Tahira's POV.
"Bloodroot, silverbell, moonwort, wolfsangel, and last but not least, rue." I chanted as I combed the forest looking for the herbs I listed.
"What are you talking about? What I hear is bla bla bla bla." Twyla, my twin sister said, mocking me.
"Stop it, Twyla, those are herbs and they all have their uses," I said.
Twyla rolled her eyes, "oh please, what does moonroot do?"
"It is called bloodroot and it has healing powers," I answered, my voice filled with enthusiasm.
Twyla's lips curled up into a sneer and I knew that whatever she was about to say would hurt me.
I quickly walked away from her, hoping to find the herbs soon.
"Hey ! Tahira can we go home now? The clouds are as dark as your future and I do not want to get wet." Twyla snapped at me.
"But we just got here and do not have the herbs Dad asked us to find. I know you are scared of the rain but do not worry, I will be by your side." I said, trying to convince her.
"Wow, I feel so relieved knowing that you are here with me," Twyla said, her home dripping with sarcasm. "You can not even transform into a wolf, what am I saying? You do not even have a wolf and you want to protect me. Big talk coming from a toothless dog."
Her words stabbed my heart, it felt like a thousand arrows were in my heart, each pricking me. "That is not nice to say, I know I do not have a wolf yet but I will someday," I said, blinking to stop myself from crying.
"But it is the truth, right? You are nothing but a sorry excuse of a wolf." Twyla scorned and walked away.
I stood there for a moment, trying to shake the thoughts off of my mind. "Ignore Tahira, Ignore. One day you will get a wolf." I muttered to myself.
"Stop deceiving yourself. You are so ugly, your face reminds me of a witch. You can never attract a male. You are nothing but a lowly omega. You are repulsive, I am even embarrassed to address you as my sister." Twyla spat those harsh words on my face.
Hot tears ran down my cheeks, my chest felt tight and I wanted to curl myself up and cry my heart out. Was she embarrassed? I am ugly? But ... we were identical twins.
"Are you done wallowing in self-pity? Are you done? Can we go home now?" Twyla asked, her hands on her waist as she looked at me.
"Ye..yes let's go," I said my voice barely above a whisper. I wrapped the herbs in my shirt and we marched back home.
"Common!" Twyla screamed as a drop of rain touched her hair.
"What happened Twyla? " I asked.
"You are asking! I know you are a toothless dog are you blind too!" She snapped at me.
"Enough! I have had just enough of your unnecessary rude acts! I have had enough of your hate speech all aimed at me. One more word from you and I will make you pay! Do not forget that I am your elder sister!" I snapped at her, anger coursing through my body.
"Wow.. you want to fight me. Come on fight me you toothless dog." Twyla growled at me.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves.
Without uttering another word, I walked away leaving her behind.
I heard as she rained curses and abusive words on me, but I ignored her.
I had to keep my anger in check, or I might end up killing her here in the forest.
Suddenly, the forest was quiet and the chanting died down. Even the sound of footsteps stopped.
I turned my head over my shoulder and I saw Twyla, and a large wolf stood in front of her.
"Twyla!" I screamed in fear and rushed to her.
"Oh, I see we have another one. Let us see just how loud she screams." A large wolf said and stepped forward.
"Stay away from me and my sister. Stay away!" I said, trying to hide Twyla behind me.
"Do not touch me your dog. I can protect myself." Twyla said and shoved me to the side.
I felt insulted, her words were always mean and harsh. Anytime she spoke, it felt like venom was poured on my wounds.
"Oh, I can sense hate. That is good, so twins, who do we start with?" The large wolf asked again, pulling its lips back exposing his fangs dripping with saliva.
"Kill her! Eat her!" Twyla screamed and pushed me to the large wolf.
I was disappointed but not surprised.
"Well then, we have a winner." The large wolf said and reached out to grab me.
I screamed and shut my eyes in fear, but to my surprise, he reached out to grab Twyla.
"Let her be! Stay away from her." I said, trying to pull Twyla away from the large wolf's grip.
"Oh, poor girl. She does not like you and you are saving her?" The large wolf asked in disbelief and let go of Twyla.
"She is my sister, no matter how horrible she is. Please spare her." I pleaded with the large wolf.
The large wolf charged at me, its claw reaching out to grab my neck.
I cried as its grip tightened around my neck and its claw dug deep into my flesh.
"Help...help!" I winced in pain.
"Why are you crying? I thought you wanted to play hero and save your sister." The wolf said, and his other claw sunk deep into my flesh.
