Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Hayley

The shifting ground was soaked with the blood of my pack. As I stood there, my wolf's breath heavy, my heart pounded with disbelief.

The world around me blurred as I focused on my father's body, shredded by vampires into pieces on the ground. My father—the Alpha of Moon Walker—is dead.

My eyes burned with tears, the anger brewing inside me exploding throughout my body. Every breath I took felt suffocating, with my chest tightening.

I couldn't pull my gaze away from him, even when the fight continued.

"He's dead," my wolf said. "The Alpha is really dead."

I staggered towards my father to see blood surrounding him. The howls that came from the other werewolves shook me.

Pain.

Terror.

Was all I felt.

"Hayley," my mother spun towards me, her eyes glowing yellow. "You need to leave. Run to the pack house and hide."

"No," I shook my head. "Father's dead."

"Honey, you need to leave. This place is not safe anymore."

Her eyes burned with tears, her hands slowly changing into claws as she held my shoulder. "I promise you, I'm going to put an end to this madness tonight, but you need to leave. Now."

All of a sudden, Mother was ripped away from me, dragged into the darkness. I growled, racing towards the vampires and launching myself at one, baring my fangs into his skin and leaving my venom in his veins.

The vampire screamed, releasing my mother, and she breathed out in relief.

"I'm not leaving you," I said to her.

She nodded slowly, shifting into a massive black wolf. As she ran to save a young human girl, a vampire grabbed her from behind. Another vampire joined, sinking his fangs into her skin, and she roared, eyes locking with mine.

My feet left the ground, and I fell, experiencing another moment of pain.

I tried to push up, knowing I couldn't stay down. "Mama!" I yelled through the pack link.

A knee connected with my chest, knocking me to the ground. All the air suddenly kicked out of my lungs as the vampire pushed me down.

With a snarl, I retaliated, sinking my fangs into his neck and ripping him apart. His blood splashed onto my fur, staining me. But just then, another vampire slammed into me, kicking me into the dirt.

I stumbled, my paws scrambling for balance. I choked in air as I tried to breathe, but everything felt suffocating.

Then slowly, my body began to change. My brown fur melted as my fur shrank back into my skin. I screamed as my bones began to pop and rearrange until I was lying naked on the blood-soaked earth.

Panic gripped me as I tried to shift again, but nothing happened.

"No!" I screamed with tears as I saw my Mother lying on the ground. I struggled to push myself up, but it felt as if all the strength inside me had been drained away. Dirt mixed with the tears smeared my cheek as I cried out.

I crawled towards Mother's body, her lips wobbling, with blood gushing from her head and neck where she was bitten.

She was still alive.

"Mother, get up. I should take you to the healer," I whispered, pulling on Mom as she struggled to stand. "Mama, please get up. The vampires will be here soon."

"Hayley, run," Mother cried out. "I don't think I would find peace in my death if something happens to you."

"You are not going to die," I said. "If I can get you to the—Mama! Mama!"

My eyes widened as I saw my mother begin to gasp. Blood continued to gush from her wound. She held her neck, her mouth slightly agape as she struggled. I pulled her closer, tears rolling down my cheeks as I looked around, searching for Kieran. Where was he?

I returned my gaze back to Mother, but her eyes were closed.

"Mama," I called out, but she didn't respond. My heart skipped a beat when I couldn't feel her pulse.

I shook my head, my chest tightening with pain.

Suddenly, strong arms grabbed me, pulling me from Mother. I flinched, ready to fight until I saw Kieran. I breathed out in relief.

"Hayley!" Kieran rubbed my cheek. "Oh gods, Hayley. Thank God you're alive."

"Good to see you're alive too," I muttered.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" he asked.

"Mama's dead," I croaked out, and Kieran wiped the tears from my cheek.

"We are going to be okay, but we need to run now," he said. "And we need to shift first."

"I... I can't shift," I said. "I can't..."

He held my shoulders. "Then we run, Hayley. We must not look back."

"T... the pack," I murmured.

"The pack is dead," Kieran said. "They've been killed by vampires."

I shook my head, stumbling back.

"Hayley, listen to me," Kieran's cold voice shot inside my ears. "We have to run. Tomorrow, when everything is over, I promise to avenge our Pack's death. Do you understand?"

I nodded my head, and we ran away. Vampires swarmed the blood-soaked ground like ants, feeding on any Werewolves left. Kieran and I moved like shadows, with high speed.

As we ran from the bloodshed, I felt the world collapsing around me. My legs weakened, threatening to fall, but I pushed hard. I tried to shift, but my wolf didn't come out.

Gasping for air, we came to a halt upon seeing ourselves surrounded by vampires. Their eyes glowed red with lust and anger. Their fangs bared, and I felt fear overwhelm me.

That strong girl was gone, replaced by someone afraid to lose her only family. I wanted to cry and scream, but who was going to help me when my family was gone?

"Run!" Kieran turned to me.

"No," I shook my head. "No more running. I will fight with you. We will kill the vampires together."

"Hayley," Kieran scolded.

"No," I shook my head again.

"Run!" he shouted, using the Alpha's command on me. My eyes widened. How did he?

Then I realized as my father died, Kieran became the Alpha instantly. Tears rolled down my cheeks as the Alpha's voice became irresistible.

I cried as my legs began moving on their own, and I started running. I continued running, my heart shattering with every step.

Rain from the previous night had been heavy enough to leave puddles around the land, making it hard for me to run fast.

I heaved for air as I came to a stop after running far enough. I glanced back, my breath caught in my throat as I saw Kieran fall to the ground. His body was pinned down as the vampires sank their fangs into him.

"No!" A scream tore through my throat, but I couldn't stop running. The Alpha's voice echoed in my head, forcing me to continue.