His green eyes met with my chocolate browns and I instantly felt the connection I had with him. It was like a million little sparks errupting in every part of my body.

A small smile formed on my lips as I was flooded with hapiness.

Finally, something good in my life. I thought to myself.

I looked at his stone cold face and wondered to myself. Wasn't he happy we found each other? The smile slowly dissovled and a feeling of dread washed over me. I knew what was happening. I looked deep into his beautiful emerald eyes and saw several emotions raging in them. Pain, anger, disbelief, uncertainty and pity. I was smart enough to know that most of those emotions were aimed toward me or our little situation. Tears began pooling in my eyes and I looked at him again with blurry vision. His face stil remained emotionless and his body tense and closed off.

"I don't want you." His words were like tiny little daggers piercing my already wounded heart. I clutched my chest and turned around. I didn't want him to see me this weak again. Actually, I didn't want to see him again period.

I sighed and mumbled "I figured as much."

I began walking away hoping to forget this whole ordeal. But I was stopped by a cold hand wrapping around my wrist. From the sparks igniting inside me, I already knew who this was.

"Wait." He said. His voice was filled with confusion and just a hint of hurt. But I was into too much pain to even care.

"Aren't you supposed to fight me on this? Ask me why exactly I don't want you? Say something, anything. "

"Would it change anything?" I asked without turning around. My voice sounded weak even to my own ears. But to be honest, I was tired. Emotionally, physically and mentally tired.

"No." He replied as he slowly let go of my wrist.

"Then there's nothing more to say." I said in a soft whisper but I knew he heard it. With that, I walked off once gaain. But, this time he didn't stop me anymore.

And The Story Begins

Looking at the stranger beside me, a frown made its way onto my face.

He looked exactly like my husband. But, a wide grin was spread on his face as he waved to the crowd taking pictures around us. No. This isn’t my husband. My husband never smiled this much. I’m almost positive this is the longest he would’ve smiled for the whole year.

I was roughly pulled out of my train of thought as he very subtly whispered in my ear: “I know you hate to be here right now. But, would it hurt for you to at least act as if you’re happy. I don’t want any rumors spreading.”

He put a hand at the small of my back and began waving to the crowd as we slowly made our way to the limo waiting for us. I was forced to put a fake smile on my face as I waved to the nice people just trying to see the newlyweds. Namely me and him.

Once we finally made it to the car, I slumped on my seat and observed the man sitting across from me.

His eyes were closed and I could tell he was tired. Black bags were under his eyes and the wide smile that was on his face just a few minutes ago was no longer there. His shoulders were slumped as he leaned back on his seat. Yes, he was very tired indeed.

“I would appreciate it if you would stop staring at me.” He said with his eyes still closed.

I felt a blush rapidly creep up to my face immediately. He just had this effect on me.  It just couldn't be helped. I didn’t really understand or know why. I guess it was simply nature.

“I wasn’t staring.” I said rather too quickly.

“Of course you weren’t.” He said sarcastically as he opened his eyes and a smirk formed on his plump pink lips.

I just looked away and decided to just ignore him. That was the best way to deal with him.

“If you’re ignoring me until I say yes just stop. My decision has not changed.” He said and my eyes snapped toward him as anger filled me.

“Why won’t you just let me go?!” I screamed in his face.

“We already talked about this, Willow. You are not leaving and that’s final.” He said with eyes mirroring the anger in mine.

“I hate you.” I said.

“You don’t mean that.” He said simply.

I kept my mouth shut for the rest of the ride home, just thinking. And I ask myself:

How did my life come to this point?

- - - - -

Well, I’ll tell you. I was only ten years old when everything began to transcend into the unexpected wreck. I had to grow up fast. I couldn’t be childish anymore. Even though, I was a child.

It was near midnight when I jolted out of my sleep. I was awoken by the loud roar of thunder outside. A storm was steadily falling on our large yet eerie mansion. As a ten year old little girl, I was fiercely afraid of the thunder and lightning. I ran to the room across mine which belonged to my parents hoping to snuggle underneath the blankets with them.

Something big was coming and I knew it full well. I wasn’t sure how I knew. I just did. It was like a feeling in my gut telling me we had to get out of here.

Peaking in to my parents’ room, I saw them hugging each other. It brought a smile to my face knowing someday I’ll have someone to hold me like that. But then, the smile was wiped off my face as I heard the thunder roar loudly once again.

“Mom!” I called urgently. A cold feeling was starting to settle on my shoulders.

