Prologue

Nura

After being in and out of the hospital, away from the poking and prodding. Away from both doctors calling me unstable and unsafe, I thought I would spend some quality time with my loving husband and precious daughter. Not to be lectured by Koray to go back to that accursed hospital, telling me that I wasn't well.

"I was confirmed cancer free a year ago. I'm fine, I feel fine." I declared.

"Sterling told me of the incident with Senay yesterday. I saw what you did." He gave me a look I had thought I would be safe from here.

"I'm not crazy Koray. It was only a misunderstanding, that's all." I pleaded.

"How is biting a good chunk of her arm and pulling out handfuls of her hair, just a misunderstanding?" He asked mildly.

"I don't have to take this from you." I said, now trembling with anger.

He sighed. "I just want you to get better. If these episodes come back, it's not safe for Alayne."

I closed my eyes and leaned on a bookshelf, thinking of our daughter. She was eleven now and a beautiful girl. I eased the tension from my nerves, thinking of Alayne, she got most of her traits from her father, the shape of her eyes and nose were nearly identical. But you could see me in her, from her snow white hair to her small delicate ears. I was proud of her and wanted to do better for her, this clan didn't deserve her. Nor did they deserve her father that was so blindly loyal to them.

I tried to find the words to convince him of my sanity, that I would never harm our precious child. The door to the study opened however, startling me and triggering something and everything went black.

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Two years pass

The last few years have been utter hell. I have been subjected to test after test, been told by numerous 'experts' that I was unstable and a danger to society, and have been separated from Koray through all of it. No more I say, I'm going to stop my madness from the source.

Opening the bedroom door, I tightened my grip on the knife I had gotten from my kitchen. It took me a while to find them as they had been moved since the last time I was here. The evil entity I had spawned thirteen years ago slept peacefully in it's bed, unaware of the danger. The thing that I had nurtured without knowing it's true identity. Once I rid myself of this evil, I could go back to Koray and have the family we've always wanted.

I creeped into the demon's lair, prepared to cure my ailment. Before I could plunge my knife into it's dark heart, a figure tackled me from behind. I rolled over and stood to see Koray, the love of my life, my everything, standing there. He looked at me with shock in his beautiful blue eyes.

"What are you doing here?" He whispered as if trying not to wake the monstrosity.

"I'm saving us. That demon has caused too much harm already." I responded with crazed fervor.

Tears stream down his face. "Love, that is our daughter."

I shook my head with a sigh. "It's deceived you, my dear. I know how convincing it can be, but I know the truth now and it can no longer lie to us."

He choked back a sob. "Please let me take you back to the hospital. They can help you." He pleaded.

"They can't do what must be done. Everything will be better when I absolve this blight from our lives. Koray, let me save myself." I manically preached.

"I can't let you harm our child Nura." He spoke with steel in his voice.

I flinched. "You would choose that monster over me? After everything we've been through?" My grip on the knife hardened. "What lies has it told you?"

He let out a heartbroken sigh. "I love you with my everything Nura, but I won't let you go through with this insane plan."

I rubbed my face in frustration. Why was he being difficult? Could he not see that I was doing this for us? Realizing that I could not save him from the demon's grasp my heart broke.

"Then you are just an obstacle." His eyes widen from shock as I ran at him head on. He nimbly side stepped from me and grabbed my arm, pulling it tight against my back, effectively grappling me. I struggled in his grip, cursing myself. I knew of his combat expertise, knew that I was no match in a straight fight. I sagged in defeat and whimpered his name.

He drew in a sharp breath and slightly relaxed his grip, giving me an opportunity to slice his arm and push away. I turned to see him grasp his arm, now bleeding profusely. His soft eyes grew hard as he glared at me. Inside I cringed from his gaze, but I only grinned. "Is this the mighty hunter? Growing soft when a woman turns on the charm."

He tore the bottom of his sleeve to wrap his arm. With tenderness in his eyes, he whispered. "I won't hurt you."

"That's why this won't be a fair fight, love." I said, though I was warmed by his statement.

He made the first move, catching me off guard. He deftly moved forward with a feint charge. It would have worked if he was actively cooperating with his wolf familiar, who charged headstrong to my right out of adrenaline. In a last ditch effort, I did the unthinkable and sliced open his furry companion.

My husband, the love of my life, made an inhuman shriek of pain. My mind shifted as I turned to Koray. He was on his knees with a hand to his heart. In morbid awe, I watched as he began retching, interrupted with unintelligible muttering.

A quiet whimper came from the bed. Kill the demon, my mind told me. Walking forward to fulfill the demand, I found myself once again stopped by Koray. Only he didn't seem the same, his eyes had gone ice cold, his face to stone.

"How could you?" His voice was low, hoarse with grief.

"Daddy?" Said a young voice, laced with fear.

Koray, distracted by the demon, didn't notice me taking the final steps toward the bed. When I got near enough to strike, it's own wolf familiar that was awoken by the demon's voice, sunk it's teeth into my bare throat.

The last thing I remembered before everything turned black, was that my baby girl was safe, and that Koray may someday forgive me.