Chapter 1

Leah had noticed it had been a year and hadn't heard anything from her parents or Dereck. She was scared and cried so many times that she lost count, and upon that she didn't know where she was. Hearing a low growl before tensing up and freaking out, she stared at the source as red glowing eyes stared back at her. Slowly backing up she was scared out of her witt before blinking as they were suddenly gone. Was it her imagination or was it really there? She started looking all around her scared before running through the trees that surrounded her. She ended up hitting the road as she only hoped that a vehicle would drive by. For hours she walked before seeing a big sign with Chicago on it as she only had hope in her chest as she ran for a few miles to see a little store. Leah stumbled and fell as blackness consumed her very body as she barely remembered anything that day.

Julian and Leah's Step Dad ran through the woods calling her name as someone suddenly jumped through the thicket the woods that surrounded them as Derek with at least 2 or 3 wolves followed him as he laughed. " Derek where's Leah?" Her stepdad asked as Derek only stared past him. " I don't know I told her to run because these mutts think they can talk to her or try to anyways. I didn't want her to get hurt, I hope she got away." One of the gray wolves turned into a dark-haired man with boxers on. He also had a toned chest with some muscle. Around him, the wolves stayed the same way. " SO you're the father of Leah Grace Drake?"

The way he had said it obviously meant something before he suddenly stood in front of her step Dad smirking. " Don't you dare talk about my daughter that way!" Her Mother Julian cried shaking upset as her fists showed through as her eyes only changed color. " Look whatever we did please we're sorry, just please don't harm her, please. " Julian didn't want to cry in front of them as she found herself only trying to refrain as she grabbed onto Bruce's arm as her life depended on it. " Why would I hurt Alpha's, little mate? If anything that got their attention before they both looked at each other. " You mean you attacked my pack because she is his mate?

The man smirked at her so-called parents as he only attacked without his permission even though He knew he would say no to him. " Yes." Leah's parents glared at him before he could speak however the man said " does she even know who she is? Does she even understand she's been living in a pack full of what she is? Well!" Derek yelled Suddenly a lot more wolves appeared in the clearing they only growled lowly at them as they didn't think of their own outcome. The look on their faces was evident as the man with black hair became angry for whatever reason was necessary as he broke the tree nearest to him. " No she doesn't; please we didn't want her to find out!" Julian yelled at the dark-haired man. " You have two choices, Join our pack and see your daughter again or I can kill you and watch you die slowly. She wouldn't even know about your death or that she's one of us."

Leah was suddenly shaken awake as she only sat up fast not thinking about who was around her before looking at her surrounding. Blinking hard and reopening her eyes she couldn't get away from the bright lights. " Honey are you alright?" She looked up to see a middle-aged woman with brown hair and green eyes, she looked maybe 40 at most. She nodded not really in the mood to talk as the lady only let her inside the store. Still blinking hard she only thought of the dream. Pack, Mate, Alpha, Does she know?" It all ran through her head giving her a headache. Looking at the woman seeing that there was a bag of KFC in her hands and water she only thought of food as her stomach grumbled loudly as the lady felt bad. Leah didn't hesitate as she grabbed the biscuit and gravy and a stack full of little hash browns. Leah barely smiled shoveling it down as she also drank the water that was also given to her. " Poor girl you must be famished. " Thank you, Ma'am. " Leah was only raised with manners as well as respect. The lady only looked at her worried. " Are you sure you're alright? You seem pale still, you were also mumbling in your sleep. " She tried to not stare at her while remembering the dream as she gulped hard.

" Yes ma'am I just haven't had any proper sleep or a shower in several months. " Leah didn't understand what she was doing but she told her half the story. She felt like she could trust her and for what reason she wasn't sure. Not once did she say anything about the dreams or the weird thing that was inside of her; She didn't trust herself with a lot of things. Leah looked down as the lady only felt more bad for Leah as her hand sat on her mouth before thinking as Leah only ran through the lady's mind as her eyes were wide. A second later she had Leah in a hug before wiping tears Leah didn't know ran down her face. She beckoned me before grabbing her purse from the counter as she walked out the door Leah only followed after her wondering why the lady was helping her in the first place. She only turned the sign on the door as it read Closed before locking it behind her as she helped Leah into the vehicle that sat in view. Climbing in Leah wasn't sure what to do other than know that the lady didn't have any bad intentions as she knew she was already safe. Leah got comfortable fast as the lady turned on the vehicle driving away from the store.