"Twyla help me." I cried out in pain, unable to stand the excruciating pain the wolf's claw was inflicting on me.
"But Twyla left." The large wolf said, in a low and dangerous voice.
I was shocked, my twin sister abandoned me to die...
"Is this my end? In the hands of a wild wolf?"
Tahira's POV.
"Your sister ran away, she left you to die." The large wolf sneered at me.
Without warning, he lifted me from the group and flung my body across the forest. I hit a tree and fell to the ground with a loud thud and a rib cracking sound was heard.
I closed my eyes in pain and spat out blood.
I clutched my chest tightly, fighting for my life.
I crawled onto the forest floor, my dress was soaked with blood and my left arm was numb.
"Help... help me!" I cried out for help.
I tried to stand up, but that was made difficult cause of my injuries. I looked around me, searching for anyone or anything that might help me.
But the forest was quiet and its air was still. The only sound was my occasional whimpers and the thunder rumbling at a close distance.
I looked up, the sky was pregnant and the rain threatened to pour down in sheets anytime soon. The trees were dark and foreboding.
As I surveyed the forest around me, I realized that no one was coming to help me. I was completely alone and this realization made me feel a mixture of anger and hatred. I hated Twyla for abandoning me all alone in the forest, leaving to me die, and I was angry at myself for trying to save her. I was afraid of what might happen to me if I could not find help.
I managed to stand on my feet and keep walking, but the pain in my neck and left arm was overwhelming. Every step was agony and I felt dizzy and lightheaded.
As I walked, it felt like my energy was being drained from me, as the blood seeped from my neck and left arm, soaking my clothes.
With every step I took, 8 felt my legs shaking and I knew I could not keep going much longer. My vision soon became blurry and distorted, and I could feel my heartbeat slowing down.
My legs gave up on me and I fell to the ground. I struggled to remain conscious but my breath came in short gasps. I heard voices in the distance.
I could not make out what the voices were saying, but I could hear the urgency in it.
The voices got louder and I was able to make out what they were saying.
"Twyla!Twyla! Come out we know you are hiding in here." A voice screamed.
"Twyla ..oh no. What trouble has she gotten herself into?" A voice in my head asked.
"There She is!" A guard said and ran towards me, soon his colleague followed and surrounded me.
"Take her to the dungeon." A large guard screamed.
The realization suddenly dawned on me, they mistook her for me.
"No! I am not Twyla. Please believe me, this is a misunderstanding." I cried out in a low voice that was barely above a whisper.
One of the guards lifted my chin with two fingers and looked at me with disdain. "You thought you could get away from us? Really? You stole from the alpha and ran into the forest. How stupid."
I tried to speak but I could barely breathe.
" I. I did. I did not... I ...I am not. I am not Twyla ." I gasped, unable to get words out.
The guard however ignored me and called out to the others. "Take her to the dungeon. If she does not admit the truth, let her rot there."
I tried to stop the guards and resist them, but they grabbed me and dragged me away. I felt myself being lifted and carried. Soon we reached the palace and I was taken down a dark path, and before I knew it, I was thrown into a small dark cell.
The door slammed shut behind me and I was left alone in total darkness. I tried to call out but the words got stuck in my throat.
I managed to sit up, blood seeping from my wounds and my whole body aching.
After a while, I heard footsteps approaching my cell. The door opened and a guard stepped in with a torch in his hands.
" I will ask you one more time, where is the alpha's ring!" He asked, his voice cold and hard.
I stayed quiet, unable to muster up the strength and speak but my throat was too dry and I could not get any word out.
"Fine then, since you refused to confess to your crimes. You will stay here and rot in this cell!" The guard scowled at me and slammed the door shut again, leaving me in darkness once again.
Time seemed to stop as a second felt like an eternity, and my fear and desperation began to grow. I thought about all that I had been through and the unfairness of my current situation.
I felt my eyes stinging with tears, I have never felt so alone and helpless.
I was unable to take it anymore. I have always been the scapegoat for Twyla, she goes out and messes with someone, and I always bear the brunt of her actions.
Millions of times, I was turned into a punching bag by those whom Twyla offended. I was sick and tired of always being the scapegoat. I can not take it anymore.
Then I heard the door to my cell opening again. I braved myself for the guard's return.
"What is he going to say now? Are we going to be turned into a palace slave? Will we be banished from the pack? Will we be killed?" A voice in my head asked.
I closed my eyes and took deep breaths, trying to gather myself and appear composed.
