Faded
Copyright 2010 by Jordan Wadley, LLC, Inc. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the authors. To the extent any real names of individuals, locations, or organizations are included in the book, they are used fictitiously and not intended to be taken otherwise.
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.-Plato
Haunted by the absence of her parents as a child, Sapphire now roams the world on her own. Living and thriving in the world of 4000 she must dodge the advancing government along with many other otherworldly beings as she walks along-side her newly found companions. Running from the government as the most dangerous criminal can be tough considering she's done nothing but help those blamed for false treason. Yet she's still seen as a danger to others.
Those who've seen her face on the telegraphic screens think of a murder, some believe her to be a superhero in a time of darkness. However, those who don't think so kindly of her unforgiving nature want her eliminated of existence. After watching everyone she ever cared about die before her eyes, she builds walls around her heart. Barely struggling to stay together. Having so many duties on one plate Sapphire balances the prophecy she must fulfill as well; mentally and physically she struggles to keep herself together. She's grown to control the power surging through her veins, but even with the amount of will she's managed to slowly fall into the darkness consuming her.
Will she ever get the happiness that's forever longed for and perhaps find love? The destiny that frequently reminds Sapphire of her terrible fate believes this task to be almost impossible. Will she come out on top as those believe she can do; or will she succumb to the darkness and fall into oblivion like so many have done before her?
Prologue
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was (or became) formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. The first day of earth's creation, the first recorded Words of God were 'Let there be light'. The sun was already shining brightly, but God made earth's thick new atmosphere allow diffuse light to penetrate to the surface. And so light was now separated from darkness.
On the second day of earth's creation there was yet no liquid water, no oceans, no separation of waters. God hovering over the waters' as described in the bible. He then created the condense onto the cooling earth which simultaneously formed a whole-planet ocean and cleared the skies.
The third day of creation; the appearance of dry ground.
The fourth day; with the sun now clear, the sun, the moon and stars were dependably visible. They were to serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years.' The sun marked the day (sunset to sunset), the moon the month (new moon to new moon), and the stars the seasons.
On the fifth day of creation; God created numbers of birds and sea creatures to fill beautiful skies and waters. He blessed the creatures to be fruitful and increase in number.
The sixth day; vast numbers of land and animals. Man. From the man, woman are just now discovering how to alter fertilized embryos, and even to create one from the tissue of another.
The last day of earth's creation; Scientist and some religions believed this was the day God and those created were to relax and earth was complete. They were and could never be more wrong. God blessed the protector of the moon, Artemis the Moon Goddess, for her beaty captured all.
As he was the creator of earth and both the moon and the sun, he watched over both the children of day and night yet blessed the woman as she watched her children of night. However even with this great ability she still wasn't satisfied; she decided creating children of her own would benefit greatly. God forbid this creation for it was un-natural yet she disobeyed his pleas and bound God's creation together to form creatures of her own. The Vampire; a creation of both the insect of the bat and human being. The Werewolf; the creation of a feral wolf-beast and human. Witches and warlocks; the blood of God and herself and human being. God grew angry with Artemis, saddened by her disobedience and inability to listen to his very few please. She was thrown into the pits of hell and forbidden to visit the gates of heaven and earth as long as she continued to breath. Satan was trapped and bound in hell as well for he believed he was stronger and greater than God, trying to over-strengthen God himself.
As Artimes was bound in hell her beauty captured Satan, and he grew to favor the woman and bow down to her every need. Seeing as Artimes loved all, she treated Satan as her own earning his unworthy trust. Many years later Satan gave Artemis the power to see over the earth and her few children. The first werewolf in existence was from Artemis' palm, with both the strength and senses of any wolf yet only in the human form. The boy, Tobias, grew in a small village as a mere mortal and only at one point in his young life would he be able to shift into the beautiful beast pumping through his viens. Tobias roamed earth in search of one in which he would vow as his life-mate. A female human that would be worthy enough to bare his children. Belteri Devoneh, a French female with two young children, was what Tobias believed to be his life-mate. Belteri was impregnated with his child, carrying the young one in her womb for a max of four months. Her body, not able to handle the advance growth of the child, shut down after birth. Now finished with his mission, Tobias returned back to his creator and watched over the child as he grew frantically in the foster home.
Artemis gave the child knowledge in which she carried and held dearly. The child, Valentine, created names of each creature that would deam good enough for Artemis.
He bared five children, each a full blood, that would watch over each of the werewolves that roamed the gates of earth. Three men and two women; Tobias, Glato, Devenro, Kaleigh, and Seline. These five werewolves were known as 'The Council' that would watch and take care of Artemis' children seeing as she could only talk to her children, yet doing this recieved much of her strength.
Valentine gave his duties to his five children as he lay upon his death bed; his wolf accepting his fate while his human denying causing an inflicting battle on his mortal body. The Council watched each wolf carefully; A group of wolves together was known as a pack, the leader of this pack (also seen as the strongest) was known as an Alpha, a lone wolf without a family to call its' own was seen as a rogue. They were feared seeing as they acting only upon mere instinct inflicting many wounds on other werewolves. Artemis wasn't happy that her children failed to agree with one another so every two-thousand years and Blood Wolf was created and bared from her wound. This child would keep her children together and with the Blood Wolf's power, the child would rein higher than any other.
As every principle has a secretary, or second in command, every Alpha has a Beta. When the Alpha fails to find it's life-mate to rule the pack along-side the Alpha must find a descendant to keep the Alpha bloodline continuing. When the Alpha falls from position and is either phsycially or mentally unable to take care of the pack, the next descendent is to take position. Unless the Alpha fails to find his next descendant in time then the next most powerful is to take care of the pack, the Beta. The Beta has the responsibility to choose the Third In Command, the next in line to take charge of the pack. Every four years the Alphas and his/her Betas are required to visit with The Council to discuss the upcomming affairs.
Now Sapphire must face this world with few friends by her side. Trust being something Sapphire didn't understand until recently, Trust being a word just as powerful as love. Hate, Love, Trust; all words Sapphire knew all too well, words she didn't want to understand with her own personal experiences. Living in a world of werewolves, witches, vampires, and other unknown creatures overwhelmed her tiny mind. Though many humans didn't know of their existence, they knew of the fiction stories. Lies told from authors with their make believe stories, things they wanted their readers to beleive. Sapphire knew very well that the world she living in was immature, she herself didn't know how much knowledge she lacked until the day her pack so brutally taken from her. The very day everything she held dearly to her heart was taken from her in the blink of an eye.
Chapter One
"Get up! Time for breakfast!" Someone screamed, giddy with glee. Sapphire jumped up from her bed excited to meet the day head on, as it was the day she would be turning five. Nathan stood in front of her, his 4"11 standing much taller than her 3"4. She smiled gleefully up at her nine year old brother and grasped him in her tiny palms.
"Happy birthday Saph!" His soft hazel eyes gleamed down on her with a happiness only he could fathom. Nathan's dark brown curly hair grew out and past his thin hairline, hanging freely and loosely on his tan skin.
"Thanks bubba," she greeted. Finally releasing from his strong nine year old arms, she sprinted down the stairs with Nathan's laughter following closely behind. She screamed out with happiness when he in cased his arms around her abdomen and nearly threw her in the air, catching her in his arms with laughter booming around the pair. Sapphire pleaded with laughter that he settle her down on the ground, but his laughter overpowered her own, silencing her gleeful pleas.
