"You never let me play with you guys!"

"Go home Alice!" My brother Adam barks back before he continues striding through the forest, his long slender legs making it hard for me to keep up with him. His friend Jay says nothing as walks in line with my brother easily matching his fast pace.

"I'll tell mum and dad if you don't let me play!" I demand as I jog to try and keep up with them both.

"Stop being a little snitch and get back to the farm, you're supposed to be helping dad today anyways!" Adam shoots back.

"Just let me come with you this one time. Jay, tell him it's OK if I tag along too!" I plead looking to Jay for help.

Jay is the Beta's son, even at twelve years old he's a skilful hunter with strong arms. His dark red hair is always tumbling in his handsome face. I've had a crush on Jay ever since he started spending his summers on the adjacent farm to ours. Unlike my brother, he's not a total dick to me and often stands up for me.

"Not today, Alice. It's kind of dangerous where we're heading and I wanna keep you safe." Jay winks at me, before turning back to keep in step with my big brother.

"See, even Jay doesn't want you around, so piss off home." Adam snarls and my heart drops when Jay says nothing but keeps on walking away.

I stop in my tracks feeling hurt as I watch them head off on one of their adventures deeper into the forest towards the pack perimeter. I know exactly where they're going. Our mum is an enforcer and last night she was telling our dad all about some rogues that have camped by our borders and Adam and Jay want to spy them.

I'm sick of them treating me like a baby. I'm always left out! My wolf surges forwards making me growl.

"Fine, I hate you both!" I scream after them, my scream echoes throughout the forest, an eerie silence follows it.

Adam and Jay both turn to look at me with surprise because I've never dared say that to either of them before, especially to Jay. I go to spin on my heels to start running back to the farm when ear shattering howls start going off like sirens. Then the sounds of quickly approaching paws thundering along the forest floor rumbles across the valley.

Jay is the first to act, going straight into high alert mode and getting into a defensive stance. "They're not from our pack." He grits out.

I look to my brother whose face has turned white, now also getting into a defensive stance. "Shift and run Alice. Run back to the farm." He yells at me.

But panic and fear have griped me. I can't move. I'm so afraid.

"Adam." I sob.

"Now Alice! You know how fast you can be, now go." He commands me, but my feet just won't seem to move.

"Alice!" Jay roars at me, snapping me out of my frozen daze. He's never once raised his voice to me, his usual carefree face etched with concern.

More howls rings through the trees now, but this time I recognise their call. The enforcers are on the way. My mother will be here soon to help protect the pack. My own wolf whines in my head to get moving away from the danger. I've only shifted twice before, I've little control over what I'm doing as I'm only eight and my heightened emotions are not helping. I call to my wolf begging her for help and luckily my wolf surges forward taking full control of the shift. Springing into action, she starts to sprint back towards our farm.

I take one look back over my shoulder and see Jay and my brother Adam watching me intently as I run away from them...

...not knowing that would be the last time I'd see my big brother.