The wilderness surrounding Coven was thick with trees and shrub. It went on for miles, isolated in the woods of old Greenwell City. It’s as though the area didn’t exist on maps. We were completely separated from the rest of humanity. It was the choice we made. After all, there’s something liberating about being with those who are the same as you are.

I stare out at the disintegrating city that lays beneath me at the bottom of Redthorn Hill. It was a city full of humans, where werewolves and witches walked among them, going unnoticed. I didn’t yet have that luxury.

Until I turn 21 I’m forbidden from going into the city, which is ironic considering I’m allowed to wander the deep, dark woods on my own at any given time of the day and night. Then again, I was stronger then most. I was one of only five hybrids living at Coven. Both a werewolf and a witch. And while I appreciated the fact that being a hybrid comes with more leniency than others my age, it was also extremely hard to manage. It’s like having three completely seperate identities. My wolf is always there, speaking to me in my mind, completely seperate to my witch. Both of them tugging at me consecutively, calling for me to let them consume me. In time, I am supposed to be able to transform into my wolf without losing the ability to control my magic. But I’ve not yet figured that out. There is no doubt the second I figure out how to control both parts of myself in union the elite will come for me. It would make me an incredibly powerful asset to have among the elite. They would make me royalty, but in turn I would be required to do anything they ask of me, no matter the price I’d have to pay.

“We have to get back,” Annie’s voice washes over me, sending chills down my spine. I’d forgotten I’d had company.

Annie was half hidden by the trees, prepared to make a dash for it at any given moment, cautious, as she should be.

I frown, groaning in protest as I force myself to my feet.

Tonight the Blackstone Alpha is arriving at Coven for dinner, which normally wouldn’t phase me, except I’ve been asked to perform for him. It’s both mortifying and humiliating.

I was supposed to walk out in human form and gracefully transform in front of him and his minions in a private setting before the official welcoming ceremony. Transforming like that, on display and In front of an intimate crowd, is such a vulnerable thing. I would be completely exposed, naked, and the thought made my stomach churn.

I had contemplated hiding out here until he’s gone, but I know full well that it would be Annie who suffered my punishment if I did. She was of less importance at Coven then I was:

Annie turns to glance at me nervously. I make my way slowly past her.

“We can’t shift now, so we will have to speed walk.”

I flash her a smile to let her know that I wasn’t worried about being late. She rolls her eyes at me in response. “You know, anyone else would have been honoured to have been asked to perform for the alpha. It’s the ultimate compliment. It means they think you’re worthy of his attention.”

“Worthy,” I snort as I force my way through the branches that were blocking my path. “My wolf is different looking, that’s hardly a speciality to be showing off to an alpha. It’s simple genetics, not magic.”

“Pure white fur is a rarity, Rouge. There’s a one in a billion chance of a wearwolf having a pure white coat, or stark white eyes. And, in case you’ve forgotten, you’re also a hybrid.”

“White fur, wow” I mutter sarcastically.

“Not to mention the fact that your hair colour in human form is dark brown.” That part was a tad bit strange. Usually the colour of a persons hair was indicative of the colour of their wolf. If your hair was dark, your wolf would likely be dark. If you were strawberry blonde, your wolf would likely have strawberry blonde fur. I had dark brown unruly, thick hair that reaches my backside, yet my wolf was pure white.

“Being asked to strip naked in front of a group of jerk men and have them evaluate you is not an honour, Annie. It’s degrading,” I rub my arms in a self soothing gesture.

Annie shrugs. “ The word on the street is that the alpha is rather gifted in the looks department. Who knows, maybe he will like what he sees.”

“ I highly doubt he will find me impressive, and I doubt I’ll be impressed by him either,” I snicker.

“Well he sure has all of the females at Coven worked up. I swear we’re the only ones not spending the afternoon preparing ourselves for when he comes. I even heard a few of the girls had exchanged their most expensive pieces of jewellery for new outfits to try impress him.”

“Then I feel sorry for them. No alpha is going to take a liking to an ordinary girl living at Coven. And if he were an ordinary wolf and not an alpha, then they probably wouldn’t like him either.”

“How do you know? Apparently he hasn’t imprinted yet. What if his mate so happens to be living among us? It’s more than possible. Fate doesn’t discriminate.”

“Fate wouldn’t subject a poor girl from Coven to such a cruel punishment. His mate is probably just as arrogant as he is.”

“Why do you have such a strong opinion of the guy before you’ve even met him?”

I feel my cheeks burn as I clench and then unclench my fists.

Little did Annie know that I had indeed met the alpha before, some years ago. I have no doubt he didn’t notice me, but I sure had noticed him. I noticed how oblivious he was to those around him, to the real problems within the world. How careless he was of others feelings and how brutal he can so easily be. And though I only ever saw the back of his head, I couldn’t picture him being all that captivating to look at either.

Annie stares at me as though waiting for me to confess something to her. It was a lost cause, I didn’t want to talk about the alpha anymore, I didn’t even want to think about him.

“Come on!” I grab Annie’s arm and we take off in a sprint back towards Coven.

We arrive only just before sunset, both of us bearing leaves in our hair, mud on our knees and sweat beads on our foreheads. The humidity in the forest this time of year causes us to sweat more when in human form than we usually would.

We sneak through the back entrance, into the courtyard and through the building.

“Are you at least going to wear something nice?”

I shrug. “I dare say Rosa would have picked out something for me to wear. Whether or not it’s nice depends on what mood she’s in.”

I frown at the thought of having to see Rosa. She was a god awful woman.

Annie and I come to a standstill at the part of the corridor that forces us to go our seperate ways.

“Just, don’t do anything rash. If not for his sake, or for the the packs, then for yours. You do not want to be on the wrong side of an alpha, especially not an ultra alpha, Rouge. He could have your head in a split second, and I don’t know what I would do without my best friend.”

Her big brown eyes stare into mine, pleading with me to behave myself tonight.

“Of course,” I promise. After all, I wasn’t stupid and I didn’t have a death wish either.

We part ways and I hurry for my room, taking the stairs two at a time. I had wanted to get there before Rosa noticed I was gone, but to my dismay she was already in my room waiting for me by the time I reached my door.

“Where have you been?” Her cold, merciful eyes glare into me as I approach her thin, frail like frame. She was leant over my bed where a white silk dress was sprawled out over my sheets. It was pretty, but it was virginal. The kind of dress one would wear to lose their virginity. Which only made me feel more insecure and shameful about tonight. It was natural for werewolves to expose their naked bodies. Most of us were comfortable in doing so, but I grew up mostly on my own, so I was naturally more conservative.

“You’re a mess. Look at you,” Rosa scoffs as she approaches me. Her eyes cruel and her face turned up in disgust as she takes in the state of my hair, then my body.

“I was just coming to bathe,”I tell her. I wasn’t scared of the old bat. I was stronger than her and we both knew it.

“Bathe,” she spits. “ The Blackstone alpha will be here soon and you look like you’ve been out frolicking in a pile of shit.”

I drop my head, my eyes focused on the floor. Rosa was a wicked woman, she didn’t play fair either, I wouldn’t put it pass her not to sabotage me tonight if I stood up to her now.

“I’ll shower now.”

Rosa laughs a dreadful laugh, it was the patronising laugh she always done. “You have ten minutes. If you make a mockery out of the Moonstone name tonight, I will banish you myself.”