"Jacob Nathaniel!" Growled their father, laughter evident in his tone yet the worry in his eyes evident.
"What? I was just playing." He grumbled. As soon as her small feet hit the soft plush ground, she sprinted into her father's open arms.
"Happy birthday my little spit ball of fire," Sapphire laughed at her long nickname and clung onto his large 6"2 frame with renewed glee. Behind her father stood the two girls she had grown with since her toddler age.
"Happy birthday!" They all cheered as they gathered in for a group hug. Cheyenne and Amanda quickly jumped out of the way when Nathan jumped into the group hug, nearly flattening the small group.
"Dog pile!" He screamed, his voice echoing throughout the house. The small family laughed while their mother watched with happiness. "Mommy!" Screeched Sapphire with glee, almost immediately Sapphire's small arms in cased her into a tight embrace.
"Are you ready Saph?" Her mom asked her with a soft smile, Sapphire nodded eagerly and jumped to the dinner table. Every year for her birthday she was given the choice of her own breakfast, the chance she was the one to choose what they had. Sapphire waited for Amanda and Cheyenne to take their daily seats, Nathan eating at the counter with the rest of the family.
Cheyenne's parents were brutally murdered by rogues two years ago, yet still the same age as Sapphire. Anne and Kyle, Sapphire and Nathan's parents, took Cheyenne in the day the attack occurred. Amanda was adopted at two weeks old when her mom died giving birth, Amanda's father failed to make an appearance so the pack doctor gave Anne and Kyle the new born. As the Alpha of the pack, Kyle had to take care of the new born.
After breakfast was served the other pack members joined in on the celebration of the Alpha's child. Sapphire looked at the pack as her own family, seeing as they all lived together in the same town. Each and every pack member greeted Sapphire with a generous 'happy birthday'.
Suddenly Bryan, the pack's Beta, ran in the room. Bryan greeted Sapphire before running frantically over the Alpha. Kyle turned to look at his Beta, almost immediately catching the fearful look in his eyes. He tensed waiting for his Beta's reasoning, catching half of the pack's attention when he nearly tumbled over his daughter Sapphire.
"Alpha," Bryan greeted in a rush. Sapphire watched the beta walking toward her father in a rush, she was seemingly so hypnotized by his sudden appearance she hadn't noticed anyone's shadow behind her. "Rogues."
Kyle's eyes widened as the words came from his Beta's mouth, his eyes casting to his daughter, Sapphire, before his crystal blue eyes hardening.
"In my office," Kyle growled shoving past his Beta. Sapphire watched as the two stormed down the hallway to his office, she worried that something may be wrong but didn't fret too much as a light tap on her shoulder caught her attention.
"Hey Sapphire," Bryan's wife, Amy, stood in front of her with a wide fake smile. "How's your birthday so far?" she asked. Sapphire, though only five, knew when someone didn't like her and the woman in front of her didn't like that she held a higher rank in the pack than her. Amy, being twenty at the most, didn't like the fact that a five year old held more authority over her.
"Awesome! Mom's gonna let me go to the city today!" Sapphire cheered with a bright smile on her lips not really caring about the woman's inner hatred for her. She was more than excited she'd be able to travel out of the pack territory since it was rare for the younger kids her age.
"Really? That's great, do you know where you'll be going?" The champagne in Amy's hand was nearly half full, Sapphire was used to the alcohol that Amy normally consumed but decided against making a comment. "I heard they're having a beauty pageant downtown as well."
"Oh! I wanna go!" Amy laughed at Sapphire's glee, though she was angry with the ranking Sapphire held, she wasn't angry at the girl herself. Her radiant black hair shinning against the dim light, so beautiful yet so young. The happiness in her eyes was inevitable considering she was now five years old. However, before Amy had the chance to reply to her an angry Alpha stormed from his office, Beta trialing behind him with a cold expression.
"Red!" He growled, frantic and angry. Suddenly terrified gasps and screams were surrounding Sapphire; older men ordering their wife's home with the same expression as her father, kids like herself confused as to what 'Red' meant.
The questions were lodged in Sapphire's throat as if she was choking, so confused why everyon would be so scared over a small word. Before she was able to question the people scattering around her like a frantic bee hive, a strong grip on her arm shoved her upstairs and away from the terrified cries downstairs.
"What's going on?" Sapphire shouted above the fading cries. She looked at his wide and heart-breaking brown eyes before he gently shoved her in her room.
"Pack all your stuff, your belongings, values, anything you need for a few days." Nathan whispered. He gave her one last reassuring smile before rushing down the hall. Tears streamed down her face seeing as everyone was crying and screaming on her birthday, a day of celebration not cries. She'd never seen the look of sheer terror on Nathan's face before, nor had she ever seen the anger evident on her father's face. She threw clothes that might last a weekend, and a single picture of her entire pack, in a small duffle bag before shuffling down the hall to her father's room. He stood in the middle of the dinning room pacing and shouting orders at the other pack members; the only members being the pack protectors. They fought hard for the pack, protecting dangerous hunters and rogues from entering pack grounds.
"Dad what's going on? Why ain't you packin' yet?" Sapphire asked noticing his clothes either still lay on his floor or wide open in the plain dressers. Pain filled Kyle's eyes with un-shed tears that glistened beneath the dim light, all eyes on her frantic face, some with tears gleaming shamefully down their faces. Kyle walked up to Sapphire and grasped her into another strong hug, seemingly saying something. Sapphire wrenched from his grasp and looked up at his face, tears now flowing down his blotchy cheeks. It was rare for an Alpha as strong as her dad to show tears, more specifically in front of the pack warriors.
"C'mon dad, what's going on?" she pleaded, wiping at his fleeing tears. She looked deep into his grey eyes, similar to her own, looking for any given information that could possibly explain to her what was happening.
"I'm sorry Sapphire, you need to go with your brother. He'll explain everything." She growled up at his large form before storming back to her brother's room. Nathan spun around and looked at the dried tears streaming down her face, his heart breaking at the sight before him.
"Are you finished?" he asked dryly. Sapphire was angry and confused, more terrified than anything, with the lack of answers she was receiving.
"What's going on?" She demanded, tired of the vague answers being thrown at her. Nathan flinched at the blunt question, nonetheless answered her as truthfully as he could in such little time.
"Rogues Sapphire, they're attacking. We need to get to safety before we get hurt." Sapphire knew about the rogues, how vicious they were even without being provoked. They attacked frequently at the packs around them, but she never had the chance to see one up close. She shivered at the possibility that she may see one, sooner than she liked.
"Is the whole pack leaving with us?" She asked expectantly. They were her family, she didn't want to lose anyone over ignorant rogues. However, the answer she gave him was unexpected and she stood stunned.
"No, sorry Sapphire. Only us; me, you, Cheyenne, and Amanda. Mom and Dad is gonna keep the rogues from chasing us." He shook his head sadly. Sapphire's face fell into a deep frown before the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Her face paled simultaneously and before even she could comprehend what was happening her legs were already carrying her down stairs. Nathan's cries for her to come back feel to deaf ears, her legs pounding faster with each powerful thrust.