“What is it, dear?” She asked groggily still half-asleep.

“Go back to sleep, honey. It’s still too late.” My dad said with his eyes still closed.

“Daddy they’re coming!” I shouted. And as if to prove my point, a gunshot fired down the stairs.

My father shot bolt right up and screamed through the pack link “HUNTERS!”

My mother rushed to me and pulled me into my brother’s room. She shook Darren awake and pushed us both into the hidden room behind Darren’s cabinet with a terrified look on her beautiful face that was usually so calm. We could hear the fight raging outside the doors as people screamed and guns were fired.

She kissed us both on the head and tears started falling from her eyes as she said “Mommy loves you both, okay? Don’t forget that.”

She then turned to a silently weeping Darren and said “Be strong my little man.”

Another round of shots fired and my mother rearranged her face into one of no emotion and shut the door. We were left in the darkness and almost silence. We could still hear the battle raging outside the safety of our cabinet doors. Tears began falling from my eyes as I realized the true depth of what was happening right this very moment.

 “It’s okay, Willow. We’ll be alright. You’ll see.” My brother said as he hugged me from the side. His presence gave me comfort knowing I wasn’t alone.

Gradually, the fighting became less and less until we finally couldn’t hear anything anymore. Straining our ears, we tried to listen for anything. Anything that would give us a reason not to come out yet.

“I’m going to check it out. Stay here.” He said with a stern look on his face. Pushing the door as quietly as he could, my brother stepped out leaving me alone to my thoughts.

I closed my eyes tight and hoped for the sake of my sanity that my brother would come back. I hoped he would come back with my mommy and my daddy. I needed them. I needed my family.

Then a gun shot went off in the distance and tears threatened to fall once more. I push them back and chanted in my mind.

Please be alive. Please be alive.

I hugged my legs close to my chest as I closed my eyes tight. I was tired and sleep was starting to claim into its deep warm depth.

- - - - -

 I was suddenly awoken by a hand clutched to my shoulder. I was about to scream when I saw my twelve year old brother’s visibly tired and grief stricken figure standing in the doorway. Most of his clothes were covered with what was obviously blood. I was really hoping it wasn’t his own.

“Come on, Willow. We have to go.” He said his voice soft as he held his arms toward me.

I gratefully jumped into them as I hugged his neck tightly. My tears soaked his blood stained shirt as I inhaled his familiar scent.

“I thought you wouldn’t make it.” I mumbled into his ear.

He chuckled lightly and said in a serious voice “I wouldn’t leave you alone.”

“Where are mommy and daddy?” I asked as I looked behind him only to see empty space where they should’ve been standing.

A sigh escaped his lips and he set me down on the bed. The putrid smell of blood and decaying bodies assaulted my sharp senses but I tried to ignore them as I focused on Darren.

He held my arms and looked at me with an unreadable expression.

“Listen to me, Will.” He said firmly. “Mom…” He sighed once again as he ran his fingers through his dishelved hair.

“She didn’t make it. Dad is missing.” He said. Tears began pouring from my eyes once again. But somehow I knew these would be harder to stop.

“No. No. No. No. No…” I kept repeating. I didn’t want to believe it. I didn’t want to believe that my parents were actually gone. Tears began falling from my eyes. It couldn’t be true.

“No! You’re lying! Stop lying, Darren! They can’t be gone!” I screamed at him. Though, somehow I knew what he was saying was the truth.

“It’s okay Willow. It’s going to be okay. From here on out it’s just you and me.” My brother said comfortingly as he pulled me into a tight hug.

“C’mon. Let’s get out of here.” He said as he held his hand out for me and I took it hoping to get a sense of comfort from a loved one.

Once we stepped out of the room, I knew we would be faced with a lot of blood and gore but it still made me want to throw up when I saw all the dead bodies scattered around our once beautiful pack house. Some I recognized but most of them I didn’t know.

But when we got to the doorway, I squeezed Darren’s hand hard and I felt tears brimming my eyes at the horrible sight before me. There, leaning heavily on the wall was our mother. Her throat was slit and a gaping bullet hole could be seen right above her heart that I could hear was no longer beating.

I kneeled down and stroked the hair out of my mother’s beautiful face. I wanted her to wake up. I wanted to see her beautiful blue eyes that were always filled with happiness and laughter.

Before I could say anything though, my brother gave my hand a slight tug and I knew we had to get going. The hunters might come back and we didn’t need to be here when they did.

