Author's note: this is from Zoe's point of view

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I didn't want to come to this damned rite-of-passage test. None of us did. What happened with waiting until we are eighteen?

But Alpha Enric said that I'm already fourteen and unless I want my rations to be cut, I need to obey and go with Gil.

For the thousandth time this year I contemplated running away from this hellhole called the Dark Walkers pack, but then I saw that Luca is also going. He was never able to disobey an order. He is the Omega, the submissive one.

I don't feel superior to Luca and I would never classify myself as anything more than an Omega, but I have some backbone to reject nonsense. However, now I had to accept this and protect my useless half-brother (aka Luca).

It turned out that Ash is also coming. Well, Ash is cute. At least I will get to enjoy the view during these three days away from our pack.

They told us that on day one, Gil will show us how the hunt is done. On the second day, we will go hunting, and on the third one, the ceremony is performed.

Another boy joined us. He introduced himself as Costa, from the Silver Leaf pack.

The Silver Leaf is even more pitiful than we are. Their Alpha is abusive and he created an environment where you need to fight for what you want; the rumors are that they fight for literally everything, even for a meal. The scowl on Costa's face when he said his name and age (sixteen years old), matched the unpleasant reputation of his pack.

'Do you like him?', Luca teased me through our mental link.

'Shut it, you big baby…', I growled back. 'Stay away from him, he is bad news.'

Gil and three of his henchmen led us through the forest and he told us how we need to pay attention because they will show us how it's done. The real hunt.

This was not a hunt. It was a slaughter. Humans didn't see them coming. They didn't have time to scream, but the horror on their faces was there. The humans were still alive when Gil and his henchmen gutted their hearts out.

And that's when I emptied the contents of my lunch behind a bush because I couldn't stomach the scene. I mean, our Alpha delivers harsh punishments, but this was horrible.

Luca was right next to me, puking his guts out until he heaved because there was nothing left.

Ash didn't move, but his eyes were directed on his shoes.

Costa looked at the scene with a disinterested expression. His eyes were flashing, an indicator that his beast wanted to come out.

Unfortunately for me and Luca, Gil saw us wiping our faces and he admonished us for being weak. The one minute long lecture ended with a punch in the abdomen. One for me and one for Luca.

'Bastard, you will pay for this…', I seethed internally.

I was tired of being beaten because I'm not acting like a grownup. How come they don't get it that I'm fourteen years old!

I heard stories how not so long ago we were all part of a big pack where rules were followed, and Alpha cared about his pack members. Pups were given time to grow up and explore their interests, and no one was forced to be a warrior if they didn't want to. There are many versions of why the pack fell apart, and we don't know which one is true. It doesn't matter.

When we reached our camp, Grant lit up the fire and said that we will get to eat human livers.

Our disgusted expressions told them what we think about it, and Gil blow a fuse, "Spoiled brats! I will teach you how a warrior lives! You will sleep in the open! Go behind that bush and if I hear a sound, you will get a beating!"

Ash and I moved right away, and I tugged Luca to follow. I didn't need another punch.

Costa had his signature scowl, and he cursed us under his breath, "Weak fuckers! I got punished because of you!"

'Yeah right. If you are so mighty, why are you doing this test at sixteen years old?' I didn't voice my thoughts because if we start quarreling, Gil will punish us again.

A few minutes later, we saw a guy approach the camp, and there was another presence.

Gil was halfway through his bottle and didn't notice the newcomers.

'Should we warn them?', Luca asked through the mental link, and based on Ash glaring at Luca, I realized that he was included in this little conversation as well.

'Why should we?', I asked back. 'The poor guy will be dead no matter if we warn him or not.'

'What if he takes out Gil?', Ash asked.

'That man is not a werewolf. But if he manages to do it, we will witness a miracle', I responded, unsure how I feel about it.

Life in our pack is hard and people turn against each other. It's difficult to be civil when you are hungry and live in a shack without electricity, but Luca and I are doing our best. We are sharing a father who acts like a bachelor without responsibilities, coming home only when he is hungry and needs clean clothes.

