na's

ng after they were gone. I stood paralyzed staring after where my parents had been dragge

o

into my soul. My parents-my only family-wrongfully imprisoned, hu

in my mind like a taunt: You'll d

ard around the lump in my throat.

turned to leave, the reality of what lay ahead-the

nowher

ere. The door was open, the living room ransacked, drawers out, chairs overturned.

dges. My mother's favorite, she'd always kept fresh flowers in it, sai

li

ting around, I found two enforcers standing in

oice came out hoarse, li

tepping forward, "you are to leave the pack

ht of his words sinking i

d, "after that little stunt you pulled. You should be g

was then smothered out by a wave of despair.

beneath me. "Fine," I said, my voice shaking

nly stepped aside, motion

there to take? Everything that

ng trees closing in upon me, stalks and branches grasping at me, met a head full of thoughts,

ned and darkened, the silence that had almost been tranquility now pun

ace. I was not safe here

ehind me froz

. Their eyes shone bright with a predator's glow. They weren't pac

ng my throat, refused to cower. "Bac

step closer. My wolf stirred weakly inside of me, but the rejectio

ground, clutching it in front of me

idn't

side, and the wolf let out a pained yelp before tumbling backward. But in one fraction

Its claws raked across my arm, and I cried out, stumbling backward. Blood trick

ending me to the ground. I bucked under it, my hands pressed

ting and kicking, but my str

h closed in, a deafenin

; I scrambled to my feet, vision swimming

rogues like they were nobody. One wolf leaped at him; he dodged it easily, and his hand shot out to

an instant of whirling fur, he was among them,

in less th

gues strewn across the forest floor. The man turned to m

horitative, but beneath the firmness, th

e that had kept me going started to wear off, quickly repl

quieted down with his words, though his p

ign. I hadn't felt safe in

knees buckled, and the gr