'No... no, no, no!' She chanted to herself, she continued to run past the dull rooms and frantic legs before she stood in the doorway of her father's room. He stood with one hair to his face and the other painfully tight on his lower hip, a stressed look on his strong features.
"Please!" She cried. The room went deathly quiet watching as more tears fell down the raven haired girl's face, falling onto the soft floors. "You can't stay!" She screamed with a hoarse voice, pleading with her eyes that he didn't stay behind. Yet before anyone could reply vicious growls and terrified screams filled the pack house. Kyle's face paled, knowing the battle with the rogues was sooner than the thought. Arms gripped her tightly behind dragging her out of the office and toward the back of the house, she looked up at her mother and father's faces pleading.
"NO! Please! Dad, Please don't, come with us! Come on! LET ME GO NATHAN!" Nathan ignored her pleas with a pang in his heart, she sobbed and thrashed in his arms. "MOM, DAD!" She screeched. The pain grew in her heart, she screamed and thrashed about in his thin arms but her small five year old form was no match for someone as strong and large as Nathan.
"Go baby, we'll be fine!" Anne pleaded with her daughter, hating the image before her. More rogues piled into the house with vicious snarls, Sapphire wasn't the only one to noticed this as well.
"NO!" She sobbed weakening in Nathan's arms. "You promised me! How could you lie to me? Please not today mommy, please not today! Remember it's my birthday!" She continued to yell. Even after the doors shut behind the pair, she continued to thrash and scream. Her desperate five year old mind not being able to handle the immense pain of losing everything all at once. She prayed like her dad had taught her to do so many times before when she was in trouble. She kicked and clawed at Nathan's arm praying he'd release her before someone happened to her family hidden behind the pack doors.
"Please," Sapphire called silently as he finally dragged her through the breaking of the woods. She noticed the rest of her friends standing around her, watching her with pity and sympathy. She broke from their intense stares when the snarls got closer to the woods, her eyes widening in realization. Nathan looked at his little sister in fright before finally jumping into action.
"Run Sapphire, don't stop until you've reached the next pack." His words were quiet, but the meaning was clear. Tears blurred Sapphire's vision and before she could plead with him to stay with her, he took off with Cheyenne and Amanda in tow. She knew the only reason they were leaving was to protect her. However, Sapphire beleived she never needed protection and losing her friends in the same hour as her family would only hurt her more.
"Nathan!" She yelled running for the vicious snarls coming from her back yard. "Natha-" She gasped as her foot caught on something large and she stumbled to the ground, her fragile fingers digging into the soft dirt beneath her. She felt a sticky substance soaking through her shirt and a sob threatened to tear through her throat. She'd watched many different movies where the pathetic female always tripped over a bloody body and screamed, resulting in her distination being given away. Sapphire turned to look down at her soaked shirt...blood. She choked on another sob, but when her eyes roamed over the small frame she'd tripped over, the sob shook her entire body. Nathan lay a few feet away from her, his eyes widened with a blank expression. Though he'd only been gone five minutes he still looked pale and lifeless, blood gaping from his slit throat.
"SAPPHIRE RUN!" Came Amanda's urgent and terrified voice from somewhere behind her. Amanda wasn't scared for her own death, but deadly terrified for Sapphire looking down at her brother with horror. Sapphire took a large step back from the body in front of her, the empty heart inside of her gaping. Her hands shook in fright with the amount of blood surrounding her on such an important day, the lifelessness in Nathan's eyes scaring her more than anything.
The sickening sound of flesh ripping behind her brought her from the horrid image in front just in time to meet Amanda's frantic expression. It seemed as if the image before her happened in slow motion, Amanda's eyes wide with realization when the jaw of the deadly and terrifying yellow-eyed beast clamped down on her throat. Amanda's lifeless form fell into a heap on the ground, the shock no longer evident on her pale features, but was now replaced with nothingness.
Sapphire bolted from the scene suddenly feeling sick but kept running in fright she may be attacked as well. Tears continued to stream down her face, the fear now twisting at the bottom of her stomach. She stumbled on her two small legs when acid rose from her throat and fell beneath the debris, a sickening smell reminding her that this was all but a dream.
She cleared her throat of the heart wracking sobs and ran in an unstable line as she continued to stumble. Sobs continued to shack her entire form, the heartbreak and horror she felt with the sickening images running through her tiny head. Sapphire closed her eyes to force the images out of her head, the realization that she'd never see Amanda or Nathan again. She'd never see the happy smile and pride they wore on their faces for her.
She ran, the tears no longer free falling from her face. She ran, from the people she once laughed and joked with. She ran, from the life she once lived. She ran, from death itself.
Chapter Two
Some people have escaped the pain they endure daily, by forcing death upon themselves.
Sapphire believed forcing death upon yourself was cowardly, she knew to finish her task she'd have to face the days ahead straight forward. Though she didn't believe suicide was right, it didn't necessarily mean Sapphire was full of rainbows and smiles like she used to be when she was young. She'd grown up without trust and love, she didn't believe love or trust would get you anywhere in life. Sapphire sighed in frustration realizing she'd grown much differently than she wanted. The flames roared in agreement as they licked at the cold atmosphere with no mercy, slicing through the endless darkness that dare to invade its peace.
Now, as the days progress, you never have the peace that’s forever yearned for, only the endless pain that invades your soul like Sapphire has endured for such a long time. Her life has been all but havoc since the day she'd ran from her brother, Nathan, and his lifeless form.
After the attack of her pack she'd refused to take a foot back in the burned lands, she felt like a coward leaving the people she loved to bleed out on the floors while she cried. Though she was only five, she believed even then she could have done something to prevent her brother's death. Thinking back to the day she turned five her features hardened and her eyes raged dangerously. Images of that day continued to flash before her empty eyes. Once a happy little girl waiting for the presents to be ripped open, now a bitter and emotionless woman out for blood. She's been on the search for the rogue, Damien Wadley, for nine years. She's pretended to be a defenseless little girl as she ran from pack to pack, training and getting information about the neighboring packs. She'd been to almost every pack in the country except the four largest and most intimidating packs, Sapphire's never been to the same pack lands more than once knowing they'd find something suspicious about her.
She's been searched for Damien since the young age of ten, asking for help from other neighboring pack yet receiving nothing, so she traveled on her own. Only when she needed more training did she enter the pack lands and request training for defense.
Sapphire clenched her fists tightly before the numbing pain slipped its way into her aching hand as the thick liquid fell thoroughly down her slender fingers. The red liquid oozed out of the fresh wound buried deep into her sensitive skin and fell into the patted down dirt.
Whenever she ventured out into the open lands she changed her name, birth certificate, and personal information so nobody would suspect anything out of the ordinary. Sapphire has been to many school, yet in each school she didn't care of the information it brought. She seeked out Damien knowing he lived upon the human community.
To the open eye she was heartless and cold, to the people who feared her she was intimidating and idolized, yet to those who once knew her she is possessed and evil. She is to be feared as she is a criminal in almost every state, on the run from the people around her and the law that threaten to hunt her down until their last living breaths.
"Fire, Imma head out for wood. I’ll be back in a few," A deep edged voice sliced daggers through her thoughts sending her back into reality with the flicking flames before her. She could only nod; the numbness that began to spread to her heart slowly spread amongst her entire body.
