The Arrangement

Chapter 1

Sophina

"Make sure you eat all of it. I'm serious." I warned them as the worry in my mind grew. We're growing too close to the towns, to other territories and it's not safe. I could barely smell the scents of others, but I knew the territory lines and I can't believe how many times they have stopped to watch us pass their ground, ready for us to step over a single leaf for the right to rip us to shreds.

For all we know, they could be ruthless territories, bound to kill the three of us like they would savage rogues. For all they know, we're not anything unique, we aren't civilized, we could be just as horrible as rogues. I know our pack would have done that, they would have killed a trespasser due to the 'better safe than sorry' rule. Werewolves love that rule, we live by it, honorably.

Aspen made a disgusted face but ate away at the squirrel, an animal she finds revolting. I don't blame her, they're really disgusting. She's right. Squirrel meat tastes like what you'd imagine a rotted dog to taste like. As she grows older, blossoming through her teen years, she's just learning how to balance her own personality and emotions.

I ran my hand through Bauw's hair and he gave me a sad look, "I hate the way it tastes too." He said, sighing while he picked at it. I know they hate it, but it's the best I can do right now. We don't really have any money to go buy food either, and I can't go foraging any farms. This isn't Texas anymore. These are the suburbs, and they don't really have any farms, especially not cow farms.

"If we hunt anything too big we'll be caught. You know how territorial packs are in their game." I reminded the both of them while they gave small nods with an understanding stare. I know its hard, but it's just a while, just until I can make it to a good enough area, one with maybe less aggravatingly confusing scented lines. I can't settle here when there's the scent of three different packs at every turn.

The sun was setting, which meant whoever these woods belonged to would be hunting soon. "Alright, let's hurry to the busy roads." I advised them while handing them baby wipes to wipe their faces and hands. This is the best we can do; head to the busy roads during the night when the humans sleep, and then go to the woods during the day when the wolves sleep.

"Sophe are we going to go home soon?" Bauw asked while reaching into the bag and grabbing a box of apple juice. We've only got three more of those left. I might have to rob a grocery mart soon. Maybe I can get some raw beef too. I thought back on Bauw's question and pondered my response greatly.

I've yet to tell them we're never going home.

I'm sure Aspen understands, she's sixteen, she can comprehend the situation better than Bauw, who's only five. He had no idea we would ever see any of our friends, our family, mother, father. All of them are gone, forever. The idea, the thought, still does not stick with me either.

We exchanged a look and she lifted Bauw up, "Just drink your juice. For now we need a place to sleep." She said, glancing up at me in a manner that told me she knew I needed to eventually tell him. He's a smart kid, he'll figure it out at some point. I'm sure of it.

I know, I kn-

The crack, a small and gentle sound, and had our hearing not been keen we might've missed it entirely. Possibly passed it off as a mouse or a bird, but the sound of the crickets had halted, the air stood still, and the birds were flying out of the forest instead of in. That can only mean one thing: we're not alone.

"Run." I said, grabbing Bauw and shoving Aspen to run out quickly, "As fast as lightning Aspen!" I cried out, letting my feet glide with massive strides at a rapid speed. I was fast, always had been, and I know if I was alone, I would have easily made it out, but I wasn't alone.

Bauw was shouting that they were behind us, that they were catching up, which only made me more distracted and nervous.

It wasn't until Aspen's body flung into the tree, letting out a cry as a young wolf knocked her down, that I screamed. "Aspen!" I cried, stopping in my tracks. It was a dumb move, one that had me knocked into my own back. The hit was one that I knew would damage me hard if I didn't have such an adrenaline high at the moment.

Bauw fell a few inches away, his body, small and frail, fell in a light thud and his head bounced off the rock covered by dirt.

The large white wolf with the golden eyes shifted, her skin a beautiful fair tone, she was an older woman, probably my mother's age and she held the heaviest distaste for us, a need and desire to tear us apart. She reminded me a lot of my mother before she passed, the way she fought for us, the way she snarled her jaws at the humans with such a protective nature. Her pup must be near.

I watched her walk over to Aspen and the other wolf who had knocked her over, while the wolf above me snarled in my face, daring me to try and move or run.

The young wolf went for the kill. I jolted, screaming "No!" Loudly before my wolf took form and slammed the wolf off me. I was never afraid of fighting for those I loved, I was protective, just the way my mother was. Only my protective side is often reckless, unlike my mother's well-thought out mannerism.

