Legend of the Shadow Wolf

Chapter One

It was a dark, crisp night as the wind started to blow with the scent of the upcoming rain that threatened to fall from the angry dark clouds that covered the full moon. The sounds of paws hitting the forest floor echoed through the darkness, chasing an unknown intruder.

Running, running faster than deemed possible but it wasn’t out of fear. It was a game, a game of shadows. One this being enjoyed most before capturing its prey. Toying with the four wolves that thought they were hot on its trail.

Reaching a small clearing on the other side of the border, the intruder leaped into the air as one of the wolves was close to biting its foot. Just a hair short from capturing its target, the wolf crashed to the ground as the mysterious intruder suddenly vanished in thin air, disappearing into the shadows of the forest before the other three wolves emerged into the dark clearing.

The giant wolf that was still on the ground stood up, looking in the direction where the intruder disappeared, took one step forward before the deafening sound of cracking bones and a short whine echoed throughout the clearing. The other three wolves looked at the first wolf and jumped back as the wolf cracked and split into pieces before their very eyes with no reasonable explanation of how it happened. The giant wolf’s head lay on the ground with its mouth open and black eyes staring into the shadows as a pair of red glowing eyes were visible for a mere second before they disappeared.

BEEP.. BEEP.. BEEP…

Jolting awake to the sound of my alarm clock pulling me out of the same nightmare I’ve been having the last year, since getting my wolf, drenched in sweat and breathing hard to catch my breath. I don’t know why I have been having this dream over and over again and each time doesn’t make anymore sense from the last.

Turning off my alarm, I proceeded to start getting ready for school. It was 6:30 in the morning since I like to get up before everyone else and take a hot shower before hot water runs out. I quickly wash and condition my hair and wash body making sure not to take too long, to be considerate to those that also like to wake up early.

I turn off the water and wrap myself in a towel as I walk out of my bathroom to my closet and pick something to wear. After drying my body and wrapping my hair up in the towel, I slip on my bra and underwear then slip on a pair of black ripped skinny jeans with plaid button up short sleeve top and slipped into my black combat boots. I packed a pair of black leggings and black muscle tank into my back pack for training later.

I slipped my phone into my back pocket and put my earphones into my front pocket. I went back into the bathroom and brushed out my long black and red hair that curled beautifully towards the ends. I rarely had to curl my hair or add any product, luckily I was blessed with perfect curls that I always loved most. I was about a little less than average height for a she-wolf, coming in at 5’6” with a decent size bust, curves that women would die for and nicely tanned skin that’s flawless, not a blemish in sight. I added some light makeup to my eyes and walked out to retrieve my backpack and locked my door behind me as I headed out to school.

Little backstory on me, I was the daughter of an alpha, I say was because my parents along with my pack, the Crystal Lake Pack, were attacked and slaughtered by rogues when I was a baby. We were a small pack that lived peacefully so we never expected to be attacked and overpowered by the rogues. During the attack, my father’s friend who was an alpha of another pack, the Blood Moon Pack, was visiting and my parents begged him to take me with him. He took me in and has cared for me since, keeping the promise he made to his old friends and making sure I was loved.

My name is Layla Dorian and I am currently 17, my birthday is in 3 days. Typically you don’t get your wolf until you hit 18 but for some reason I got mine a year early. No one but my adopted father, Alpha Ransley Valentine, knew I got my wolf at 17 and has kept it a secret. I always wanted to be strong so once I was old enough to train, I begged Alpha Ransley to let me start training at the age of 5. His Luna, Luna Calista pleaded on my behalf, saying how she thought it was good for me to learn and she admired my persistence. I excelled at training and vowed to become stronger every single day. I’m not like other wolves, I have very heightened and pristine senses more than everyone else and I never knew why. My eyesight was a lot better, my sense of hearing was more sensitive, I was faster and stealthier than our best warriors and few assassins we had acquired from the royal kingdom.

The pack I live in is called the Blood Moon Pack and we are known for our strength and stealth. The royal family would call us if they needed undercover work done or back up. Outside the royal kingdom, our pack was the strongest. It’s always been my dream to become an assassin. I have these amazing abilities and I want to use them to protect my family and those I love most. Girls here normally dream of finding their mates or what to wear to the balls the royals host for special occasions and most dream of being the Alpha King’s sons mate. No one really knows much about him or how old he is. The royals are pretty private but they are good friends of my Alpha and Luna.