Our mothers couldn't accept degrading living conditions, and they left a long time ago. Our father told us that there were many fights at that time and that there is a chance our mothers are dead. Both Luca and I hate them for leaving us behind. Anything would be better than this.

I was young to remember the life in a big pack and the caring Alpha, those are just murky flashes in the back of my mind. But I clearly remember having a bathroom and hot water.

'That's a big one!', Ash shouted mentally when a massive dark gray wolf came into view.

'Don't move!', I warned Ash and Luca. 'Our best chance is that they don't notice us.'

'We should run…', Luca said.

'Don't you see that wolf? How far do you think we will go?', I seethed while clutching Luca's arm, making sure he doesn't do anything stupid. 'Wow! What's going on with Gil? I was sure that he will get that human by now.'

'I don't think that is human, Zoe…', Ash responded dryly, and I noticed that he was right next to me. Close. Gods! He is handsome, but also a smartass. It's not that I hate it. Ash is blessed with good looks and it's impossible to dislike anything about him.

My attention got to my left and I was startled to see a woman only a few steps away from us.

"Ah!", a scream of surprise escaped my lips, and Ash covered my mouth with his palm to stop me from making more noise.

Luca hugged me, silently asking me to deal with the situation, like always.

Ash hugged me from the other side, and I would be touched by that action if I was not completely petrified.

'Now what?', Luca asked.

'No matter what, don't move!', I responded.

Luca was restless. 'Should we attack her? She is just a human.'

'We thought about that guy he is human, yet he crushed Gil without touching him...', I reminded Luca and Ash.

'We are screwed…', Ash said weakly.

'Give me a second to think of something. She is backing away, maybe she will leave…', I said with as much confidence I could muster, which was not much. Anxiety reached maximum levels and I felt my wolf clamoring to get out.

Costa shifted and pounced toward the woman.

Was this our cue to scram? Before I finished that thought, the massive dark gray wolf was tearing into Costa like he is made out of paper, and I knew that we are going to be next.

'We need to run. Now!', I screamed mentally.

I was about to get up, when the woman shouted an order, "STOP!"

'Fuck! I can't move…', I said to Luca and Ash.

'Me neither…', Ash responded a second later.

I was puzzled. Even when Alpha Enric gives the order I'm not this frozen; sure I get stiff and I feel that my wolf shrinks in submission, but not to this point.

Who is this woman? And then it clicked… 'She is our ticket out of this mess, boys. Get on your knees!'

'I can't move…', Luca whimpered.

'You want us to submit to her?', Ash asked in disbelief.

'You felt it. She is powerful, Ash…', I tried to reason with Ash, knowing that Luca will follow my lead. 'Look at that werewolf. He is more powerful than Gil and I can feel his bloodlust. If we don't submit to her, he will end us. Even if we manage to run from here, we will be rogues. Minors. Easy targets. Or do you want to return to the pack? How are you going to explain Gil's death? Alpha will skin us alive.'

'You are crazy…', Ash admonished me.

'This crazy will save our lives.', I said. 'Or do you have a better plan?'

'I hope this works…', Ash grumbled as he got on his knees, but he knew very well that there was no other option.

Luckily, Seraphina radiated with kindness that even my mother didn't make me feel. While looking at her big gray eyes directed at me, a small seedling sprouted inside me, something I didn't feel in a very long time… hope.

Once the interrogation ended, the werewolf called Lazarus and the other guy went to assess what all needs to be done, and I used this opportunity to talk to Seraphina.

"I apologize."

She was visibly confused. "For what?"

"For making it sound like we wanted you to marry our Alpha.", I explained and glanced toward Lazarus. "It seems that your lover got upset."

Her grimace was comical. I thought that Lazarus might be a dominant male who is bossing her around, but based on her shock, I confirmed that's not the case.

"He is not my lover. Acquaintance.", she explained stiffly.

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