She growled to herself, ignoring the strange look from the man sitting next to her. Many sat around the fire; each of the starved people only looked for an escape of this dreadful nightmare in which they lived. Sapphire hated that these people have yet to live their own lives, yes she never really did have a life since it was so mercilessly taken from her, but she didn't want anyone else to suffer like she has.
"Are you alright Sapphire?" Another feminine voice managed to force its way through Sapphire's train of thought. Sapphire turned to her, studying the blonde before sharply nodding and turning away without a second glance.
When she introduced herself to these people, her name is Fire, yet they knew no better. Nobody called her by her real name. They all knew her name was Sapphire but never, not once, had they called her anything but 'Fire'. Sapphire didn't want anyone to call her by the name her friends and family once called her, this would only bring terrifying memories and heartbreaking pain. She erased her existence in the Council's files which meant the human world couldn't access her files either.
The Council was confused considering she'd disappeared from the face of the earth, no body was found at the pack's rogue attack and no one knew of anyone with the name 'Sapphire'.
Gangs have been after her since she nearly killed entire teams, The Council was after her because her files suddenly disappeared, and the Federal Government was after her because she'd slipped some of their prisoners right from underneath their noses. Everyone in the country feared her because she was slick, the movements of a snake and the bite of a lion.
Sapphire loved the sheer power she held of those around her, friend of foe, she was terrifying. She could smell their fear from miles, the substance she hasn't felt since the brutal attack. She scared more than half of the world, she was a criminal after all, yet she held a demonic aura around her that those feared when standing close. First they'd begin to sweat with sharper intakes of breaths then they'd shake uncontrollably, at the final stage some may faint while most scream and run from her in sheer terror.
"I’m going out to hunt, excuse me," She ignored the five pitied stares that the people sent her and slapped on a fake smile before walking away from the glowing red pit with only remaining ambers. Sapphire continued to walk from their line of sight keeping her eyes trained ahead, she knew as soon as she was from ear shot the whispers would begin. They would question if she was coming back or bet with one another when she’d give up and leave the group to fend for themselves; that’s how these people were, they thought so lowly of her even after she saved them from death.
"Are you sure you’re alright?" The man from earlier, Tom, managed to walk along side with her continuing on deeper into the woods. His green glowing eyes shimmered in the darkness with his deep brown hair that framed his pale features. It’s been a while since they properly ate resulting in their extreme weight loss, but Sapphire never lets them suffer long until she prepares herself for a hunt.
"Yes sir." Rarely did she speak unless directly spoken to. She felt comfortable with a slight nod of the head but others seemed to prefer a direct answer, one in which she couldn’t’ give so well. Though she was only two years younger than the male in front of her, she didn't care for nor did she need his flirting attention, she only needed to continue her destination without unwanted attention.
Tom couldn’t help but pity the girl when her empty grey eyes met his, never has she shown any true emotion other than anger. They’ve been traveling a little over two weeks, and all of the people back at the site depend on her strength and leadership. She walked with a stiff posture, her blue/grey eyes glimmering with weariness still watching her surrounding with the expanding storm in her eyes ready to explode. It didn’t surprise Tom much when he first discovered how blunt the little girl was; she'd supossedly lost her mother, yet that was all she told them, they didn't even know if her parents were alive. Everyone at the camp site wondered where her father was considering she never mentioned anything about him, including his name. Every now and then she'd tell the group she had no parents but some were still confused; did they die or did they leave? She was intent on bottling up her emotions like a contained bomb.
Tom thought Sapphire was so emotionless considering she rarely even showed anger, she was simply blank. He envied the girl but sometimes even he couldn't help but criticize her. Was she only like this because she wanted attention? Why'd she save us from prison in the first place? Some kind of praise?
He noticed she only wore two outfits; a white tank top that looked more brown with the amount of dirty piled beneath and a torn leather jacket, she wore her denim shorts while the other pair were stuffed greedily in her bag.
"May I ask why you’re staring at me ?" She asked bluntly, slightly agitated with the brunette next to her. Sapphire noticed he'd stared at her for five minutes max, bugging her that he hadn't even blinked, yet keeping her face emotionless. The mask she wore on a daily bases seemed to be her one and only armor, without her mask she didn't know how she might survive the journey before her.
"I’m sorry; I-I didn’t mean to stare." He stuttered, already used to her bluntness when spoken to, but more nervous that he'd stared at her the entire time.
"It's quite uncomfortable, and I have to hunt. Sorry sir but you may want to leave, I can't hunt when you have the footsteps of an oversized elephant." Her words were clipped and bothered but her tone was kind and polite, her poker face in place giving nothing away. He gulped when her cloudy blank eyes connected with his and nodded once before breaking eye contact. A slow amused smile crept its way onto Sapphire's face; she couldn’t help the excitement that rushed through her when people feared her. She fed off of the stench and Tom’s shaky hands only added to this. Though she wasn't physically smiling, since it seemed impossible since the last visit with Darkening Sunset Pack, she smiled internally.
"I thought you were looking for wood?" She asked skeptically still trying to get away from the large man. Tom however only fretted with his words, procrastinated and regretting leaving the woman alone. Sapphire caught his attention the moment they met when she helped him escape from the police. Believe it or not she saved the rest of the crew as well, yet only keeping minimum contact with the strange people. Tom was intrigued with the small female, she looked so frail and young you wouldn’t guess she killed for a living.
"Right," He pondered when she suddenly turned away from him, whipping out her long blade for a small hunt.
Sapphire didn’t like the vibe the strange man gave off, she knew he wasn’t of any true harm but the idea that he could catch her off guard sent her into a trail of chills. Standing still in the small forest she listened for Tom listening intently as he stepped away to search for wood. Smiling at herself once more she crept quietly into the woods, watching from all points of vision to spot something, anything, to eat.
Her eyes landed on the small twitch of the leaves in the trees indicating something was watching her as well. She crept closer without any noise with movements as she crawled to the tree; she pressed her hands gently into the base of the trees only leaving small scraps of blood in its trace. Closing her eyes she listened with her hands, feeling the slight sway of the tree then the twitch again, this time further away.
Looking up, her eyes caught the movement of a small squirrel reaching out to a smaller limb on a nearby tree. Grinning wickedly she had to give the creature credit, it was smart enough to keep hidden but not smart enough to keep quiet. She tensed her arm, slinging it back with such force it almost had her tumbling back. Catching herself at the last moment, she whipped her hand forward with great oblige before releasing the blade when her angle and aim was directed on the small form of the creature.
Yelping in surprise the small thing fell to the ground, followed by her bloody blade sticking from the small creature’s abdomen. A small creepy smile led its way to her face when she approached it with caution; she knew how dangerous these creatures were when approaching without caution from past experience.
Sapphire grabbed the fluffy tail when she checked the creature for any movement, once approved she pinned the tail of the squirrel to her belt loop and continued into the forest, careful with her steps.
She wanted to laugh with joy when she spotted a small rabbit two hundred yards from her location. It seemed rare to spot more than one feeding in the same area but didn’t protest when she pulled the bow and arrow from her shoulder.
