10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Gong!

My heart was beating erratically as everyone ran out of the cabin. If I wasn't a wolf and just a normal human then I would have been crushed.

Everyone was whooping and James' crew were screaming 'hell yeahh'!

At least I was forgotten about for a little while which believe me was a blessing.

Milly grabbed a hold of my hand and we ran down the steps to the forest floor waiting on the Alpha's permission to shift. Ripples ran all the way down my arms and spine. I can't explain it, but I felt different. A small flutter of awareness and movement invaded my mind, almost like a presence. I tried to concentrate and reach out to it but It felt foreign, like someone else was also in my body with me now.

I shivered and the term 'someone just walked over my grave' never felt more real. I started to feel a bit panicky when Milly got my attention by giggling.

"Vi... it's your wolf silly"!

Ohhhhh okay. That made sense, I'm glad I wasn't the only one feeling that. I smiled at her shyly which was a first for me. I guess having a werewolf take control of your body made you act weird.

Alpha Greyson walked in front of us and signalled to the line of trees up a head.

"Alright pups, shift"!

Crack....

Snap....

One by one everyone around us started to howl in pain as their bones reformed to turn into our wolves.

Ok!

Now I'm scared. Milly started to almost convulse next me and I bent down to help her get to the floor. Just when you thought the moon goddess could not humiliate me any further by not giving me a wolf, I felt my ankle snap.

BAM!!!

I hit the floor and started shifting. The pain was unimaginable and I wanted to cry out. I tried not to howl with the pain but I couldn't deny the forceful command from my Alpha to shift. Fur started forming on my fore arm and I was shocked to see that it was white. I hadn't heard of a white wolf in almost 200 years. Nearly all of them were lunas and carried a rare power....

But fuck it. I'm not going into that right now I was in too much pain. Sweat broke out across my forehead and my vision went blurred. I could hear the howls of my pack members and school mates and knew they had shifted.

Then I heard them.. the voices of my pack came flooding into my mind. My eyes were still tightly shut and I was doubled over on the floor like a maniac with fur coming out of her head. I listened to them talk to one another and I heard them get closer to where I was. They were whispering and many were in shock and awe. The Alpha padded over to me and sniffed my head, at that point I knew everyone had turned except for me. Figures.

I then heard his voice.

"Violet, open your eyes"

I opened them slowly. The first thing I noticed was my heightened sense of smell. Dayum... everyone needed a shower. Then I noticed my hearing had improved, I could hear members of the pack breathing and my vision was 20/20. As I looked around I noticed all the colours of my pack members coats.

Light tan, dark brown, grey, auburn and last but not least the Alpha who was black. But none of them were white. I bowed my head in submission when I noticed the Alpha was staring at me.

Paws

I had paws and they were white. I stood there, rooted to the spot at the revelation. Shock, that was it. I was in shock. My hind legs felt like tree trunks and I towered over every other werewolf apart from my Alpha. I couldn't have been more hurt and angry with the goddess. If I wasn't freak enough before, I definitely was now. I waited for the admonishment, the looks of disdain and another dressing down from the Alpha but It never came, I got nothing but silence.

"Come to my office Violet, immediately. As for the rest of the pack, go home. The run will be postponed until further notice"

My shoulders sagged, my heart pounded like a rabbit in my chest. My breathing was thick and fast and for once, I didn't know what to do. I looked for the only person I knew who could offer me the reassurance I needed.

'Milly, where are you"?

Using my mind link I reached out to her.

Left.

That was it.

She was on my left when we changed. I swung my massive muzzle to the side and looked down. Below me was a small bronze and golden wolf who I knew to be my bestest friend in the whole wide world. I was so taken back by the beauty of her coat that it took me a while to find her eyes.

Hatred.

She was glaring at me like an insect that should be stepped on.

Wait... what?!

I was confused. I didn't step on her did I? If I did, surely she would know it was an accident.

"She's jealous Vi, can't you see it?"

"Woooahhhhhhhh.... hold the bus there girl... who the hell are you?"

I swung my massive muzzle to the left and right looking for the voice but came up empty.

"I thought you would never ask. Too preoccupied with our paws you forgot who's paws they are.. I'm layla.. you're wolf"!

"Ohh ........ ermm....nice to meet you? Why is Milly angry with us Layla?"

Nothing.

I was staring at Milly when a wolf behind me huffed and blew down his nose. Obviously impatient with the fact I hadn't yet followed the Alpha. I turned around to see a grey wolf with a black tail.

Dad.

I hung my head low as he turned around walking skulking towards the pack house. Everyone moved out of the way for the beta and I as I followed behind. He didn't say anything to me in the pack link and judging by his walk he wasn't happy either. I just hoped tonight's revelation didn't result in getting another beating.

Not only was my friend angry with me for some reason I can't explain but the Alpha and my dad wasn't looking too pleased either.