" My name is Mary Wins. I'm 38 and live 5 miles west of here. Are you feeling better?" Leah knew Mary felt uneasy but there wasn't anything she had to worry about at least not for a while. " I'm Leah Grace and I'm 18. I'm an only child. " Mary Wins only smiled with what Leah had said as she turned left before turning right a mile down the road. Mary drove as I stared out into the street or the sky, or the woods. A few minutes later we pulled into a Grocery store. " Would you like to come in and get something to snack on? You must be still hungry."

Mary immediately grabbed a buggy before they walked into the store as she saw an entire big box full of pumpkins. " Leah, come and meet my friends." Leah turned seeing a tall 6'4 figure. He had dark hair, and was pretty cute for her liking. He looked maybe 18 and beside him stood his mom she looked young for her age but she looked down on her in distaste. " Ricard. my mom's name is Savannah." I shook his hand as his mom still gave her a hateful look before she gave Leah a smile. Leah could see that evilness about him. Leah had never had a boyfriend but she did have a guy friend at least that's what she called him; he seemed nice. " Mary later we could go to get coffee haven't hung out in a while. Mary looked back at Leah shaking her head.

" I don't think I can I've got to enroll her in school and get some things together, maybe some other time," Ricard spoke up offering his help as he looked in between his mom giving her a look as he looked back to Mary. " I can take her I'm going to the same school; that is if it's okay with you?" Mary didn't really think too much before giving him the ok. Leah stared at him wondering why he would offer as he didn't need to. Can I trust him? " Leah would you like that? I can get a few things while you go if you'd like. " Leah looked back and forth to Ricard, Savannah, and Mary wondering to herself.

" Sure." Leah felt like she had made a new friend as Ricard stared at her. Leah looked at Ricard as he smiled sweetly at her as she stared out into the parking lot full of cars. They both walked out as he escorted her into his Red Corvette. Mary had already handed her a debit card and even though she did know what it was and that it held money she had never used it. She didn't even want it as it was Mary's money and not hers but she had insisted she take it and got whatever she needed. Leah shrieked excitedly as she exclaimed to Ricard. " This is your car?" He chuckled before helping her into the vehicle and she couldn't believe it; she was ecstatic.

" I take it to you like my car." He stared at her in awe before he started the vehicle as her eyes widened before a smile broke out across her face. " I've always wanted one." She suddenly got a nagging bad feeling but she tried to force that down. She shook it off buckling herself in as he pulled out of the parking lot driving down the road. " I know it's Saturday but would you like a tour of the school? I'm the Beta I can get us in.?" She already knew the school was closed till Monday. " Sure, wait what?" he looked over at her like she had two heads. " I can get us in?" He was confused but she knew what she had heard. " Oh, you mean me being the Beta. What about it?" Fear and confusion consumed her. " Are you alright?" She only tried to keep herself calm before answering him. " Beta?"

He slammed on the brakes and his knuckles went white before he turned towards her his eyes were pitch black. " Don't disrespect me!" Her anxiety consumed her before she opened the door, when she unbuckled she wasn't sure. She tried to get her bearings trying to breathe before she ran from him. She wasn't stupid she heard his door open but she was fast she was already well away but with him being the same as her she couldn't get away fast enough before being slammed onto the ground. Scared she only yelped out before she was picked up and thrown over his shoulder. She beat his back as he ran back to his vehicle which was still sitting in the same spot on the road. " Let me go you freak, Let me go!" Beating on his back she yelled it more before she felt more than just gusts of wind.

She almost screamed again but before she could she was slammed hard almost enough to get the air knocked out of her and although she whimpered from the pain she could only look at the black eyes that stared back at her as she could tell he was fighting himself. " Don't disrespect me." She couldn't take it anymore she cried. She cried because of her family, Derek, and because she wanted it all to stop. She could barely see through the tears as his eyes softened before comforting her hoping he didn't hurt her. " Hey, don't cry please don't cry. I'm sorry did I hurt you? It's what I said wasn't it?" He didn't really need an answer. He seemed to understand what he had said even after he asked if she were okay. " Do you know about Beta's?" He was hugging her brushing her hair that hung beautifully behind her. She only nodded before wiping her eyes and breathing in and out. " The Alpha is out of town and should be back soon that means I'm mainly in charge when he's gone, plus I'm good-looking." She looked down giggling as he only was glad she could at least put her in a somewhat better mood. She scrunched up her nose moving away from him. " You stink." He chuckled barely even pushing her walking arm in arm towards the vehicle that still was sitting in the road. " wait why did you run from me? " Leah looked down staring at him before letting out a sigh wondering if she should say anything.