Running for Aspen, I slid, knocking the young wolf off her before snarling at them all as Aspen's unconscious body laid on the dirt and twigs. I was told before my father died that my biggest goal in life would be to always protect Aspen, it was always about her.

They closed in around me, I held my ground, my heart racing, my father's words in my head, 'save Aspen at all cost'. Even at the cost of my own life. Some fights are meant to be fought with a sense of selflessness, a need to thrive beyond my existence. This was one of those fights.

I snarled back, warning them, but they proceeded to move forward. I couldn't talk them down, there was no talking among wolves. We don't waste our breath. We fight and we win. That's it. If you lose, you lose. That is all there is to it.

Standing over Aspen, I watched the female wolf jump at me. I snapped, watching her flinch and move back, growling at me. They could sense the fight within me, they knew I was ready to kill and die trying.

There were six of them and one of me. Bauw stood and slowly stepped back, running out into the forest while they focused on us. He tried to run, to flee and I rooted for him, I hoped he would make it. He was always a bit of a slow pup though, and as much as it pains me, I can't go grab him.

My heart ached, he's too young to be alone, but he's not the priority, as awful as that sounds. That doesn't mean he's no threat to them though, and my heart ached as I watched two wolves race after him quickly.

I'm sorry Bauw, I'm so sorry. I can not express the level of grief and sorrow that washed over my body, and the heaviness that gathered up in my heart, my belly and my throat in that single moment.

Two jumped in at once and I received a sharp bite into my shoulder blade, piercing the flesh before I slammed her into the tree and snapped my jaws at the second one.

Three jumped in now, and I couldn't fight them all off. I was bleeding, I was in pain, and I felt so much exhaustion from this fight, from the fleeing, the loss of another Otsana. I felt like the entire world was collapsing within the palms of my hands and there was nothing for me to grab onto.

My body took its easiest form, I dropped to my knees and braced my body over Aspen's. My blood soaked into the soil but I had to fight, to my dying breath. I just held Aspen, her unconscious body, all I had left of my people, of my purpose.

The young wolf changed to a young teen, probably sixteen. His red hair was brushed back and he had a tattoo of an empty circle on his chest. He hasn't hunted yet. It was his first hunt. What a prize hunt, a young princess was a catch beyond praises, no one could dream of a hunt this golden.

I met his eyes and he reached down, yanking Aspen from under me by her ankle. Yet as he did, he quickly jumped back and stared at her in a bit of horror, his eyes lit up before he dropped down to one knee and gently brushed her hair from her face. "My-my mate." He said low, almost in shock.

The turn that rippled within my own stomach made me feel aggressively territorial, but I was so tired.

It grew quieter while my mind was all over the place but my body was shutting down. One thought existed prominently though, he said Mate.

Fuck.

Of all the damn packs to run into, it had to be his. It's rare that a wolf ever finds its mate and then we just happen to wind up at the one that does.

Fucking hell. How am I supposed to leave now?

I sighed and brushed my hair back, "You've got to be kidding me." I muttered while he stared down at her with obsession churning in his eyes.

Great. Just great.

My upper arm was gripped by a ginger girl who was definitely my age, she looked like the lover boy's sister. "Qore." She said, staring down at the boy. Her lack of impressive attitude was clear on her face, I had noticed the pack was almost all a mix of similar features.

He quickly picked up Aspen and I felt a hard smack to the back of my head before everything went black.

"Wake up." A smack came to my face and I grimaced in pain as the back of my head ached with a bruised type of sensitivity.

What the hell? God, the pain is excruciating all over. My legs even kill me to the point where it feels like I did leg day for twelve hours straight. Did they drag my body? I wonder if they dragged Aspen too...

Aspen!

Looking around frantically, I stood and ran out the room, yanking the door open, "Aspen!" I shouted, running down the halls and calling her again.

Come on Aspen.

Where are you?

I ran like a madwoman before a well-built man grabbed my arm and tossed me into the wall with brute force, "She is resting. The Chief wishes to speak to you." He said, pulling me toward a pair of double doors while my feet stumbled behind me to keep pace with his large strides.

Dammit. "Is she okay?" I asked him while he rudely ignored me, tossing me into a chair before standing beside it. His stare dared me to run. I realized he was the same guy who knocked me down earlier too.

Asshole.

Ahead, a tall tan man stood, extremely built and hints of ginger in his brown hair. "You are Aspens sister?" He asked, grabbing a bottle of liquor out and pouring a glass.

I gave a small nod and he glanced up at me, "Use your words." He spat with disgust.

