C1 The Wolf-less Wolf

INTRO

She panted heavily as she ran in the dark woods, her legs cutting so many distance in a split second. If it wasn't for the sound of her legs rustling against the leaves and the raucous men chasing after her from behind, she was damn sure her stolid breath would've been overheard.

"Faster!!!"

"We're losing her!!!"

The men yelled from behind, and tho she was scared, she made no attempt to look at them.

The little one whined in her arms - the little one which she held to her chest, wrapped in a thick fabric. She must be so tired from all the running already.

"I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry" the woman whimpered and increased her pace.

How does she lose the men behind her? The forest was extremely dark with just a dim reflection of the moonlight aiding her path.

A light sob racked her throat and suddenly, she felt a sharp pain on her leg which threw her to the floor.

"Argh!!!" She cried out, unimaginable pains coursing through her body.

Her baby got loose from her arms and rolled to the floor, also letting out her own cry.

"No....!" The mother whimpered, holding onto her leg.

She could tell she'd been shot with an arrow - an arrow poisoned with Sitos, one of the witches' greatest poisons. No one can survive it.... No one.

Her baby.... her Baby....

She repudiated the pains and crawled to where her baby was, drawing her close and placing her next to her chest as her back hit the floor. No doubt, the men would definitely be catching up with her now.

"Your fight is over, Lura" she suddenly heard a voice, that menacing female voice.

She'd known it was her; she'd known the poisoned arrow came from her.

She looked up and could see her standing there in the dark, dressed in her long black dress; so long, it swept the floor.

"Ayita, please...." The woman on the floor winced.

"You really think you can run away from your judgement, Lura?" She snapped in.

"You thought you were smart enough to escape the penalty for your foolishness?"

Sobs racked her throat.

"My child has nothing to do with this.... please, don't hurt her...."

"Your daughter has EVERYTHING to do with this!" A lightening cracked the sky as Lura spoke angrily.

"Your daughter, Ayita, is a curse. She became a curse the very day you mated with one of our enemies and begat her. You broke one if our sacred rules, Ayita, and you and your hybrid daughter has to pay for it!"

"She isn't gonna be a problem... I've made sure of that. Please Lura, you have to listen to me....."

"You're a witch, Ayita; one of our best. You shouldn't have fallen for an enemy and worst, have a child for him. You disappointed me".

"No, please..."

"Talking time is over, Ayita!" Her roar caused another crack in the sky.

The men chasing Ayita had already gotten to the spot and all stopped to watch.

"As the Queen of the Oceanic Witches of the West, I hereby sentence you, Ayita and your daughter, to death" she stretched out her hand towards her direction and that was the moment Ayita knew her life would come to an end - if she didn't do a thing.

There was only thing she could - fighting Lura. But with the poison in her system, using her powers would definitely drain and kill her. But her baby.... she had no choice.

So, just when Lura was about using the wand, Ayita let out a loud scream - one that caused a thunderstorm this time around.

The vibration cracked the sky and quaked the trees around, Lura was taken abacked.

"Ayita!!!!!!" She roared the name in agony and quickly released the powers from her wand, but it was already too late as a howling wind swept her off her feet, took her so far, she cut a tree off it's root before crashing along with it.

The men around were not left out as the wind also howled them away.

No one would survive that; Ayita was certain

And few minutes later, after the scream, the entire place became still and calm. It was so calm; only the perkings of the crickets could be heard, and the sharp cry of the little one.

Ayita could feel the strength departing from her already - every single strength, her hand could barely hold her little one beside her.

"I love you, baby...." She muttered weakly and finally, her eyes went close in sleep.

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CHAPTER 1

23 YEARS LATER

"Be fast with it, Shilah! You're so slow" she rasped from the table where she sat.

"She walks like a snail...."

The 23 years old Shilah said nothing as she climbed down the creaky stairs to the archaic dinning where the rest of her family sat comfortably, some already eating.

"I hope you added enough sauce to it?" The other asked, but the naive Shilah said nothing, still.

Her eyes were lowered to the floor as she walked towards the dining which was surrounded by 6 people - her father, mother, three step sisters and just one step brother.

