SHADOW OF DECEPTION

I folded my body into a ball to protect me from the harsh elements battering my skin.The tiny, rundown shack I called home wasn't fit to be anybody's home, not even a rodent but I had no choice rather to accept it if I didn't want to sleep on the road.A sudden cough racked my chest, making me curl up even more.The heavy, cold winds were merciless against the weak woods of the house, and with each crack and groan the house made, I became even more scared so it didn't come crashing down on me.

Even the ratty, thin blanket I picked from the homeless shelter did little to provide me warmth and for the hundredth time this week, I wished I had died with my parents in the car crash that took their lives 10 years ago.My father was the former Alpha of the pack which I was to take from him but I was too little to control anything when they died.So a horrible, selfish, and greedy man named Tyler Lockwood took over as Alpha, and the peaceful loving town I'd known all my life crumbled like a pack of dirt before my very eyes.Tyler was a tyrant who did whatever he wanted without giving two damn about the consequences.Oh, and he loved to oppress anyone who dared stand against him.Maybe that was why he hated me so much, seeing as I went out of my way to defy every order he gave.That and I was a dud.A dud simply means a werewolf that cannot Change.Once a werewolf clocked 14/15 years, the Change phenomenon starts to set in. For late bloomers, it could start once it was 17 and they would come into their werewolf abilities.But not me.The years passed by with my mates Changing into their werewolf form, while I remained by the sidelines.I gradually gained a name around the town, with people staring at me differently, especially with my past.Everything just added up and now I was persona non grata. I couldn't eat in the pack house, my colleagues didn't like to talk or be seen with me, basically making me a lone wolf.For the first couple of years, I hated myself asking the Fates to take my life.Why was I rolled this dice of life but gradually I grew to accept it...after all, there was nothing I could do.I closed my eyes to shut out the world, taking a second to think only for me to open them what felt like minutes later to the bright rays of the sun shining down on my face.I groaned, rolling to avoid the heat but it still burned my back.Pushing to my feet, I padded barefoot out the door to check on my barrel of water.No one wanted me around in the main town, not even to hang around so I had no choice but to find a home on the outskirts of town, near the bank of a river covered by trees.Hunger had set in, my stomach growling loudly which was why I picked up my machete, tying my mask around my nose.A few minutes into the forest, I heard a loud sound like a boom.Immediately, I ducked in front of a nearby tree to protect myself.However, nothing else happened after that.My curiosity was peaked so I abandoned my food search, heading towards the source of the blast.Only to be tackled to the floor from the side, pressed flat on the ground.My protective instincts kicked in and I struggled against the stranger's hold, kicking, biting, and screaming.The stranger clamped his hand over my mouth to trap the shout."Can you just stop making so much noise?!" He grunted.I chomped down on his hand and he yelped.Rolling to my feet, I grabbed the nearest branch, holding it up like a weapon, breathing hard. "Who are you and what do you want?!"The guy smiled, showcasing his pearly whites.I was stumped for a moment.I was the one holding a weapon yet he was smiling?"Drop it, I'm not here to hurt you." He waved at my weapon, giving me an easygoing smile.I snorted. "Says the man who attacked me first.""I was trying to save your life." He pointed out. "The bomb you heard? A couple of bandits just arrived from shore, hoping to loot the town."I took a step back, checking the area up ahead. "Really?""Yeah, I overheard them talking about it." The guy shook his head, looking at the ground. I took a moment to appreciate how handsome he was, and even though I should be careful of strangers like my Mom used to warn me, I didn't care.To be honest, this is the most conversation I've had with anybody in a very long time."....saying something about werewolves and stuff." I tuned back in, missing out on what he was saying. "I'm sorry, you said...?"His blue eyes were kind, and they sparkled. "Nothing. I'm James, and you are?"He stretched out his hand, offering a handshake."Candace." I reached out to shake it.Like a fool and a woman who has been deprived of human contact, especially from the opposite sex, I fell into James's trap.We spent the next two hours traipsing around the forest, talking and chatting.He kept prodding into the affairs of the town which I should have suspected but I was too elated to pay attention to it.After gathering enough information, he said he had to get back, promising to come find me.My head was in the clouds and I spent the rest of my time dreaming about James.It was only when I was approaching town that the scales fell off my eyes.I ran forward, my mouth dropping open when I saw burning houses and dead bodies littering the street.Even worse, there was a small crowd gathered in front with Tyler standing in front of it.Muscling my way through to the front, I counted about ten men kneeling with their hands tied and head bowed. One in particular turned to face me and I gasped. "James?"I couldn't believe it, and neither could Tyler."You know them?" His voice was deadly.Yes," I replied eagerly without thinking. In a flash, Tyler's face grew red and he ordered his head to..."Seize her!" He bellowed.My heart just about stopped. What the hell was going on?