The awakening of the werewolves.

It made absolutely no sense to me at first until Arnold explained to me what it meant.

"Werewolves don't kill humans nor do they create any chaos in the world. They live in solidarity and peace. Pack wolves often go on with their lives, hiding their secrets and merging with the humans. They have no duties or obligations to fulfill until or unless it's required to do so." He explained while driving the car and taking me farther away from the town's center. "It's a code of silence. There is no sound made unless we under attack, by hunters or by other packs—which barely ever happens."

"So the silence is broken?" I asked while biting my lip.

"Yes. The silence is broken. Pack wolves submit to their Alpha but that submission is only required when it's demanded. For years, we had been in peace, until last night. Therefore, as the moon passes by today, the werewolves of this pack will be awakened and commanded to look out for one and another, to hunt down the hunter and to end the problem." He further continued, quickly but it was enough for me to understand what he was trying to mean.

I puckered my lip out from between my leg and stopped biting it for a minute. "So, what's the ceremony—like, what is it?"

"The Alpha calls for his wolves, and restores the pack as one till the chaos comes to an end." He responded.

I remained silent for the rest of the drive. Arnold drove into unknown territory, farther away from the town and just past the natural reserve. The last time I had driven this far was when King took me on a date, it was a near lake before I found out what he turned me into.

I suppose we were heading there again. It must've been a family ground or something along those lines.

I grew curious second by second, eyes wide open and my finger in my mouth, teeth chewing on my nail as my heart raced. What was going to happen?

There was a single narrow road into the woods that Arnold drove on. The woods were usually used for bonfires, junkies to get high in, and illegal teenage parties but there wasn't a sight of anyone tonight. Right at the entrance of the road, there was a closure sign that Arnold moved by himself before entering.

It was a waxing crescent today and the moon was barely visible with the clouds moving across the dark, midnight sky.

Suddenly, a lot of parked cars appeared at one side of the woods. Arnold pulled the brakes and headed to the direction where the cars were parked.

It was near the lake.

As I rolled down the window, I heard the water gushing down from the waterfall and people talking—a lot of them.

When Arnold switched off the engine, I stepped and shivered in cold. It was freezing out here. My every breath was cold and shaky. I buttoned up my coat and glanced at my surroundings.

"Stay close." Arnold whispered.

I followed him between the parked cars and we walked for a good couple of minutes before I began quiet chatters rang in my ears. I studied the area, finding groups and groups of men circling around. Barely any female could be seen.

It was all men.

Arnold took another path, away from the crowd and he guided me up a hill before I found him.

He stood underneath the moonlight, his face glowering, free from any pain compared to last night. When he turned his head to me, I gave him a quick smile and his dark eyes twinkled as they belonged with the sky.

"You're here." He stepped away from whoever he was talking to me and walked toward me. As soon as the distance closed between us, he wrapped his arm around me and crushed me into a hug.

"Well, Arnold here had a threatening look. I suppose I would be dead if I didn't come here." I joked and turned my head to see Arnold chuckle before his mouth lined straight once more and he turned serious.

"No, no," King shook his head and curled his hand around mine. "I wanted you here, with me, beside me." He traced his face across my face and whispered. "I can't imagine doing this without you. You're important to me, Eos. Way more than you think."

I blushed at those words before turning my head around and glancing at the men standing underneath the moonlight.

"Why aren't there any females?" I inquired, confusingly.

"Men defend. Women are there to only love and conquer our hearts." He responded while snaking his arm around my waist and holding me to himself.

I was impressed.

As my eyes scurried through the area, I found the men gathering at one spot, just beneath us. We stood on a steep hill while they were on the flat ground of the earth, waiting for something.

I wondered what was about to happen here. Were they all werewolves? What was this for again? I knew there was a real threat roaming between us and the townspeople. Was this all for it? Were the men here to hunt down the family of hunters and end them? Or was it something more?

Familiar voices made it to my ears and I turned around to find Mr. Harden reaching up the steep hill. As soon as he reached, he shook his hands with King and then approached me.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Eos." He said, sincerely. "I attended the funeral of your Aunt. Unfortunately, I couldn't catch you in time. She was a wonderful woman. If you need anything, don't hesitate."

"Thank you. Your support means a lot. I appreciate it!" I smiled and gently shook his hand.

As King mentioned earlier, Mr. Harden, the Mayor of Frostford, was the pack Beta—his Beta. He was the second in command, controlling everything around here.

Did he know about the family of hunters? I doubt he did.

I wasn't able to ask the question directly this wasn't the time or the place to do so.

As minutes passed, more men began gathering around the lake with panic unleashing in their eyes. Mr. Harden stood behind King and Arnold to his left.

The weather grew colder, the air thickened, promising something wild and daunting. I still wasn't aware of what was going to happen. Was King intended on giving an order or a speech?

"What—what are we waiting for?" I asked quietly.

As King was about to respond, a loud female voice echoed across the woods and he leaned to my ears and whispered, "Her."

Gabriella walked in from nowhere, her hands in the air and a wide smile over her face. "This cannot happen without me." She approached King and grabbed him into a quick hug.

"That's why I called you." He replied.

My heart lightened upon seeing her. She was his cousin, the only living member of his family. I had met her when King flew me over to Hildon, the city where he fled to and lived in after leaving Frostford.

Gabriella parted away from King and wrapped her arms around me. She hugged me tightly, crushing my bones for a few seconds. "I'm sorry for everything, love and I hope you're doing well. No one should ever lose a family member like that. As much as it is sinister, I promise we will get to the hunters and kill them for all the pain they have inflicted upon us."

"Thank you." I sniffed and forbade myself from crying.

I needed to be stronger, for my Aunt and for my parents. They would want me to avenge their deaths and this was the only way to do so.

"I feel you." She whispered, patting my shoulders before turning away from me.

Her parents were murdered as well, just the same way as mine were—by the same hunters.

Nearly a hundred men pulled up and arrived at the lake. All eyes were glued on King and the ones standing at the top of the hill. My stomach twisted as I grew nervous about it all. A thick silence fell and no one uttered a sound until a few moments later.

"Let it begin then," King announced, unbuttoning his shirt and turning into a werewolf.

It happened so quickly that my heart raced out of my fear. I jumped back and a lump formed in my throat. Blood pounded in my ears as I heard his bones crack and reform. The more he grew into a werewolf, the further I backed away. It was the second time I had ever seen him turn and I was terrified.

I placed my hand over my mouth to contain my gasp as everyone else remained silent. No one seemed to be terrified, not the way I was.

Seconds passed, King no longer existed in his human form. He turned. His wolf was black as the night with a pair of bright red eyes. His body was larger, ten times larger and his canines were sharp, poking out from his mouth. The air became frightening when his eyes met with mine.

I shivered.

Suddenly, he turned around, leaped forward, and jumped higher to the top of the hill.

I stared at him, wide-eyed, scared, and shocked. It took me a few seconds before my racing heart calmed down and just as it did, I heard an ear-splitting growl.

His growl pierced into the air and echoed across the entire land and the towns surrounding. It was powerful and painful at the same time.

I slapped my hands over my ear and fell down over my knees as every bone in my body trembled and the animal within me fought to take control. I resisted it, just as Gabriella and the Mayor did.

But everyone else, everyone standing began shifting. The numbers doubled. At first, it was a hundred men shifting but as seconds passed by, a thousand werewolves began racing toward the lake and crowding. Minutes later, it doubled as the werewolves in the pack arrived at the call of their Alpha.

King.