The Enemy's Prey

.01

Chapter One.

I can smell fresh blood.

The bitter yet sweet aroma incased the woods surrounding our pack house. I shivered under my sweater, even though a thin layer of sweat had already coated my back. Just the thought of the Wolfsbane Pack getting anywhere near our home sent chills down my spine. I stood in front of the large window in the living room, staring out into the foggy woods ahead. My eyes narrowed in on the slightest movements: A ruffle in the leaves, twigs snapping, the whisper of the wind...etc. I will not allow any of the pack members to slip by and into my pack's safe haven. Though I am not the Luna or any important influencer in the Eventide Pack, I am still the alpha's daughter. I have always put pressure on myself to be a strong, well-trained werewolf because I did not want to seem weak.

I felt a strong arm wrap around my shoulder, bringing my attention away from the window for a split second.

"You know, you don't have to keep watch." I heard my father's deep voice from beside me, "I have trained pack members guarding the perimeter. The Wolfsbane Pack won't be able to step foot into our territory."

I drew my eyes completely away from the window to meet his. Below his forest green eyes were noticeable wrinkles from smiling a lot throughout his life. I took note of the only sign left that my father was once happy. He has always been a uplifting and strong alpha since he took his father's spot at the age of twenty-one, but over the years he has clearly grown tired. Don't get me wrong, he is still just as athletic, but the exhaustion is taking a toll on him. Now when I look at his face, the frown lines around his mouth are more noticeable than anything else.

"I am a trained pack member as well dad," I remind him, "Why won't you let me guard?"

"You know the answer to that Sage." He sighed, looking at me with his eyebrows furrowed, "You are still young. I understand that you have trained hard to become a active pack member, but I can't risk losing you. You are the only remembrance I have of your mother. Keller is going to be the rising alpha soon, so all of my attention is on him right now. I don't have the time to watch over you constantly."

Of course Keller is being brought up again. I understand that he is about to become the most important person in this pack, but I have lived in my older brother's shadow for too long. He was always the one that dad was taking with him on missions and to the official pack training facility. I was repeatedly left alone starring out of the window longingly, watching my older brother get special treatment. I would sometimes sneak into the facility and watch Keller get trained, then I would go home and practice what I saw. I would use rogue sticks instead of swords and strike at wild animals as if they were my opponent.

Eventually my dad let me get trained by a few well-skilled pack members, but not in the training facility. I would just stand outside of the large pack house in the woods with some wolf's I did not know and they would teach me some mediocure attacks, skills, and defense mechanisms. I felt underestimated and weak.

Just because I am three years younger than Keller and I am a she-wolf, they treat me as a weaker pack member. I still practice alone in my room every night until the sun comes up, determined to rise up above everyone's low expectations. But for now, I am still seen as useless and someone to just "protect".

"Nineteen is not young. I am not a pup anymore." I tell him with frustration clear on my face, "It's boring sitting around watching everybody go out to fight. I want to defend my pack dad!"

The rising tone in my voice caused his right eye to twitch, "Sage, I am not having this conversation again. Every time we talk, you start arguing about it-"