Fine, are they all assholes, my goodness. "Yes, I am." I replied coldly while he took a drink, "Meet my son, Qore." He said, gesturing behind me.

Out came the young ginger boy who gave me a very judgmental look, pig, "My son will take over this pack once I die, and his son will do the same after he dies. Now that he's met his mate, his status will not be questioned or falter. Is your family bloodline pure?" The man asked as he took a drink. Pure, a word meaning the pack did not mate with other packs, it was solely its original name and stayed within itself alone.

I hate men like him, "Yes." I replied honestly, it's best they know how important she is, now that she's his mate she is untouchable. That's a good thing. She'll probably tell him she's special and it's better I don't keep it from them.

"You're sure?" He eyed me over with a questionable stare, one that made me want to strangle him. Of course, I'm sure! It's my damn pack!

Giving a nod, I sat back, "She's got a gift." I replied, looking at Qore. His interest peaked, I caught his attention and he walked over, kneeling down in front of me, "Only the purest blood lines have that. What's your blood name?" He asked, glaring at me and taking charge where his father didn't.

He'll make a good pack leader. I still don't like him though.

"Otsana." I watched his father's eyes flood with a desire. The Otsana Pack is one of the three oldest packs to exist. We're blood only, meaning our ancestors only ever mated with their own blood. As wrong as it sounds, it was the only way to keep our blood pure. That's why there were so few of us. It's hard to have kids when you're naturally not meant to mate with the person of the same blood.

He stood and stared down at me with confusion, "Where is your pack now? Not far, I suppose." He was worried. That's the typical response to the Otsana mention, fear that shakes and rattles the bones of every pack aside from ours. We built fear through our ability to conquer all and everything, yet our disinterest in doing so hindered us from it.

If only they knew, our pack was silently and happily living among humans, we were peaceful unlike them.

I thought of my pack, "Dead. Bauw, Aspen and I are the last of the Otsana pack." I felt remorse as the words came out of my lips.

The man sat back in his chair softly, "Antonios, Qore, let me speak alone with..." he looked at me questionably, "Sophina." I replied while he gave a nod.

They slowly exited while the man told Antonios to stand watch at Aspens' door.

"My name is Radulf." He started looking at me, his eyes hanging over my breast. Wolves aren't shy about our bodies, it's a bit useless to be, but right now, he made me highly uncomfortable.

He lit a cigar and sat back, kicking his boots on to the desk, "You'll stay here. We can repopulate the Otsana bloodline. We are the Ulrik pack. I'm sure you know what that means." Did he say we?

Who's we? It better not be we as in him and I.

The Ulrik bloodline was actually the third pack ever created. There's the Vukasin, translated to 'Wolf'. They're the very first pack and very particular about their mates. For good reason, their wolves are the strongest and largest. Next is my pack, the Otsana Pack, translated as 'She-Wolf'. We only mate with blood. Then there's the Ulrik, 'Wolf-Power' and they know it. They're big on mating strong packs together. There are over a hundred-thousand packs in the world, but we're in the top three. All around the same area since we began here.

Wolves rarely leave their place of home.

"You'll meet the eligible men of this pack, have your choice. You don't need to marry them, just have their children." He said, taking a stupid smoke from his cigar.

I gave a small glare and he grinned, "Unless you prefer me. But sadly, I only seem to produce daughters. I've got one son, luckily, but I ended up with seven daughters before I had him." He sighed as if it was a curse.

Breathe Sophe.

A knock came to the door, "The body has been buried." An old man said to Radulf, who gave a nod.

Body? I gave him a questionable look, "Such a pity, he was the last Otsana." He sighed but with those words went my entire soul.

My legs shook and the room spun, "You killed him?" I asked, feeling terribly sickened.

Radulf put out his cigar, "He ran. We chased. He died and that's the way it goes. You can run too, if you'd like. I can ask them to start digging now so it'll be ready when my daughters catch you." He found this amusing. Pig.

I stood and flipped his desk, his drink flew off the table and shattered with the bottle to the ground, "Go f**k yourself." I spat while holding back tears.

I've lost so much family it's hard to actually mourn, because where do I even begin?

He walked over and gripped my neck, tossing me onto the book shelf and holding me up as my feet dangled off the floor. I gripped his arm and pulled myself up, "I'll rip that sharp tongue right from your mouth." He warned with his glare growing.

Fucker.

He let go and I fell to the ground, my hands hitting the floor to keep me upright.

As he walked out, I struggled to think about how I'd officially been trapped in a pack.

Fuck.