The Fighter

Prologue

I wake to the frantic shouting of voices. Footsteps sound through the house, both heavy and light. Snarls and growls come from my open window, cries and calls of our fighters drowned out by the furious growling of werewolves.

"Alpha! We're being attacked on the Northern side!" I recognise the sound of Charles, my dad's best friend. Attacked? The blaring of our sirens cut into my ears harshly and I cover them with my hands. What's happening?

I curl up under my covers, stuffing my face in the pillow. "Mommy!" I scream, too scared and confused to move; I can hear the crying of my baby sister, Theresa, mixed the calling of my big brother as he yells for Dad. "Mommy!"

My door suddenly bursts open and my mother stands there, a frantic look on her face. The sirens are still going off and other cries of other women are filling the house. "Cecily, I'm here." My mother is the most beautiful person I have ever seen: she has gorgeous blue eyes, bright and always shone of life, her luscious brown hair is thick and I always like to curl it around my fingers. I can see the worry and the fear she has on her face but she still smiles at me, instantly making it better. "Come on, baby. Hurry now."

She grabs my hand and pulls me from my bed. "Luke!" She yells through the house and I turn to the frantic footsteps of my older brother. He's slightly taller than me with the same coloured hair but has green eyes, like Dad. "Take Tessa, Sam and Alec to your father's office. I need to help the others," Mom says, pushing Sam and Alec into my chest. They've only just started to walk, Sam being two and Alec one and a half. Tessa is only a baby and she screams in Luke's arms.

"Mom, I don't want you to go," I beg her, eyes filling with tears as she kneels down in front of me, cupping my cheeks with her hands.

"Cecily, I have to help the others; I'm Luna. Don't worry, I'll be back. I promise." She says softly but even over the siren I can hear her clearly. "I need you to be brave for me, okay, baby?" I nod my head frantically before turning and struggling to pick up Alec.

"Come on, C," Luke says and I follow him to Dad's office. Sam stubbles on the step and begins to bubble in pain. I drop down next to my little brother, putting my arm around him as best I can.

"Sam, come on. We need to hurry. Mommy will be back," I promise him softly and his crying eases a little. Eventually we burst through the doors and into Dad's office. It's quite small but I don't take long to look around it. There's a chair next to the door, where I've sat and read so many times. Luke places Tessa on the chair and begins to try and stop her crying while Sam stands flush against my side, gripping me tightly and Alec gurgles fearfully against my shoulder.

I place the one year old next to our baby sister, sitting him up against the arm and attempt to calm Sam down. Tessa finally seems to quieten and I see Luke placing a dummy in her mouth. I tap his shoulder, remembering that he's deaf.

'Why are they attacking us?' I use my hands to speak to him. It's hard for a six year old to learn sign language but I manage well enough to talk to him.

'I don't know.' He replies, shaking his head along with his sign.

'Where's Dad?' I ask, wondering why he didn't help Mum. Luke frowns at me, shaking his head at me. I must've signed wrong. I screw my face up in concentration as I slow my hands.

'Fighting the borders. He's the Alpha.' What does that mean? At my questioning look, Luke continues. 'He's in charge of everyone here. Uncle Lewis and Uncle Charles are his second and third in command so they have to help him.'

'What about Mom?' The doors suddenly open fully, bashing against the wall and Tessa jolts, beginning to cry once more. I go to her as Luke rushes to close the door. She begins to suck my thumb as I coo to her, her small fingers gripping my hand. Alec whimpers, cuddling into my shoulder as I stand next to them.