Torn Between

The full moon hung low in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the dense forest. The leaves rustled gently in the cool night breeze, and the only sounds were the distant hoot of an owl and the crunch of twigs underfoot. As I walked deeper into the woods, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching me. I quickened my pace, but my heart was pounding in my chest. Suddenly, a howl ripped through the stillness, sending shivers down my spine. I knew then that I was not alone in the woods. I woke up in my bed drenched in sweat. That dream again, the same thing over and over again. I was getting tired of this, I wanted to sleep and not be harassed by this constant "vision" of nonsense. I come from a family of rouges. When my mother was pregnant, she insisted on joining a pack for protection. I was born and the need to roam was more important to my parents than to care for their infant daughter. So, like any good parents, they left me with that pack. Yes, I absolutely have resentment towards them. They just up and left me when I was around four years old. Was the need for protection a lie? Or, did they realize that having a pup was a mistake? Either way, I hated them for leaving me here. The pack leaders were decent people. They didn't have to be kind to me or include me on family trips and holidays. Alpha Keith was a kind and gentle man. He was older than most Alphas. He had his family later in life. He stood around six foot one, was dark-tanned, with defined features, brilliant blue eyes, and had short graying hair, with a full gray beard. His wife, Kansas, was in her late forties. She was a petite woman, with round amber eyes, a full mouth, dimples, bouncy brown hair, and a pear-shaped body, standing around five foot, four inches. They had three boys. The eldest boy was Atticus, and the twins were Ashton and Alder. Atticus was always so serious. He took after his paternal grandfather with a cold, distant attitude. His eyes were so intimidating to look at. Every time I looked into his glacier-blue eyes, I felt like he was staring deeply into my soul, compared to his father's kind expressions. Atticus stood a full, six foot, eight inches. His build was athletic with his sculptured muscles. He kept his blonde hair short and professional-looking. He was three years older than me and two years older than his twin brothers. Ashton and Alder are identical twins. They aren't as tall as their older brother, standing around six foot one. They took after their mother with round amber eyes but had blonde hair not brown. They kept their hair shaggy and fun vs their cold and calculating brother. After my parents abandoned me, Luna Kansas took pity on me and gave me her maiden name Merci. I am now known as Bri Merci. I was about five foot five, with round green eyes, and sported a cute blonde pixie cut. The twins and I shared a birthday, though it was more like about a week apart. They were turning eighteen, while I was turning seventeen. My birthday was on April Fool's Day and theirs was on April 5th. I was their 'unofficial' little sister.