The Silverclaw Chronicles: Where will Fear take You?

Chapter One Amelia Have you ever lost everything in one moment and had your entire life change direction? Well, that was me again only a week ago. I am not going to sit here and have a pity party or try to get anyone to feel sorry for me, but I can't tell you who I am without sharing what got me here. So I guess I will start at the beginning...My name is Amelia Silverclaw and I am a 16-year-old werewolf. I know, crazy right! I am currently a member of the Moon's Edge Pack that covers most of the central territory. I was adopted when I turned 14 by an Omega couple of this pack after The Second Great War left hundreds of pups like me without a family. Emma and Felix were wonderful parents and never treated me like anything, but their own flesh and blood. I still can't believe they are gone! We may not have always seen eye to eye, especially about what my role in pack life needed to be, but they were my parents and I loved them. When the vampires attacked the outskirts of our land, my parents sacrificed themselves to protect me. Why did I have to insist on going for a run that night? I knew that they were not the strongest wolves in the pack, but they still indulged me whenever my wolf and I wanted to be let out! They would even run with me whenever I asked because they wanted to know that I was safe. They couldn't have pups of their own, so I was their "blessing", as they liked to call me. My wolf was even a bit bigger than both of theirs, but I let them fight the vampires and I just ran when Dad told me to. I keep trying not to dwell on it, especially because I will drown if I do and be held under by all of the tragedy that has surrounded my life. I mean how can I not dwell on the fact that I buried my sixth set of parents and all of them are gone because of me! I'm a curse...I'm a curse to anyone who decides to love me, not a blessing! My fear after losing my parents is that the rest of the pack will finally figure out that I am not good to have around and exile me before I can even finish high school. I actually never understood how they hadn't figured this out already. When I came here, it was because my parents, Marissa and Alex of the Wolf Moon Pack, had died in The Second Great War. My mom wasn't even supposed to be in the fight, but I had been at a friend's house when the battles got closer to our grounds than ever expected. She came out to get me and make sure I was safe. She was suddenly attacked by a vampire and killed instantly. When she died, my father was so distracted by the loss of his mate that a vampire warrior took advantage and ended him. My trail of tragedy didn't start there though. I came to live with Marissa and Alex when I was 11 after the loss of my parents, Gwen and Lucas of the Blue Moon Pack. They were taken from me during a huge vampire attack that nearly wiped out our entire pack. Luna Cara and Alpha Liam didn't like the idea of sending any of us pups away, but there was no way for them to care for the 75 of us that were left with no family. Some stayed with families that could take them in at Blue Moon, but the rest of us were sent out to other packs who had willing couples ready to take us into their homes. I had been with Gwen and Lucas since I was 8 when my previous parents, Dianna and Christopher of the Thunder Moon Pack were violently killed. I was their little princess and they treated me like one. The attack that took them away will haunt me forever. We lived in a nice little neighborhood near the border of Thunder Moon lands. Five homes were attacked by vampires that night and ours was one of them. Our homes were boarded up and set on fire. The border patrol had been caught off guard and killed before alarms could even be sent out. By the time reinforcements arrived, there were only three of us that survived the horrid fires. My parents died doing everything they could to get me out and keep me safe from the flames and vampires lying in wait. I was sent to live with my Aunt Gwen and her mate at Blue Moon after that. Before my years with Dianna and Christopher, I don't really remember much except that Marie and Tim of Snow Moon raised me from newborn to 4 and were killed when a small group of vampires tried to take revenge on Snow Moon for taking over vampire lands after the war. It was senseless and from what I have seen in my life, the vampires just look for any reason to attack us. I was little, but I still felt this loss in a huge way as I was sent to live in another pack with a friend of Momma Marie's and her mate. The only thing I know about my birth parents was that my mother fled from our pack after my father was killed in The First Great War. She had been injured, but made it to the next pack's borders. When they saw the shape she was in, she was taken to their infirmary. The doctor said there was nothing he could do for her due to the extent of her injuries and the weapons that were used on her, but she just kept saying to save me. He did a C-section and I was given to Marie and Tim of the Snow Moon