Chapter 3 A Pull From The Past

• Beta's POV
• The rest of the day dragged on in a haze, but somehow, I found myself walking toward the forest after school. It wasn’t planned. It never was.
• There was just something about the woods that pulled me in, a magnetic force I couldn’t ignore. Maybe it was the silence. Or maybe it was because I felt more at peace here than anywhere else.
• The trees towered above me as I stepped into the familiar darkness, their branches swaying like they were whispering to me.
• This was where everything changed. This was where I had lost my father. Where the wolves had come. Where my entire life had shattered in a single night.
• I stopped in the clearing. I could still see it all in my head, the blood-soaked ground, my father’s screams, my mother’s cold eyes as she turned away, the wolves tearing into him like he was nothing.
• I shut my eyes, trying to shake the memories, but they were there. Always. His blood. The howls. The terror.
• “I’ll make them pay,”
• I whispered to the wind, my voice rough. I could feel the promise deep in my bones, the words heavier than ever. The air around me seemed to respond, the wind picking up, rustling the leaves as if it was listening.
• But then, something shifted.
• A snap of a twig. Sharp.
• I froze.
• My heart skipped a beat. My breath caught in my throat.
• I wasn’t alone.
• I turned, my body tense, my mind racing. The forest was still. Too still. But then I heard it again. The faintest rustle in the bushes, followed by another snap, closer this time.
• Someone, or something, was out there.
• I took a slow, cautious step back, my senses on high alert. My eyes scanned the trees, every shadow suddenly feeling dangerous, every crack of the branches sending a jolt of panic through me.
• “Hello?”
• I called out, my voice shaky but loud enough to cut through the silence.
• No response.
• Another rustle. This time, it was right behind me.
• My pulse thundered in my ears. I whirled around, my breath ragged.
• And that’s when I saw it.
• A figure, shadowed, small and silent, emerged from the darkness between the trees. My heart slammed against my chest. I couldn’t make out their face, but I knew one thing for sure: they weren’t supposed to be here.
• “Who are you?” I demanded, my voice sharp, but deep down, I was terrified.
• The figure didn’t move, didn’t speak.
• My mind raced. I couldn’t run. I couldn’t let whatever this was get away. The last time I let something slip through my fingers, it had cost me everything.
• I took a step forward, trying to steady my breath. “I said, who are you?”
• The figure tilted its head, and then, in one swift motion, it lunged at me.
• I didn’t have time to react.
• For a moment, time stood still. The world around me seemed to vanish as I locked eyes with the creature on me. It was a wolf, but something about it was different, smaller, more fragile than the beasts that had ripped my father apart.
• Its fur was matted, its eyes wide with fear, but beneath it all, there was a quiet strength. A wildness I couldn’t ignore.
• I felt something stir inside me. Something I couldn’t name. Curiosity. Sympathy. Maybe even a little bit of hope. The wolf’s body seemed to soften, its stance easing slightly.
• Instinctively, I lowered it to the ground, my movements slow, deliberate. I didn’t want to startle it. The air around us grew thick, heavy with tension. The forest had gone quiet, too quiet. Even the wind held its breath.
• “Hey…” I whispered, my voice barely above a breath, “I’m not here to hurt you.”
• The wolf’s sharp gaze never wavered, but it took a cautious step forward. I felt drawn to this creature.
• I extended my hand, palm facing the wolf, keeping my voice calm. “Come on, it’s okay.”
• It didn’t move at first. The silence between us stretched, thick as a rope. I could hear my own heartbeat, the only sound in the world. The fear that had gripped me for years,fear of the wolves, of my mother, of everything, began to loosen, just a little.
• The wolf sniffed the air, its nostrils flaring, and slowly, it stepped forward.
• For the first time in a long while, I wasn’t thinking about my father’s death. I wasn’t thinking about revenge. I wasn’t thinking about the endless ache that had consumed me for so long.
• I was thinking about the wolf. About this moment.
• It was so fragile, so fleeting, that I almost didn’t trust it.
• But then, something changed.
• The wolf’s body tensed again, its ears flattening, its teeth bared. Its tail flicked. A growl rumbled deep in its throat, low and guttural.
• I froze, my pulse spiking.
• Out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement, another shadow emerging from the trees.
• I barely had time to react. The babywolf lunged. Not at me, but at something in the distance.
• My heart stopped, just as quickly as the wolf had stepped back, another one appeared,a larger, more imposing shape.
• The growls rose to a deafening roar, echoing through the trees.
• I didn’t know if I was safe anymore.
• I didn’t know what was coming for me.
• But the last thing I saw was a flash of silver eyes behind the trees. Eyes that seemed to know something I didn’t.
• And then, the world went silent.
• The Man....
• I staggered back as the low growl echoed through the trees, its deep rumble sending a chill through my bones. My heart hammered in my chest, and the air felt like it was freezing around me. Then, it happened.
• “Beta…”
• The voice.
• My breath caught in my throat, my body locking up. It was her. My mother’s voice. I tried to speak, to call out, but no sound escaped. My pulse quickened, my mouth went dry.
• No. Not now. Not her.
• I took a step back, panic clawing at my throat. Every instinct screamed for me to run, but my feet were glued to the ground, my legs too weak to move.
• The woman ahead of me, still unaware of my presence, turned slightly. Her hood shifted, falling back, and in that moment, I saw her face.
• It was her. My mother.
• My stomach lurched, nausea swirling in my gut. My mind refused to process what I was seeing. This couldn’t be real. It had to be a nightmare.
• I staggered backward, my eyes wide with disbelief. I wanted to scream, to say something, but the words caught in my throat, stuck there.
• “Beta…” Her voice again, cold and cutting. “You should’ve stayed away.”
• Her words hit me like a physical blow, like a punch to the gut.
• She knew. She knew I was here.
• My limbs went stiff, frozen by the horrible realization. I watched helplessly as she turned away, disappearing into the shadows, like she was leaving me behind without a second thought.
• “Mom!” My voice broke through. But it was too late.
• I stumbled forward, my heart racing. I rushed to the spot where she had been standing, but when I reached it, there was no trace, but the rustling of leaves in the wind.
• Gone!.
• I fell to my knees, the weight of everything crashing over me. Maybe it was all in my head. Maybe it wasn’t real. I didn’t know anymore.
• Before I could catch my breath, a voice cut through the silence.
• “Quite the scene, kid.”
• My head whipped around, my chest tight, fists clenched instinctively. A figure stepped from the shadows. A man.
• Tall. His dark eyes locked onto mine with a cold, unsettling gaze.
• The man smirked, a small, knowing grin. “Looking for someone?”
• “Who are you?” I demanded, my voice trembling with frustration.
• He chuckled softly, “You can call me Kade. And you’re Beta, right? I’ve been watching you.”
• My heart skipped a beat. Watching me? The words didn’t make sense. Who was this guy?
• Kade’s smile deepened, his eyes never leaving mine. “You’ve got quite the story, kid. But you’re not the only one with a past.”
• My fists tightened at my sides. I felt the rage boiling over. “What do you want from me?”
• Kade took a step closer, his gaze unwavering.
• “I want to help you. But first, you need to understand something.