Renegade

Prologue

Winter

The roads were slippery with ice especially at the height of winter. They had been cruising at a normal speed, careful of the sleet on the road. There was a loud bang and their car started to lose control. The passengers in the front looked at each other, panic decorating their faces.

Just as the driver managed to get a grip of the vehicle, there was no warning as another vehicle crashed against the out of control SUV. The loud impact echoed through the eerie, silent woods as if ripping through the veil that shrouded the place with mystery.

The black vehicle spun and skidded of the road, slamming head on into a huge tree.The driver died on impact while the woman beside her tried to fight for her life while being pinned between the front seat and the air bag.

She gasped and gurgled as she tried to move to check on the passenger at the backseat of the car but it was useless, she was losing a lot of blood. She could not feel her entire body but she knew she the lower half of her was crushed. She willed herself to speak, drawing from the inner strength that usually did not fail her.

"Win...A-are...you..." 

A whimper from the backseat pierced through the endless ringing in her ear. She gulped air and focused her mind, sending a message. She hoped that it would be received in time. There was no mistaking what had happened, someone tried to kill her and her daughter.

She glanced at the driver seat and choked on her unshed tears upon seeing her friend and bodyguard smashed against the steering wheel, his face almost disfigured and covered with blood. She growled inward and vowed that if she survived, she will seek revenge.

A howl echoed from somewhere beyond the trees and the woman said a small prayer of gratitude. However, her relief was short-lived as a series of howls permeated the thick winter night. They were not friendly. She closed her eyes and fervently hoped that the ones she called were nearer.

"Mommy... I feel sick." 

The sound of her 8 year old daughter's voice from the backseat is like music to her ears. She wanted to say something but it was suddenly very difficult to breathe. She was losing energy and could practically feel her life force draining.

Baby, don't be frightened. Do you hear me?

She prayed her daughter is well-enough and unharmed to be able to hear her thoughts. They had always shared an uncanny connection of the minds. 

"Yes mommy, I hear you. My head hurts." The little girl replied verbally and she smiled at how strong the voice sounded. Yes, her daughter is going to be all right. She prayed again that they would come and get her before their enemies could. "Mommy, are you okay?"

I'm fine, baby. Don't be scared. Auntie Jill and Uncle Gabe are on their way. Stay put and don't make a sound, all right honey?

"Okay mommy."

Another howl pierced the night and she heard skirmish just a few feet from the SUV. She tried to focus but it was no longer possible. She forced herself to hold on and strained her ear to listen to what was happening outside. 

Growls, snarls and snaps. 

Wolves fighting wolves.

A loud snap, a whimper and then silence. 

Just as her eyes were about to close, the passenger side door was yanked open.

"Oleana!" A strong male voice jarred her weary mind. 

She tried to smile and tell him that it was useless to pull her out of the car but he managed to. As soon as he got her in his arms, she felt pain radiate throughout her body. It also seemed to give her extra strength to breathe, albeit, labored.

"Winter. Take her away..far.." She gurgled against his bare shoulder.

"Save your strength. Help is on the way. You must survive!" 

Oleana shook her head slightly. She had held on as long as she could.

"Lost...she must be lost." She whispered, straining against the pain. 

"Do not worry. We will take care of her. Please, rest."

The voice came from a woman who stepped in front of her, carrying the child who looked passed out. There were tears in the other woman's face as she looked down at the scene before her. She gripped the child closer to her praying that the gash by the side of her head was not too deep.

Oleana smiled knowing that her child is safe. She closed her eyes and with every last fiber of her being, she willed her body to succumb to the transformation that she had been dying to do since she realized there was no other outcome but death for her. It was painful but then the sensation started to wane as pain drifted slowly away from her. She let out a soft sound, one last howl to the moon.

Gabe looked down at the limp white wolf in his arms, blood decorating her soft fur. He fought the urge to shift into his own wolf form, his body shaking with anger while holding her sister's lifeless body.

"Gabe, we have to move. I can hear them." He looked at his wife and nodded grimly. He stood on his legs, carrying the wolf in his arms. 

"The cavalry should be here in 2 minutes. We cannot outrun them, Jill. Not with a child and my sister's dead body." He replied. 

She nodded and they moved away from the crashed vehicle, waiting cautiously by the side of the road. A howl echoed not far behind them and both adults tensed. He cursed silently but then he caught a glimpse of three pairs of headlights speeding fast towards them.

Gabe motioned for his wife to get in as soon as one of the black Ford Explorer stopped in front of them. She did not hesitate, climbing at the back seat. He walked towards the rear end of the vehicle and opened it. He gently laid his sister's wolf body on the carpeted floor. He snapped at the driver to bring his wife and his niece to safety as soon as he would close the door.

"Gabe! No! What are you doing?" Jillian asked, her eyes wide with fear. "Let's just all leave!"

"Go! Request for sanctuary until I come and get you!" Gabe ordered his wife. "I will not risk you both out here in the open! Franco, you know where to go!"

As soon as he straightened up, six huge men came down from the other two vehicles behind. He growled and barked orders for them to be ready for a hunt.

"Gabe!" He ignored his wife's pleas and told them to go as he slammed the rear door close. He watched as the Explorer sped off taking his precious cargos away from the scene.

