Charcoal Moon

The Dark Wood

4 months had passed and my life was going rather well.

Dear Mom and Dad,

Everything has been going well, I am still here so obviously I managed to impress the King and Queen Luna and again because they bumped me up! I just wanted to let you know that I am doing really well here. I train daily with Koda, he is a top officer and will be Gamma when Prince Onyx takes over as Alpha King. No mom he is not my mate but we are good friends, Jace is still watching me like a hawk but he has gotten friendlier since our first meeting. The castle grounds are beautiful and I know you would love it here. Dad Corinn said thank you for the awesome knives you sent us too!

Today I am going on forest patrol for the first time which seems pretty exciting, there has been a lot of rogue sightings lately and you know how I love fighting! I was partnered with Luis and Marissa. I do not really like her but ya know.

Anyway I love you both so much, write back soon!

-Keelin.

I dropped the envelope addressed to my parents in the mail bin after I changed into my uniform which is basically a black leather outfit with straps for weapons. The leather is this to help protect from attacks, mine has a hood because I am classified as an assassin due to no one being able to take me down in formal fights and my stealth is unmatched. Every member carries multiple knives and a sword, I also have a bow and quiver for my arrows. Each uniform has the royal crest and a charm that was given to us after assignments. The charm enables us to shift into our wolves and when we shift back we have our uniforms intact.

"Marissa would you be quiet." She made some weird sound in her throat.

"Keelin would you not be a bitch." She smirked like she had done something exciting, I just rolled my eyes.

"This is a stealth mission, and your annoying ass voice is the opposite of stealthy, goddess why are you on my team." Ugh I groaned in irritation, the snow was about knee deep and she would not shut up about how her pants were getting wet.

"Alright five miles this is where we stop." Luis quickly chimed in before she said anything else. Five miles outside the border is fifteen miles from the castle. The Royal pack has a territory far bigger than any other, and the pack has over eight hundred members where most have around four hundred.

"No one is around to stop us from going in Luis." Marissa's eyes were staring into the dark woods ahead.

"Its called the 'Death Wood' for a reason." Luis retorted; my eyes were fixated on something passed the trees but I can't quite make it out. It feels like something is calling to me, trying to draw me in. Invisible fingers coming from the trees, tempting and daring me to take a step further.

"Keelin" A soft hushed voice called from the fog in the trees.

"Keelin Blake" The soft voice called again.

"KEELIN BLAKE!" The voice no longer soft but screaming sounding deep, dark, and angry.

"Hey Kee!" Luis shouted and shook me by my shoulders, I shook my head and pulled my focus off the voice coming from the woods.

"What the hell?!" I pushed him back.

"You were zoned out for like ten minutes, Marrisa's stupid ass said it wasn't scary and went in. Your eyes looked fogged over and I couldn't snap you back. Like what the hell Kee, you scared me!" Just as he finished speaking an ear-piercing scream rang out from the dark foggy woods, I looked at him and he knew what I was going to do before I said it.

"Don't!"

"Mind like Jace and Koda, I'm going to get her." Before he could stop me I ran in the direction of the screaming.

Koda POV

I was running as fast as I possibly could, once Luis linked me about Keelin going into the Death Wood after Marissa I panicked. I cant let anything happen to her, in a flash Jace was running at my side with a very angry loom on his face. Moments after we arrived at Luis's location several other guard members and a very angry Beta Francis were behind us. Everyone shouting trying to figure out what to do.

No one was to enter the Dark Wood and that was a direct order from Alpha King Grey.

"Look!! someone shouted, Marissa's slim figure was slowly staggering from the tree line. Her roommate James quickly scooped her into his arms and headed for the infirmary.

"Not yet!" Jace stopped James.

"But shes hurt just look at her!" His words so full of fear. She looked awful, her blonde hard was matted to her face with sweat, blood, and what appeared to be tar. Most of her face was purple, and blue, her body riddled with cuts and gashes and teeth marks from wolves, her uniform was destroyed.

"Where the hell is Keelin." Jace's icy blues stared into Marissa's muddy ones. She didn't answer and he let out a low growl. "Where the f**k is she Marissa!?"

I stepped in front of him and lifted her out of James army by her tattered uniform.

"Luis already told us she went in after your stupid ass now, WHERE IS SHE?!" My words came out like venom. James was screaming at me to put her down, only to earn a hard and sickening punch to the nose by Jace.

"S-s-s-she saced m-my life." She pointed a finger in the direction she came from.

"IS SHE ALIVE?" I screamed but she had passed out in pain and fear.