Chapter 1

Tara's world crumbles into ashes.

This morning, everything was perfect. Though she hadn't yet found her mate, she had everything else. Her parents, strong and loving, had built a life of safety and care. Her younger sister, Tessa, always playful and sometimes annoying, had been the light in their home. The pack, her extended family, was a constant source of support. Tara's heart was full.

But now, she has nothing.

As she crosses the border into her pack's territory, a deep, bone-chilling fear settles over her like a suffocating blanket. Something is wrong, terribly wrong. The smell hits her first, metallic and bitter. It's the scent of blood, thick in the air.

Her breath quickens as she runs, her feet pounding the ground, her heart racing faster with each step. Without wasting time, she shifts, and Ruby takes charge running as fast as she can.

Ruby, is a force of both beauty and raw power, a reflection of Tara's inner strength and resilience. She is a striking ginger-red wolf, her fur gleaming like embers in the sunlight, evoking a sense of fire and passion. Her coat is thick and luxurious, the vibrant hues of red mixed with deeper, earthy tones that symbolize her connection to the wild and her grounded nature.

Ruby's eyes are a deep, soulful brown, almost like molten amber, radiating intelligence, and fierce determination. There's an intensity in her gaze that reflects the power she holds within, a force that Tara has yet to fully realize. Though Ruby is calm and wise, there's an undeniable fierceness in her, a protective energy that comes alive in moments of danger or when those she loves are threatened.

Her strength isn't just physical, it's spiritual. Ruby possesses magical abilities passed down from Tara's mother's side, giving her an aura of mysticism. Her presence is commanding, and even in silence, she exudes a sense of dominance.

When Ruby runs, she is swift and graceful, moving with a predator's elegance, her paws barely touching the ground as she navigates the world with instinct and purpose. Despite her beauty, Ruby is not to be underestimated. Beneath her striking appearance lies the heart of a warrior, capable of immense power and even healing, qualities that set her apart from other wolves.

Tara shifts back and what she sees with her own eyes feels like a nightmare, but it's too real. The land she grew up in, the place where her family thrived, is now drenched in crimson. Bodies litter the ground, warriors, mothers, even children, slain mercilessly. Their once-vibrant lives snuffed out, leaving a desolate silence behind. The necks of the warriors are twisted and torn. The women clutch their lifeless children in frozen terror.

"No... no, no, no," she gasps, her legs trembling beneath her as she struggles to stay upright. Ruby, trembles inside her, sensing the same overwhelming loss.

"They couldn't have left me," she whispers, voice cracked, barely audible over the pounding of her pulse. She can't hear a single heartbeat, not one. Ruby, usually sharp and strong, cannot sense anything either.

The packhouse stands ahead, looming like a ghost of what it once was. Tara stumbles toward it, her legs heavy, the weight of the bloodied bodies around her pulling her down. At the entrance, two guards lie twisted on the ground, their eyes wide and unseeing, their uniforms soaked in dark, drying blood. There is no movement, no sound of breath, only silence. The air is thick with death.

She pushes the heavy door open, the hinges creaking as it swings back. The sight inside breaks her heart into a thousand irreparable pieces.

Her father, her strong, invincible father lies lifeless in the centre of the hall. His body, once a shield to their family, is now cold and stiff. His chest, clawed open, bears the marks of a vicious fight. His face, pale and still, shows the traces of a battle he couldn't win. Tara's knees buckle, and she falls beside him, her hands reaching out, shaking uncontrollably.

"No, no! This can't be real!" she screams, her voice raw with agony as she presses her head against his chest, but there's no heartbeat. Nothing. The warmth she had known all her life is gone, replaced by cold stillness.

Tears blur her vision as she gently lowers his body back to the ground. Her hands, trembling with the weight of grief, brush his hair from his forehead. "I'm so sorry," she whispers, her voice cracking under the weight of the words. "I should've been here... I should've protected you..."

But there's no time to linger. Tara's heart races as panic grips her. Where are her mother and Tessa? Where are the last two pieces of her shattered family? She forces herself to stand, her legs barely supporting her weight as she stumbles through the blood-stained corridors, searching for them.

"Tessa! Mom!" she calls out, her voice echoing through the empty halls, but the only answer is silence.

Ruby stirs inside her, whispering, Tara, over there...

In the corner of the family room, she sees them, her mother, cradling Tessa in her arms as if shielding her from death itself. But it hadn't been enough. Both of their throats are slit, the same deep claw marks marring their skin. Tara's breath leaves her in a choked sob, and she collapses beside them, her hands trembling as she touches their faces, cold and unresponsive.

"No!" Her cry echoes through the empty packhouse, bouncing off the walls like a cruel reminder of her isolation. "Why... why would they do this?" she whispers, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her heart feels like it's been ripped from her chest, the emptiness inside her growing with every second.

She wraps her arms around her mother and sister's lifeless bodies, pulling them close, as if holding them tight will somehow bring them back to life. The warmth of her tears falls onto their cold skin, but it does nothing. Nothing will ever be enough.

Why? Ruby whimpers, her voice soft and broken in Tara's mind. Why did they leave us?

Tara's energy drains, leaving her weak and trembling. Her mind flashes back to just hours ago, when everything was normal. She had been at Allison's house, laughing, talking about the future, about love and college. How could life change so fast? How could it be stolen so cruelly?

Her mind spins, trying to grasp onto something, anything that makes sense. But there's nothing. Just a void where her family used to be.

"I'm sorry," she whispers again, her voice hollow and broken. "I should've been here..."

The weight of the world bears down on her. Her pack is gone. Her family is gone. She is alone in a sea of blood and silence. The pain is too much to bear, and Tara feels herself slipping, her consciousness fading as her body gives in to the overwhelming grief.

The last thing she hears before darkness takes her is Ruby's soft voice. Don't give up, Tara. Someone will come. There's still hope...