Chapter 1
“Silent, unspoken words fill my head. Words I wish I could speak, but my voice is no longer allowed to be heard. I am to be permanently silent. My so-called “mother” and her new loser husband regret even being forced to have me in their lives. How they wish they could just be rid of me. I am the only Lycan in a house full of humans. Hunter’s to be exact, and while my so-called “mother” knows this, she refuses to acknowledge it. So I am forced to be “invisible” in the family, especially when they have their big get together’s. Every year they host a “Hunter’s Ball”, to trade equipment and tricks as well as younger hunters are “forced” together in arranged relationships to keep the “Hunters” from going extinct. A way to make sure there will be plenty of future generaions. The main conversation during the entire event is usually about catching and killing everything supernatural. Sounds super fun right?
Of course, I am never allowed to attend; and it’s not because our house is welcomed to well over three thousand Hunters, and my incubator is afraid for my supernatural safety. I am not allowed because in my step loser’s eyes, I am a disgrace to the world and I am better not seen or heard. After he and my mother got married, he made sure to remind me every single day just what kind of “monster” I was. He even began showing me just how bad he hated me and my kind when he started beating me. Beating is a very nice word compared to the truth honestly. It was more like torture! Chains, silver, wolfsbane...just to name a few.
The next party is in a few days and while I am forced to get the preparations done by myself; my step loser is downstairs in the basement getting my room ready with chains and locks to keep me hidden. Let’s not forget the Wolfsbane as an extra precaution. ( Talk about the typical werewolf irony!) Idiot! I couldn’t wait for the day I could finally be free to let my wolf out perminately long enoug to rip his throat out. Just the thought had my wolf bouncing around on her paws in excitement. “Easy Sydney. Let’s not get too excited about wanting to kill someone.” I linked to my wolf who mentally rolled her eyes and kept on bouncing around in my head.
This year however is different. This year my “mother” and step-loser have invited not only any Hunter they physically could, but they have invited the Lycan community. Rumor is that the Hunters want to try and form an alliance against the rogue werewolves and the vampires, but I know the truth. They are all about power, and my “mother” and step-loser want to gain an alliance so they are easier to kill. Keep your friends close but your enemies closer, right? Even I couldn’t deny my wolf’s thoughts. Something bad was gonna happen... “I don’t think this is a good idea.” My wolf growled lowly. Shaking out her fur before laying down in the back of my mind, giving me a deadly glare. ”I know Syd. Just try and relax. Let’s not bring any unwanted attention to ourselves.” I linked back. I could feel her, in the back of my mind suddenly growl and roll her eyes. I couldn’t help but reciprocate her actions, rolling my own eyes.
I love my wolf but she had her moments when she really just aggravated the crap out of me and I mentally wanted to just scream at her. I padded around my room a few more minutes before I had to take my place downstairs in the basement, pretending to not exist. It always got boring down there, so I settled for grabbing a few notebooks and a few Richelle Mead books to keep me occupied. (Talk about another irony)! A werewolf reading a book series on vampires....made perfect sense.
“Tayden! Get up here now!” My “mother’s” voice called from upstairs. I groaned slowly, dreading even walking up the steps. Why couldn’t I have died right beside my father that night? I rushed up the steps and into the dining room, where the servants were hastily placing plates and making everything perfect. “Tayden this is a very important night! We are expecting more guests than usual so it is very vital that you stay out of the way this time. You are not to leave the basement for any reason. Do I make myself clear?” I glared at my “mother” with a tired expression. “Your mother is right! This will be life-changing if everything goes as planned. This alliance is essential to everyone’s safety.” My step loser had to butt in. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. His very voice pissed me off and made me want to gag. “You are not to leave the basement until everyone leaves.” He said flatly.“Jackass!” I thought to myself. I hated my step-loser more than anything!
A few years earlier, when I had first made contact with my wolf, it had scared me. I was left in the basement chained to a wall to figure out what was going on myself, and I crashed their party upstairs. Looking back now it was funny; but every year after that, I was given rations for when I got hungry so that I could literally be locked in the basement the entire time. Yep, that’s my so-called “family”. “Natalie will need something to wear Derek so we should go into town to get her some new clothes.” My “mother” smiled her fake smile, that my step loser just ate up. He looked from her, then back to me. Without saying a word he roughly took my arm and manhandled me towards the basement door, throwing me down the steps before locking the door behind me.
