1 CHAPTER ONE

Saturday shopping was something she increasingly despised but her birthday was in a few hours time. She had decided to put off the shopping for the last minute because it was a Friday and her Best friend had agreed to go with her. Turning eighteen in a few hours was more than just another added year for her. It meant she would come to the full potential she needed and she would have to transform into a wolf at the next full moon. That was all she ever wanted. She smiled as she approached the house.

Bethany, the last child of a family of seven and the only girl has thought her life was just starting to fall in place. A happy family, four elder brothers who loved her and would do anything for her despite all the terrible things she has said to them out of anger. A father who treated her like she was a baby and a mom who was more caring than any other Mom. Harry, her eldest brother and the first child of the house was her first best friend. She was closer to him than any other person in the house. She could tell him anything and everything. She kept nothing from him. She was always calling him and texting him when he was in college. He was like a second father to her. He took care of everything for her. He did her assignments for her and made lunch when he was around to.

Hardin was the second born of the family and the second son. Hardin was always the one with the hard hand. He didn't treat her like a princess the way Harry did. He was more of a disciplinarian than any other person in the house. She knew he loved her with all his heart and he was going to do anything for her but he wasn't of the idea that everything should be done for her. He taught her how to fight, how to run, how to climb trees. He once transformed in to a wolf and asked her to defend herself against him. He was her combat partner. She remembered when she got bullied and she came home crying. She told Hardin, expecting him to do something in her defense. Instead, he locked her in her closet for hours and told her that her brothers wouldn't always be around to defend her. She had to learn how to fight back. He did go after the guy that bullied her though but she learned her lesson. She did come to him every time someone bullied her but only after she had tired to fight back. She discovered her special abilities earlier than anybody else because of his training and teaching. When she turned sixteen, he stopped being so hard on her. He probably decided that she was now grown and old enough to be reasoned with like an adult so that was what he did.

They did have training sessions though but he wasn't so hard on her anymore. Then Henry, the third child and the third son of the family. He was not like Harry or Hardin. He was just a bully. He bullied her on a daily basis. He did lobe her though, probably more than any of her brothers but he was never going to admit it even if his life depended on it. He was always this tough guy, eating her cookies and doing mean stuffs to her. She figured that he did them because she was the last born or something but he had gotten into a lot of trouble because he was defending her or fighting on her behalf. Different times has she gotten into a fight with him because he was a bully. She has said so many horrible things to him more than she has to any of her brothers. She ended up being sorry most times and had to apologize. He always smiled and hugged her at the end then continued with the bullying the next day. She was used to it now.

Funny thing was she was his comfort when he whenever having a hard time. He would always come to her and talk and cry and hug her until he felt better. She knew him better than anybody else did. Then finally, Hank. Hank was the last son and the fourth child of the house. Hank treated her like he was waiting for her to be born. He loved her immensely. If they were not siblings, they would be a couple. He did anything for her. He protected her from everybody. He wasn't going to let anybody touch her or mess with her. Growing up, he spent hours just babysitting her, not because he was asked to but because he enjoyed it. He would look at her and watch her so she doesn't get hurt or roll over from the bed. He even asked his parents that she should be put in his room just until she was old enough. He did love the idea of having a little sister. As they grew older, he was afraid of letting her go into the world. He wasn't ready for her to start school or to grow up all together. He just wanted his sister to be his sister forever. He remembered the first time she had told him about getting a boyfriend. He had snapped and said she did not need one for any reason. He didn't talk to her for days because she brought the idea up. He just loved her and he was willing to protect her from everybody, herself included. She had a wonderful family. She smiled to herself in the car and her best friend looked at her

"Why the hell are you smiling?"

"I don't know Diane, I just feel really lucky"

"Well, you are lucky. Your parents put in so much into this just because you wanted it. You're lucky but we are more lucky to have you"

"Thanks D"

She said, calling her by the initial of her name. She loved calling her D more than Diane. She just loved the letter D

"Do you think Yale would come tomorrow?"

