Serenity's POV

Wildly running between trees and through bushes, a girl covered in dirt and left looks over her shoulder, making sure no one followed her this time. By now, she already was familiar with these woods after years of running and hiding in them, and if she was honest, this was probably the farthest she had come.

She pushed herself to run faster, not taking a chance to be caught. Finally, seeing a possible hideout to catch her breath, her eyes widened, seeing the old tree with massive roots. She was small enough to crawl through it, and the recent rain would probably make it muddy that would further mask her scent.

Crawling under the tree, her knees and hands sink through the wet soil, finally reaching a spot where she can sit and rest. At the same time, she needed to calm her breathing and heartbeat, cursing her pursuers’ godlike hearing.

Soon enough, she hears the familiar thumping of paws. She closes her eyes and determined there were about three of them, she then held her breath, waiting for them to run past her hiding place, but soon after they ran past her hiding place, they came to a stop.

She had a clear view of the one who stood on top of a rock looking around; one sniffed the ground while the third stood still, listening.

Listen to all you want, Liam, she grins, you’ll never find me.

After what felt like a minute, they finally moved on, and she quietly let out her breath and relaxed, leaning back to rest. Not too long, though, she needed to get a move on and find a new hiding place.

Not having my wolf sucks. She says to herself as she slowly made her way out of the burrow.

She checked her surroundings, making sure the fourth member of the pack was nowhere in sight before bolting out, but she froze on the spot when she heard an unfamiliar growl behind her.

She slowly turned around and saw a wild wolf with her fangs bare glaring at her. I glanced back at the burrow, and she sees little heads peeking out curiously.

Well shit. The girl gave the wild animal a grin as she wrestled out of the burrow, crouch into not further to alarm the mother.

"I'm guessing that’s your house?” she whispered, getting cheeky with the animal in front of her. She may be in trouble, but she still wanted to win the game.

Unlike actual shifters, real wolves are wilder and depend on their instinct, and this wolf was no different, especially with her cubs in possible danger.

“There wasn’t anything to steal, so no worries.” The girl continues.

Reminding herself that this was a wild animal, she didn’t want to go all alpha on her; then again, her dad would probably not like the idea that she was gnawed to death and became a chew toy.

“Back down,” she commanded, her voice rang through the air. She snarls again, lowering her stance. “I said back down, dog.”

She stepped back, but her glare and snarl were nastier than before.

The girl gave herself a mental head slap, command it to relax before making it back down. Stupid Serenity!

“Let me leave safely,” and in one piece, Serenity wanted to add, “your pups are safe. I didn’t even know they were there.”

The she-wolf jumped down and stood between Serenity and her pups, keeping her attack stance. She froze in place, she wasn’t fast enough to outrun the wolf, and she indeed wasn’t strong enough to fight her. So all Serenity could do was to prove to it that she was not there to cause harm.

Of course, she can’t say the same thing for the running and howling wolves she could hear running toward her from behind.

Serenity!

Stop! She answers through their mind link. I can’t have you going all ninja and getting her angrier than she already is.

Who is it, Serenity? Liam, one of the shifters, asks.

A she-wolf, Serenity, answers through their mind link. She backed away, keeping the she-wolf in her line of sight. I’m ok, don’t-

Serenity?! Another wolf came running between the trees and scanned the girl before turning to glare at the she-wolf.

Serenity furrowed her brows, knowing this just got more complicated. She was now desperate seeing the big male wolf in front of her, an alpha to boot. The she-wolf slowly took a step back but keeping her ground.

“Siam.” Serenity calls to her brother, “We’re in her territory.”

What are you talking about? This is our land-

“She isn’t a shifter,” Serenity snaps, “so just back away, she was already letting me go with just a warning and a growl.”

Hearing that, her brother snarled and slowly made his way between his sister and the wolf.

Shifter or not, she isn’t listening to you. Siam says. That’s still punishable.

My overprotective brother, the show-off. Serenity thought, watching her brother stand at his full height.

I heard that. Siam throws a glare at her.

“Then step back, this is her home, and it’s not in our position to take it from her,”

Siam assessed the situation before agreeing and growled at the she-wolf as his last warning. It moved back at once, then forced her gaze back at Serenity and jumped down in front of her. Siam was quick to block her path, and with a huff, the she-wolf walked around and entered its burrow.

Serenity sighed, relieved, and looked up to her brother, who made his way to her.

Are you ok? He sniffed her up, ensuring she was not bleeding before looking at her face and resting his forehead against hers.

“Yeah, just surprised.” Serenity scratch behind his ear as a sign of affection, calming herself at the process. Soon they hear their friends come back, a few seconds too late for Siam’s taste.

What were you thinking about leaving her, Liam? Siam snapped through their mind link.

Well, we were playing hide and seek. We can’t look for her if we help her look for a hiding place, can we?

Siam snarled at him in response.

“Big brother, calm down. I made them play,” Serenity grins, hugging him around the neck, “I practically just proven that I didn’t need to be a wolf to hide my scent from them.”

That she wolf’s scent messed with your scent, you didn’t prove anything. Aaron whined.

“Yeah, so that’s why the score is what? 4 to 1?” Serenity teased.

My brother chuckled in our mind links, seriously? 4- 1?

Shut up. I heard Jake mumbled.

Usually, an attitude like this toward your future alpha may be grounds for instant death, but they were different. These boys had been their friends since we were babies. Siam teasing them wasn’t new at all, and so were their witty- more often sarcastic- comebacks weren’t either.

Anyway, we should go; Siam glanced at Serenity for a second before turning to leave. We have visitors.

Hearing this, Serenity frowned. It didn’t help that he was avoiding her.

Is this for the pack, or is it for Serenity again? Liam asks.

Both. Siam answers without looking back as they follow him.

“But dad’s not home.” Serenity whined as she stuffed her hands inside her hoodie.

That doesn’t mean we can’t welcome visitors. Siam says They’re here for the party.

Aren’t they a little too early? Jake asked.

You know, father. Siam says with a sigh. Anyway, we should go. Father would want us to welcome the guests.

“GUESTS?!” Serenity snapped, “Now there are guestsssss?!?!” she stomped her way to her brother and blocked his path, “Are they gremlins that multiply when they get wet?!”

The boys snickered until Siam gave them a shut-up look.

Serenity, calm down. He starts, you’re turning 18 at the same night you’ll find your wolf and find you your mate. As the princess, father needs to meet and assess him-

“And if he doesn’t pass, I’ll die an old maid?!”

You know that won’t happen. Siam says, still as a patient. Let’s get through your birthday. If you find him there, then good, if not, well…

“Well, what Siam?” Serenity taunts him.

She knew what her brother was capable of when it came to guys and her. He would go all alpha GI Joe probably even Rambofy himself and scare the life out of the boy. It’s a proven fact.

Better. Siam says with finality. Of course, he wouldn’t be intimidated by his little sister. But one thing he couldn’t stand was Serenity getting angry at him.

Not at all happy with her brother, she walked back to her best friend’s side.