I mentally prepared myself for the guard's harsh words.
The sound of footsteps alerted me that someone was in my cell. I opened my eyes and to my surprise, it was not a guard but a woman, her face was hidden in the shadow.
"Who are you?"
Tahira's point of view.
"Who are you?" I managed to ask the woman standing in my cell.
"Keep your mouth shut you toothless dog! Do you want to get me in trouble?" Twyla hissed at me and covered my mouth with her palm.
My eyes welled up with tears, she knew that I was in the dungeon and all because of her. I mustered all the strength I had left in me and shoved her hand aside.
"Do not touch me! What did you do? What did you steal and why did you let them take me?" I asked her, my voice dangerous.
"What it did is none of your business toothless dog! You should listen to me and listen to me well. You are to shut your mouth up and endure anything the guards do to you."Twyla spat at me.
My eyes widened in shock and anger coursed through my body. She did not come here to get me out of jail. She came here to shut me up.
"You are sick in the head! How dare you think of coming here and threatening me! You should be in here, you thief. You are the thief, not me, you should be in jail and not me." I snapped at her, not caring about my voice or tone.
I closed my eyes and I felt a sting on my left and right cheek. Twyla slapped me, not once but twice.
"Listen to me and listen to me good. Don't you ever call me a thief again you toothless dog? And if you think of saying this to anyone, I will make your wretched life hell."Twyla threatened.
"You are not going to get away with this Twyla !" I snapped at her.
"Oh, but I will, 'cause you will take the blame for it and you will die if possible," Twyla said, chuckling her voled with glee.
"I will not take the blame for your actions! You stole from the alpha and I will not be your sacrificial lamb." I growled at her, my right arm choking her neck.
She pushed me aside and I hit the wall, letting out a whimper in pain.
"No, you do not understand!"Twyla said, her voice taking on a darker tone. " I am not asking you to do this, I am ordering you. You will take the blame and you will do it willingly."
My eyes widened in shock. I had always known Twylato to be a very cunning and manipulative person, but now she was evil too.
"Why are you doing this?" I asked, my voice trembling. "Why are you being so cruel? What have I done to deserve this?"
Twyla smirked, her eyes blazing with anger.
"It is not cruelty, it is called survival. If you take the blame like the fool you are, I will be free to leave this place and be a free person. I might even find a mate and be happy. And you will be safe, if you try anything I will kill you before the alpha does. Do you understand!"
I looked at her in disbelief, how could my sister hate me so much? "Why Twyla why? What have I done to deserve so much hatred from you? why do you hate me so much?" I asked, my voice breaking with tears.
"I hate you! I hate you and I hate you!" Twyla said, slapping my face repeatedly till my cheeks became numb.
"Stop hitting me please, please Twyla stop hitting me," I begged her desperately.
But my pleas fell on deaf ears, Twyla kicked my already broken ribs and continued with her assault.
"Please Stop it, Twyla. I am begging you." I cried out, in desperation.
"You should die here! You are proving to be stubborn! I will kill you with my bare hands" Twyla said, and her hand went to my neck.
She was choking me, I was already in pain from the wolf attack and now she was trying to kill me.
The pain was excruciating. I felt my life slipping away from me in front of my own eyes, I tried to breathe but there was no air in my lungs.
"Pl...pl..ea..se." I mumbled and I was thrown to the side.
Coughing violently and spitting out blood, I struggled for breath and my chest felt tight.
My head was spinning and I could hear voices in my head.
Twyla walked close to me and reached for my neck again, thinking fast, I kicked her stomach and she stumbled.
"How dare you!" She said and reached out for my neck again.
"Stay away from me!" I said, managing to stand up.
"You wild dog! I will only leave after ensuring you are in hell! The one place where you belong." She said and reached for my neck again.
I closed my eyes and mustered all the strength I had, I stood my ground pushed her to the side, and growled at her.
"Leave or else I will kill you," I warned her, my whole body shaking with rage
"Wild dog!" She spat at my face and left the cell.
I sighed in relief knowing she left, and I slumped to the ground.
My head was spinning. I felt like I was caught in a nightmare, a horrible nightmare and I did not know how to escape. It felt like the round under my feet was slipping away and the whole world was crashing on me. I did not know how to escape from this.
My vision got blurry and I could not see anything. My chest tightened and I screamed out in pain, it felt as if the cell walls were closing in on me.
My sister had turned her back on me and now I was all alone.
I knew I had to think fast and get out of here.
"What will happen to me now?" I mumbled and then everything went black.