" Your eyes turned black and your teeth." She walked a little ahead of him feeling lost as she kept seeing the black scary wolf with eyes that penetrated her. " Hey." he caught up with her ." Look I'm sorry if I scared you I didn't mean to. It was the way you said Beta that ticked me off, forgive me."

" If I get some Chocolate, maybe." After getting back to the vehicle he immediately sped to the nearest gas station grabbing a handful of chocolate before throwing the bag full of chocolates onto her lap. " Oh my God Ricard." She knew it was a little loud for her liking but she was surprised he got that much before she dug into the bag of almond joys, Hershey's, and so forth.

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Ricard quickly got in front of Leah as Ben a friend of his as he shook in anger. " Ben calm down! Leah you're going to have to calm him down; please before his wolf comes out and attacks." Leah shook her head in disagreement that she wasn't in the mood to be chopped in half by someone who thinks I'm his; heck no. His face held so much anger and for what because he wanted to protect her. It was like he heard her thoughts and she didn't like that before she could think anything else she was pushed forward. " Ricard, no." She pleaded with him as she tried to hold onto his arm. Ben started to change and that's what terrified her even more. Ben started to change form he gave a warning growl and stepped forward. Her eyes went wide with fear before she was suddenly ripped away from Ricard and into Bens's arms. She struggled as he moved her into his arms, righting her into his grip.

She screamed as his nails suddenly became claws piercing her skin before black dots clouded her vision as everything went blank, while a voice screamed her name.

She awoke to a headache and pain still in her sides but she felt somewhat better and it sad a lot. Ben and Ricard both stared down at her as they both stared each other down. Ben looked over at me giving me a look of guilt as she swore she saw tears. " Leah, how are you feeling?" She felt weak. " My head is killing me." Ben stepped forward and held out his hand but she honestly wasn't sure of anything she didn't even know him that was until she saw the pills in his hands. She gladly took them before downing them quicker than she thought and even though she laid her head back onto the pillow she wondered how anything happened as she didn't want to remember anything before a door opened and she saw the look on Mary's face, worry.

She held a Mcdonalds's bag in her hand giving it to Ricard as he explained everything as she froze. Leah only looked closely at her as she whispered but she for once couldn't make out what they were saying to each other. So they all knew each other? Ricard narrowed eyes looked at her then back at Ben eyes glazed over. "What's going on?" Mary handed her some food out of the bags. " eat something. We were just talking about when we could leave that's all." Leah wasn't stupid she could tell she was lying but why? Leah didn't push her as she ate and dressed before they could say anything else. Finally, when she was ready Mary said she was taking her shopping and she held true to it as she had also taken her to her home. Leah could still feel his stare from Nate even though he wasn't there.

" Ben and Ricard fought when you blacked out. They wanted to call the pack doctor but it wasn't as bad so we didn't. Leah, you had claw marks, and you were losing a lot of blood but you healed fast, real fast." She said it as if it weren't normal. Leah pulled her shirt up looking at both sides of the flesh as if nothing showed not even a scratch. " My guess you blacked out because of the stress may be agony. How are you feeling?"

In her mind, she was only thinking so hard that she saw two of everything. She stumbled and tried to balance herself before falling, thankfully Mary looked away when she was the way she was. " Leah are you alright, please don't lie to me." Mary reached out making sure she was alright as the only thing Leah could do was think back to when she came to Chicago. " I don't know I've been feeling like this since I came to Chicago. I want to leave so bad. "

No, she just didn't want to be found or killed for whatever they wanted. " Leah I've already got you enrolled under another name of course. If you need to talk to someone you can always come to me." Leah knew she meant every word she just didn't like the way she felt. Leah was grateful if anything in the moment Mary was the best thing that had happened to her and even though she knew she should keep running she was already attached to Mary.