SHADOW OF THE WHITE WOLF

Chapter Three: Murder

Vaelora POV:

“It is,” Kael replied evenly. “If she is a curse to the Alpha bloodline, then as the Alpha-heir she concerns me more than anyone, Father.”

A collective gasp from the crowd, echoed through the courtyard.

No one has ever contradicted the Alpha in public. No one alive.

And here stood the heir, who was only fifteen, challenging his own father.

As much as I hated the pity I saw in his eyes, a part of me for once felt belongingness. Finally for once, just for once, someone was standing up for me.

"I swear it, father," Kael continued. "She was provoked into shifting. I saw it with my very eyes on the training ground. And every other singles cub and the trainers did too! Shouldn't they be questioned according to the law?"

Alpha Darius cut him. "...according to the law, a white wolf should be killed without trial..!"

Kael questioned. "How are we sure that she's really the white wolf? Just from her fur color? Does tradition demand that every cub born with a white fur be killed without prove of innocence?"

"Do you now question the traditions of the pack, Alpha-heir?" the Alpha snapped clearly angered.

"I do not, Alpha," Kael replied calmly. "I merely question the authenticity of this... justice."

The night air felt very tense as every wolf in the courtyard stiffened at the royal confrontation.

The heaviness I felt that night, lightened a little. Here, finally, was someone willing to question everything! But that also was short lived.

Because, before Alpha Darius could respond, a sharper voice cut through the night.

"Enough!"

The Luna. She stepped forward gracefully.

She possessed a cold beauty. Looking ever so immaculate, her air felt untouchable. The prideful daughter of one of the strong werewolf clan. Her sliver hair was braided tightly down her back, blue eyes cold like polished ice.

"You forget yourself, Kael." She said in a low tone.

"Mother, I just want..."

She cut him. "Sentinel."

The command was immediate. And from among the crowd emerged Stella's father, a massive looking stature with scar running across his jaw. He bowed unhesitatingly before the Alpha, then the Luna.

"You will escort the Alpha-heir to his chambers."

A stunned silence fell again.

Kael didn't move. He looked on at his mother defiantly.

The Sentinel approached him cautiously, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Young Alpha..."

Kael shrugged the hand off violently.

"Do not make me repeat myself," the Luna said gently, a cold grin stretched on her lips.

Kael's jaw tightened, as his gaze flickered towards me once.

Something unspoken passed in that look. Something I was able to recognize despite my young age.

Defeat. Surrender. He's been outnumbered.

A part of me, ached immediately as I watched the Sentinel gripped his shoulder, and Kael did not resist.

As he was escorted away, his eyes never left mine.

"I'm sorry," he mouthed.

The moment he disappeared behind the stone archway, my father stepped forward suddenly.

He dropped to one knee before the Alpha. The courtyard erupted in shock.

"Alpha," my father said, voice steady despite the tremor in his hands. "Please, take my life in exchange for my daughter's."

My mother gasped. I froze, as I stared at my father's slumped shoulders. In my whole life, I had never seen my father look this defeated, a single teardrop rolled down my eyes.

"Matt," my mother whispered.

"I am Beta of this pack," he continued. "My life holds more value than hers. Take me instead, and spare her."

The silence that followed was suffocating.

The Luna's expression did not soften, instead I saw her eyes twinkled maliciously under the moonlight. As if she was relishing my parents suffering. I could almost swear I saw her grin.

Alpha Darius stared down at my father. "You would die for a curse?"

"She is not a curse," my father said shakily. "She's my child, brother."

'Brother!?'

The word detonated inside my head.

'Alpha Darius was my father’s brother?'

My mind reeled.

I watched the Alpha clenched his fists on the armrests, his lips pressed into a thin line. He hesitated.

The Luna leaned toward him, her voice low, but I could still hear her.

"Your hesitation is being seen. Order her execution at once or the crowd would doubt you!"

The Alpha rose slowly.

"This council is adjourned," he declared.

Outrage exploded instantly.

"You cannot delay this!"

"She is dangerous!"

"Kill the witch!"

"Destroy her, or she'd destroy us all!"

Alpha Darius raised his hand for order to be restored.

"The matter will be concluded at next twilight."

Strong gasps and murmurs could be heard from the crowd who clearly, wanted me dead, there and then.

The Luna's jaw tightened ever so slightly as she forced a smile to the crowd.

'Weak!'. She thought.

The word brushed against my mind. I stiffened.

Had she spoken aloud?

I gave a quick look around, no one else reacted.

But the word echoed again, louder this time.

'Always soft-hearted towards his brother and that damned family!"

I didn’t know if I had heard her…

Or it was the voice from somewhere inside my head. Or maybe I was just imagining things.

But it appears no one else has heard her, but me.

I froze. 'Did I just... hear her thoughts!?'

My heart began to pound for an entirely new reason.

Extraordinary healing, sharp hearing, quick sight, mind manipulation. And now this!?

Mind reading!?

What the hell was happening to me?

