Chapter 1
- Claire Anderson was the second child of Alpha Valir and Luna Devina of the Sky Heaven Pack. They were a family of werewolves who lived in the forest. Claire had two siblings; Gael was the eldest, towering at 6'6, with golden eyes, short dark brown hair, a chiseled jawline, and a muscular build. Her younger sister Adel was petite, standing at 5'5, with short golden-brown hair, and piercing blue eyes. Claire stood at 5'7, with long dark brown hair, hazelnut eyes flecked with blue, and a medium build.
- Today, the air was tense inside the house as the family was threatened. Claire was having a one-on-one training session with her brother, Cain. She looked up at him with defiance as he had just knocked her down.
- "You know, that was a bad move," she said, rubbing her sore back.
- Cain stared down at her, his expression stoic, "Yes, it was, but remember, Claire, not all of your opponents will fight fairly. They will fight dirty and use any method possible to get rid of you. So you should be ready for such moves, whether or not they are "bitch moves."
- Claire snarled at him, not wanting to admit that he was right. The Rogues were dirty fighters who didn't play by the rules.
- Cain kicked her leg, making Claire stumble. "Now get up and let's try this again," he said.
- Claire got up and took her stance. She looked at her brother, anticipating his next move. Cain had a wicked grin on his face as he raised his hands and gestured for her to come at him.
- Claire charged at him with all her might, but Cain effortlessly dodged her move and with a quick swipe of his leg, he knocked her out, making her fall on her back once again.
- "Ugh!" Claire groaned, craning her neck to look up at him. "Hey, that's not right. Your name stands for the army! I have no chance of winning against you!" she moped.
- Cain laughed, which gave Claire a short window of opportunity. She quickly got to her feet and ran towards him, putting all her weight into it. Cain fell down and Claire threw her hands up in victory, yelling as loud as she could.
- But her celebration was short-lived as Cain grabbed her leg and made her fall down beside him. They lay there for a while, laughing and discussing new strategies.
- Their mother called them for dinner, and they both reluctantly got up, their faces growing somber. They knew they had to prepare for the fight that was drawing near.
- The thought of losing her family made Claire anxious. She couldn't help but wonder if this would be their last meal together. Would her family leave her tonight? Would she return home safe? With each passing moment, her dread grew.
- Claire's gaze wandered, lost in thought, as she walked into the house with Gael. Dinner time used to be their favorite family gathering. The time when they would sit together, share tales of their day, and laugh. But lately, dinner meant the approaching darkness and the inevitable arrival of the rogues.
- Her relationship with her father and Gael was strong. They were her closest confidants, and she would do anything to protect them. On the other hand, her relationship with her mother and Adel had always been a little distant.
- Claire couldn't deny her sister was more like her mother, which made it hard for them to connect. On the other hand, she and Gael were inseparable. He was more than just her brother; he was her confidant and companion.
- As they walked past the threshold, Claire's thoughts were consumed with what awaited them. "Would this be our last meal? Would my family leave me tonight? Would I return?" she thought to herself, her mind filled with a thousand questions.
- The Sky Heaven Pack and the Dark Hallow Pack had been at a stalemate for a while, and during the negotiations between their leaders, they had thought that things might get better. But Alpha Hunter wouldn't back down, no matter what Alpha Valir said. They were stuck in a never-ending war with no end in sight.
- Claire sneered at the thought of Alpha Hunter. His name alone made her blood boil. He had more resources and warriors than their pack, and his wolves were known for their cruelty and craziness. The odds were stacked against them, but they wouldn't give up without a fight.
- They trained day and night, hoping to improve their chances of survival. But Claire knew it wasn't enough. Even when they turned into wolves, the packs were still evenly matched, except for Gael and her father's enormous black wolves. They were the only ones who had a chance of taking down Alpha Hunter's elites.
- Claire's wolf was the pride of her pack. In her mind, her wolf was beautiful, with snow-white fur that had silver-grey spots all over it and silver eyes. She was Claire's most prized possession.
- As night fell, they got their things together, said their goodbyes, and headed to the edge of the forest. They were all mentally and physically exhausted after dinner. The silence between them spoke volumes. They were aware that danger was imminent, and there was no need to restate it.
- The ominous atmosphere weighed on them as they prepared for the fight. Claire was scared, but she didn't show it. She took out her trusty bow and arrows made of wolfsbane and started to climb a tree.
- Her father and Gael opposed to her fighting, but she didn't back down; she wanted to fight for her family and other pack members. They eventually relented when she told them about the wolfsbane arrow tips that she and Emil had made. They were effective against most wolves, but it depended on their size and rank. The bigger they were, the harder they were to kill.
- As she climbed up the tree, she exchanged glances with her father. His reassuring nod gave her the motivation to continue. She found a good vantage point and settled in for the fight.