1 Chapter 1

The moonlight is just strong enough to illuminate my way as I navigate through the forest. The sounds of nature are all around me. Owls peer down at me from the trees, and I swat away the pesky insects that want to land on my skin. I wrap my cloak tighter around me as a brisk cold wind bursts through the trees. I look over my shoulder, senses heightened. I'm risking my life, right now, crossing through Were territory.

Let me tell you a little bit about Vale Law. The Vale Law Accord was signed by all the territories of the country of Vale. It dictates that travelers must use the main road provided by the country to conduct business and personal ventures. Protection is given by the King with the use of his King's Knights. Not using the main road and cutting through the other territories provides that territory with full right to claim your life and your goods, no matter what the reason.

The King's Knights are supposed to protect any and all travelers on the road from bandits, monsters, and enemies. For the last four years, the King's Knights have failed to do their job, and the King does nothing about it. Women are kidnapped and raped. Children are taken from their families and sold as slaves. People of magical nature (like me) are prone to get killed, regardless of our specialty. It's too dangerous to go on foot on the main roads.

I sigh, knowing this isn't going to be okay with the Weres that I'm just casually cutting through their land. They're extremely territorial, and there hasn't been a Were that I've met that doesn't love a good chase. Why did I think this was a good idea? Well, I didn't, but I didn't have much of a choice. If my horse wasn't stolen from me from the outpost I was just at, then I wouldn't be here. This is a huge risk for me to take, but an even bigger one if I took the main road.

"This sucks," I mutter, kicking a small rock and watching it skip across the ground. "Fucking assholes." I had provisions and potions on that horse, too, which didn't help. Everything I've saved up for the past six months was gone, and all that work was for nothing. I know I'm nowhere close to being off Were land and back into human territory.

A cold hand grasps my heart when I hear a branch break from behind me. I spin around, sucking in a breath as I search between the trees, wishing the moon was just a little brighter tonight. My body instantly feels it, the rumbling of the earth beneath my feet. I look up just in time to avoid getting tackled to the ground by a Were, their teeth bared and eyes angry.

"Shit!" The Were skids on the ground before turning back to me. I waste no time in putting myself in the opposite direction to avoid getting killed. I know I'm no match for the Were's speed. To slow him down, I manipulate the earth and burry their paws into the soil. They growl at me, pulling on their legs, but I've encased them in the ground below. I quickly set myself into a sprint, hoping I'm fast enough to escape.

This fear that flows through my body is one I have never felt before. Sure, I've felt the typical cold dread that settles in your gut when you have a knife at your throat, but this? Being chased through the forest? This is a whole different kind of fear, and it courses through my veins like fire and rises up the back of my throat like bile. My legs propel me as fast as they can as I try and dodge low hanging branches. The howl of the Were I've encased in the ground reverberates through the trees, and I know they're bringing reinforcements.

"I'm leaving, alright?!" I yell over my shoulder, jumping over a log in my way. "I promise!" I hear their snarls of anger in response, and I groan. They don't care. They just want to kill me. Which they have every right to. I know that for me to escape unscathed, I have to use my magic. My mind races, trying to think of something that wouldn't destroy the forest or hurt any of the Weres. Being a nature mage has its benefits, but also it's negatives.

Like I can't just teleport out of here. Which would be really nice right about now.

"Oh, my Goddess, I'm such an idiot!" I skid to a stop, spinning around just in time to lift myself with the air around me. The Were that was right behind me growls and snaps at my feet. I grimace at the thought of what would have happened if I was any slower. I raise myself higher, just out of their grasps as they snarl and growl at me from the ground below.

"I am leaving, okay? I'm sorry for trespassing," I turn to leave, heading for the river when something suddenly whizzes through the air. I turn around just in time to avoid a knife being thrown at me. A second later, another is whizzing by me.

"What the hell?" I dodge another knife, and it lodges in the trunk of a tree nearby. I yank it out of the tree and instantly know by the craftsmanship and the white handle, that these are Elven knives. Another whizzes past me, and I look down at the ground to see the elf. His pointy ears give him away as he glares up at him, preparing another knife in his hands.

What the hell is an Elf doing on Were land? And why are they after me and not him? The elf aims again, but I'm taken by surprise by the size of the weapon he's just thrown at me. Instead of little throwing knives, this is a dagger, and I misjudge the trajectory, and it knicks my cheek. I cry out in shock and pain, my hand instantly going to my face. My concentration is disrupted, and my air ride evaporates as I begin to fall to the forest floor. I cry out, gathering as much magic as I can to resume what I started, but it's too late.

My body hits the forest floor with a thud, pain exploding in my shoulder, and all the air is knocked out of my lungs, preventing me from conjuring my magic. I curl myself into a ball, struggling to catch my breath, and waiting for death, but nothing happens. I open my eyes to see a circle of Were's all around me, growling and snarling, but they aren't attacking. Wheezing, I sit up, conjuring up a small flame in my hands to protect myself. My shoulder buzzes with pain, but my adrenaline is running too high for me to notice.

