Chapter 1
I don't remember much about my parents. I was 5 when they died. Suicide, I was told. The only thing they left me was a note to our Alpha asking that I be 'taken care of'. I was moved into the keep that very night. There were no tears or strained goodbyes to my newly departed parents. As far as I was concerned, they could rot in hell for abandoning me.
I remember being carried up the worn stone stairs of the main house clutching the only toy I had: a raggedy gray bunny. I was set down near the large dining table and left alone. In the next room, I could hear a discussion about where to put me. The staff had wanted to give me a room upstairs, near the family quarters, but the Alpha did not think that was appropriate.
The room I moved into, which I would live in for the next 13 years, was about the size of a small closet. It was nestled in the basement of the keep, out of the path of the servants and staff. The walls were moist with condensation and small bits of moss had begun to grow in the cracks of the gray stone. There was a cot shoved into the corner with a tattered, itchy-looking blanket. The floor was dirty and there were no windows. Once the door clicked shut, I was able to recognize that this place was home.
The alpha who had taken me in, Luther, had been kind enough. He was old and frail, but he felt honored at taking in a newly orphaned child. He had assigned the kitchen staff to look after me and assign me chores. I would see him at dinner time when I served him his meals. I knew from his distant behavior that he would never love me like a child. He would do exactly what he was supposed to; he would take care of me.
Luther died 3 months after I arrived in the keep. While his death was sad, it was not unexpected. His son, Arnold, was to be our new alpha. I had met Arnold and his wife Eileen several times throughout my childhood. They were not warm and friendly, but they made a point to let the entire pack know that they would be the next Alpha and Luna.
When they arrived at the keep, the 2nd in command, Harold (who was just as old and frail as Arnold had been), gave them an overview of the day-to-day activities and the keep staff. It was briefly mentioned that I was a ward of the pack and that my duties started with the kitchen and ended with any cleaning that needed to be done.
"Meridae is here to help the kitchen staff, and keep the rooms clean and ready for use."
Eileen walked over and pulled at a loose red curl that had fallen free from my braid. "You are not going to cause trouble for me, are you girl?"
"No ma'am," I whispered. She yanked my hair hard. "No, Luna".
"That's a good girl. Now run along. Don't you have chores to do?" I bent my head and dashed toward the kitchen.
That had been life: Each day I woke up before dawn, cooked, and cleaned until supper time. I did as I was told and stayed out of sight. Of course, it was easy to stay out of sight when I was younger, but once I turned 15 everything changed.
The alpha demanded I clean his personal chamber and serve him his meals. It was then that the Luna, who had never so much as looked twice my way, was now sneering every time I enter the room.
Wach time I caught her vicious gaze I could feel the lingering lustful glance of the alpha. His eyes would stop on my curvy waist and find my voluminous chest. I tried everything I could to contain my breasts. I wrapped them tightly each morning to bind them closer to me in hopes that he would stop staring. It never worked. Even from across the great hall, I could feel his eyes burning into me just below my face.
This day was different though. The Luna did not challenge me with every look. Instead, she barked orders to all the staff. The
Lunar New Year was in just a few days and her son was finally coming home.
Bruxum had been gone for most of my childhood. He had been sent away by his father, who wanted him to receive Alpha training from the Leader of our packs. The staff often whispered about his deranged behavior when he was a child: beating smaller children, hurting animals, and worst of all, setting fires. Everyone knew his parents had sent him away for more than just 'alpha training'.
"Everything must be perfect for the New Lunar Year. We have many guests and are hoping to make a match for Bruxum. It is time he came home". She directed the last comment at the Alpha.
When he didn't answer her, I peeked up from scrubbing the floor, a tendril of red hair floating down to dance with my modest neckline. My eyes met the Alpha who, it seemed, was lost in his thoughts.
"Ugh!" The Luna gasped. "You get out!" She yelled at me. "Meridea- can't you work somewhere where no one sees you?"
"I want her here!" The alpha yelled from his seat.
"She has work to do elsewhere." The glare she gave me almost made me want to disobey my Alpha.
He sat back down and waved his hand, dismissing me from the room. I ran from the room and out the front doors of the keep. If I were to work where no one could see me, then no one would know if I was not working. I ran past the main gate toward the tree line.
Once I was beyond the treeline, I stripped out of my clothes and unbound my breasts. I could feel my wolf awaken inside me. She wanted to run and be wild. I set off at a sprint and shifted seamlessly mid-stride. My red wolf bounded through the forest enjoying being out in the sunlight.
Normally, daytime runs were off limits. We were only allowed free time after all the work is done, but today was a gift from the goddess, and I was not going to let it go to waste. I watched the sunset dance through fields as the last rays of light chased butterflies and stray leaves caught in the wind.
My wolf stopped running at our favorite spot. In the middle of the densest part of the forest, the moss-green floor vanished, emitting a peaceful stream into a glorious waterfall. I usually came here at night underneath a full moon to dive into its deep waters.
I shifted back to my human form to enjoy the feeling of the warm sun tickling my naked skin. At the highest ledge on the cliff, there was a sun-filled spot that was just big enough for me to lay and soak up the sun. I took a small hike and laid myself on the warm rock.
The warmth from the sunlight felt amazing. My pale skin enjoyed feeling the cool caress of the wind as it danced by. I basked in the heat and enjoyed the ticklish sensation of the sun warming my skin. My thoughts ran away from me, and before I knew it, the sun had said its last goodbye and the night sky ruled the earth. I knew I had to get back. Someone would be looking for me by now, and I did have more work to do.
I stood up, stretching my hands up to the sky, my pink n*****s tightening as the breeze chilled the night air. As the wind blew past, I caught a scent I had never noticed before. It smelled like cinnamon and firewood. My wolf caught the scent too. She turned searching for the source of that wondrous smell, but it had disappeared. Instead, she found an all too familiar mangy-looking wolf staring at us from the tree line.
We knew that wolf and my wolf shivered inside.
Bruxum was back.
Without hesitation, I turned and leaped off the cliff, diving into the crisp waters below.
