I didn't even know everyone was dead until I'd returned from a scouting expedition. The cool breeze and the Alaskan snow felt amazing on my fur that mirrored the white substance. I was having a blast, there was no threat, it was barely work. I was basically having a mini vacation away from the tribe and the rest of the pack.

Peter, my best friend and the pack's alpha sent me out cause he'd heard something unfamiliar farther north on our tribe's land. It was well known amongst the others I was the fastest and the strongest of the other wolves, which was ironic considering I was the only girl, much to his older sister Beth's disappointment. But she'd left home about a year ago.

Anyway, I'd followed the trail he told me to, and tracked for anything unfamiliar. It was frustrating not to find anything, but I wasn't too mad. At least it was something to do, it was always quiet for the Yuit tribe. Our existence was a simple one, to protect the innocent from our enemies. Well- enemy. We only had one.

Vampires.

Our people only had direct contact with one clan of vampires, the group of five in Denali. Actually, we had a good relationship with them. What helped our friendship with them was the fact that they were, what they called "vegetarians". Meaning they didn't feed on human blood. Once we'd come to a mutual understanding our tribe actually enjoyed being around them, me more than others.

While my tribe was kind to them, they were still cautious, for good reason. I, however went over and hung out with them as if we were the best of friends- which in the end we were! Carmen and her husband Eleazar treated me like their own child, which my father appreciated considering I was an only child. He was very protective since he was the Chief, but when he saw how kindly they treated me, he let up.

My mother died when I was seventeen. Her death triggered my becoming a werewolf. I was so full of grief and hatred that she was gone I remember running off shortly after the funeral and exploding into a ball of fur.

I had also had a decent relationship with the sisters, Tanya, Kate and Irina. Kate and I got on great solely on the closeness of our names. She was Kate and I was Cate.

Alright, technically I was Cathrine, but after my mom died I asked people to start calling me Cate instead. When I shifted, my pack brothers started calling me Catie-Cat.

~

I hadn't found anything on my scouting trip. There was no unusual scent or tracks. I made sure to be thorough, scaling the perimeter and slightly beyond, just to be safe. But still, I found nothing odd. So, like the child at heart that I was, I trotted my way back to the tribe.

When I was a few miles away that's when I felt my brothers join me through the mind link. But they weren't happy- they were terrified. I could feel Alex's fear, he was our youngest. He phased at thirteen after his older sister got dumped by her boyfriend. Phillip was confused, he was Peter's brother. Keep in mind there weren't a lot of us, we weren't a big pack when it came to numbers. But we were unified and we'd never lost a fight before.

"What's going on?" No one answered me, the pack's thoughts were too hectic it sounded like everyone was yelling over one another. Trying to figure out the issue that I couldn't see. Of all the voices yelling so rapidly I was able to make out one word.

"...Vampires!"

Then came the screaming. Never did I ever think I would hear my brothers scream the way they did. It was, and remains to be one of the worst things I'd ever heard in my life. That's when I started running, and even at the supernatural speed, I was too late. The screaming wasn't the only thing that stopped...everything did.

"Guys? What happened? GUYS!" No one responded to me; Peter's link was silent. Alex's. Phil's. Tyler's. Jason's. I knew even before I got there that they were all dead. But still, I didn't want to believe it.

~

Slowly I walked through the barren land that was once full of my people. It was so quiet that I could make out the sound of the stream that was miles away. I hated the quiet.

I didn't shift back into my human form, vampires had been there and I didn't know if they had left yet. I continued to scan the area as I walked through the ghost-town. The small houses were all quiet. Then my nose caught it. The scent. I ran as I followed it to the center of the territory, where we usually had our council meetings and tribe parties.

It was there I saw them. My pack, my family, my tribe. All dead. I felt all four of my knees buckle when I saw my father sprawled out uncomfortably on the floor- as if he'd been tossed like a used soda can.

Around him were the remains of the rest of the tribe. The people I'd grown up with and considered my extended family. Seeing all the familiar faces pale and lifeless was more than traumatizing. Then I saw my pack, the five of them were in different positions. Clearly having landed the way they did from trying to protect our people; when they fell that's when the rest of the tribe fell.

I felt myself whimper as I approached my brothers. All of them had their eyes open, but what was once bright colors were now almost black, all the life having been stripped away. Peter looked like he got the worst of it, his limbs were bent in odd angles, not even getting the chance to heal himself before they killed him.

I didn't know what to do, what could I have done at that point? The scent went cold, there was no way I would have been able to find them. It was as if they'd come, killed, and disappeared.

I was alone, my body shook with grief. Tears were blurring my vision, even if I wasn't alone it's not like I would've been in any mindset to defend myself. The wind slapped my furry face harshly as a small storm picked up. With the roar of the wind I let out a heartbreaking howl.

~

I don't know how long I laid there, but it was long enough for the sun to go down and for me to have a light layer of snow over my fur. If anyone saw the scene they wouldn't see me unless I opened my eyes. The bright electric blue color was enough to have heads turn in my direction whether in wolf form or human. My eyes changed the same day I phased for the first time, and they haven't changed back since then. It was funny at first. My pack brothers would joke around when we were human, saying my eyes looked like I'd stuck my head in the ice water for one too many minutes.

