Snow White and the Big Bad Wolf

Just a pup

In this world there’s no room for second guessing. If you see a drop dead gorgeous person, they are more likely a shifter; a person who can turn into a massive animal and possess supernatural powers. The most common shifter being a Werewolf but not quite the same type told in scary stories or those old movies. Features that we’ve grown accustomed to seeing in famous celebrities or super models were found to be the most common way to tell who was a shifter. While they were breathtaking nonetheless you’d automatically feel like you need to escape them, as if you were their prey.

It’s been about a decade since the world was told about these creatures, but as human population grew and imposed on the shifters marked territories it was only a matter of time before conflict broke out. There was threat of extermination from the humans government but they quickly found out how much weaker they were compared to these shifters. They had not expected the numbers to be so large nor did they expect shifters to hold positions of power like generals and governors. In a way that was their insurance to keep their lands safe yet a pack of wolves or pride of lions could wipe an entire human army in one night.

I was born within a peaceful era between human and shifter. There was no more war, at least not between shifters and humans. Shifters and humans shared equal rights but maintained distance. It was rival packs and rouge shifters we’d have to be careful about. They were more dangerous than a scared human. Meanwhile there was still some animosity between the two species, humans and shifters. This created zones within the states, pack territories were what we called them. They were more like towns or a small city that held more than 90 percent of shifters. My town however only allowed shifters, it was sacred and an unbreakable law. Luckily our town would not be found easily, you’d have to hike for days to find us and even still a rainy dreary dump like this wasn’t the kind of place you’d vacation to. Deep within Washington in the rainy mountains lived the Crimson moon pack.

I’ve never ventured outside of the town but I’ve heard the stories of what life was like outside. Growing up my life had been confined to the pack house. No kids came to play with me and the adults never really looked in my direction. Ever since I was young enough to understand I felt like people looked right past me. I tried to ask my father but he would always tell me, “When you’re older we will explain it to you.” If I turned to our beta he would look down at me with distaste and mutter, “You’re just a pup... you won’t understand.” His 11 year old son however held nothing back. He was the only child allowed around the pack house and occasionally we would bump into each other. At 10 years old I just started receiving minor chores and watering my mother’s plants in the green house before dark was one of my tasks. Mason, the betas son would sneak behind me when I adjust the pots to spray me with the water hose. I’d always chase him away with him laughing his ass off but he’d always manage to call me names like weirdo or outsider.

One day one of Mason’s pranks went too far. I carefully entered the greenhouse on a rainy day, it was always so warm and inviting inside with all the plants. Small daisies decorated the entrance and on the tables there was a small display of lilies, dahlias, and roses. But first I approached my mother’s favorite, a pink variant of orchid called Dendrobium. Their soft colors were so beautiful and pure, the petals opened as if begging for hugs. I smiled at them and grabbed the water bottle to mist it lightly. “You’re looking quite lovely this evening.” I told the orchid. Behind me I didn’t notice Mason creep inside, eyeing my back mischievously. “Mother will be so surprised at how much you’ve grown!” Humming a little tune I sprayed the flower while inspecting its leaves but as soon as I turned around Mason jumped out with the water hose with a loud, “ROOOOAAAARRR!!” He startled me so bad I stumbled back into the table but the water of the hose sprayed me in the face so I couldn’t see what was going on. I fell back breaking the table and bringing all the plants with me, even my mother’s orchids. The clay pots broke off sharply to the point they cut my arms enough for blood to pool into my hand. Mason stopped the water with a mortified look on his face. “Why?!” I cried but he was speechless. The only thing that moved him was the sound of footsteps running towards the greenhouse. Mason threw down the hose and ran out the back door of the large greenhouse while the Alpha and maids came. “Oh no Aella... what have you done?” The maid covered her mouth as she saw the damage done to the greenhouse. “It wasn’t m-me! Mason he- he scared me!” I tried to explain but the Alpha was already enraged. Never mind my soaked hair and clothes and the hose pointed straight at me or the blood on my arms. “Get her cleaned up. She’s not to have any dinner until this mess is cleared.”

“But Alpha-“ I wanted to explain again but his glare forced my eyes to lower,

“You are not to step another foot in this greenhouse ever. You’ve caused enough trouble.” And with that he left the maid to bandage me up and help me with getting the plants repotted. Mother’s orchid lost some of it’s beautiful petals that day and I lost the only place I grew to love inside the prison that was supposed to be my home.

As the years went on I begged to be put into the packs school. I studied alone up until my middle school years and I was already way ahead of the kids my age. It never crossed my mind that my parents actually wanted me to stay away from people. There was a rumor going around that I had some kind of curse or I was super bad luck to be around. Bad things would happen wherever I followed so people naturally stayed away from me. I had no social skills to help this, to explain the misunderstandings, so maybe I too believed them. I still didn’t care, I longed to be around real people. The day my father gave in and actually allowed me to enroll he came to me sternly and said, “You can only go to school if you cover your hair. Don’t allow anyone to see it or else you’ll be homeschooled again.” 12 year old me was curious about this as I looked at my long snowy hair. No wolf or human naturally had white hair at my age. Perhaps he didn’t want anyone to make fun of me? But he still had a sadness in his eyes whenever he looked at me. I agreed wholeheartedly, and the next week I got a letter of enrollment.