We walked out the door of our home hoping to forget this traumatic experience. The storm had blown over and we needed to find a place to stay but who would take in two kids covered in blood asking for a place to stay at midnight? They would think we were crazy. So we kept walking out of our house and into the woods.

“We’ll have to find a cave or something to stay in for the night.” My brother said thoughtfully.

I knew from my adventures here in the woods that there was a cave behind the waterfall in the middle of the forest.

Tugging my brother’s hand, I began running to that beautiful place I called my sanctuary. Our parents used to take us there for picnics. No one would have found the cave if I hadn’t accidentally leaned on the waterfall thinking there would be an actual wall of rock behind it. I haven’t shown it to anyone until now.

We finally made it to the clearing where the waterfall was. Since it was just a little over midnight, the reflection of the moon and the stars shimmered on the clear flowing water. It’s still so beautiful. I said to myself. I was then pulled out of my train of thought when I heard Darren’s voice speaking to me.

“Why are we here, Will? Is there something you want to show me?” He asked.

For a moment, I almost forgot I had my brother with me. I almost forgot the reason we came here in the first place. I was suddenly pulled back into the cruel reality that was my life.

I didn’t say anything and pulled my brother closer to the running water. He didn’t say anything either. He just followed me while looking around for any signs of danger that may be lurking in this forest.

When we were close enough, I began taking off my slippers and Darren followed my example.

“There’s a cave behind the waterfall.” I finally said. My voice sounded weak and tired even to my own ears. But what was I to do? I was a five year old little girl who once thought life was my fairy tale. Then suddenly, I was thrown into this world where I had no parents and no home to live in.

At least I had my brother. I said to myself.

I looked up to Darren as he gazed at the waterfall. He was the spitting image of dad with his dark brown hair and the aura of an alpha. The only thing he didn’t get from dad was his electric blue eyes that he got from mom.

Darren let go of my hand and walked off as he said; “I’m just going to gather a few leaves and twigs. Let’s try to set up a fire. Stay here.”

For the second time today, I was left to my thoughts. I sat down on the cool green grass and dipped my feet into the cool flowing lake. I looked at my own reflection in the water and pondered on my appearance. Unlike my brother, I got my mother’s golden blond hair but my father’s deep brown, almost black eyes. We were the complete opposite of each other. Who would’ve thought we were actually siblings?

Then suddenly, I heard the distinct sound of a twig breaking in half. My eyes snapped up as I looked for the threat. Even at a young age, I was trained to fight my own battles. My dad trained from the age oof five. He said he wanted me to know how to protect myself. But if I were to face a hunter who surely had a gun filled with silver bullets, I knew I wouldn’t stand a chance. I would give it my best shot though.

“Darren?” I called thinking maybe he was just pranking me or something.

He didn’t answer. A second twig snapped and that’s when I knew I had to run.

I heard footsteps running behind me. Three people at the most. Light as feathers they began following me. These couldn’t be hunters. They were much too fast. That leaves only two things. Either genetically enhanced humans which is totally impossible or, god forbid, werewolves. My heart was thudding loudly against my chest as I ran faster and faster.

“Darren!” I cried in my head as loud as I possibly could. But I couldn’t reach him. It’s either he shut of his link or he passed out. I was hoping it wasn’t the latter.

At least I was much smaller. It would be easier for me to duck under tight space and I was much lighter. I could use that to my advantage. Squeezing under fallen trees and gaps between big rocks I manage to lose them behind me.

I slowed down and settled at the trunk of a tree as I felt exhaustion and fatigue finally catch up with me. That was my first mistake. Unfortunately, something else caught up with me to. Or should I say, someone else.

Right there standing in front of me were three people, just like I thought. There was one guy in the middle flanked by two meaner looking guys at each side. He was obviously the leader. I wouldn’t stand chance.

Each of them had a musky stench that singled them out immediately as rogues. Their eyes were all pitch black which they had already let their animalistic side take over.  They stared down at me with murderous looks and I struggled not to cower in fear

“W-what do you want from me?” I asked.

They fixed me with amused looks and the one in the middle spoke up answering my question easily.

“We want nothing from you little girl.” He answered. His voice was deep and it sent chills down my spine. His black hair was cropped short and stubble was growing on his chin. He looked extremely menacing.

“What do we do with her boss?” The one on his left asked. He had blonde hair that was cut into the way soldier’s cut their hair.

“Tie her up.” He answered with a malevolent smile stretched on his face.