Placing the blade between her fingers while setting the hilt of the blade gently against the string and pulling it back, resting her back on the trunk of a tree to keep her aim in line. She crouched down on the balls of her feet and inhaled a deep breath before exhaling once more. Repeating this exercise several times she stretched more distance between her bow and the string, insuring her aim to kill the being. She also knew from experience if she missed this shot, the rabbit would run and with only her two legs against the creature’s four legs dinner would only be served with a squirrel.
Inhaling one last deep breath she released the string of the bow and watched all in slow motion as the blade slowly approached the rabbit. Noticing the danger, the rabbit’s head stuck up to observe it’s surrounding and noticed at the last painful seconds of its life that early death was approaching. The blade swung with great power, penetrating and snapping the creature’s neck all in one beautiful motion.
Sapphire ran up to the rabbit, wiping the spattered blood on her muddied jeans to clean her dagger before fitting it back into the hilt of her belt. Her jeans had four more grips to hold more food and with the lucky rabbit she had plenty of time to search for more apposing food.
Hours seemed to pass before all four loops were filled with mouth watering foods to heat once back at the camp site. Without waiting another moment, she cut through the paths of the trees and ran back to the five men and women standing near the fire to warm their own bodies.
When everyone noticed Sapphire approaching them with different types of animals hanging from her latch, their stomachs growled with appreciation before slicing the food into pieces and hanging their disconnected bodies above the fire.
She could only watch as the other picked an animal of their liking, the way they ate like savages only had Sapphire's stomach growling from disgust.
"I may leave soon, sorry for the abrupt request but my quest has yet to be finished." Sapphire declared. Everyone stopped eating and looked at her with weariness. They all knew they wouldn’t survive a day without her, the skills she provided with captured by the spies and the killings of the creatures of the night provided them with life. If she left they were dead and she knew this as well.
"Why?" One of the younger men, Kyle, asked, watching her with caution. In the woods you learned to trust no one, he learned this from Sapphire herself because of his likings of her. She wasn’t much older than the rest of them but her skills gave her the advantage to live life in the wild unlike the rest. He liked her because instead of being immature and inexperienced with the outside world like girls in his school, she wasn't.
"I have people to kill, I don’t need others getting in the way and killing innocent people isn’t’ how I live, sorry." She spoke with truth and elegance, she truly didn’t want these people to get hurt and she vowed to teach each and every one of them how to survive without living off of another survivor. She wanted, no she needed, them to escape the life they lived now or they would die. She couldn’t let these innocent people die and they knew this about her.
"We understand," One of the women spoke, standing before wiping her hands on her jeans. She was the eldest of them all, her grey hair gave this away, but her eyes held playfulness when around the rest. As of now she stood and walked to over to the raven haired girl with pride before sticking her hand out in a gentle manner. Sapphire couldn't help but feel as though she's seen her before, and more than once. "I’m very grateful you helped me escape from that horrid prison. I know your intentions weren’t of any harm and only care, in which I owe much to you for, but if you really are eager to leave into the world we need your training and guidance. We need to train long and hard and I may know some friends on the way that could help. She doesn’t live too far from here, and actually a good day’s hike would work well. Once you’ve succeeded your duty we won’t stop you from leaving, since your number one goal is to seek revenge then I won't stop you."
Sapphire watched with great admiration as she spoke, but a strange jolt startled her. She hadn't mentioned to anyone she was seeking revenge, only the few details of killing a few people. Something about the woman unnerved her, yet she trusted her at the same time.
Anne could only watch Sapphire while she regarded her with caution; this was the person everyone has come to know. This was the life everyone had grown to accept and Sapphire kept all of them alive, if she wanted to finish her task then Anne would do everything in her power to help her. The rest of the group went into a chorus of honor and bravery making Sapphire's heart swell with pride. She helped these people grow, she kept minimal contact with the group but never did she once turn her back on any of the people that stood before her.
She mentally smiled lightly at the elderly woman before taking her soft delicate and boney hands into her own firm ones.
"You need to sleep well, we'll wake at dawn before beginning our days travel. Eat now, save some later and when we arrive we’ll decide what and where we'll go by then." Sapphire's speech must’ve encouraged some, almost as soon as she mentioned the dinner awaiting their mouths they turned from her and smiled with glee while shoving the foods down their throats. She found herself doing this as well considering she wasting plenty of energy searching for the food.
Sapphire rarely hunted; only in emergencies did she take her time to hunt. It caused dangers, some in which she wasn’t ready for. Someone could sneak from behind and attack seeing as she would be rendered useless. She couldn't bring back up because of the noise made when doing so. She would keep ears and eyes open at all times, the people needed her and she vowed to keep her promise.
"Thank you," They blessed her once before returning to their own pallets in the thick mossy grass and leading off into a soft peaceful slumber. Sapphire nodded in acknowledgment before heading to her daily post, she didn’t need to sleep as much as the others. Sapphire had been trained day and night to protect, the packs and her family had taught her so much even if she was so young. She had Alpha blood running in her viens resulting in a higher ability to protect and fight for those she'd vowed to take care of.
"It was no trouble, sleep well."
I will finish this task, travel into the mountains to ready the others for survival, leave and continue my task for my father. I will keep the promise I made to him in my heart, I promise papa.
Chapter Three
When the sun barely began to peak over the mountains, Sapphire shook the others awake to ready them for the journey ahead. It was more than dangerous for the werewolf to hitch hike with humans, but hitch hiking while being a wanted criminal also put the group in the spotlight leaving them no choice. Sapphire knew on foot it would take more than a days travel so they needed to start early before the UFS caught up to them.
As the world advanced into this dangerous new technology so did the FBI and the SWAT teams. They have teams for arresting criminals, teams to search and terminate, and teams (like the UFS) that the citizens had no clue of. The Undercover Federal System, which in some terms would be rather known as a secret agency. Both the FBI and the UFS were looking for them, and as time progressed, their distance decreased. Sapphire could practically smell the reeking stench from a mile away, literally.
Tyler glanced at Sapphire a few times before gathering all of his belongings in one single bag, packed and ready to go on the blade of his shoulder. All of the men in the group admired her strength and bravery, something a lot of the men in the crew didn’t have, and when action she seemed to glide like an angel across ice. The women in the group admired her for her beauty and strength; she’d shine with great flawlessness as her hair would fly in waves around her pale face. Her dark raven hair took color from her face but only gave her grey eyes the maximum attention needed to perfect her features; the fullness of her lips drew the attention of the people watching this everyday criminal in action. It didn’t seem to matter if she was a criminal or not, men and women all over the world admired her for her courage and beauty. Men wished she lay next to them in their beds while the women only wish to be like this flame boosting woman.
Everyone knew how beautiful she was, it didn’t take a genius to figure this out, yet Sapphire seemed to be the only one to disagree. She believed she looked just as well built and defined as the others in the group, no matter how many times they’d disagree and manage to get through her clouded thoughts, she looked at the other just as she looked at herself.
Sapphire used to laugh and smile like any other kid her age, but everyone goes through that catastrophic part in their lives, ending any pleasure that ever existed. Sapphire cried herself to sleep at night because she never truly understood what was happening to her, her parents, so smart and prepared, weren’t ready for what waited at their doorsteps and only when it was too late did they take action.