We didn’t have many schools in our town. Three elementary, two junior high, and one huge high school. Most parents in the pack preferred to have their children homeschooled while others worked hard to have their kids sent to one. We even had sports where other pack would come to compete, I learned of it all much later. My first day of school I spent an hour making sure my hair was wrapped and secure from everyone’s sight. All of my supplies was packed neatly in my backpack and I made sure to remind myself to stay quiet with my eyes lowered. I followed the Betas and Mason out to the garage and rode with them. Mason didn’t seem so pleased that I was coming to the same school as he was. “After school don’t stray, wait for us to come get you. Stick with Mason he will show you where you need to go.”

“Dad is this really a good idea?” He groaned before he glared at me. I looked away worried that he might convince them to take me back to the pack house. “It is the Alphas decision to let her go to school. Only she can determine how long she stays with her behavior.” The Beta gave me a pointed look from the rear view mirror and I noticed his wife nudge him. She was the only one ever to show me any concern. “She’ll be fine. Mason will look after her and make sure she doesn’t get into trouble.” Little did she know it was the total opposite of his plan. For the next few weeks Mason tormented me to his hearts content. He was known to be a bully anyway but his target seemed to be glued to my back. Everyone was relieved to be free of his attention but no one wanted to be involved with me either or else they would face the same wrath. Such an unlucky girl to have her bully go to school with her and live with her they must’ve thought.

Eventually a girl named Savannah had enough of what she saw. Mason had just begun his morning routine of harassing me when she stepped in between us. “Mason this is getting really old. Why don’t you pick on someone who will fight back?”

“Why would I do that when it’s so easy to pick on the outcast? No one cares anyway.”

“I care, so why don’t you pick on me instead?” I watched as Masons fists balled up. He wouldn’t hit her would he? My body shook in fear and instinctively I grabbed her hand. “P-please, it’s okay... y-you don’t have to do this.” My small voice seemed to only fuel her rage and she grabbed the collar of his shirt. I finally looked up to see that Savannah was a massive girl. She had at least two or three inches over him and his eyes widened. “Today’s the last day I see you bully her and get away with it.” She growled at him, but Mason smirked. “That’s fine with me. Today’s the last day you’ll see her then.” He shoved her off him and rushed over to me grabbing my hair cover. “Mason no! Please!” But my pleas were all in vain. He snatched the cover away pulling some of my hair along and dragging me on the floor but it was too late for me to cover myself. My long white hair fell past my shoulders causing a curtain to rest in front of my face. I could hear the gasps and whispers around me and Savannah quickly covered my head with her jacket. “What the hell is your problem?!” She yelled, finally adults came asking what was going on. But even she couldn’t say much, he was the Betas son.

After that day I was limited to school twice a week. Since it wasn’t my fault everyone saw my hair my father took enough pity on me to not completely remove me. But no one made fun of my hair, I got weird looks every now and again but only Savannah seemed to not care. She was my first and best friend. In middle school, I didn’t understand why it was so imperative for me to keep my hair hidden. No one would ask but everyone seemed to know the answer. Even the adults looked at me the same way my father did, sadness and pity. I tried to ask a teacher but she only replied, “You’re just a pup, you wouldn’t understand right now.” The same response I got at home. What’s there to not understand? I wondered. Why wouldn’t I understand why everyone treated me differently?

“You don’t belong here.” Mason told me one day. I was sixteen when he brought it up, the day I got my wolf. “You really don’t see it huh? After all this time you don’t see how different you are from everyone else. You’re only fooling yourself.”

“Mason what are you talking about?” I asked him a little annoyed. Now that the cat was out of the bag about my hair it didn’t matter if I wrapped it up or not. So I left it down, it’s length falling past my shoulders and grazing my waist. “If it’s about my hair is just a birth defect. Could happen to anyone.”

“Wolves inherent strong genes from their parents at birth. You have your mother’s face. What do you have of your father?” Before I could answer Mason scoffed and walked away. I watched his back but his question caused even my wolf to wonder. “Tala... is the alpha not my father?” It started to make sense, the reason why everyone looked at me as if to say, “that poor child.” Dark eyes followed me no matter where I went, a look of pity and disgust. My own mother wouldn’t meet my eyes. I managed to catch the Alpha on his way to his office, every time we crossed paths he would always find a way to look busy. “Alpha,” I greeted with a bow of my head and he cleared his throat. Good, now we have your attention. “If it’s about your shifting ceremony don’t even think about it. The next full moon you and your wolf will be allowed on your first hunt with an escort.”

“That’s not what I am approaching you about.” I answered quickly. Tala gave me a gentle push in my mind. “I want to know what the secret is. Why does everyone look at me like I’m some alien, like I don’t belong here.” I watched as the man I grew up to know as my father press his lips into a thin line. He only did that if he was preparing to tell me the same thing I’ve heard for years. “I’m not a pup anymore. I can handle it.” Please just tell me. Will it hurt to know? What was so painful that nobody wanted anything to do with me. “Come in my office Aella. It’s time you learned the truth.”