"Sorry I took long. Had to heat it up" Shilah said as she finally stood in front of the dining and Ina - who'd requested for the sauce - snatched it roughly from her.

"You should be sorry" Ina cut her eyes heaven ward and started eating, a bristle of her hair flopping over her left eye.

There were about seven seats in all round the table, just 6 were occupied, but Shilah knew the 7th seat wasn't for her.

"I think that is all. You can leave". Her step mother suddenly said, signalling Shilah to leave. And with humility, she bowed and started walking away.

"Why doesn't she just join us? At least, for today?" Vanessa - her second sister - asked and Shilah stopped walking, waiting to hear a response.

Eating with them... that would have been nice.

"What is wrong with you, Vanessa? Why would she eat with us? This is a table meant for real wolves - not an empty lady, posing as one" Ina snapped in, her words tearing Shilah's heart apart.

"Ina....!"

"What?" She scoffed. "I didn't tell a lie, did I? It's the popular bitter truth. Shilah's the only WOLF who hasn't shifted. She's the only WOLF who doesn't have a single ability. She's just dumb - like a mere human. If it isn't for the fact that father claims she's the daughter of his first wife, I'd have sworn she's not from this family - not from the lineage of the wolves!"

"That's enough, Ina". Their father chipped in and turned to Shilah who was now looking pale.

"You should leave".

And with a tight gulp, she turned around and resumed walking away.

Her heart was so heavy; her eyes glistened with tears she wasn't ready to let out. She had to walk carefully for fear of tripping.

"What's wrong with you, Pia? You've be been looking uneasy" she heard her step mother say from behind.

She didn't bother turning to look at them as she could still hear them clearly.

"I.... I think I'll be fine. I just feel a little sick". Pia answered dazily.

That was the youngest daughter of the house.

The staircase was a little far from where she was, but she didn't bother hearing any of their conversations until she'd finally gotten to the staircase and took it fraily.

She headed for the kitchen first, took her meal and proceeded to her snug, lonely room.

It wasn't like the usual kind of room where you'd see a cool bed, a closet, some arranged chairs and a bed. Hell no. The only good thing Shilah had in her room was her bed.

Her appetite had completely gone cold. So, she dropped the wooden plate of meal on the table and went to the bed to sit.

One good thing she loved about her bed, it was so close to the window and gave her the privilege to enjoy some cool air from it.

She stared out the window for sometime, wishing her worries could just blow along with the wind, but sadly they couldn't.

Alas, she only had one friend - just one person she could talk to.

She turned away from the window to the bed, taking up the doll lying await.

Yeah, that was the only friend she had - a doll; a toy.

She smiled as she stroke it's yellow scanty hair. It's fake eyes were staring at her. Well, maybe not at her, but she wanted to believe it was staring at her.

"They wouldn't let me eat with them at the dining today - as usual" she continued.

"Vanessa had tried convincing them....but they wouldn't listen."

She paused and exhaled deeply.

"Why am I so unfortunate?" She asked, her voice cracking a little.

"I wish.... I wish someone could explain it to me; explain why I'm the only one without my wolf abilities - why I'm a wolf, yet don't feel like one. Am I cursed or something?"

She paused and sniffed.

"I wish mother was alive; maybe I wouldn't have to go through these....".

The door suddenly went open with Ina barging in.

Shilah was taken abacked. Why the sudden entrance? Was she done eating already?

Ina had a scrawl on her face as she glared at Shilah who was still holding the doll in her hand.

"Is there a... problem?" Shilah decided to ask.

"Even if there were a problem, you can never be my problem" Ina scoffed.

"Anyway, just came over to tell you to get ready because you'll be accompanying me to the market to get some food stuff since the Alpha King has declared a *No Movement Day* tomorrow. Don't keep me waiting".

And with that, she turned around and left.

The Alpha King - Shilah thought while staring down at her doll.

The All Superior Alpha - the one every breathing soul around the mountain fears.

She wondered what was going on the following day and why the Alpha was declaring a "No - Movement Day* A day everyone would stay in doors without stepping out completely.