Guardian Wolf: A Scar In Time (Book 1)

Chapter 1: The Pup

"A hero cannot be a hero unless in a heroic world."

-Nathaniel Hawthorne

Maya had been in the midst of a peaceful slumber when an uncomfortable sensation jolted her awake, shattering the tranquility of her rest. A confused grunt escaped her lips as her icy blue eyes slowly fluttered open. What on earth was that? she wondered. And then, with no forewarning, a searing, agonizing pain gripped the pit of her stomach, leaving her gasping for breath.

The grey-furred female lifted herself to her feet, limbs protesting as she stretched with a wide yawn. As the sharp, gnawing pain surged through her once more, her ears pinned back in fearful realization. There was no mistaking it. The moment she had been waiting for was here - her pup was coming, and it was coming fast. Casting her eyes over the expanse of the Blue Moon Pack territory, she observed the other wolves still deep in their peaceful slumber around the flickering campfire.

Amid the stillness of the sleeping pack, the only one awake was the ill-tempered Gabriel, a brooding figure swathed in midnight-black fur. He bore the ranking of the lead scout. He was very silent and mysterious, always one to shun the spotlight and favor the shadows. The scouts were tasked with patrolling the territory and spying on rival packs. However, the lead scouts held a unique responsibility: tracking down females after they had birthed their pups, and ensuring their safe return to the pack.

Maya hoped that Gabriel wouldn't notice her departure. The scout had always left her feeling uneasy. He took his duties to an almost obsessive level, and his temper was as unpredictable as the shifting winds. As soon as the opportunity presented itself, Maya turned and hastened her steps, slipping away from the heart of the Blue Moon territory. Once she felt she was far enough, she unleashed her pent-up energy, letting her paws carry her with an urgency that matched the fluttering in her belly. The silvery wolf's head hung low as she sprinted through the lush foliage of the Emerald Forest, each breath coming in ragged gasps as she surged forward with all the speed she could muster. The once-tingling sensation in her stomach had now morphed into a relentless, gnawing discomfort.

♦

Maya's gaze remained fixed upon the lone pup before her. One pup, an anomaly when wolf mothers typically birthed litters. The solitary newborn was a male, his coat adorned with shades of grey, interwoven with patches of white along his delicate underbelly. What truly piqued Maya's curiosity, however, was the peculiar marking on his forehead, concealed beneath a cluster of tufts. With gentle care, she coaxed the tufts aside, revealing the mysterious symbol etched into his fur.

A gasp of astonishment suddenly escaped Maya's lips. Her eyes widened in shock as the once-black marking on the pup's forehead began to emit a pulsating red glow. The pup, deprived of his mother's warmth, let out a squeal, his tiny voice filled with confusion and discomfort. Maya, however, could only remain transfixed, her own emotions mirroring the bewilderment of the moment, as the radiant red mark cast an eerie red light upon the floor of the den.

With cautious tenderness, Maya leaned in, gently nuzzling the squealing pup. Her concern for the little one overrode her utter bewilderment at the strange red diamond on his forehead. Bravely, she extended her paw, gently making contact with the radiant marking. A faint sizzling sound filled the air, and a startled whine escaped her maw as she withdrew her paw. Her mind raced with a flurry of unanswerable questions. This is impossible! What is this? What does it mean? she pondered, her heart heavy with the weight of the inexplicable. This defied all rational understanding.

Maya's breath then hitched in her throat as the weight of impending danger settled upon her. She knew that a scout would be dispatched to track her down, and she hoped that it wouldn't be Gabriel. Anxiety gripped her heart as she considered the possibility. If Gabriel were to discover this strange diamond on the pup's forehead, what would he do? Would he bar the newborn from returning to the safety of the pack, casting him into an uncertain fate? Such thoughts sent shivers down Maya's spine, and she drew the pup closer, allowing him to nurse. She whispered the name "Chance" as if an offering to fate, the first name that came to mind, a name that felt fitting for the circumstances they found themselves in.