Giving Up

You’re probably wondering why I hadn’t already started running or even just struggling. Well, I knew that if I ran I wouldn’t make it far enough to lose them. They were just as fast if not faster than me. I had to wait for the right moment. Wait for them to lower their guard.

The big guy that hasn’t said a word since they found me brought out a leather glove and put it on his hand. I wondered what that was for. He pulled out a big roll of rope from a satchel I didn’t know he was carrying. He tied my arms and legs then my torso to the tree behind me.

He began walking to his boss with their backs towards me. The leader was talking on the phone and I only heard bits and pieces of his conversation.

“Yes, boss...We got her... No... She doesn’t have it... We couldn’t find him... Yeah... Alright,  we’ll keep looking...We’ll get her talking.”

I wonder what they were hopiing to find? There was nothing here but trees and the remains of my pack members. No time to think of that now. I had to get out of here.

I tried pulling at my binds but it wouldn’t work. Usually I could be able to break out of any sort of rope. My dad taught me. But, the rope just wouldn’t budge and I felt myself slowly draining of energy. What was happening to me?

Then I heard an evil laugh and I saw my kidnappers looking at me like I was some sort of joke that really amused them.

“No use trying to break out of those binds. They’re laced with wolfsbane and was dipped in liquid silver.” The black haired creep said.

He brought out a knife and traced a deep gash from my shoulder to my elbow. Blood started pouring out and I struggled to stop the scream that wanted to be released from my throat. My arm felt like it was burning

“Where’s the book?” He questioned me. What was he talking about?

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I answered through clenched teeth. Why did it hurt this bad? It shouldn't be this painful.

Then I felt as he cut another scar from below my right ear to the tip of my chin. I knew then that he was using a silver blade. No regular knife could hurt a werewolf like this. Plus, if it were a regular knife, I would have already started healing.

Gosh, This hurts so bad.

“Where’s the book?! Tell us and we might not kill you.” He said as he glared at me.

“I already told you, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” I yelled at him and spit in his face. Wrong move. I received a hard slap on the side of my wounded face. I cleanched my teeth and closed my eyes tight. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of hearing me cry.

My vision began blurring and I suddenly found it very hard to breath. I felt wetness on my cheeks and realized I was crying.

When did I become this weak? I asked myself.

You’re not weak, Willow. A voice whispered in my head. I realized it was my brother talking to me through the mind link. Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with hope and the pain was put at the back of my mind for the time being.

Act normal. I’m coming to get you.

Hurry, Darren. It hurts so much. They have silver on them. I don't know how they got it.

Sit tight, Willow. I'm coming.

Then the link cut off and I zoned back into the conversation between the three men.

“Get the car. We have to cover the trail.” The leader ordered. Then he began walking off.

“Ryan, what about the girl?” The guy that tied me up asked the leader whose name was apparently Ryan.

“She’s not gonna get anywhere, Mike.” Blondie retorted with an amused chuckle.

“Shut up, Toby. If she ges away, I’ll blame this on you.” Replied Mike with sour scowl on his face as he crossed his bulging arms.

"Fine. Shawn you stay watch." Ryan ordered as he turned his back to them.

Shawn let out a grunt but he had no choice. He had to stay guard. He sat on the trunk of the tree in front of the one I was tied to and just watched me with disinterest.

Then the other two began walking to the away to where I suppose the car was.

Minutes passed and then tose minutes became. Still, Darren had not come. I wondered if he thought I wasn't worth getting killed for. Then, I noticed as the sun was starting to rise in the  dark sky. Shadows began apppearing and everything became much clearer. Light filled the once eerie looking forest. My guard had fallen asleep and his partners were nowhere to be found.

My wounded body was starting to heal but I was afraid the silver had gotten into my veins. If that happened, I had no chance of living. There was still no cure for silver poisoning. The rope were starting to wound my skin making contact with the innner layer and let me tell you, it hurt like hell. It was like puring salt on a fresh cut.

My thoughts were intrerrupted by the sound of leaves crunching under heavy feet and branches rustling. I looked at the spot I heard the noise from. I didn't exactly know what I was expecting but it certainly wasn't what I saw.

There was a boy standing behind the tree. He looked about my brother's age, maybe a bit older. He couldn't possibly be more than thirteen years of age, that's for  sure. But that wasn't what surprised me.

He was standing there. Stark naked with wide eyes focused on my dar guard who was still soundly sleeping.

His curly black hair was swaying in the wind as his body was tense and in full alert. Even at a young age, I could tell he worked out. Or maybe just excercised regularly.