White Wolf

CHAPTER 1

Right in the middle of the forest, the warrior wolves of the Gronho pack trained with their leader, Alpha Lucas. There was need to keep the pack safe from other packs and it was his responsibility to do so.

Raina hid behind a tree as she watched them train. The sight of them training with so much strength and agility always marveled her.

With every swift dodge and sharp turn they made, her sight never left them. She was here almost everyday.

For some odd reason, she mostly watches the Alpha train. He not only looks mesmerizing to the eyes but his aura trips her most of the time.

His beautiful grey eyes were watching every of the warriors' movement as he stood at the extreme end.

Her eyes couldn't quite get enough of his well sculptured face. From his messy black hair that fell on his face to his well curved eyebrows, down to his heavenly-made pointed nose, his cheekbones and then his- ugh! His lips. They... they looke-

She immediately turned and leaned on the tree as she held her chest to catch her breath.

Why was she like this? It's Alpha Lucas! Oh, it's Alpha Lucas. Maybe it was his charm. She wasn't the only one who saw him like that.

She was about to turn back to continue admiring him but she heard someone shout her name. It sounded like her uncle.

Oof, they were looking for her. Had it been long she left? It didn't seem so to her. It felt like minutes.

She quietly bent and ran away before he could see her.

When she got back to the cabin where she lived with her aunt and her husband, her aunt, Marlyn, rushed to her, "Raina! What is wrong with you?" She sounded like she would cry any second from now.

She wasn't old but she had a few grey hair strands. Grandfather's genes.

Raina looked down at her feet, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Is that what you expect me to tell your parents if something bad happens to you?"

"I'm pretty sure they'd be happy to see me cos i'd finally be with them wherever they are." She softly poked a small stone with her foot as she spoke with her head still faced down.

Marlyn sighed hard as she held Raina's shoulders and lifted her chin so she could look up, "Raina love. I know how you feel. I know you miss your parents... I do too. I miss them but they're gone and they kept you in my care so I have to-"

"Watch over me." Raina completed her words.

"Protect me. Take care of me. You've been doing a great job Aunt Marlyn but does it mean I'm not allowed explore? Because my parents are dead and you want to keep me safe means I can't leave the house?"

Marlyn shook her head, "No, Raina. You are allowed to leave the house ofcourse but-"

"I'm not allowed to go out alone because it's dangerous." She completed her words yet again leaving Marlyn speechless.

"Raina..."

She had heard enough. She released Marlyn's hands from her shoulders before walking to the cabin.

Marlyn was tired of the whole situation. She didn't know whether to let her live the way she wants to or protect her like her parents wanted.

Raina lost her parents when she was just nine. Her father was killed by a wolf from another pack while trying to save his wife. Her mom survived and came back home bleeding from her injuries. She died hours later as she had lost so much blood.

She begged her sister, Marlyn, not to let Raina out of her sight. She begged her to protect and take care of her.

Her husband had begged same of her but she had failed him so she begged her to help her in her place.

What to do...

"Marlyn, I couldn't find her anywhere!" Her thoughts were cut off by the voice of her husband, Carl.

She turned to him making him halt as he saw her teary eyes, "Are you okay?" He rushed to her, "What is it?"

"Raina is back."

"Oh... she is? Good gracious! So what is it?"

"She just wants to explore and she feels like I'm caging her. I don't know what to do anymore, Carl."

She hugged him tight amd cried on his chest.

"There, there now. It's going to be fine. Everything will be fine."

Raina watched them from the window before turning and left for her room.

She hated seeing her aunt cry but this... she needed her freedom.

She snuck out again from her room's window and ran into the forest again.

Their house was away from where the rest of the pack resided. When her parents died, she was left in the hands of her aunt and uncle. They were confused and had no idea what to do.

She could remember the looks on their faces. They looked frightened. Till now, she wondered why?

They immediately took her to her grandfather's cabin which was situated a bit far from the pack's residence. He loved his alone time.

She stayed with him till he died and then her aunt and uncle came to live with her in the house.

She had no friends. She lost the ones she had when she was little as she was locked up most times and restricted to go to some places.

She began sneaking out after her grandfather died. She was curious to know what was out there. Why was she being hidden when girls her age are freely living their life.

She stopped when she got to the Gronho residence. It was like a mini village. Little cabins situated across each other. Children running around playing. The women watching over their children from where they stood.

Most of them lived here. Mostly the young and the old while the stronger wolves went into the city sometimes.

Raina was curious about so many things. Who was qualified to go out there? Who was qualified to be a warrior wolf? What it felt like to rule a pack of wolves...

"Are you looking for someone?"

Raina was startled by the voice as she sharply turned to find a beautiful lady around her age standing across her.