It was no doubt in Sapphire's mind that she loved her parents as they did her, only when everything went tumbling down hill did she really understand what love is. Love never came from your heart, she understood that. Your brain is what facilitates you to deal with the sentiment of everyday life. The memories that will be forever stored in the back of her mind reminded her daily that she didn't love with the organ at the left side of her chest. She loved the memories stored in the back of her mind, the memories of her mother and father's thick laughter. Her brothers and sisters that would joke whenever she was to frown. Those memories were what triggered the love she used to feel, and still does feel, for her friends and family.
Sapphire felt as if those memories were fading with each angry thought. The people she once loved and held in her arms were no longer there to guide her in such a tretorous world, she was left on her own. The people that held her heart were no longer alive, and sometimes, Sapphire felt as if her love for them was no longer alive as well.
She did love, it didn't take just anybody to figure this out. When she helped the people she now lives with escape from false treason Sapphire felt a certain bond. Though she didn't want to replace and lose the love she felt for her family, she was slowly beginning to love the group around her. All six of the small group has suffured through deep traumatizing events, being blamed for witch craft by the government only added to this. Sapphire didn't want anyone to come with her along her journey knowing they'd only suffer through deeper pain, but watching them suffer in such a horrid place seemed to latch at Sapphire's heart.
Now, Sapphire walks down a long dirt road path with the six heart broken people behind her.
"Are you alright Fire?" Anne asked as she watched the young girl with caution.
"Yes ma’am," She brusquely replied. Anne knew Sapphire before the entire government became corrupt, she grew up with her father. Sapphire didn't see Anne as anything but another broken shell she'd saved from the prison's grasps, yet Anne still remembered visiting the child's crib everyday before she was taken from her home.
"If there’s anything you need, you can talk to me." Although Anne was close to her fifties, she had a heart of a loving teenager.
"I’m fine, thank you ma’am." Sapphire replied once again ending the discussion.
Anne worried about the small female, she had no one to truly turn to and the only life she has is to avenge her parents. Anne didn’t know the whole story of the raven haired girl but her past was enough to send any other normal girl to a stage of melancholy and deep depression. Sapphire collected herself unlike any other Anne had ever experienced, she stood strong and focused without having anyone to tell her to do so along the way. She’d been conducting the group for a while now alone and without a director, she’d saved them from death and they all owed her whether or not she realized this.
Nobody understood Sapphire; even if they’d check her every back-round paper and every information manuscript that prized her life’s work yet still nobody would truly understand her. She kept to herself, quiet and on alert at all times. She appreciated those that stood around her, it didn’t matter if they received her presence or not, she gave them her respect without realizing this much. Nobody earned her reverence, yet she gives it to them.
Sapphire was different than everyone else, always watching her surroundings and every little sound that echoed across the forest. Never any peace or rest, no such thing existed in her book.
"We need to rest Fire," The same man from yesterday evening, gathering wood, groaned. Almost the entire trip he continued to moan and groan about rest and lack of food. Sapphire knew this but kneeling down to his every need would get them captured, she was sure she didn't want to give up her quest after all this time.
"We still have hours of daylight left and resting in this part of the forest is dangerous, we'll be shifting as we hit the high grass. We'll be hidden from eyesite by then." Sapphire slowly acknowledged the man once before crouching low to the ground, inhaling the environment profoundly before exhaling once more. Her six senses seemed stronger than the others which undeniably gave her a higher leverage against the UFS. Everyone had a certain exceptional smell and the agents that worked for the special administration smelt more like burnt trash which gave their posistion away.
"Really? It's gonna be more dangerous to travel at night anyway! Why can't we just rest, you may be trained for this crap but we sure as hell ain't!" He yelled, getting frustrated with the girl. Sapphire needed no time to consider, she knew they were closing in and if they didn’t cover ground soon they may as well give themselves up.
She couldn’t help the snarl that escaped her lips when turning to him; he struggled to catch his breath at the sight of her stormy eyes.
Tom was never worried of the undersized female; she gave off a strange vibe yes but never was he truly afraid of her until now. Her sinister eyes swirled with irritation; they no longer excelled with a great radiance but a perilous iniquitous gleam that cultivated with every breath she took. The others must’ve noticed the chance in Tom’s face. Tyler took a step closer to observe her evil eyes, shimmering brighter with annoyance.
"Are you seroiusly questioning me? I know exactly what I’m talking about. If we stay here they will catch up to us and I may not be able to help all of you at the same time. Are you going to risk everyone else's freedom and safety for rest you really don't need?" She knew by the insipid look on the man’s face that her eyes no longer held tranquility but a dangerous glimmer. He only stood; examining her every move yet not speaking a word. Tom shook his head vigorously and took a tentive step back as if afraid he might startle a wild animal.
Sapphire knew what she was doing was igorangt, she is meant to help them not shout because he made a diminutive error. Closing her eyes she inhaled the pine trees that encircled her, the faultlessly grown grass flatteend beneath her feet. The forest gave her a sense of tranquility, something that seemed unattainable to come by. When she finally opened her eyes she became aware of the startled looks from the others that just witnessed her show, yet she ignored them. She made an apology to the man before whirling on the balls of her feet and ambling through the tall grass. Every since her abilities had amplified, her anger had as well, meaning one simple fault could set her into a fit of rage. All she had to do until she understood how to control her strange abilities was to calm herself down until the storm passed.
Tyler watched as Sapphire walked further down the path with steam practically blowing from her ears. He couldn't help but admire the way she walked, so sure and expectant. He still remembers her when they were kids, though she may not have remembered him, he still sees the image of Sapphire when she was happy. He knew she escaped from the rogue attack; he was there. Alpha Kyle, Sapphire's dad, invited me and my sister to her party hoping we'd be life-mates. He left before the rogues attacked and Sapphire's body was never found, yet he'd seen her on his pack lands a few months later. He knew she was still alive unlike the Council, which had no clue of her whereabouts, and the only reason he was here was to make sure she was safe. He felt a connection to her, not as strong as life-mates, but a bonding to her which he couldn't deny. So everything she felt, so did he. The anger flowing through his viens reminded him she still had no clue how to control her uncontrolling rage.
Along the way Sapphire began to slowly change into someone she wasn’t, she grew weary of everything around her and always alert. The small female with the heart the size of Jupiter and a smile that melted even his heart suddenly grew angry at the world around her. Tyler thought it may just have been a phase for the loss of her parents, but even now as the years advanced she seemed worse than before.
"Thinking that hard and I’ll eventually have to send you mental." Anne chuckled watching Tyler observe Sapphire. They both knew who Sapphire really was, yet Sapphire had no clue they knew everything about her from the moment she was born to the day her pack was ripped from her.
Sapphire didn’t want to look at the boy, yet she could feet his stares on the back of her head. She however knew of his intentions, he didn’t regard her with lust like most or envy, only pride. She wondered what could have this strange boy so flustered with; he seemed all frustrated and proud at once it sent her into a brain twist.
"Sorry, just thinking. How long do we have to travel?" Tyler asked loudly expecting Sapphire to answer since she knew the wild better than the rest. Tyler’s head spun to Sapphire even though her grey clouded eyes were already trained on him intently. He knew she wasn't staring at him in admiration of any sort, simply caution and confusion.
"Like we said last night, the travel may take a days travel on foot. If we avoid the mountains it may take two to three days minimum, if we cut through the mountains it won’t take more than half a day which is why I prefer the second decision, no offense." She didn’t bother waiting for his response as she stalked through the tall grass approaching the group. Many weren’t too disturbed with the idea of stalking through the tall grass but both Sapphire and Anne knew of the dangers that lay beneath the hidden grass.
