DIRE

Chapter 1

The full moon shone brightly in the night sky, the only source of light paving the way for Isabeau through the cold dark woods. A thin layer of snow coated the ground and the only sound was of her bare feet crunching the fallen leaves as she ran as fast as she could through the never-ending trees. Her long chestnut hair flowed behind her and she didn't dare look back out of fear of what or who she might see. The adrenaline coursing through her body allowed her to push through the stinging pain in the soles of her feet whenever she stepped on a sharp rock or stick on the ground. She sucked in a breath when her right foot caught on a rock and her knees cracked against the hard ground. She whipped her head up and paused for just a moment when she heard howling in the distance. Her heart was thumping fast in her chest as she steadied herself on a fallen tree trunk. Isabeau placed a palm flat on the ice-cold ground and honed her hearing on the wolves in the distance. Her heart skipped when she realized that the howls were not far off and her pack was closing in on her. She had to shift into her wolf form if she had any hope of escaping. She set off running again, weaving in and out of the trees ahead. The loud thudding of her feet hitting the ground became muffled as her feet and hands transformed into four large white paws. The pain of shifting didn't go unnoticed, her bones broke as her body shifted from human to wolf. A dire wolf.

Isabeau's thick white fur coat insulated her from the cold winter air and her glowing ice-blue eyes sharpened her vision. Her eyes were an indicator of her true blood status. Unlike many wolves who were turned by the bite, Isabeau was born a wolf. She was also born into a powerful family that is considered royalty amongst the packs. The path she was raised to follow became a harsh reality after the sudden death of her parents. When Marcus Ortega became alpha of her pack, as a true blood and daughter of the previous alpha, she was expected to marry him and produce strong offspring. On the night of her arranged marriage, Isabeau fled seeking a life outside the one planned out for her since birth. She'd sooner live as a lone wolf on the run than one forced into a life she does not want, with a cruel alpha who leads a pack so differently from her parents. She sprinted towards the town, towards a place she's been warned to stay clear of when in wolf form for fear of being seen and hunted by humans. But Isabeau was desperate and entering a town full of people was her only option. She hesitated on the roadside but the sound of another howl not far behind her was all the encouragement she needed to cross. Isabeau was grateful for the quiet streets as she prowled through a neighborhood and into a back garden where she shifted back into her human form. Naked and shivering, Isabeau reached for some clothing still hanging on a washing line. She quickly dressed in a pair of grey sweatpants and a too-large white shirt. She poked her head out of the gate searching for any sign of life before making her way back into the streets. Being in the town would buy her some time but she knew they wouldn't stop hunting her. She came across a motel and ducked behind a bush when she heard cheerful conversation coming from a group of men.

One of the men, an older plump looking man stood looking into the hood of his pickup truck and was discussing how to fix a problem he was having.

"That'll do it." He said twisting something in the hood. Having no time to think of a suitable plan, Isabeau hopped into the back of his truck and pulled a blanket over her head lying as still as she could clutching her knees to her chest to appear as small as possible. She could feel the beating of her heart racing in her ears as the older man slammed the hood of his truck shut and said goodbye to his companions. The sound of the engine starting caused her to hold her breath fearing any movement would give her away. Sensing the wolves close by Isabeau peeked over the edge of the truck as it turned a corner and headed towards the highway and saw members of her pack chasing after her up the road before slowing to a stop. She closed her eyes and sighed with relief, but she knew it would only be a matter of time before they caught up to her.