"Don't even think about it, mage," I turn towards the voice, my eyes instantly landing on the sharp blade pointed at me. I follow it up to its owner, and the Elf narrows his eyes at me. His piercing white eyes stand out against his already white skin. Elves are expert weapon wielders, and some can even use magic. This one doesn't seem to be able to do that, thankfully, otherwise, I'd be in more trouble.

"What..." I cough, still trying to catch my breath. "A lady can't protect herself?" He glares at me.

"You're trespassing," he states, and I roll my eyes. I look around at all the Weres, a total of fifteen surround me, their eyes angry and hungry. Were's aren't cannibals though, so I'm not too worried about them trying to eat me. Killing, on the other hand, they excel at that.

"Yes, I am aware," I put my flame out and get onto my feet, groaning at the pain my shoulder. The Elf continues to hold his sword towards my throat. I keep my hands up. "I was trying to leave."

"Cutting through Were territory is forbidden by Vale Law, mage, you know this," he glowers at me, and I glance at the Were's around me as they growl.

"My horse was stolen at the last outpost," I explain. "And I very well can't travel on the main roads without transportation, you know this, Elf." He scowls at me.

"That is no excuse-"

"And what are you doing on Were lands anyway? Weres hate Elves," I point out, the Weres around me growl as their eyes cut to him. I can't help but laugh, knowing I was right. "And what are they doing, following orders from you?" The Weres look back at me, growling.

"I am the one asking questions here, not you," the Elf snaps.

"And who put you in charge, the alpha?" I laugh at the thought, and that's when I make my move. All at once, I let out a burst of my magic, a hard and heavy air current sends the Weres and Elf flying. Beginning to feel fatigued, I gather as much of my magic as I can and wrap myself up with the air around me and launch myself towards the trees. The Were's begin howling again, and I force my magic to get me the hell out of here. I shake my head at the exhaustion that begins to plague my body.

I weave through the trees, and I hear one of the Elf's knives whiz past me, missing me by inches. I look down towards the forest floor and see a lone caramel-colored Were chasing after me. I look behind him and don't see him or the Elf anywhere close. What was this one Were doing, chasing me?

I suddenly gasp as an overwhelming amount of fatigue and drowsiness grips my body, and I can feel myself lowering to the ground. No! Not now! Not when my life depended on it! I reach into my satchel, looking for the small vile that is only needed in emergencies, but my hand instantly recoils at the prick on my finger. My hand returns with a small drop of blood streaking down my finger.

"Fuck!" I snap, realization settling in my mind. The vile broke during my fall, and now I have no way of using any magic until I can rest up. Black dots begin to swirl in my vision, and my feet touch the ground, sending me rolling through the dirt. The earth disrupts all around me as I come to a stop. I try to get up, stumbling over a log and resting behind it, trying to catch my breath. A loud thud dulls from the trunk, and I look over it to see one of the Elf's knives embedded in the bark.

"Shit," I mutter, looking up as the Elf and Were skid in front of me. The Elf grabs his sword and starts to head towards me, when the Were growls at him, teeth bared. This Were is larger than the rest, and dread settles in my fatigued body. This is the Alpha of the pack. I'm a dead mage now. He continues to growl at the Elf until he sheathes his sword, eyes narrowed in anger.

"I am doing the job you asked of me, Sir," the Elf snaps, and the alpha only growls back in response. "You have no use for a mage, much less one of her abilities." The alpha growls again, low and commanding. I use the last bit of my magic, as weak as it is, to send a small fireball towards the Elf. He cries out in surprise as he gets knocked off his feet. I can't help but laugh as I slump against the log. One last laugh before I'm killed. The alpha turns to me, and as my eyes lift to his, my breath is lost again.

Through my heavy lids, he comes closer, and I know death is imminent. I never expected that this would be how I'd die. Okay, that's a lie. I knew I'd die doing something that would get me in trouble or something stupid, but this? At the mouth of a Were? I wouldn't believe you if you told me. He approaches, eyes filled with confusion and dismay.

"Don't... Come any... Closer," I warn, the warmth of sleep waining on me. Flames flicker on my fingertips, and the alpha's eyes snap to it before he looks back at me. "I... I will... Hurt you." He takes another step towards me, and I try to muster up my magic, but my supply is empty.

"Damn it," my hand grabs the hilt of the Elven knife, but I'm too weak to pull it out. The Were comes closer, and I look up at him in fear, but his eyes are soft. This takes me by surprise and even more so when he sits in front of me, head tilted to the side as he studies me.

What is he waiting for? Why is he only looking at me? The Elf stands beside the alpha, brushing the burnt parts of his clothing off. He glares at me then looks at the Were.

"Let me do it, Sir," he says, but the Were doesn't respond, only continues to look at me. My eyes drop closed, and I struggle to keep them open. At least I won't die a painful death and that they'll kill me while I'm asleep. That sounds much nicer than being slaughtered like a boar. I let myself fall asleep, the warmth of its embrace is a comfort. As I drift off into the dreamscape, the Were's eyes are burned into my memory, their magnetic hue is imprinted in my mind.