Bond and Betrayal

Chapter 1. Nightmare

"Agra, no!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as the bulky hunter grabbed my twin brother by the neck. His small, trembling body looked so fragile in the hands of the monster. Before I could react, the hunter drew a blade and slit Agra's throat right before my eyes.

I watched in horror as his lifeless body fell to the ground. My wail broke through the chaos surrounding us-fire crackling, smoke thick in the air, the screams and howls of our pack mingling with the sharp clang of weapons. But at that moment, none of it mattered. My world shrank to my brother, whose head I cradled in my arms.

His blood soaked through my pink pajamas, its metallic scent burning my nose. I pressed my trembling hands to his neck, trying to stop the flow of blood, but it was useless. The warmth of his life faded too quickly, leaving me with a cold emptiness that I could never escape.

Then I woke up, gasping for air, drenched in cold sweat.

Even after 14 years, the memory haunted me. That night had left scars deeper than any blade. It wasn't just the nightmare of losing Agra; it was the pain of surviving when everyone else had perished.

That night, the safe house—our supposed sanctuary—had become a slaughterhouse.

It was supposed to be a fun tradition. On full moons, the adults would leave the pups, elders, and the sick in the safe house near the lake while they went for a run. Supervised by oracles, who were witches sworn to protect us, we'd have bonfires, play games, and enjoy stories under the stars.

But the hunters found us.

There were too many of them, armed with silver bullets and a bloodlust that couldn't be sated. The oracles fought valiantly, casting spells and trying to protect us, but one by one, they fell. Their magic wasn't enough against the sheer force of the hunters' assault.

In a desperate attempt to save as many as possible, one of the oracles opened a portal. My cousins, Irina and Orion, managed to escape with a few babies, but the portal began to flicker and close just as Agra and I reached it.

The hunters were faster. They snatched Agra before he could take another step, leaving me frozen in fear.

By the time reinforcements arrived, it was too late. My pack fought fiercely, winning the battle but losing countless lives. I was the only survivor from the safe house, found trembling and covered in blood, clutching my brother's lifeless body.

The memory was like a shadow that never left me. Even now, as I sat up in bed, I could feel the weight of that night pressing down on me.

Shaking off the nightmare, I checked the time on my phone. The sun was about to rise, and I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep again. Today wasn't about me; it was about my best friend. It was his 18th birthday, and I wanted to be there for him during his first shift.

I freshen up and sprint my way to the clearing near the forest. By the time I arrived, the handsome young man was already waiting for me. The wild flowers and butterflies, also the morning sky and the clear air, complete the view.

Like always, he brought breakfast for us.

“Good morning, future Alpha,” I teased while taking a seat next to him, on the large rocks.

He tugged the tail of my French Braid playfully, made me send him a nasty glare. He chuckled before saying, “morning to you too, pretty one.”

The pet name never failed to make me smile like an idi*t.

We spent some hours before he got pale and looked very sick. He keeps saying everything will be okay every time I push him to go home and rest.

Then he gasped as his feet bent into abnormal angles, that scared the s**t out of me. I know his first shift is expected, but never thought it will look this painful. I can't help but worry about my first shift in the future.

Slow but sure, his bones rearranged one by one. His whimpers as the back sound. Sometimes his hold on my wrist was too much and his nails were digging into my skin, but I let him. He needs me.

I cradle his head on my lap, trying to ease his pain. Slow but sure, his body morphing into a different creature.

“You’re beautiful,” I beamed proudly at the huge black wolf in front of me.

After the pain subdued, he got up on his four, his green eyes looking deep to my soul through our locked gaze. He shook his black and thick furs, then huffed mockingly before licking the side of my face. Made me giggled on the sloppy sensation. Gross, I know, but it showed how even his wolf cared for me.

We weren’t officially dated, yet we were close, very close. We practically grew up together and became inseparable, but I couldn't be happier when he said, “You are my mate, Aria White.”

There, just after he shifted back to his human form, in his naked glory, with God gifted lean but sculpted body, while cradling my face and loving gaze, made me melt on his touch.

From then on, our relationship turned south. We were in full swing romantic mode, and soon, we couldn't keep our hands off of each other.

We were young, and in love. And I ignored the uneasy gaze from my mother, also my father’s endless scolds. According to them, we were too close; it was inappropriate. They wanted me to be sure that Drake was my mate before being in this level of closeness.

“We just don't want something bad to happen to you, Sweetheart.” My mom once said with a concerned face.

But at that time, puppy love blinded me. If we are mates, I will be with him forever. How bad could it be?

So, as a rebel little princess, I wasn’t given any concern. Not until six months later, when I stared down at a pregnancy test kit on my hand with my eyes almost popped from their socket. It was just three days before my birthday.

My 18th birthday. The day I supposedly granted my own wolf, but delayed, because I was pregnant. Hell, I can't even feel her presence while another might have shifted for the first time.

When Drake came to my home in the morning, I told him I was pregnant. Strange expression set across his face before a huge smile bloomed. He hugged me and whispered that he loves me. And I was relieved that he seemed to have us.

But a day after, no words from him.

Also a day after.

It was the first time he didn't show up at my important day, and I had a bad feeling about this. Trying to shrug it off, I chose to visit my cousin, who just arrived last night from her pack, along with her mother, to spend a week with their relatives. They crashed in my Aunt’s house.

But what I found got me shaken.