03

NARRATOR

Althea and Callista were sitting at the edge of the cliff, staring at the beautiful forest beneath them. One of their arms was tangled together. Callista's head was on Althea's shoulder. While Althea's head was on top of Callista's head. They were humming their favorite song together. Although Althea didn't want to leave the prayer ground, she also couldn't say no to her best friend. She just couldn't leave Callista alone and all on her own.

The slightest rustling from behind made both Althea and Callista turn their heads to look at the thick forest behind them. Althea had a feeling that they were not doing the right thing by leaving the prayer ground. Althea held her breath as she pulled a pocket knife out of her pocket.

Althea and Callista stood up. Althea pushed Callista behind, so she could protect Callista. A few leaves shook as two tall figures appeared in front of the two tiny girls. Althea sighed in relief as she saw two familiar faces standing in front of her. "Mama, Papi, what are you both doing here? I thought you two would have been in the prayer ground." Althea asked in a confused tone as she was not expecting to see that couple in the forest.

The couple was staring at Althea's face with horrified looks on their faces. "Althea! What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to stay at the prayer ground no matter what happens?" Althea's mother asked Althea angrily as she saw her daughter standing in front of her.

"Mama! What is going on? Why are you so horrified?" Asked Althea in a concerned tone. Callista tried to walk past Althea but Althea stopped her. Althea might have still been a child, but she was far from a weakling. She understood her surroundings way better than many grown wolves in the academy. For some unknown reason, Althea felt some sourness that surrounded them.

"It's perfect! Perfectly, you are here. We don't have to leave you here. You can come with us." Her mother replied as she took a step towards Althea. Althea carefully and very slowly circled. She had a feeling that standing by the edge of the cliff was not a great idea.

"What do you mean?" Althea asked curiously.

"We are to abduct Callista tonight. It's big money. And a luxurious life. You can come with us. You will be safe." Her mother responded almost instantly, smiling at her victory.

Althea's eyes darkened with fear as she heard her mother. How casually she was able to tell Althea that she was there to abduct her best friend. "What are you saying? Stop joking, mama. It's not a good thing to even think about something that serious." Althea naively tried to tell her mother to stop.

She couldn't help but wonder if her mother was joking about it. "You think I am joking? Do you see me smiling? I am dead serious. After years of plotting, we have a chance to abduct her tonight. Now come with us." Althea's mother growled at Althea as she walked towards them to get to Callista. Callista tightly grabbed Althea's hand, as Callista didn't even know how to defend herself.

Althea's mother was about to grab Callista's hand when Althea pushed Callista behind her again. "Get out of my way, Althea. We don't have much time. We have to leave before the pack notices the little princess' absence." Althea's mother growled at Althea angrily as she tried to remove Althea from the middle.

"But that's betrayal. How can you ever think about betraying our beloved Alpha?" Althea asked her mother as tears tickled her eyes. Hearing her naive question, her mother started laughing hysterically.

"Beloved Alpha? Betrayal! We are supposed to be loyal to betray anyone. Now get out of my way! If you love the alpha that much, I shall kill you as well. Because I am taking this bitch with me, no matter what. She has so much money on her head." Althea's mother yelled at Althea angrily. She tried to push Althea out of the way.

Althea shook her head as she pushed her mother away. "No! Never! I will never betray the Alpha. I will never let you take Callie with you." Althea yelled at her mother angrily. Her father gritted his teeth as he heard Althea's naive words.

"If you like it or not, we are leaving the pack. And we will not leave without this bitch. Since we have decided to betray the pack, do you think the pack would welcome you after knowing that we took Callista away?" Her father growled at her, trying to shake some sense in Althea. Althea could hardly process. She couldn't understand what her parents were trying to do.

She was sure of one thing though. This voice inside her heart. That voice was screaming at her to protect her best friend. "I am not a traitor. I am a pure-blooded Lunar. And Lunars never betray their Alpha." Althea mumbled something she remembered from those blurry dreams she had almost every single night.

"Don't be ridiculous! The alpha will kill you first. Because we are not staying here and we are certainly not leaving without her." Althea's mom yelled at Althea angrily. Althea's heart was beating erratically inside her rib cage, unknown of what she was supposed to do. She looked around, trying to think how to save her best friend. There was no one around to help them both.