It was a cold night at the Nex Pack, as Lyra, Hayden, and the other juvenile werewolves knelt before their Alpha. Most of them were quite frightened being in his presence. Specifically since they gave in their reports about the mission.“Let me see if I got this right,” Drake spoke after taking in a breath. “Not only did you kids find your target and let her go free, you told her everything about herself. In the presence of two other nobodies, no less. Did I get that right?”“Nobodies they may be, Alpha, they are also someone close to the target,” Lyra corrected. She being the only one not fazed by the menacing aura he was emitting.Her casual response only served to increase Drake’s rage, as he personally rushed down to his stepdaughter and slammed her face down to the floor. “Do you really think this is supposed to be funny in any way at all?” he questioned. “You don’t seem to understand how severe the situation is here. In this pack, it is one thing if our target manages to escape
Meanwhile, at the Hermit Pack, days had passed since the encounter with the Nex Pack. After getting the time to personally grieve, it was now the day when the Hermit Pack was to move out and merge with the Devorare Pack. With news of Jengo’s passing already well known to all the werewolves in the Hermit Pack, the Devorare Wolves- well aware of their Alpha’s full feelings towards their late Beta- did not want to bother their leader with the preparations, and thus managed to get everything done in time.Of course, the preparations made were not just for the Hermit Wolves’ relocating, as one certain werewolf had just found out.“Alpha William… Tell me you are not serious about this!” Raymond requested.“I believe I made myself clear plenty of times these past few days, Alpha Raymond,” William said, looking over some documents. “Especially when I requested you to make such arrangements. You who is the only other person present at the time of Jengo’s death, in addition to being a fellow Al
“So that’s what he’s decided…” Ellie could only say, after being told of the punishment William gave her by Raymond.“Unfortunately, yeah…” the Alpha weakly said. “B-But hey. Look on the bright side. You’ll still live. You’re not going to die.”“Not now, at least,” Ellie solemnly added. “William may not have decided to kill me, but making me into a slave? You know as well as I do that that’s even worse than being exiled. And here I thought I wouldn’t be used as a tool ever again…”Slavery amongst werewolves… While it was not something common amongst any werewolf pack, it was still a well-known punishment amongst many. Usually done to werewolves who committed an unspeakable crime as irredeemable mutts, or members of a fallen pack’s Alpha’s family as trophies. Either way, once branded as a slave, no longer would that werewolf be seen as an equal. No longer would they be treated as a person. Instead… they will be treated as a tool they aren’t.Since slavery was a practice that was rarely
Ellie ran in the woods as fast as she could, away from what she had overheard back at her home.‘How could they…? After everything I did for them…? Even enduring that…’ she thought.Just a little earlier, instead of training or be out hunting like any other werewolf would, Ellie was at home, just got done with a certain rite she was to do in this pack. It was not something any werewolf could do, but it was more of less one that she- and only she- was required to, according to her parents.It was a rite, known as the Wolf Swap Rite; a painful weekly process that allows a werewolf unsatisfied with the wolf they were born with to exchange it for a new wolf more fitting for them. At least… That was what Ellie’s parents had told her, when they made her undergo this rite for the past two years. It was not because she was unsatisfied with her wolf, as it was just that they want her to be a better werewolf than any other. The only way to do that was to switch her wolf- her fate- for a new one
It was silent in the woods, as Steve and Maddie stared at Ellie, puzzled to see the outsider here, when she should’ve gone hunting for food.“Ellie. To what do we owe the pleasure of seeing you here?” Maddie asked in a sickeningly sweet tone.“Don’t bother playing nice,” Ellie said with a light sneer. “I heard everything. Not just from you two, but mom and dad- No… Lila and Aiden, too! All this time, despite everything I did for you all, you guys just used me! I know you hate me, Maddie, but everyone else, too?! Even you, Steve?!”Maddie became livid by how this werewolf was acting, especially towards her lover. “Hey! He doesn’t have to take your attitude!”Ellie turned her attention to her ‘sister’ in rage. “On the contrary, after everything we’ve been through? Not to mention the fact that we are mates! I deserve answers! Do you have any idea how high a treason this is for a werewolf! Steve, how long have you been with Maddie behind my back?!”Rather than be flustered by the question
A long time of running later, Ellie felt herself get tired and, upon seeing no one coming after her, stopped right by a large, thick tree.“Looks like I lost them,” she muttered. “But… now what do I do…?”Ellie knew it was only a matter of time until Maddie and her family gather up some werewolves to search for her, force her back home and complete the rite. Should that happen, her escape would be for nothing. She could try to fight back, but with how weakened she got because of the Wolf Swap Rite, if what Maddie said was true, there was no way she could hold them off like she used to.“Why is this happening…?” she wondered aloud. “What did I ever do to deserve this? Mom… Dad… Why did you abandon me in the woods if this was going to happen…?”Overwhelmed by the events leading to her situation, Ellie could only silently cry.Minutes into her crying, Ellie heard something from deeper into the forest, catching her attention, and ceasing her tears. “Hello? Is someone there?” she called.N
Once Ellie was brought back to the pack… everything changed. For one thing, her pack mates- her friends- or whom she once viewed them to be, all turned on her. Called her traitor to her own kind. Some even tossed scraps and rotten fruits at her. To say she was baffled by the sudden treatment would be an understatement. She couldn’t believe the people she once got along with all turned on her so easily. Worse off, she heard claims and whispers about how it was expected of her… as a stray werewolf.It was not just their treatment towards her that changed; unlike before when they usually treat Maddie as though she did not exist, the pack treated her with a lot of respect. The very same respect… that they gave to Ellie. From the way Maddie accepted their sudden change, as though it was something extremely natural… Ellie could tell… Even the whole pack was in on this act. They never really cared about her; they only cared about Maddie! The thought and realization of that hurt so much… Elli
The full moon shined throughout the darkness. On this supposed lovely night, a bound Ellie was getting dragged to the plaza for the last rite. Apparently, since it was such a big event to happen, Lila and Aiden decided to make this public, so everyone in the pack can formally welcome their future Alpha as the Alpha she was meant to be.It truly left a bitter taste in her mouth, though… All those looks of expectations, the joyful expressions she was seeing on these werewolves? Before the rite, before she found out the true intentions behind it, they used to be directed to her, making her feel proud to be a werewolf of this pack, and wanting to live up to many expectations.Tonight? Not even a glance came her way. No… All this attention was for none other than Maddie, who was especially giddy with what will happen next.‘I hope she gets what’s coming to her soon. Her, and everyone else,’ Ellie thought, as she got tossed onto a familiar circle next to Maddie.“Brothers and sisters of the