"Must you worry about everything?" Diane answered her question with another question

"I am definitely not worried about it. I just want him there so bad"

"You know you would have to tell him how you feel sometime soon. You can't keep doing this to yourself. Who knows, he might feel the same way towards you and you would might be his mate"

"I sure hope I am"

She said as they pulled up in front of Diane's house. Since there was nobody to drive her about, she had ordered an Uber to take her to the mall. Diane hugged her before getting down

"I would call you after dinner"

She said as she waved at her. The car drove in. She got to her house and paid the driver. She could hear noises coming from inside. Who could that be? She wondered. Her house had always been so peaceful. If they had an argument, it was never this loud. They always found a way to settle their dispute silently. She opened the door and found the Alpha of Southside pack in their house, Cyrus, her best friend's dad. Why was he here and why was he arguing with her dad.

"What's going on?" She asked

"Go to your room Beth" Her dad ordered

She looked at the alpha and he looked back at her with uttermost disgust. She didn't understand. He has always been so nice to her, so warm and so loving. What changed? She wondered. Had she done something wrong? She decided to call Diane about it as ask her if everything was okay with her dad. She got on her bed and decided to ignore what just happened. She wasn't going to let anybody or anything ruin her mood. Tomorrow was her birthday and nothing way going to put her in a bad mood until it was over. She said. Dinner came and went and her father was extremely silent. She wanted to ask him why the alpha was here earlier and why he had gotten into an argument with him but she knew better. Her dad was an open person by nature, always expressing his feelings. He could barely keep a secret so if he did, it meant he was doing it for the good of everybody else. He was going to talk about it, sooner or later. It only took him a couple of silent moments before he spoke again and brought up a topic of discussion.

The family ate and laughed and talked about a lot over dinner like every other day. Dinner time was one of the times where they all had time to bond. There was no secret within them. Her Mom told her to go to bed early because of the activities of the next day. She had booked an appointment with the make up artist and it was an early appointment. Since it was home service, she was going to have to be tardy about it. Saturday finally came and she opened her eyes. She met everybody in her bedroom

"Happy birthday Bethany!!!" they screamed immediately she opened her eyes

She smiled. She knew it was going to be a great day. She had never felt so loved, so important. She threw her duvet over her head and tears flowed. Hank got on her bed and hugged her. He understood her better than anybody else. She wiped her eyes and came out from her hiding place. Her mom handed her a cake

"Make a wish" her mom said

She closed her eyes and made a wish in her mind before opening them and blowing out the candles.

"What did you wish for?" Henry asked

"Mind your own business" She said to him

The doorbell rang

"That should be the make up artist. You should have your bath and get ready. You should also give Diane a call to know if she would be having her make up done here or she would do it before she comes here. Everything else is ready. Happy birthday sweetie"

Her mom said as she hugged her. Very soon, everybody left her to get ready. She had her bath and the make up artist came in. After the make up was done, she decided to call Diane again. She called her the first time and got no response from her which was unlike her. The make up artist left and she picked up her phone immediately. She dialed Diane's number and she picked up almost immediately

"Hello? Where are you?" She asked

"Bethany?"

"Hey, what's wrong? Why are you crying D? Are you okay? Should I come over?"

"Beth…" her voice trailed off

"Get off the phone!"

That was the next thing Beth heard. She heard a crash and the line went off

"D! Hello? Are you still there?"

"It might be a prank" Bethany said as she tossed her phone to the other side of her bed. She sat in front of her mirror and decided to brush her hair back into place. She took her time in doing that because she thought her hair was straight so she took a curler and started to work in her hair. After that, she painted her nails and waited for it to dry up so she wouldn't ruin it. When it was almost dry, she decided to check on the rest of her family and check on how the preparations were coming up. She left her room. Everywhere was silent, way too silent. She ran down the stairs and went straight to the sitting room. She found her family, dead, in a pool of their own blood. Tears welled up in her eyes. She ran to her brother, Hardin. He was still alive, barely

"Who did this?" she cried. "How did this happen? I was just upstairs"

"Run Beth, run. Don't come back here, run"

"I am not leaving you. I can't leave you"

He coughed and blood came out of his mouth

"I can't last much longer Beth. You have to go. Live to fight for another day. Beth! Go"