Chapter 1

It's back.

Gradually my movements cease.

I don't dare breathe.

Badgers scramble about through the forest, the gurgling sound of a nearby stream evident. Grazing through a little thatch of clearing is a magnificent gazelle. Her narrow muzzle filters through a heap of snow, hunting for something. She stops when a trail of blood becomes apparent. An anguished sound is released.

My heart clenches.

A fig snaps behind and my head jerks back. Someone's coming.

Panicked, I look to the gazelle. If she's discovered, she'll share the same fate as her mate. My pack's getting desperate. We no longer live in harmony with the rest of the animals in our pack, we hunted them. Killed them for food. It's what we've become. No better than the wild animals the media portrayed us to be. Ruled by our base instincts.

"Shoo," I hiss to the gazelle, making myself known. She tenses, not moving from the spot. "Go away. They're going to find you!"

The crunching of leaves draw closer. Hell.

By letting the gazelle escape, I'm minimizing my pack's chances of survival, but I can't let them get her. They've taken enough already.

From her.

From me.

"You're not going without a fight, huh?" I say with a frown. I soon release a resigned sigh. "Wish I could be more like you."

Strengthening my resolve, I turn around, heading toward the sound. My legs cut across the congested path. In no time I come face to face with our beta. Liam.

A bitter scowl falls on his face on seeing me. "Where have you been, Bella?"

"I... I, t-th--"

"Shut it! The representatives from the Black moon pack will be here soon. We can't welcome them in a dirty reception."

I look away, aware my palms fist.

"You cannot mess this up like you always do! We need this alliance," he continues.

"I know," I say through gritted teeth. "I just wish you'd give me more assistance with the cleaning. There's a lot to do everyday."

He throws his head back on a humourless laugh. "Assistance!" He growls, "The only thing I'll assist in is you getting the miserable life you deserve. After all you did fourteen years ago, you deserve to rot in hell."

My eyes sting. When a lump pushes into the back of my throat, I look up, finally meeting his eyes, "I didn't d--"

His fingers wrap around my arm in a cruel grip. My breath catches when he hauls me after him. My feet work quickly, struggling to keep up with his long strides. My pack mates watch the incident, amusement lighting their eyes. I lower my head, face flaming with shame.

He throws the doors to the reception hall open, throwing me in. I go down with a yelp. Scrambling up to my feet, I look around. My stomach knots on seeing it's already clean. My eyes go back to Liam's. "I... I cleaned this yesterday."

His face clouds with fury. "Clean it again! What are you waiting for? Begin!" He motions to someone in the far corner of the hall. She rushes forward, bearing cleaning tools. Once they're secured in his grip, he throws them my way. I hold out my arms sharply to ward off the hit. The brush connects with my elbow, sending pain radiating through my arm. My eyes prick.

"Make this place spotless, Bella. Or you'll pay," he thunders one last time before marching out of the room.

Alone, I lower myself to my knees, clutching the brush. I cradle my arm to my chest, finally giving in to the tears. Goddess. I wish I could fight back. I wish I could do something.

But I can't.

I've got nowhere else to go.

A stab of anger crashes into me. Eyes blinded with tears, I scrubbed the floors with a fury, releasing steam. I stab the brush into the water and jam it to the floor with renewed energy, ignoring the spray of water.

I continue on like this, absently hearing the front doors come open. My arm plunks the brush in again, hefting it out to scrub the floor. The water that explodes everywhere is much but I ignore it--until I hear someone clear their throat.

Stiffening, I become aware of another presence.

My eyes lift, registering polished black shoes and a pair of tailored slacks that are now wet at the bottoms. The stranger reeks of wealth. A terrible suspicion climbs up my back.

This should be one of the representatives from Black moon.

"What is your name?"

His voice.

It's a rich, dark timbre that vibrates through my entire body. It's a voice that commands respect. That doesn't tolerate disrespect.

My heart pounds, heat rising up my neck at my blatant refusal to speak. I can't. He can't know me. Dylan loved to slander me in front of people. It's how I'd lost my friends. Not that this man is, but something about him makes me want to remain dignified in his eyes.

"Look at me, girl," he commands again but I remain mute.

His baritone lowers. "Rise. And tell me your name."

My breath catches. He's using the Voice. He's the Alpha. All at once, a force slams into me. My shoulders cave with a whimper, struggling against the inexorable pull. I'm saved when I hear hurried footsteps approaching behind the door.

A breath of relief tears out of me when the doors are pushed open again and the stranger's attention is snagged. My brother Dylan walks in. Shock widens his features. "Alpha!" He bows quickly, walking up to him with a broad smile. "Welcome to our pack, Alpha Ezekiel." His eyes fall on me, then they take in the water all over the floor, and then the man's wet slacks. He turns furious.

"You runt!" He slaps me hard across the face. My hand shoots up to cradle my cheeks, tears blinding my eyes. "You can't do anything right, can you!?" His palm lifts again and just as they start to come down, a furious growl is heard.

"Stop!"

This time I lift my head. My breath stops at the immaculate man before me, but the next thing I notice is his eyes. They're a piercing yellow. He's struggling to reign in his wolf. He faces my brother. "Is this how you treat the wolves under your care, Dylan?"

For the first time, I see my brother's face turn white. "No-no." He clears his throat, pointing a finger my way. Righteous anger blazes in his eyes. "She deserve every bit of that and more!"

Blood rushes through my ears, drowning out the frantic pounding of my heart. He's going to tell him, he's going to shatter my dignity.

"Care to explain why?" The Alpha asks in a dangerously low tone.

"She murdered our parents," Alpha Dylan bursts. "Poisoned them both to death."