Betrayed By Family, Chosen By Four

Prologue

The last time I remember seeing my mother I was hidden in the big spruce trees far enough behind the packhouse that I couldn’t be seen or scented but could still see what was going on. Warriors were dragging my mother out from the jail doors as I watched shivering from the cold and fear. My fingers barely able to hold onto the picture I had made my mother at school that day as a thank you for taking care of me when I was sick.

“Georgia Mclane, I am sentencing you to death on the charges of getting our Luna killed.” Alpha Kane shouted his body tight with anger. “Any last words?”

I tried to yell no but the cold had taken hold of my body quicker than I had imagined and all that came out was a whispered and shaky no. What he was saying was a lie and they needed to know. My mother would never hurt the Luna or let her be hurt. Why was he saying this?

The picture slipped from my hands as I ran forward fighting against the trees. I wanted to yell, to scream at the top of my lungs that it wasn't her fault, but still nothing came out. I wanted to yell at my dad to stop this as I saw him standing next to the alpha with a somber and straight face he didn't say anything in her defense or even argue when he was ordered to shackle her feet and hands.

I was too far I wouldn't make it. I was only 8 and my mind link didn't work yet my screams were caught up in the trees and wind even as i got closer i had been so caught up in trying to save my mother I hadn't felt the deep cuts i was getting from the tree branches. My only focus was getting to her and stopping the alpha from blaming her it wasn't her fault it was mine.

The attack that happened last week was the day that my mother had to call out and switch shifts with another pack mate so she could take me to the clinic. I had taken a fall in the playground and cut my head bad enough I needed stitches. it really wasn't a fall but more of a push from the Alphas son, Kaden my own personal bully and he didn’t even get in trouble. He was a big fat jerk and I wanted to clobber him but my mother had said not to. It wouldn't do any good since he never got in trouble anyways.

Stupid bullies and his special treatment. If I had just ignored my mother's advice and got a few good punches in, we wouldn't be here today. We would have had a meeting that day with both the Luna and Alpha keeping them safe when the rogue attack happened. Instead, we were at the clinic and as mother tried to leave several injured came in. It was too many for the doctor so she stayed and helped while I entertained any kiddos that came in. My mother was my hero that day and it wasn’t because she had fought. She saved life’s without risking her own and even gave me a sucker.

I was almost there, my mother's face getting closer, clearer. Maybe i could save her period i'd prove she was innocent, take her home, and we could have a celebration tea party. I didn't care what it took but there was no way I was going to let my mother die because of me.

There must have been a very quiet snap of a twig as I got to my last tree to fight against because the next time my eyes hit my mother's face she was staring at me shaking her head no. Her lips were moving and her eyes were bleeding but I had no idea what she was saying. As I took another step closer she shook her head no and put her hands up for me to stay. Why would she want me to stay put when I could tell them what happened? I could tell them who she switched with so that she could care for me.

Mom must have linked dad as he left his post and headed my way. The scowl on his face was the scariest I had seen and I didn't know if it was because I was here when I shouldn't be or because something was going to happen to mother and he couldn't do anything about it. I could hear him muttering, ‘Damnit Finley. Always causing issues.’ I had no idea what he was talking about. I didn’t cause this, did i?

He grabbed me and dragged me home but we had only gotten about halfway when we heard the familiar chop of an axe and our bonds mother severed. My heart broke and I sobbed as dad placed me on the deck of the house commanding me to go inside. I begged for him to tell me why he didn't help her period why he didn't save her. He just shook his head at me.

He turned and walked away but not before asking me why I was so needy all the time period if I had just sucked it up last week and let the nurse take care of it his mate would still be alive. He shifted and ran off after that. His words hurt and I screamed that they were lies but eventually as my body became numb from the cold I realized something. He was right. It was my fault my mother was dead.

Another thing I realized that night as my father came home drunk as a skunk was that he would never look at me the same again. I wasn’t his daughter anymore. I was the reason his mate was killed and the only reason I was still in his house was because it was what was expected of him. It would look bad on the family if he ditched me out in the cold like he wanted.

Instead, he realized he could make my life hell and ensure that my brothers did the same once they realized the curse I was. It didn’t take long for them to understand what I was and how I should be treated. I wish I would have realized the change that was taking place that night. I might have joined my mother in her grave had I known.