"Was that-?" One of the men asked, disbelief coloring his voice.

"It's time to hunt, gents. Revenge shall be ours." Gabe snarled as his bones began to snap, transformation taking over. He heard his comrades' thoughts as soon as he was crouched on all fours, his thick gray fur bristling with anger and blood lust.

For Oleana.

He was responded to with chilling howls resounding through the night. It was a frightening yet lovely sound, a mixture of rage and sadness. He called to his comrades through his mind, determination and focus giving an edge to his voice.

 For my sister.

Snarls and growls replaced the howl as the collective pack of wolves shouted in unison.

For the fallen Alpha!

Jared

The 10 year old boy looked out of his window. His room is situated at the attic of the huge sprawling mansion hidden in the middle of a vast forest. The path from the main highway is completely hidden, not just by foliage and mist but a very powerful spell as well.

He blinked as he heard another howl, this time deeper and lonelier. What was happening outside?

Jared isn't frightened. In fact, he knew some of the earlier howls that had woken him up from his slumber. He had clambered down from his bed and ran to his window hoping to see what was going on. He frowned in disappointment as he saw nothing but snow glistening under the moonlight and the tree tops swaying with the breeze.

He was about to go back to sleep when he spotted a pair of headlights coming through the thick woods. The path usually is hidden to outsiders so it's either they knew who lived here or they were lost tourists. He watched as a black vehicle stopped at the gates. He strained to hear what was being said to one of the guards but Jared was too high and far away to hear.

He saw the guard talk on the radio and the gates opened, letting the car in. He heard the door of his parents room open and shut, their footsteps hurried as they walked down the hallway and down the elaborate staircase.

Jared ran to his door as well and went out to see what was happening. He knew he should be in bed and if his father found out he wasn't, there would be a whole lot of scolding. 

He scowled at the thought of hearing his father berate him over and over about being a better son. He heard a woman's frantic voice and it drew him back to the curious scene that is happening downstairs.

He silently moved down the stairs and stopped just when he was near enough to hear the conversation in the front hall of the house. He squinted through the railing and saw a woman carrying a young girl with blood on her head. 

He knew it was blood since it looked really red against her white, silver blond hair. He suddenly hoped that the child was not dead. He listened intently as the woman frantically apologized to his mother and father for the intrusion.

"Oleana was attacked- there wasn't enough time to get to her." the strange woman explained. "Please, my niece and I need help. My husband is out there, hunting the ones who killed-"

"Oleana is dead?" Jared heard his mother gasp.

Tears streamed down the woman's face as she staggered backwards. One of the guards manage to steady her. Again, the child she was carrying became the focal view as her head lolled back, revealing pale white skin stark with blood on her temple. The door opened and a huge man stepped in carrying the limp body of a white wolf, also covered with blood.

"Please, bring your niece to our infirmary. Of course, we will aid you!" 

Jared moved two steps lower as soon as he heard his mother speak. He finished the remaining steps and silently followed them towards the infirmary are of the mansion. He was curious about the child and the woman. Had they been fighting? Were they werewolves too? Who was the white wolf?

"Ah, master Jared." A stern voice made him stop walking. He sighed and looked back to see his valet and tutor, Randolph standing there with a smile on his face. "You are supposed to be in bed."

"I couldn't sleep with all the howling. Is there some sort of war going on in the woods?" He asked.

"That is none of your concern. Go back upstairs before your father sees you." Randolph urged.

"Who was that woman? The child? Is she going to be okay?" Jared asked refusing to move.

"Again- I think it is unwise for you to-"

"JARED!" 

He jumped at the sound of his father's voice. He spun around to see him marching towards where he and Randolph were standing. He swallowed nervously but stood erect, his pride unwilling to bend as easily as it used to.

"What are you doing up? You have no business being down here at this time of night. Randolph, please escort my son back to his room." Albert Hunter's voice did not leave room for any argument or reasoning.

Jared watched as his father turned to Jack, the leader of their hunting pack. "Bring reinforcements. I don't want Oleana's pack to lose any more than they already have this night. It is the least we can do for the help they have given us for centuries."

Jack nodded and darted towards the door. He spoke orders into his radio and Jared soon heard familiar howls. He wondered what it would be like when it was finally his turn to become one of them.

"Randolph, what is my son still doing here?"

Jared quickly took advantage of the situation and turned to ask his father about the girl and the woman.

"They are close family friends. You will learn about them soon enough, once you have proven yourself worthy!" Albert said as he looked down on his son.

Jared scowled. There it was again, the disappointment and disdain he could see in his father's eyes. It was not his fault that he seemed unable to do anything right in when it came to his father's opinion of him. Jared always did his best and tried hard just to get the approval of not just his father but also his pack's Alpha.

"I am worthy!" He found himself crying against his father's retreating form. Randolph shot him a warning look  and placed a hand on his shoulder.

The young boy watched as his father stopped walking and turned to give him a pitiful look. "You can't even observe proper bedtime, boy." he snarled. With a quick glare at Randolph, Jared watched his father continue on towards the infirmary.

He growled and fisted his hands at his side. Soon enough he was going to get his chance and then he was going to make his father regret everything.