Pack, who were having trouble getting pregnant. Momma Marie told me that my mom's name was Amelia and my father's was Grey from the Silverclaw Pack, which was completely destroyed during The First Great War. This is why she named me Amelia Grey Silverclaw so that I would never forget where I came from. I could never forget anyway, but the problem is that it wasn't just my birth parents that I lost...it was every parent that loved me after as well. I know that it is a lot to keep track of, but it is my life. So I will go over it one more time just to make sure you know how bad I am to have around and understand why I am just trying to get through high school before I find a secluded place to hide so that I can't hurt anyone else. My birth parents were Amelia and Grey of Silverclaw Pack, which was decimated during The First Great War, taking them too. My second parents were Marie and Tim of Snow Moon Pack from newborn to 4 (4 years), who were taken away from me too soon by a stupid revenge attack by vampires. My third parents were Momma Marie's friend, Dianna and her mate, Christopher of Thunder Moon Pack from 4 to 8 (4 years), who were taken before my eyes when I was 8 in a horrible home fire caused by vampires. My fourth parents were Momma Dianna's sister, Aunt Gwen and her mate, Lucas of Blue Moon Pack from 8 to 11 (3 years), who I lost during yet another vampire attack that almost wiped out the entire pack. My fifth parents were Marissa and Alex of Wolf Moon Pack from 11 to 14 (3 years), who were taken because of me during The Second Great War. My sixth parents were Emma and Felix of Moon's Edge Pack from 14 to 16 (2 years), who I just said goodbye to after I led them to their death by going out for a run when vampires decided to attack and then I ran like a coward. That pretty much sums my cursed life up. I hurt everyone who dares to love me even though I don't mean to. I know you can see the pattern because I sure can...I get to be loved for fewer years each time I find someone and I just can't bare to do it to anyone else. I simply want to keep to myself, get through high school, and then be secluded so I don't hurt anyone else or have to live through losing more love. And let me just clarify something for you. It is no easy task switching packs and I have done it five times now. Even as a child, I had to pledge loyalty to my new Alpha and could feel my connections to my previous pack severing while new ones grew. A young pup can feel connected to everyone in the pack because of their connection to their Alpha, but there is some pain involved in submitting because of our wolf nature. It was no walk in the park, but truthfully, by the second time, I felt like a pro. I just wish that the Alpha and Luna would have let me stay in my parent's house and complete my schooling from there. Luna Micaela wouldn't hear of it. She said that my mother was one of the best cooks in the Pack house kitchen and would always help the Luna whenever she needed it. For this reason and knowing that I was their only pup and so precious to them, she and Alpha Marcus are making me their personal charge until I am ready to be on my own. While this is very kind of them to do, this means that parts of my life have to change in big ways. The worst of this is that I have to move into the Pack house and closer to all of the upper level kids that I so try to avoid at school and around the grounds. It isn't that they are all mean or cruel to the rest of us, but we all know that they aren't meant to be our friends. They are our future leaders and future leaders of other packs. How are we supposed to compare to them? So that brings me to today...Its the first day of Junior Year. I am sitting in my new room on the Alpha floor of the Pack house staring in my closet, trying to decide what to wear. Luna Micaela had taken me and their four pups, who were at home shopping for back-to-school clothes. Jessie is their oldest daughter and is only a few months older than I am. She is absolutely beautiful with golden locks and hazel eyes. She is actually really nice and has been trying to include me in everything she can with all of her other friends. The other three are Laura, age 14, Nicholas, age 10, and Anna, age 9. We had a fun day together even though I felt slightly guilty about it, but now I stand in front of my closet without a clue about how to put an outfit together. A knock on my door brings me out of my trance. "Come in," I say quietly, but of course we are werewolves, so hearing is not a problem. The door opens and a gorgeous Jessie walks in completely ready for the day. She looks absolutely amazing in a pair of black leather shorts, a white designer ruffle front blouse, knee-high black leather boots, and a killer red leather jacket. Her hair is down in blonde curls just past her shoulders. Once I have seen her, I am reminded that it really doesn't matter what I wear, because there is no competing with the upper level kids. "What is taking you so long?" Jessie asks. "Do you want some help?" "Just out of it this morning, I guess. I will be