The guards moved toward us. I watched the Luna in shock. I could see the disappointed look in her eyes as my mother gripped my hand tightly. We were escorted away under a storm of hateful gazes and whispers.

***** **** *****

That night, our house was quieter than usual.

Even the servants had been dismissed. No footsteps in the corridors. No the usual clatters from the kitchen. Only the occasional distant chirping of crickets outside the house.

My father barred the doors himself, while my mother paced the lengthy hall restlessly.

"They are not gonna stay silent," my mother began. "Mirabeth won't stay still. She won't leave the child, Matt. She'll come after us."

My father gripped my mother's shoulder. "Not in front of the child, Nyxara," he whispered. "She's had enough for one day, please."

Mother looked past my father shoulders at the trembling me, who was trying my possible best to stay compose and stoic as always.

"But she's not safe yet, Matt," mother whispered. "We gave them everything... even the throne..."

Father cupped her cheeks, looking hard into her eyes. "I'll keep both of you safe. I'll do that with my life, if need be. So, be strong Nyxara," he said reassuringly.

Mother took one shaky breathe and nodded. Then father turned to me, holding me gently.

"Stay inside your room," he told me, his hands lingered on my shoulders longer than usual. "You'll be fine. I promise."

My mother kissed my forehead. "I love you, Vae."

It was the first time she had said that. The first time all my life. For some reasons my parents had never shown me the slightest emotion. Never.

Unlike other pups in the pack, I never had a family thing. No special moments. No birthday. I was rarely hugged, never praised. No affection. Only intense training and discipline all my life.

All I ever got from my parents were:

"You must be stronger than everyone, Vaelora."

"You are my daughter, you'll not be weak. I won't allow it."

Once I had been training with my mother, and I fell down bruising my knees. I sat down tears rolling down my eyes. My mother came closer to me.

"What are you still doing on the floor!?" she yelled. "Where you expecting to be petted like a child!?"

I was visibly trembling at the harshness in her tone. She sighed walked up to me.

"When life throws you violently down, you don't sit down and nurse the wound or you may end up dead!" she'd said as she yanked me up. "You stand up and fight back, Vae. You won't strive in weakness, you'll be eaten alive. Now, defend yourself!"

Now hearing my mother's "I love you" feels weird. Almost like a dream.

I smiled weakly. I didn't know what to say. It was awkward for me. A part of me wished to say it back, but I swallowed it, afraid that I'd be scolded again for showing weakness. And even though I felt like telling them about the powers, about voice in my head tonight, about how I could hear the Luna thoughts, about the sudden scary thirst for blood. I wanted to tell them everything, but my lips wouldn't move. Scared they would finally hate me just like everyone else, and so instead I just turned and went upstairs to my room.

***** **** *****

I do not remember falling asleep. But what I did remember was waking up to the choking smell of smoke.

And my mother roar of pain.

I shot up from my bed and ran barefoot into the hallway. The hot air burned my lungs and the staircase was all swallowed in thick smoke.

The hallway was in chaos, as I saw cloaked shadows moving swiftly. The sharp metallic stench of blood hit my nostrils as my feet stumbled into something warm and sticky.

Blood.

My breath became ragged as I took one stair at a time, shaking. Finally, my eyes grew accustomed to the smoke, it was then I saw my father clearly on his knees. And claws pierced through his chest from behind as his eyes met mine.

"Run, Vae," he muttered as blood spurted out of his mouth.

I froze my heart thudding as I watched my father's heart ripped out of his chest, trickle of his blood splash vertical across my face, a drop of it heavy on my eye lash. My feet buckled beneath me as I gasped, struggling for breathe as my father's body slumped right in front of me. His attacker, tilted their head in my direction, I still couldn't move, my breathing became hypertensive, as my feet shuffled towards another direction, only to face my mother who lunged at three attackers at once, fury incarnating through her.

She killed one, then another. But before she could grab the third, one of the killers, silver hair peeking from beneath a dark hood, slit her throat from behind.

The sound...

The sound of her choking on her own blood...

The way her hands flew to her neck...

The way her knees buckled...

The tears that rolled down her eyes as she slumped, dead.

It will haunt me for the rest of my life.

“Mother!” I screamed.

The cloaked figures turned toward me, knife glinting, aimed at me.

At that moment something deep inside me shattered. Snapped, as I stared at the bloodied bodies of my parents lay there, in pool of blood.

"You killed them," I quivered, hands shaking.

The cloaked figure with the white hair, chuckled casually, as she bent over me, wiping the blood from the blade, my mother's blood, on my dress.

"Oh sweet Vae, don't take it personal. They merely paid the the price for weakness."

I felt enraged. Anger, guilt, fear and intense hate washed through me all at once and uncontrollably. Suddenly white heat exploded through my veins. My bones twisted and cracked, tearing through my skin.

Rage consumed everything in me. I lost control over my body, as something else took over, and I saw myself sinking into a bottomless pit...

...and then

Darkness.