"Are we shifting tonight?" Tom asked once Sapphire was out of reach, he didn't want another confrontation with her knowing she has yet to blow off all her steam.
"Yes, we don’t need to be out here long. You can decide who you travel with when the time comes, there’s truly no reason to fret on the situation now." Anne's tone was clipped and aggravated at Tom. Everyone in the group was growing tired with his complaints and Sapphire just happened to be the first to blow.
The hours seemed to blow by in minutes, soon the sun began to set behind the silent forest beyond the mountain. The UFS had suspicions about their many abilities but, like everyone else, nobody truly believed there was such a thing that could separate each bone from the other only to form a whole new body structure.
When everyone was young and innocent the world didn't beleive anything like vampires, witches, demons, werewolves, and pixies existed. Now, in the world of 2017, everything changed. People out in the streets captured these creatures and force them to fight for their own sick intertainment. Everyone was corrupt, expept the small town of Mountain View, Arkansas. The Alpha is the strongest and well known alpha in the country. Everyone in the large town knows how corrupt the outside world is yet they choose to block the outside world from the inside. Tyler only heard stories about the town; that's where he planned to go once his training was through with. The small town of Mountain View, Arkansas to let them live in freedom. Tyler could only pray the stories weren't made of imagination.
"What was that about? One minute she’s calm and the next she’s threatening Tom," One of the smaller men in the group pondered, looking at Anne for her explanation knowing she always had an explanation of the unexplainable.
Tyler sent Anne a knowing look then turned to the small boy.
"She’s been on the run almost from the whole world Xavier, she’s not going to be very happy when someone wants to sit back and relax while they close the gap. Whether or not many of you realize it, Fire really does care when an innocent dies. Why do you think she saved us from the prison in the first place?" Anne gave Tyler a grateful nod and looked at the rest of the group. Tyler was only grateful he didn't let her real name slip from his lips, he caught himself before he could. He knew more conflict would arise if he did slip. Anne turned swiftly to Xavier with an eyebrow raised.
"Xavier there’s no need to stand around and ask questions, we need to move before someone decides to take a small hike in the woods." She joked. Everyone including her knew that everyone was terrified of these woods, even some of the other members grew weary about what lie in the shadows. Yes some of them were full grown shifters but that didn’t mean they were invisible of other creatures lurking behind the shadows.
Xavier didn’t say anything else as they continued through the woods but a small part of him wondered who this girl really was. She was so strange and different from the others
Sapphire could tell by the way the group spoke of her that they too were wondering about her. She sighed to herself silently when they began trailing further up the mountain, she was careful to trail behind them to hide herself if needed. It didn’t matter how angry she got at theses people, she couldn’t leave them to travel on their own and risk getting themselves captured. If anything were to happen she would be there to help them. Always.
Once the stars began to spread their way across the sky she made her appearance.
"We need to shift here," The people that walked in front of her jumped from the sudden voice while some only smiled, grateful that she didn’t leave them.
Tyler and Anne could smell her from a distance, yet sometimes the wind would draft and switch directions and lose her scent. The two both knew her scent by insinct since they knew her tricks well, only when she was at her strongest could she fully mask her scent from them.
They all fixed the straps on their bags as they readied themselves for the shift, some simply threw their bags on the ground. Everyone smiled with glee waiting for Sapphire's clear. Sapphire was also excited that they would shift tonight, her bones ached for the transition and her inner monster only growled in agreement.
She closed her eyes and listened to the silent hum of the woods, intent on finding anything with a heartbeat. She opened her eyes, grateful that all she found were the heartbeats of the herd of deer. She somehow managed to look everyone in the eye at once as she spoke softly.
"It’s clear," She smiled. For once since her father’s death she smiled, a real smile, and that one thing encouraged her transformation.
Tyler watched mesmorized as Sapphire's lips curled into a rare smile, he hadn't seen her lips curl so naturally in almost fourteen years. Though the smile being rare, the uncomfortable position of her lips was noticed.
Closing her eyes once again, Sapphire imagined her small form morphing into the beast that controlled her emotions. She imagined her beast and human form coming together as one as they ran through the empty forest.
It didn’t matter what any shifter says or any story teller tells: every shift is incredibly painful. One wolf alone has between three-hundred and fifteen to three-hundred and twenty bones in the average wolf body. Humans only have two-hundred and six bones. Wolves have the equivalent number of one-hundred more bones than the average human body structure.
Sapphire was born as one of the original shifters amongst the Council and even at the age of seventeen she still feels the agonizing pain of her bones shifting into such a strange. Her cells multiply by thousands more to form a different shape and newer bones connecting to her older ones.
The slight snap of her arm retracting was barely recognizable behind Sapphire's grunt of pain. She’d broken almost every bone in her body when she was younger before her transformation begun at thirteen.
The screams of pain and tears shed by the other members made her gently relax. Anne only watched with a horrified expression on her face when everyone’s bones shifted and their arms grew too weak to hold themselves up. Sapphire put aside her pain and attended a new male shifter, he was one of the youngest in the group. Sapphire could tell this was his very first shift which, by experience, is more painful than anyone else. A wolf's first experience as a shift is more painful and unbearable than any other moment in time as a werewolf.
She bumped his curled up form with her knee.
"You need to…" She barely got through her sentence before her other leg snapped earning a powerful growl. "You need to get on all fours… it’s easier." She gasped between breaths.
Kyle’s body burned from the inside out and the only thought running through his mind was death. He wanted to die and leave the undenying pain behind in the dangerous world.
He barely caughted Sapphire's soothing words through the throbing in his head. Every cell in his body felt like they were going up in flames and there seemed to be absolutely nothing he could do to stop it. He watched as her spine snapped at an awkward angle sending her flying onto her stomach, she pushed up to all fours like she’d instructed Kyle to do and whimpered in pain.
Kyle watched in awe as she ignored her own pain and helped him to all fours again; once again he fell down from the amount of pain soaring through his arms. Tears fled down his cheeks when his arms snapped and bent at a strange angle, Sapphire's spine continued to move around on her back squirming under her skin. Kyle couldn’t help but feel bad for the small female, yet the only sign or pain was the small grunts that left her lips. He could tell she felt the pain probably worse than he did yet she pushed it aside. He pushed his pain aside and helped her quivering arms back to position.
However, when his spine made a sickening snap he couldn’t help the agonizing scream that escaped his lips. Sapphire moved closer to him; her face also scrunched up in pain like the others.
It felt like his spine snapped a total of five times before it settled at a strange and awkward position causing Kyle to squirm from the feeling. Fire wrapped her arms around Kyle’s small form sending warm shivers through his body. Suddenly a warm thrilling chill covered him like a blanket and the pain slowly vanished. His eyebrows scrunched in confusion when his ribs continued to expanded and warp into something new, yet he felt nothing but calm and collected.
