Chapter 1

• Rue
• My fingers curled around the door frame as my little head peeked to look at the huge man talking to mother and father. He was tall and surpassed my father by more than a head foot.
• I knew it was very unlovely for me to be eavesdropping on their conversation. But I was very much intrigued.
• Mother was known for her skillful making of healing potions and other witchcraft expertise. I was very certain that these strangers were here for either of them.
• "Ester, please! My son is dying! I cannot go another day to see him suffer." The woman cried beside the tall man. Her flaxen hair flowed down her back in silky waves. Her hair was very beautiful.
• Mother was usually cool and collected but today I noted that she seemed a bit skittish. Father was also not in the slightest relaxed.
• "King Zachary, my wife is trying her very best to see that your son is healed. Please give her a few more days. The prince's sickness is not easy to cure." Father begged.
• King?
• My mouth formed an 'o'. He must be the werewolf king father and mother had been yapping about earlier.
• Now I knew why my parents were uneasy. The man screamed power and the woman wasn't far behind. The man named Zachary, his hair the shade of night, dark and hunting. His broad back was powerful. The man and the woman were both cloaked in red, the color of blood with golden drawings of wolves imprinted into the fabric. The fabric looked worth more than what mother and father make in a month.
• "Isabela, my potions have never failed me. I will promise you this. I will cure your son of this ugly sickness that has plagued him." Mother said to the woman, her voice was sincere though she looked the slightest bit afraid to speak.
• "You ought to quicken this up, Ester. My son cannot die." The woman named Isabela cried. "He is my only child, I cannot lose him."
• Mother sighed in sadness and walked over to her table of potions. She grabbed one of the tiny bottles and examined the crystal blue liquid.
• She shook it slightly and the liquid turned purple. She ambled back to the strangers, her form very much nervous.
• "Take this potion and give it to him every two days. It will help him regain his strength until the potion is ready. I am only missing but one ingredient." Mother urged and pushed the potion into Isabel's hands.
• Mother's silver eyes turn in utter pity. "I am sorry that I cannot do more at this moment."
• "We will return on the night of the full moon. By then I expect the potion to be ready." The King named Zachary said with authority. His power made me shake in my little boots. Then they turned to leave.
• Mother nodded whilst father looked doubtful. The full moon was just two days away.
• My eyes widened as my little feet carried me away from the door. I knew that eavesdropping was not a pretty trait. Father would be unpleased if he knew.
• I watched as the two strangers left. Their footsteps faded. If they may have noticed me then they certainly didn't show it. Their son was sick. Was this why Mother had been very frantic with her latest potion?
• "Rue, darling come here this instant." Mother's voice called out. I cringe inwardly for I knew father had probably taken my scent. He was a werewolf after all.
• My head bowed and I nervously twisted my hands in front of me as I entered the room. "Look up darling before you walk into another table like the last time." Mother said with a hint of humor.
• I did as I was told and strutted over to them. "Oh darling, have we not warned you of eavesdropping on our conversations?" Mother questioned, fingers brushing through my unnatural icy-white hair. My hair color was rare and not the same as my mother's or father's.
• I pouted and turned my head to the side. "I was only intrigued..."
• "Rue, you could've gotten yourself killed today. These guests are not some measly people, they are powerful and not to be taken lightly. What if something had gone wrong?" Father scowled.
• "It was just a peek, father, nothing more." I defended. "And nothing would have gone wrong for I am too beautiful for anyone to do harm." I turned to him and huffed.
• Mother laughed lightly while Father's scowl deepened. "Rue, you must understand that your beauty will not save you from werewolves. You are a hybrid. These people do not like hybrids."
• Mating with a witch who was considered a werewolf's enemy was frowned upon. Even though Mother created healing potions for werewolves they had still not accepted her as one of their own.
• The only reason they had let such an atrocious thing happen was because Father was a good Beta. He would do anything for his kind. It was why the King had granted him his wish to mate with a witch. On one condition, we were to live far away from the pack.
• "It’s none of my business that they hate me. They are only jealous because I am far more beautiful than they are." I shrugged.
• Mother smiled and hugged me." Oh my darling. Yes, you are more beautiful than any girl I’ve met and do not let anyone tell you different." She whispered kissing my cheek lightly. “We witches do not ever think that we are less than others. We simply think we are beautiful and more powerful.”
• "Ester, perhaps I should go to town to seek the last ingredient you are missing," Father scratched the back of his head in thought. His hair was the color of dried wheat. His eyes were the color of the ocean when the sky was clear.
• Mother’s red hair bobbed as she nodded furiously. "Yes, you should. I cannot fail the king and queen. The full moon is just in two days, the werewolves will be out to hunt. If I cannot make this potion before then, I will be their prey…"
• I gazed up at my mother, worry tightening my chest. I must help her. Perhaps I could find the last ingredient…