Chapter 1 Introduction

Kaida's POV

I rushed into the house, eager to read the letter. I kicked off my shoes and let them fall aside. The posting day, a rite of passage for all young wolves, had finally arrived.

I had been waiting for months since after high school graduation to see which pack I would be assigned to, and my stomach twisted with anticipation.

I had been waiting for months to see which pack I would be assigned to, and the uncertainty was killing me.

I went through my daily routine, my mind preoccupied with the posting day.

I had always known that I would be assigned to a pack, but the uncertainty was eating away at me.

Would I be sent to a pack that valued strength and aggression or one that prized intelligence and strategy?

I quickly checked the mail and found the letter with the elders' emblem.

I dashed upstairs to my room, the racing of my heart echoing the pounding of my feet on the floor.

With a bang I closed the door, glad to be rid of the noise.

With trembling fingers I opened the letter, and the paper crackled.

My hands were shaking, and my heart sank.

All the words became a smear on the paper, yet there was a phrase that caught the eye: Moonlight Shadows pack.

My heart sank as I read the words Moonlight Shadows pack, and once more a feeling of dread swept over me as the infamous reputation of the pack swept through my mind: the reputation of being a violent pack.

I became frustrated; I felt desperate. I tore the letter into the smallest pieces with trembling hands, and the sound of the rip echoed across the room.

I tossed the fragments under my bed, as if hiding the truth would change my fate. I hesitated, weighing my options, but the thought of joining Moonlight Shadows pack was too daunting.

I'd reject the posting and wait for another chance, no matter the risks.

Rejecting a posting wasn't unheard of; some wolves tried again, hoping for a better fit.

I inhaled slowly, feeling the cool air fill my lungs, and willed my racing thoughts to slow.

***

Lying on my bed, I heard the sound of my mother's voice resonating through the house.

"Where's that girl, Kaida?" Her tone was laced with disappointment, and I knew I'd messed up again.

I could hear her heels clicking and knew I was going to be scolded.

As soon as she came into my room, it felt like her eyes were on fire.

Her perfume filled the air, a scent I recognized but that made me feel uneasy.

"Tell me what this means," she declared, displaying the paper to me.

I picked up the letter, and my face dropped as I read it.

Most of the words were blurry to me, but the Moonlight Shadows pack's name was still clear and mocking me.

"Your Uncle John sent this, no doubt hoping you'd follow in his footsteps and bring honor to our family." She said.

"After helping you get posted closer to home, this is how you repay him?"

A wave of frustration burst inside me. Despite my mother's wishes, Uncle John sent this, his note attached to the letter revealing his desire for me to join the Moonlight Shadows pack. He had always been ambitious, and I knew he saw this as an opportunity for me to prove myself and bring honor to our family, but he is quite mistaken.

I might be as ambitious as him, but I don't appreciate being controlled.

It was as if I had been hit in the stomach.

"You think you can make your own decisions?" My mother burst out, her voice filled with contempt.

"You're just an ungrateful person."

Her sharp words hurt much more deeply than I imagined.

I bit my tongue, because bitter words remained in my mouth.

"I will not go to that pack." I said.

The look in the eyes of my mother was of fire, and her jaw was set so that the cheekbones were more prominent.

"You'll do as you're told. You're not thinking clearly."

My mother's face reddened, and her jaw clenched.

"You're making a mistake, Kaida," she said, her voice low and even.

Now I think I've heard enough. It felt like the walls were slowly moving closer and blocking me.

"I won't be going." I retaliated.

She opened to speak again but escaped out the door at the back, hearing her shout my name.

With her words still echoing in my mind, I burst out of the house and into the forest, the cool night air a welcome respite from the tension.

I ran through the woods, avoiding the overhanging trees. The long trees were hanging over me with the wind blowing through their leaves.

I stopped and gulped air as an emptiness in my chest crept on me, like it was some burden pushing my heart.

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

The tall trees' shadows were long and dark, covering up all the surroundings.

My eyes drooped, and my shoulders slumped, the weight of my emotions almost crushing me.

The tone of my mother was charged with disappointment and frustration. I could see that I had disappointed her, but I still hurt at what she had said.

The memories of the time when Dad had walked off came flooding back-the fights, the sobbing, and the loneliness.

She thought they were meant for each other, yet even after six pups, he proved her wrong.

I questioned if my mother would ever be content with me.

The pack was the fabric of our society. It was an intricate web of relationships and hierarchies that governed every aspect of our lives.

Being part of a pack meant belonging and having a sense of purpose.

But forcing one to make such a kind of decision is wrong, and I won't bow to that.

My mind suddenly drifted off to my professor and me deciding to put my worries aside and calling for a cab to go see Prof. Anam.

My hope was for him to help release me from the Moonlight Shadows pack.

***

I leaned against the tree, and its tough bark dug into me.

Large shadowy lines appeared all across the ground as it began to get dark.

I began to believe that there was no way out for me.

Prof. Anam's words echoed in my thoughts, his calm and measured tone a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing inside me.

I remembered the scent of his office, a mix of old books and leather, and the way he leaned forward in his chair, his eyes gleaming with intensity.

"The Moonlight Shadows pack is particularly excellent," he had said, his eyes gleaming with a deep understanding of the pack's dynamics.

"Although they are violent, that is precisely why they are so special."

It is not going there; they go. Still, I had not given in, and stubbornness was depicted on my features.

I also remember the scene of dialogue when he phoned his friend and asked him to help.

The voice corrected me, saying,

"I can help only with the things connected with the Moonlight pack."

I felt myself growing angry, my hands clenching tightly.

What made the universe turn against me?

As soon as the stars lit up, I got up and dusted myself off.

Thinking about meeting my mother again gave me a queasy feeling.

I hoped that she was already in bed, so we wouldn't have to argue again.