Sapphire barely had to concentrate to keep the strong connection with the boy. She understood how hard a first shift was without the Alpha's assistence, and with Alpha blood in her system it gave her the ability to help him. Her extra abilites gave her the assistance needed to take his pain away, replacing it with her own tranquility. When the connection was linked with him the pain he was supossed to fill hit her full force making her face scrunch up in endless pain. Sapphire didn’t stop though; if she let the connection go then he’d be withering in pain worse than she was. She was accostume to the pain, used to feeling it from the total times she'd shifted. It felt like she was going through her first transformation all over again but her pain was multiplied since she was still taking his pain. Sapphire felt the strange tickling sensation when her face began to morph into a snout, her skin stretching beyond its maximum. She absolutely refused to show her weakness in front of everyone so instead of crying she simply growled
The others weren’t done with their transformation either and the smaller female seemed to be having trouble as well. Anne sat beside her conforting the young girl as she sobbed from the emense pain, the girl's tears leaking through Anne's shirt. Sapphire gasped in suffering pain when she linked with the small blonde as well.
A blood curdling scream left Sapphire's lips when the pain hit full force; the girl visibly relaxed as her shifting continued to take place. Sapphire could only scream in rage when tears threatened to spill. The others were beginning to finish their transformation but Sapphire's transformation was taking longer since the pain was doubled.
Kyle watched in horror as Sapphire continued to scream in pain, yet still holding herself up and watched to make sure the others were fine. Sure enough each of the younger and older members that suffered through the pain relaxed as their bones shifted. Kyle knew shifting was painful and agonizing yet he felt nothing, he felt peace. Savanna's snout began to form but the painful look on her face vanished, replaced by a confused whimper.
Sapphire's growls and whimpers intensified and Anne ran over to the small girl.. The pain she felt in her abdomen increased as Anne touched the sensitive skin.
"You need to-" Sapphire cut herself off when a muffled rumble escaped her lips, her tongue already forming. "Tell them… to hurry their tr-transfomation. I-I-I can’t h-hold their pain any-" Another scream left her lips while the others began to finish the last of their transformation. It dawned on Anne almost instantly what she had been doing for the new shifters, her eyes shifted from Kyle’s confused face to the others.
"I don’t have time, everyone hurry your transformation," Tears leaked down Anne’s face watching Sapphire scream out in agonizing pain. "Shift now! Sapphire is taking your pain, and she can feel it all!"
Horror flashed across Kyle’s face as well as the others, their eyes shifted to Sapphire in curiosity. It was physically impossible to take pain of another shifter. Sapphire's eyes snapped open, her normal cloudy eyes glowing a bright glassy blue with the tears forming in her eyes. They were all extremely thankful about her newfound ability, thankful she had taken their pain in order to keep them safe.
Pain was all Sapphire could feel. The numb feeling in her spine intensifying as the tingles sprout out throughout her entire body. She knew she should be frightened that the others knew of one of her abilities but the pain clouded her thoughts. She now had her pain multiplied by four, she could vaguely hear Anne’s soothing words but it did nothing to help her when her bones snapped one more time. All of her bones had morphed into something completely different and horrid.
Xavier watched Sapphire wither in pain; she was left whimpering still awaiting for the rest to finish their shift. He knew she was going through pain, more pain than imaginable. She took Kyle’s pain as well as Savanna's while going through their first shift. Xavier pushed his wolf to the surface with as much pressure manageable and waited with no pain as his fur sprout against his legs. The layers of fur covered his pale skin from the tretorous winds.
Sapphire gasped when the pain eased slightly, and Xavier could only breathe out a breath of air once he stood on all fours. He barked at the rest to hurry up, without any hesitation they closed their eyes to concentrate on the transformation.
Savanna, the youngest of the small group, sat next to Tyler’s large grey wolf. Savanna knew Tyler was the dominant one of the two, her small white wolf didn’t even compare to his large grey one. Soon Xavier and Kyle stood next to Savanna, Kyle’s brown wolf stood tall like Tyler but still not as big.
Finally, when Tom finished his transformation and morphed into a large wolf with gold fur sprouting across his tail, Sapphire's whole body shook with great force sending her tumbling onto her back.
Tyler whined for her to roll over and shoved her with his snout, almost instantly a threatening growl was immited from the back of her throat. She, out of all of the wolves, was the Alpha of the group. Her black armor began to spread across her still growing wolf’s body and her tail twitched warning the others to back up. The second layer of shiny black fur spread across her body allowed great warmth.
Anne watched with awe as Sapphire forced her shoulders back, standing taller than the rest and howled with great force to the night sky. The other wolves joined into her cry by fault, neither understanding. Sapphire crouched down low allowing Anne on her backside almost as if bowing in respect.
Anne’s scrawny fingers gripped onto Sapphire's warm and silky fur, enjoying the soft sensation that Sapphire sent her. She knew of many of Sapphire's abilities, including her emotions radar, a snicker left Anne’s lips before she could help it. Sapphire hated it when Anne called her ability an emotion radar, her ability to calm and sooth those around her.
Sapphire yipped at the others in glee; each and every single one of the large wolves pounding their fur into the undergrowth soil, leaving no mercy as they swept the distance in record time.
The warm breeze of the night soared through Sapphire's knight shinning hair, her wolf’s heart swelled with pride when she saw the awe filled joy in their eyes. Sapphire was happy that she didn’t have to physically prove herself the Alpha in the group because it saved her time and another life.
She howled once more at the stars twinkling with joy across the night sky, the Tyler’s howl was just as loud as hers and she also understood his dominance.
In many packs, like the one Sapphire was running with, they had the Alpha; the wolf that holds the top dominance in the pack, leads them through battles and keeps them standing strong. Like the everyday world Sapphire also understood that a ‘second in command’ always stood next to the leader of the group. Some may call this person the Beta. Sapphire stood as the Alpha and with the power literally leaking off of Tyler, she also understood that he would stand next to her in battle as her Beta. Xavier was the third largest wolf in the pack assuming he was the Third in Command; he stood dominance over the other new wolves but held no authority over Sapphire and Tyler.
This is Sapphire's pack, she knew this from the beginning but with each and every one of the members now looking up to her she knew she couldn’t leave them. She would travel with this pack until time said otherwise; Sapphire loved the people that ran beside her. Whether it was the fate of the night or just her heart, the bond that swelled in her heart reminded her they more than emotionally intact now. They were the beginning of a pack, one that would lead a life filled journey to remind the world of their strength.
Please Read: I won't do this everytime.....
Ahh, please vote? I'm pretty nervous about this book... and of course my other book. But I'd really appreciate it if someone could critique, give me some ideas. I'm winging it here, well not technically but, in a way I am. I'd just really appreciate it if you voted or commented to let me know you're thoughts.
If you don't that's cool too..... but you should.... really bad..... Just click the heart? huh? click it... oh, okay... that's cool..... -.-
ANYWAYs... Thank you for at least reading this far. I'll be posting the next chapter in a few days and if it has mistakes: chill out people... we're all human. I think 0.o I really hope you're all human. If not, I hope this book doesn't offend you. Don't eat me.
NEXT: I realize 98% of y'all won't read this. I never do *sigh* oh well. Hopefully anyone who reads this MIGHT comment or vote. Hmmm, don't worry I'm not going to comment on EVERY chapter. I find that annoying, sometimes I just skip over em but they CAN be important people. SO READ!
:) Hope you enjoyed the book, please let me know what you think. I'll never get better without a little help peeeoppple. <3 See ya!
Impressum
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 09.01.2014
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