shades of SUMMER

|PROLOGUE|

Aura

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When I was escaping from my past, I didn't look back to find out how far I had come. All I did was to push myself ahead, to stretch the distance between the north and me, as far as the landscape would allow until I reached the endpoint of my purpose.

But now, I was a rogue.

Roaming around without a pack. Hunting for a new destination.

I had left my pack behind. And I wouldn't be welcomed into other packs. So, I didn't wander farther into the unfamiliar soil, staying close to the shore, to make my scents untraceable and surging ahead along with the current of the water. No one would hunt me down if I was unseen and didn't pose any threat to their packs.

But my mind occasionally took a dip into the thoughts I was running away from. How long will I survive on my own into the ravenous wild?

Alpha Demetrius wouldn't sit quiet and wait, he would go berserk, his warriors would go on the rampage and bring havoc on the northern soil. So, hiding in the north was out of the question. My only chance of survival was to leave north behind and go somewhere where Alpha Demetrius had no authority over.

But where would I go?

Would it be worth the struggle I was putting myself through?

What will the future hold?

Could anyone trust a northern blood?

Anxious thoughts piling up, making rounds in my head but I couldn't let this deter my resolve. I would never get a golden chance like this to get away from Alpha Demetrius. I never had to see his impassive face, never had to endure his possessive touch.

But if I failed in my quest, I wouldn't turn and go back. I had left behind the life of luxury to trade with my freedom.

But how long will I be unrestrained?

Days blended into nights - starry, windy, sunny, cloudy, dark all rushing by as I was floating away.

When the water carried me to the south, the entire backdrop changed, turned into a rich, colourful, lush green. It felt like out of this world, something I had never experienced before, too exotic and striking.

The sun twinkled down through the tree canopy of large, crooked tree with long, leathery leaves and whitish or pink flowers. Nature blooming in its wondrous beauty. The jewel-blue stream curved gently through the forest flowing in its mellow harmony, rinsing away the harsh frosty northern wind and comforted me in the shade of the balmy south.

I was shivering when I emerged out of the water, fisting and unfisting my fingers and rubbing my numbing hands to get some warmth from the friction. My skin looked wrinkled and shrank. My dress clung to my body like a second skin, water dripping down my body and forming a puddle beneath my feet.

I squeezed out the excess water from my dress, hair and hunted some wild berries to suffice my hunger and sat down on the lush green grass. But it was hardly a few bites of juicy pulp.

My body was exhausted with hardly a few hours of sleep for unending days and nights. Strained muscles. Sored limbs from struggling to keep up with the current of the stream. I flopped on my back as the gentle southern breeze carrying warmth and sweet fragrances, caressing over my body and took me in its embrace. I waited for the night to cloak me over in its shadow.

When I woke up, the night had fallen. I sprang to my feet and looked around. How foolish was I, letting my guard down and slept through the day?

I walked ahead, letting the soft glow of the fireflies guiding my path through the darkness, the infrequent hoot of a cryptic owl was making me aware, turning my head every so often. The small creatures were scampering behind the bushes, away from my proximity.

A flash of movement made my head turned and I stopped dead in my tracks. Nothing seemed out of ordinary. Everything stood still. I looked out for a human presence but no one greeted me, only eerie silence.

Was it an animal?

A snapped broke out and I turned so fast, my head spun. , scanning my surroundings to unearth if someone was lurking in the shadows.

I guardedly put a foot forward and guttural growls echoed off with a clear warning. I was ambushed. Soon, the wolves swamping in from the shadows, trapping me from all sides. I rooted to the ground and slowly, blew the air out and drew in, calming my pounding heartbeat.

I didn't run to give them a wrong impression and a more reason to attack me. I didn't even twitch to give them a clear message that I was no threat to them. I had no sinister intentions.

The more they crept closer, the more the circle got smaller but they made no move to pounce and attack. I remained at my spot, waiting with them for the situation to unfold.

Suddenly, my body was brutally thrown and pinned to the ground with a knee on my back and a hand tightly gripped over my neck, pushing down my face on the ground. I gasped for air as it was difficult to breathe through my nose and dirt filling in my mouth.

I lay there helplessly without making an attempt to protest, giving the male the satisfaction of my submission. The strength the male exerted on me, he was no alpha. A warrior maybe.

The male crouched over me and spoke with utter disgust, "We don't appreciate intruders in our home. Don't you know, you fool, what we do with the rogues? We skin them alive, then hung them off the branches and lit fire beneath their bodies. Roast them nice and warm for the outsiders to see who dared to step foot into our land. A clear warning for all to suffer the same fate."

The male without a prior warning, yanked the dress away from my shoulder, the soft material couldn't outstand his brute force and tear apart from the stitches. His grip stiffened as his hard gaze fell on my branded tattoo.

The male grabbed the scruff of my neck and hauled me up to my feet. I firmly clung onto the dress, clasping it against my body so it didn't show my exposed flesh. He gritted his teeth and snarled in rage, "We got a northerner. Send the message to the alpha."

Welcome to the second book (shades of SUMMER) in the series. New characters will be introduced along with the previous characters you are so familiar with. Please feel free to share your thoughts, guys. Much love!💛