ready in just a few minutes." I reply grabbing things off of hangers and walking into my bathroom to change quickly. I throw on the pair of white jean shorts with the navy bralette that I grabbed. I then pull over my light blue and white off the shoulder cropped top. I put on some light makeup, pull my dark hair out of the bun I had it in letting it fall around my shoulders, and simply shake my hair out. With one final look in the mirror, I walk back out to find Jessie still waiting for me. "You look great," she says, emphasizing her words to try to make me believe her. I give her a small smile and sit down to slip on my wedge converses to try to add a little more height to my stature. "I mean it, Aims. Look at yourself." She adds, coming over to me and making me turn to look into the full-length mirror hanging on my wall. "Your dark hair makes me so jealous and those blue eyes are to die for." I look in the mirror and see the two of us standing there, but I just can't see what she does. I see Barbie and her smaller, funny-looking sidekick. Although I will say that she is right about one thing, my eyes are shining and seem to be highlighted with the blue that I am wearing today. "Alright...I will admit that I don't look totally tragic. Hopefully, I can get through this day without everyone giving me looks of pity and just blend in enough to survive it." I comment as I watch the smile on her face fall slightly. Jessie turns me around to face her with a serious look on her face. "Aims, I know that life has sucked for you a lot. I am glad that you are here with us now, but I am really sorry for you losing your parents like that. I hope you know that if you ever want to just talk about anything, we can totally do that," she adds as she hugs me quickly. I hug her back and I can see again that she is so much like her mother. Luna is a wonderful woman and takes her role as "Mother of the Pack" very seriously. Jessie has definitely gotten her mother's grace and compassion. I don't want to let any of them get too close, but it is nice to have them here to distract me and keep me going. "Okay let's get going," I tell her, picking up my backpack and throwing it over my shoulder. We head out of the room and down the hall. There is a palpable buzz in the air of the Pack house, which feels odd to me. It is busier than usual. When we walk into the kitchen, I am practically attacked with hugs from my mom's friends. I want to stay aloof and distant to keep myself and others safe, but it is so hard to do when there are so many sweet, loving souls surrounding me. Jessie and I grab some breakfast and just sit at the counter to eat it. I can't believe how crazy it is here right now. I guess that she can see a look of surprise on my face because she giggles at me as she explains what is going on. "My brother and Kyle are coming home today for break," Jessie says as she rolls her eyes. "I don't know why it has to be treated like a national holiday, but oh well. Seems unfair that they get a month's break while we have to go to school every day." "Bitter much?" I reply with a giggle. "Of course she is," says a voice that I could have lived without hearing today. Addison walks into the kitchen like she owns the place. She is the daughter of Beta Keagon and Carly. She is strikingly beautiful, but it is only skin deep as she is not really a nice person. She has long brown hair that sits in waves down her back and matching bright brown eyes. I have worked to avoid her since I came to Moon's Edge and especially since I came to the Pack house. She likes to stir up trouble with anyone that doesn't worship her as a queen bee and I have no time for her drama. Just because she dated Aiden, Jessie's older brother, before he left for higher training meant nothing. He didn't declare her as his fated mate on his 17th birthday, from what I have heard, so I would think that would be the end of it, but who knows. It surprises me that she treats Jessie the way that she does and gets away with it. "I am not bitter and you know that Addison!" Jessie glares at her and continues, "I'm not sure why you care so much that he is coming home when you are clearly not meant to be with him." I have to bite my tongue to hold in my laughter, but the tight smile on my face says it all. When I look up at Addison, I can see her face turning red and know that it is time to take my leave. "Jessie, we better get going so that we are not late for school." I say trying to diffuse the situation by removing us from it. Jessie grabs my arm and we leave the kitchen, heading for the front door. On our way, we are joined by her siblings and all walk out to her car so that we can head to school together. As we are exiting the Pack house, I have the strangest feeling sweep over me. It is hard to explain, but I feel something pulling me back to the house. If Jessie didn't have a grip on my arm, I probably would have tried to figure out what is messing with my senses. As it is, I get into the passenger seat and we take off to school. I try to shake off the feeling, but then...