I walked past the pack and gave no one any eye contact. I reached the bottom of the stairs when my father shifted. He grabbed a long shirt from the bushes and threw it at my face.

I knew what it meant.

I darted behind a tree and shifted. Surprisingly enough, it didn't hurt at all. Changing quickly I wasted little time. Not wanting to invoke more hatred by delaying. I ran out and followed my father up the stairs and into the first door on the left. The alpha's office. I had only been here once before and that was when I gave my testimony 6 years ago. No one believed my story and from the moment I walked out of that room my life was changed forever.

Needless to say it wasn't my favourite room. I gulped and swallowed the lump in my throat. I grasped my hands and held them together tightly in front of me. Praying to god that it would stop the shaking.

As the door was opened for me to enter the deafening silence was palpable. I was terrified. The alpha was seated behind his desk with his back towards the door and my self. He was looking out of the office window onto the pack grounds.

"Come here Violet and tell me what you see".

I bit my bottom lip and padded across the floor to the window in my bare feet. I stretched up onto my tipy toes and thought hard.

What does he want to hear? I decided under the circumstances that going with the truth was the better option.

"I see the pack houses Alpha. The school and the training grounds with the hospital behind. Theres lights and people are walking home after the run".

"Exactly the answer I was expecting. That is not all that there is Violet. There is hope, a family, unity and a willingness to work together to reach the same goals. Every single member of this pack would die to protect the very grounds you are walking on, even your own mother died protecting this pack. The same grounds that Alpha's in my line have fought for and defended for centuries and you think its just a few twinkling lights and houses?".

He sounded exasperated and disappointed by my answer. He sighed and I hanged my head in shame. Ofcourse he meant that, how could I have been that stupid to only look at the exterior. I glanced to my left and my father was chisselled from stone. Obviously not surprised by my stupid response.

'Do you know the story of the white wolves'?

I looked back to the Alpha and shook my head.

'Centuries ago the moon goddess decided that all alpha's needed a female leader by their side. One to equal and rival them in every way. They were given the Violet powers. Their eye colour would change to violet and they were gifted with powers to defend their pack no matter the cost to themselves. These women were always kind hearted, truthful and selfless'

He slowly turned his head to me and I was shocked to see how he observed me. Obviously believing that I had none of the qualities he had just described. He was mocking me. Truly believing I had lied all these years. He stood up and walked towards me. Perching himself upon his desk he crossed his arms in front of him and continued ...

"It is written that the male Alpha's were jealous of their mates powers. No longer the most powerful in the pack they worked together to eliminate them one by one and until today, it was believed that their line was nothing more than legend".

Knock knock...

I was frozen to the spot. I was trying to compute everything the Alpha just told me but I was distracted by a smell I had never smelt before. It almost knocked me off my feet. Musk, pinewood and man. That was it. My mind was clouded and I felt Layla pace back and forth in my mind. She was restless and I didnt know why. There was no danger, at least I didn't think the Alpha wanted me dead just yet.

Knock knock... someone knocked again and I was awoken from my reverie.

'Come in Dimitri'

Dimitri........ Dimitri... the Alpha's son!

'Mate.. he's our mate violet'!

Demitri was a council member and often returned to the pack for a few months and then returned to the city for business. I hadn't seen I'm in a while.

He was in line to become the next alpha. He was 24 and hadn't found his Mate yet. There were stories amongst the pack that he was seeing someone but she can't be from our pack. Apparently he was fed up with waiting and willing to choose any she wolf in order to take his position as alpha.

Demitri walked in. He sniffed the air and his eyes were searching the room as if he was looking for something he had lost. They found me and he stilled. He was 6'2 and had glossy shoulder length black hair with ocean blue eyes. He was built like an ox and dressed to the nines in a charming ralph lauren jumper and long rain coat and here I was in a see through shirt. Not covering very much might I add.

My knees started to shake uncontrollably as the realisation of us being mates dawned on me.

He looked me up and down and almost smiled. He righted himself instantly and almost created a barrier between us when I tried to reach out to him in his mind. His facial features turned hard. My body could feel the mate bond and the sparks between us. Couldn't he?

He straightened his shoulders and turned to his father. Alpha Greyson and my dad had been watching the exchange between Demitri and I with sour looks.

"Father, I wished to speak with you about my mating with Milly. The sooner the better, I wish to take over the pack at the end of this month as agreed." He said with absolute finality.

Milly?????!!!!!! Wait.. Demitri was the guy she had been seeing these couple of months?

Pain.. unlike anything I had felt before went through my chest. My vision blurred and Layla was trying to talk to me but I couldn't hear her anymore.

Demitri looked over at me with hurt and concern in his eyes and he almost looked regretful.

His shoulders sagged but he looked resolved and sorry.

Almost...

His beautiful deep baritone voice continued as he glanced back to his Alpha....

"I won't be put off anymore father, it's time you stepped down from the pack. Nothing you can say will deter me from mating with her".

Those were the last words I heard before I passed out and hit the floor.