I was deep in my thoughts about my life that I didn’t realize I was already walking up to the school. I could drive my car but I preferred to walk half the time. Good exercise, raises stamina and great for getting lost in your own head. I’m not the most popular one in school but I’m also not hated either. I’m respected and I get along with almost everyone. I have a few close friends I call family and of course, what school doesn’t have a group that hates them for no reason.

I pull my earphones out of my ears as I walk up to my locker. “Good morning Layla,” my best friend Scarlett says as she leans against her locker while I start pulling out my books out for class. “Good morning Scarlett.” We have been best friends since I could remember. We met in training when we were both 7 and we have been inseparable ever since. Technically we aren’t recommended till the age of 7 but I wanted to start so bad that Alpha trained me in private. Scarlett was a little of a slow learner so I offered to help her out and that’s how our friendship started.

Turns out we had more in common than we thought even tho we are polar opposites as far as looks go. She’s more girly and boy crazed and I’m more tomboy, rebel type. “Did you hear that Damien is dating that skank, Brittany now?” Scarlett said lowly, she’s a big gossip but only in secret. She’d make for a great undercover warrior if her fashion dreams don’t work out. “Ew, doesn’t he know she has diseases?” I said with disgust. Damien is Alpha Ransley’s son and my adopted brother, also soon to be alpha. Unlike how some adoption stories are, Damien and I are actually pretty close. He’s never treated me bad and we protected each other always. He’s definitely my big brother no matter what, blood or not.

Damien is a year older than I am but as far as I know, he hasn’t had any luck finding his mate yet. So he dates around but he’s not a sleezeball. He lets people think he sleeps around but I know he doesn’t. He tells me his secrets and I tell him mine. My wolf, Kali, loves his wolf, Fang, as her brother as well. Bit of a shock that he’s now dating Brittany though. She and her hater brigade are really the only group that doesn’t like me and my friends. They are snobby and stuck up, all because she’s a Beta’s daughter. Everyone knows I’m adopted but no one knows I’m from alpha blood. My past pack doesn’t get talked about thankfully.

Scarlett giggles at my comment, “I hope he gets tested before dippin a toe in that murky water.” I snicker at her remark as our two other friends, Taylor and Julie, join us. “Good morning beautiful ladies!” Taylor exclaims as he engulfs Scarlett and I in a death hug. “Good morning boolicious beau and beauty!” Scarlett laughs, returning the hug. “Good morning guys, Taylor your killing me with that pit stench there buddy. “ I say as I’m trying to pull myself out his hug so I can breath right. “Hey I don’t stink, I deodorized twice this morning thank you.” Taylor defends, sniffing his armpits to make sure. “You guys are too much. Layla did you guys get this year’s invitation to the full moon ball at the royal palace yet?” Julie manages to say after the craziness with Taylor ends.

“Honestly I’m not sure. I’ll have to ask Alpha when I get home. I’ve been too focused on training lately. The national training competition is coming up in a week and the winners get to join the assassin training if they have the qualifying skills.” I said excitedly. I have been looking forward to this competition for years and I’m finally almost the age to compete. Competitors have to be 18 or older to participate and this will be my year.

“Oh crap I forgot about that!” Scarlett exclaimed. She’s suppose to be competing with me along with Taylor. Julie has to wait another year since she’s not 18 yet but she’s super smart and was able to skip a grade so she gets to graduate with the rest of us this year. “Are you guys ready to graduate on Friday?” Taylor asked us as we started walking to our classes. “I am beyond ready. Going to start training more so I’m extra prepared and I have a new training planned to help strengthen my stealth.” I said, thinking over the details of the new training plan I have in store for after graduation.

“I am ready to blow this popsicle stand and focus more on my fashion designs and squeezing in some extra training for the competition. I just want to show that I am more than capable of protecting but I want to get close to the Queen and hope she will let me be her royal dressmaker one day,” Scarlett says happily. “Well I may be graduating this year but my parents want me to take some college classes and start helping out more with pack duties with the other omegas.” Julie says with a somber look. Julie is one of the packs omegas as well but she has been working her butt off to get stronger and she’s been working in the kitchen most of the time. I help her out with cooking for the pack, cooking is one of my favorite hobbies so I don’t mind helping out when I have down time. Taylor is one of the top warriors in training and hoping to become an elite warrior soon.

We all continue to talk about the next few days as we all break off into our separate classes. I have english first and since graduation is 4 days away, we don’t really have much to do so I take a seat in the back next to the big window and stare out of it while the rest of the class joins in.