Snarls filled the air as wolves of all sizes and colors broke through the brush and surrounded the now-injured brown wolf.

All the wolves bared their sharp canines at the surrounded wolf. Their eyes were black as the night sky, hackles raised, showing the wildness that came with being one of their kind.

The smaller brown wolf whimpered and put his back against the large tree, trying to find the best way to protect himself while facing at least seven other rogue wolves. His own canines were on display, but they were nothing compared to the ones bared against him.

In an attempt to show the measly bit of dominance he had, the brown wolf straightened his spine and let a growl loose.

A fearsome snarl broke through from within the group of wolves. It was a guttural sound, one filled with so much power and strength it had every wolf in the vicinity crumpling to the ground, forced to submit under the buckling weight of the snarled demand.

A monstrous sized black wolf padded through the surrounding wolves as they parted way for him, their necks still tilted to the side as a show of submission.

The black wolf had to be one of the biggest wolves the brown wolf had ever seen, next to his own Alpha. His midnight black fur was tinted blue slightly when brushed with just a hint of sunlight. His paws were large enough to crush rabbits easily under the added weight. And his eyes—Luna help us all—were an unusual shade of red amber.

Although terror flooded through the brown wolf, he refused to show it. And by Luna, if he was going to die here, today, he was going to at least find out why the black wolf dared to betray them all.

Slowly, the brown wolf began forcing the change. His wolf was against it—his wolf was stronger than his other form—but when it came down to it, the human half of him had just a bit more control over his wolf.

His bones snapped and cracked painfully into the correct place as the brown hair all over him began to retract and disappear. Tingles shot down his spine, his eyes and ears slowly began to adjust as his senses dulled, and his paws agonizingly separated to allow the extra toe.

And then it was over.

The wolf—now turned human—stood stark naked among the group of wolves. His back was still placed carefully against the tree, the bark digging gently into his skin as if reassuring him it was there protecting him.

The man coughed once to clear his throat and addressed the black wolf first. "Why?" was all he could ask, his throat cracking almost as painfully as his bones had moments before. "Why would you do this to us? To our pack? We're practically family!"

The black wolf snorted and shook his head.

"We trusted you, Justin," he hissed to the wolf—the one acting more rabid and animalistic than all of them combined. "He trusted you. And you did this for what? His position?"

The wolves around the man snarled their warnings and took a small step forward, waiting for the command to kill him. The black wolf—Justin—stood still, watching, assessing.

A single traitorous tear dripped from the man's eye. He knew Justin would never answer him. Never give away his reasons. Yet the man felt he had to continue anyway. "He was your brother!" he yelled in disbelief, the muscles in his neck popping from exertion.

Justin made no sound. He made no movement. He stared hard at the man, playing his part as the hunter.

The man must've realized all his anger was for nothing. It wouldn't change what had happened. It wouldn't change the two dead bodies lying in everlasting slumber at their pack house. It wouldn't change all the brave deceased that had attempted to fight back. So, he tried a different method. "Gabriel won't let you get away with this. He'll find you, and when he does, he'll melt all the flesh off you until you're nothing but rotting bones."

Justin was beginning to get tired of waiting. He'd already done what he set out to do. What for twelve years he'd planned to do. For a bit more excitement, he'd followed his wolves out to destroy this one. Now the chase was done, as well as the fun, and it was obvious this man wouldn't put up much of a fight. It'd be like swatting a fly.

With one nod, Justin sealed this man's fate.

The wolves surged forward and attacked.