Exiled

Chapter 1 ~ Torn Away

"Mama?! MAMA?!"

Young Johanna cried desperately, reaching over the Royal Guard's shoulder to her mother's outstrecthed hand. Three Guards had burst into their house and said it was ordered that any 14 year old girl without a mate was to be taken away.

Johanna's mother, Grace, begged, "Please, don't take her! She's only a child!" One of the Guards cracked her in the face with the back of his gun. Grace fell over and laid still and silent. Johanna, having seen everything, screamed loudly and started kicking and hitting the Guard pushing her out the front door.

"He killed her! HE KILLED MY MOTHER!!!" Johanna shrieked at the top of her lungs, frailing about uselessly. The Guard opened a car door and threw Johanna inside. Once he closed the door, Johanna almost immediately slunked down in her seat, slipping into an unconsious state.

"Good, she's asleep. Let's get them to the Enchanted Grounds, and quick!"

Once Johanna had awoken, she was inside of an unfamilar forest. She looked around and saw about 4 other girls there with her. She looked around and saw a Witch standing nearby. "Don't you worry. Once you lot turn 16, your mate'll come here for ya. It's for ya own safety, ya know?" The Witch had a Scottish accent. Johanna tried to at least fake a smile, but failed. She sighed and rested her chin on her arms, which were crossed on top of her knees.

"My name's Dalyla. What's yours?" Dalyla asked as she sat next to the young werewolf. Johanna looked over at the young Witch and wondered why she'd even asked. She could just use her magic to find out.

She's being polite. Answer her, you idiot! Johanna's wolf barked at her. She smiled at Dalyla, and said softly, "Johanna Sahara-Lee Franklin."

"Well, then, Johanna... Welcome to the Enchanted Grounds. I'm here to make sure you girls have everything ya need." Dalyla smiled brightly, her golden brown eyes gleaming. She ran her hand through her bright red hair and looked over at the other girls. "Any of you lot hungry?" All four girls nodded. "Johanna?" Dalyla turned back to the girl next to her.

Johanna shook her head, but knew that Dalyla could tell she was lying. She stood up and shifted into her wolf, which was still a pup. Her coat was a soft cream color and her eyes had changed from blue to brown.

She ran over some small hills and reached a secluded space with a few bushes. She yipped sadly, mourning the lost of her mother. Then, she fell into a full-blown howl, alerting those near her that one of their own had died... One of her own. Halfway through the howl, it'd begun to rain. Johanna trotted over under one of the bushes, but continued to yip and whimper sadly.

"Johanna? What's the matter?" Dalyla asked softly as she sat next to Johanna. She must not have cared whether her pale green dress got dirty. Johanna, not having to energy to shift back, crawled onto Dalyla's lap and whined sorrowfully. Dalyla gently hugged the wolf pup in her lap. "It'll be alright, Johanna. You'll be alright."

All through the night, Dalyla murmured comforting things to Johanna whenever she started yipping and whining in fear or panic. She knew that the image of Johanna's mother being attacked was replaying again and again in the young wolf's dreams, her nightmares. Her mate will be able to comfort her... Whenever he gets here. Dalyla tried to use her Gift of Magic to see who the male in question was, but it was blocked from her somehow. She furrowed her eyebrows and tried again. she received the same results.

Dalyla decided to let it alone for now. She would try again in the morning, when she wasn't so tired. She glanced once more at Johanna, makig sure she was okay, and drifted into a deep sleep.