Everything Anew

Chapter One

Chapter One
Lila

My pace slackened at the threshold of a small clearing. A beige house was nestled a few meters away, overgrown with vines and weeds that obscured the view of half the estate before me. A balcony overlooking the forest stood above a patio filled with chairs, an easel, and a clothing rack.

From the corner of the house a figure appeared, regaining my attention instantly. The wolf was smaller than the one that lead me here, lankier but just as intimidating. Its coat was a mixture of light browns and whites that mixed together to create a kaleidoscope of shades. It curiously eyed me, no malice in its brown eyes as it sniffed the air and wandered nearby.

If it weren't for the white wolf at my back, I wouldn't have been surprised if the other approached me. It paced back and forth in front of the house, waiting for me to approach it.

The sound of a bark startled me into continuing forward, feeling uneasiness settle back upon me. The Rebel pack didn't have a house as grandeur as this, instead the pack had set up their own shack like shelters and tents. No electricity, no plumbing, just living off of the land, even if that land didn't belong to them.

Despite the eerily beautiful exterior, it didn't calm my worries. I knew the risk of being a female werewolf was high, I had lived it most of my life. I had gotten used to being on edge regardless of the aesthetics, what mattered were the creatures living within it.

I faltered at the front steps and held my breath. I took in the scent of several males, at least three or four. This pack was less than half the size of the Rebels. Before I was able to turn around to face the wolf, the sound of a voice froze me in place

"Keep walking, up to the doors. Now."

Taking a slow step forward, I made my way up the porch stairs and towards the front door, hearing the sound of metal coat hangers sliding against one another followed by the rustle of fabric.

Instead of a white wolf, I watched as a man moved in front of me and reached for the doorknob. His green eyes shifted towards me, the true emotion of confusion slipped over his features. As he twisted the key and opened the door, I tried to etch who the man was in my brain as to not forget his face. He had a short beard that looked to have been unshaven for at least a week. His long blonde hair was tied up tightly at the back of his head while the sides were shaven closer to his scalp.

As he stepped aside, I looked through the threshold of the door and then back at him. "Do I have your permission to enter?" I asked without showing the distaste I held for him, but the reply I received made it clear I hadn't hid it well enough. 

"Just get inside." His eyes scanned behind me, searching for something as I slipped past him and into the house.

I tried not to care about how beautiful the interior was, but it was hard not to notice it. A short hallway lead me into a small foyer, consisting of a mixture of colours including: pearl, white, brown and black. Four doors were to my left, another four to my right. A staircase stood before me on the other side of the room, noticing that it lead up to a second floor that overlooked the foyer

"Follow me." The man suddenly ordered.

Reluctantly I followed him to the furthest room on the left, but before sealing my fate, I looked back at the door behind me. I knew it was futile to try and flee, but the idea was welcoming compared to going into a room with a man I didn't know.

Before I could make any haste decisions, I moved forward into the room, leaving dirty footprints on the hardwood floor behind me as I did. I took a step in and stayed close to the exit while I looked around at my surroundings. I first noticed the metal desk, and sitting atop of it was a laptop. I eyed it as if it were made of gold; I hadn't seen any type of technology in what felt like ages. My eyes then moved towards the bookshelves. How long had it been since I read a book?

"Sit."

My eyes swept back towards the man, watching as he stood a few feet away from me at all times, as if he was afraid to touch me.

"You sure are ordering me around a hell of a lot. You don't seem like an Alpha." I spoke as I took in his uncomfortable posture.

"I'm a Beta, the Alpha will be here shortly." As if reminding himself of something, the Beta snatched his cellphone out of his pocket and quickly typed something out. I eyed him suspiciously as his fingers danced over the screen.

"What are you planning on doing with me?"

"Nothing as of right now." He answered.

"So I've been kidnapped for no reason?"

Green eyes lifted above the phone as he ground his teeth and put it down, ignoring it when the ringer went off.

When he didn't reply, I spoke up once again. "Answer this then. What does your Alpha want with me? Other than the obvious thing all other shifters want from a female." Hatred seeped from my voice, unable to stop my hands from balling into fists at my sides. "They set me up to come here, didn't they? Why?"

The beta crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head to the side. "You think we were in on this?"

"Why else would they let me come here?" I exclaimed.   

"The hell if I know. I've never seen a female werewolf before, if I had known they were leading you over here I would have let Nate know beforehand."

The way he spoke was genuine enough to leave me confused. I still held no trust for the person in front of me, nor for whoever else lived in this house, but so far it seemed they were as oblivious as me.

I stayed pressed to the wall and kept an eye on him, making sure he didn't get any closer to me as I began to speak with an even tone. "Is Nate the Alpha?"

There was a moment of hesitation before he decided to answer. "Nathan. I only address him as Nate because I'm his Beta, I wouldn't advise you calling him that."

"How many others are living here?"

"The hell if I'm telling you."

I glared while shifting from foot to foot, feeling how painful it was to stand after the run cut up the soles of my feet. I decided to ignore it for a little longer. The idea of comfort outweighed the concern for my safety. 

"Will you tell me your name at least?"

"Only if you say yours."

I bit my lower lip in frustration before replying. "Lila."

"Evan."

Silence stretched out between us as I kept my eyes on him, while his gaze found anything other than me. I wasn't sure if it was because he was shy, appalled, or not sure what to do in the presence of a female wolf. The last option made me want to scoff aloud, but instead I found myself at ease knowing he was just as uncomfortable as I was.

On the other hand, the alpha could be another story. I've heard tales of abusive, possessive, and deplorable alphas that made Cal look like a saint. I wanted out of the room, I didn't want to wait and see what would happen when another man walked in and held enough power over me to dictate what would happen next. Tightness balled up in my chest, my anxiety peaking as I looked at the large windows placed on two sides of the room. Would Evan be too tentative to grab me if I ran? Despite the doubt, a part of me thought it would be worth an attempt. The worst they would do if they caught me was most likely what they had originally planned anyways.

I had nothing to lose.

My hand braced against the wall as I turned to face the window, Evan seeming to notice my sudden movement when his eyes finally focused on me. My body tensed at the idea of bolting, but the sound of a car engine filled my ears, and any ounce of hope I had for escaping, evaporated in the matter of seconds.