Prologue
Celia
Celia stood above a tortured mess of another werewolf. Her body was covered in blood and she panted breathlessly for what seemed like forever until her heart beat began to slow. Celia was an average girl with deep auburn hair that flowed down past her waist. Along with her light grey eyes, she was usually dismissed in most places. However, if a wolf happened to catch her scent, they pursued her relentlessly.
Her hair was now matted with sweat and blood and her clothes were tattered. She could still taste the wolf’s blood in her mouth and she absently wiped her lips with the back of her hand, smearing the blood more than removing it. He had fought well, but was no match for her once she let herself lose control. Pieces of flesh and fur covered the place and she suppressed a gag as the putrid smell of fresh death got to her.
Forcing herself to move, Celia slowly made her way to the skinned werewolf. It was beginning to shift back to its human form. Small, shallow breaths still quaked from the form and she picked up her dagger. It turned its weak eyes to her and squeaked out one word. “Madik.” That’s when she knew for sure. She forced herself to stand tall and straighten her spine like the queen she knew she was.
“Never again.” She spoke quietly with all the power she could conjure. Then in one swift move, Celia plunged the dagger deep in the man’s skull. The force was so powerful that it split the skull in two and cracked the cement underneath. She pulled the blade out and wiped it on her jeans.
She was tired and needed to clean up and rest. This place was so much different than what she was used to and running from Madik would start to take its toll if she didn’t find what she was looking for before the next full moon.
Celia stumbled out of the cellar and was greeted by the cool fresh night air. The waning crescent moon hung high. That meant that she had less than a month before every werewolf on the continent would be out for her blood. For now, she had to find someplace to clean up and rest. She still had a couple hundred the werewolf she ended wouldn’t be needing and a small sprig of blessed rosemary. It was enough to get her through the night. Tomorrow she would find more supplies, but tonight she was heading down the road to the small motel she’d passed five miles ago. A shower and a bed. Then she could worry about supplies.