She had beautiful violet eyes. They looked like a purple hibiscus flower under the morning sun.

She had a smile on for some reason.

"Are you lost?" She asked again when she got no response from her.

Raina shook her head in response.

"No?"

She gave a short nod.

The lady's brows scrunched up in confusion. Was she dumb?

"I'm Blake. What's your name?" She stretched out her hand for a handshake but Raina just stared at it from where she stood.

She shook her head again but this time words came out of her mouth as she still stared at the outstretched hand, "I... I don't think I should."

Blake blinked. "Oh." Then dropped her hand, "So you can speak."

Raina rose her eyes and stared at Blake. She was still smiling. Her smile brightened up more when she looked at her.

She was undoubtedly beautiful. Her facial features were spellbinding and gentle at the same time. Her smile was like that of a morning sun.

"What's your name?" She asked her again.

Raina was tempted to tell. For some odd reason, she felt like if she said her name, she'd no longer be hidden. Her identity would be known by another person that isn't her family.

It wasn't supposed to be a bad idea but somewhere at the back of her mind, it was.

"Raina." She said it.

"That's a very beautiful name."

"My mom gave it to me."

"She must be a beautiful woman to give such a beautiful name."

Raina paused, "She was."

Blake's smile dropped, "Oh. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It's not your fault."

"Neither is it yours." She gave out a reassuring smile before pointing out a finger in the direction Raina was looking at earlier on, "My house is down the road over there. You wanna come?"

Raina turned to look at where she was pointing at. Was she ready to meet other people?

Baby steps, Raina.

"I'm sorry but I have to decline." She said quietly as she watched Blake's face. She was still smiling.

"It's fine. I wouldn't go to a stranger's house too on the first day of meeting. You never who is who."

Her words made Raina smile. She understood at least.

"I'll get going now." She informed her and began walking back the way she came.

Blake waved at her with the smile still on her face.

•••

As she snuck back into her room, she laid down on her bed and sighed, looking up at the ceiling, "Today wasn't so bad."

There was a knock on the door, "Raina? Are you in there?" It was her aunt. She wanted to know if she was in. Such timing though.

"Yes!" She responded loudly so she could hear her.

"Okay. Um... dinner is ready. We'll be waiting for you." There was a pause before footsteps could be heard walking down the stairs.

And then there was silence.

She muttered an 'Okay' before she stood up to go change and went downstairs.

•

Her uncle and aunt were waiting as they said. They had been a couple for years now after finding out they were each other's mate. They had been without a child but they loved each other still. Their love was like that of her parents.

Aunt Marlyn and her mom were sisters so she took her like she was her own.

"Come, love." She beckoned on her.

Raina got to her seat and sat quietly. Her favourite food was sitting pretty in front of her. Pasta and beef sauce.

Her lips lifted for a split second.

"How was your day, Raina?" Her aunt's husband, Uncle Carl as she called him, asked.

She rose her head and looked at him, "You really want me to answer that question?"

"You snuck out. You must have had some fun." He sounded calm and his words weren't supposed to mean anything but she took offense in it.

"I snuck out because I was always locked in and I didn't have any fun because I have no friends. Loners don't get to have fun."

She stood up, her chair making a scratching noise as it moved backwards, "I've lost my appetite. I'm off to bed. Goodnight."

Then she was off to her room.

"Raina love... wait-" Her aunt was about to follow her but she stopped her.

"Please don't follow me." And then she got upstairs and shut her door.

"Carl! Why did you have to bring that up?" Marlyn whined as Carl stood up.

"I didn't mean to. I didn't know she would take offense in it. I just wanted her to talk about her day." He was just as startled and confused as Marlyn was.

"She must be really mad at us for always keeping her indoors, Carl. I've been so mean to her!" She smacked her head as she whined continuously.

Carl held her hand, "No no, you've just been trying to protect and keep her safe. That's all you've been doing love."

Marlyn looked up at him with teary eyes. He held her close as she let out her tears on his chest.

~~~

Immediately Raina entered her room, she locked the door and quickly put on a black hoodie and snuck out again.

She ran deep into the forest not caring to stop or check her surroundings.

Suddenly, she felt an aura coming close from behind. Something was after her.

Her speed increased as fear began to build up inside her.

Then she felt a breeze past right beside her and whatever it was stopped right in front of her making her come to a sharp stop.

She was panting heavily as the figure approached her. It looked like a man. A very tall man. She shakily stepped back as the aura coming from this being was choking her.

She felt like she was being strangled but he hadn't even gotten so close to her.

She stopped moving and shut her eyes tight, "Pl- please... don't hurt me..."

He got so close to her that she could feel his breath on her face, "Such a little one."

She opened her eyes wide immediately after hearing the voice of the person. She began choking on her breath as she stared at his eyes.