Shadow Among the Pack ( PREVIEW ONLY, Exclusive in NovaFiction/Kindle Vella)

Chapter 1 On a Daring New Moon

Tonight is a New Moon. One of the few nights that I could roam freely in the forest. I laid my stomach flat on the thick branch of a tree that I was on and yawned lazily. I looked up at the sky and purred while admiring the moon.

Wolves run when the moon is full because it helps their visual when they embark at night. But during the new moon, when the planet faces away from the sun, they hide because it limits their visuals.

As for me, who has a nocturnal spirit animal, it wasn't a problem. I could see everything.

I fiddled with the ring I discovered on the ground a while ago and started nibbling on it. When I transform into a panther, one of my habits is to be drawn to shiny objects.

The cold night began to blew and bristled my whiskers. The gesture tickled the sides of my nose, that I began to scratch it with a massive black paw. As I gazed up, my eyes caught sight of the barrier surrounding our town. A barrier that protected and locked up every kid in the pack for years.

That's right. This was no ordinary town. This town is a habitat of a pack of werewolves, particularly the Strigon Pack.

I'm not a werewolf, that's for sure.

I'm some sort of mythical creature that would potentially destroy this pack one day. The black cat of the prophecy of this town for countless generations has become folklore.

I know that if anyone discovers my true identity that I would be killed instantly. But as much as I wanted to leave, I couldn't. There is a common rule in every pack that no one should leave until they are at least 18 and get the Alpha's permission. I heard that the reason behind this is because there used to be an old tradition in which the moon goddess of every pack would often choose a random girl to become the next luna. But that never happened for centuries now that it was even considered a myth.

The other reason is that there are night predators that we call 'invaders' trying to get into our borders. I heard that they are strange faceless creatures that love to eat shifters like us.

If you ask me, it was just a bunch of bull crap to justify why they were locking up underaged kids.

I only have a year until I turn 18, which means that I will be free soon. My mother and I have endured living here for so long. We have both kept my secret and took all the constant bullying and dirty looks that the people would throw in our way.

Not shifting is considered dishonorable in any pack because it just indicates that our blood is not pure. That we have an ancestor who chose to live among humans, tainting our potential to morph.

Considering the secret that I have to protect to stay alive, I was labeled as one of the impure breeds in this town.

I closed my eyes and enjoyed the fresh, cold breeze of the chilly night.

Seven more months, Lunaris. I reminded myself. Seven more months until I turn 18 and finally eligible to leave.

Surely the Alpha will have no problem with casting aside a non-shifter like my mom and I. To them, our family must be shameful in their eyes. Losing us would mean nothing to the pack.

A rustle on the ground broke my peaceful train of thoughts. On instinct, I hunched back while balancing myself on my paws. My eyes roamed the area around me, mainly to where I first heard the sound. A few feet to where I was, a wolf appeared, walking cautiously with every step along with the bushes.

All of my animal instinct was telling me to flee, but I chose to stay put with the wolf nearby. My vision was stronger than any wolf, but they are far more superior in terms of hearing.