I slowly got up, shaking the snow off my fur and letting one last tear fall. I couldn't stay there, I didn't even have the strength to stick around and bury anyone. I turned to my small empty house. The scent of my father still present in the cold air. Phasing back I shivered as my naked body got reacquainted to the brisk air. I made my way to my room and packed a bag. I filled it with clothes, I didn't have much. I wasn't a sentimental person, I flung it over my back and went to the living room one last time.

A frown seeped onto my face when I realized all the stories of my tribe were never written down because they were always passed down to the offspring. I only knew a little and there was so much I'd had yet to learn. We had tribe meetings where our Elders would tell us some of the legends. I'd never learn more about my tribe, I had to hold onto the stories I did know.

I took one item from my house for sentimental reasons. A photo it was old, taken before I had phased. My mom was still alive then, the picture was of the tribe. All our smiling faces, no threats. Peter and Phillip were the only two wolves at the time, I would be next. It was strange seeing me without my tribal tattoo. We all had the same one. It was a paw print in the middle of our bicep, and weaving around was vines intertwined with each other. It symbolized how we were all connected, we were stronger together. But now I was alone.

I folded up the picture carefully and put it in my bag before walking to the door and giving my home one last look. When I walked out I didn't bother to close it behind me. I wouldn't be back.

~

I went to the only other people who would be able to help me. The Denali coven. Now I know what you're thinking- Cate a group of vampires just exterminated your family like the Holocaust and now you're going to take refuge in a house full of vampires?

Yes. Yes I was.

I ran, and even though I was in my human form I was still faster than the average person. The moment I made my way onto their territory I could smell their sweet scent immediately, I knew they were close by.

"Carmen! Kate!" I yelled as I approached their large house. Not a moment after I called out, all five sped out and met me outside.

"Cate? What's wrong?" Eleazar looked worried when he noticed the bag on my back.

I opened my mouth to explain to them what I'd just seen but all that seemed to come out were some unintelligible sounds. I couldn't stop myself from bursting into tears again. Like an overprotective mother, Carmen lightly grabbed me and helped me inside. She sat me down on one of their lavish sofas and gave me a blanket that I didn't need, I was a hundred and seven degrees. Wolf perk. But I accepted the blanket anyway.

After about a minute, Irina asked me the same question, all five of their golden eyes watched me with worry, "What happened?"

I took a breath, "They're all dead. I was coming back from scouting when my brothers started screaming. We were being attacked. I ran as fast as I could but I wasn't fast enough. They were all piled up, my father's body was cold. I-i-i-" they respectfully didn't interrupt me until I started stuttering, my brain moving a mile a minute thinking about what I could've done if I was just a little faster.

Kate wrapped me in a hug, her cold skin against my feverish skin was actually nice, it was something I grew to find comfort in whenever I came to visit.

There was silence, "Did the others see who it was that was attacking?" Carmen asked.

I tried not to look back, remembering my brothers screaming through the link, I recalled one other thing. Something we weren't familiar with since we only met Carmen and Eleazar's coven.

"They had red eyes and black robes," I told them thinking about what Peter had shown me while he was fighting for his life and the lives of our people. The tension in the room went from moderate to extreme within a single one of my heartbeats. All of their eyes widened while I sat there sad and confused, did they know the vampires who attacked my family? "Sound familiar?"

Without answering my question Eleazar and Carmen left the room, even though my hearing was just as good, if not better than theirs, I could hear them in the next room making a phone call. I look at the sisters who's eyes had sorrow and remorse.

"We are so sorry this happened to you," Tanya told me, her voice light and angelic as always.

Kate gave me a look that was more urgent, "You're not safe here anymore. You're going to have to leave."

I snorted, my sarcastic nature rearing it's ugly head again, "Yeah I figured that when I saw all the dead bodies, I couldn't even bury my father or my pack."

Carmen came back in, I still heard Eleazar whispering to someone on the phone, "Everything here will be taken care of. We have some friends of our who are more than willing to take you in-"

I stopped her a second, "By friends of yours do you mean..."

Irina nodded, "Yes they're like us. You'll be safe with them. Carlisle won't let anything bad happen to you."

"I think once Esme lays eyes on her, she'll be more protective of her right away," Kate noted.

I didn't know who Carlisle and Esme were but I'm guessing that's who Eleazar was on the phone with in the other room.

I hesitated, "If they're vampires...won't they be a bit...weary having a werewolf move in with them?" I wondered aloud.

"Carlisle and Esme are glad to have you," Eleazar told me as he walked back into the room, "They were very open once they heard us talk about you and your...situation. They'll be very welcoming toward you. I think only their children might take some getting used to."

His statement made me confused, "They have kids? I thought your kind wasn't able to-"

"We aren't," Kate chuckled at his wording, "They're like us, but have to keep up appearances, so to the humans they're all adopted."

"How many are there?"

"Five; Edward, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, and Jasper. Don't be scared," Carmen told me when she saw my nerves making my heart beat faster, "Once they meet you they're going to love you," she promised.

I took a breath, "Fine. Where am I heading?"

"Forks Washington."