(14 years later)

  "Morning Eve." I glanced up at the speakers and placed the book I was reading on the table beside me.

  "Hello Dr. Kahled, how are you this fine morning?" I asked as I spun in my chair so I could look through the large glass window. Dr. Kahled was an old man with hair so white that it seemed silver when he stood under light. In his hands he had the usual: a folder, a pen and a small metal tin with my tablets in. He opened a small slot in the metal door next to the glass window and slid the tin into my room. I watched as it skidded across the smooth floor and ended next to my feet.

  "I will be much happier when I see you take those tablets, Eve." I picked up the tin and counted the number of multicolored tablets. Five, just like usual. I placed them on the table and grabbed a glass of water from the filtered jug that was already prepared for me this morning.

  "How are my parents?" I asked as I dropped the tablets into my palm and then quickly chucked them into my mouth, washing them down with a glass of water. I saw Dr. Kahled nod with appreciation when I walked over to the door and slid the tin back to the other side.

  "Well done Eve. Your parents, they are very well. They were quite busy as you know preparing for the annual hunt." He paused as if he was remembering something. "Of course they will be coming down to see you later today."

I nodded and watched as the doctor bid me goodbye and slowly walked away, leaving me staring out of the window at an empty room.

★☾★

  "You know something Eve; I just don't understand why they can't get you a mobile phone. I mean it's just the most logical thing in the world isn't it. Get your Dad to buy you a phone so I don't have to bloody walk a mile to see my best friend," Gemma rants.

I burst into giggles as I watch Gemma's face slowly change colours before she ends up looking like a tomato ready to burst.

  "What? Why are you laughing?" I just shake my head.

"I think the whole phone thing is really just because it's one less thing to sterilise." Gemma rolls her eyes and takes a seat in the opposite room. For a second I forget that there is a glass window separating us and I imagine us sitting together in my room, joking around and being typical teenagers. But then I reach forward and I place a hand on the window and I feel the sharp coldness of the glass and my imagination shatters into fragments.

Gemma sees my face fall and she reaches forward and places her hand opposite me.

  "Hey, one day you will get out of here and that day I will take you everywhere. First I will take you to Mora's and we will order the double sundae, chocolate chip fudge with marshmallows on top." I sigh as I feel my mouth water. "Then we will go shopping and then we will hit the cinema and watch whatever movie you want to."

I smile. "And then..."

Gemma lets out a short laugh before leaning in so close that her breath fogs up the glass. "...And then we will go to the forest and I will show you my wolf."

I let out a yelp and jump from the chair, clapping my hands in the air. It might seem pathetic that I live in a pack of werewolves and I have never seen a person transform into their wolf.

My excitement however gets too much and I have to stop to dry heave when a pain starts in my chest.

  "Woah Eve, are you alright?" I can see Gemma standing up, her hands splayed across the glass and her green eyes wide in fear.

I hold my hand up, taking a second to get my breath back. "I'm fine, just a tad too excited."

I hear a door opening and then, "Gemma, hello sweetie." It was mum and I look up just in time to catch my mother's anxious gaze.

  "Sweetheart, what's wrong?" My mum runs over to the window, nearly pushing Gemma over, just to get close enough to put her hands against the glass and to watch me with wide blue eyes. "Should I get Dr Kahled?" I shake my head and sigh.

  "No mum, I'm fine. Gemma and I were talking about the places we were going to go to when I get better." I turn away, not wanting to watch as my mother's face crumples and her eyes fill with tears.

We all knew that the chance of me getting better and being allowed out of the sterile room was close to zero, but that didn't stop me dreaming. I dreamed that one day I will feel the grass beneath my feet, be able to look up and see the endless blue sky and feel the icy wind in my hair. But as I looked around the room, noticing the plain white walls and the freshly made bed and the spotless white tiles on the ground my heart broke once, twice and three times.

  "Well I think that will be soon my darling; I spoke with Dr Kahled and he seems to believe you're making great progress." I smile and turn around, faking happiness though I know she's lying.

  "Have you finished the preparations for the Hunt?" I ask, deciding it's time to change the subject. Gemma jumps up and down beside my mother, filled with excitement.

  "Oh my gosh I can't wait! It's better than Christmas," Gemma screeches and my mother narrows her eyes at the overexcited girl.

  "Yes, well I have done everything on my part and your father is busy prepping everything else," Mum says as she folds her arms over her chest.

I nod my head. "Is Daddy coming to see me later?" I ask, hoping that he will be able to come before he goes on the Hunt. Mum smiles, nodding her head.

  "Yes of course. He's just a bit busy at the moment Eve, but he will come down before the Hunt begins."

Gemma excuses herself after looking at her watch.

  "Oh shoot! Eve I've got to run. Mum asked me to grab something from the shops and if I don't leave now they are all going to be closed in a few hours." I smile and wave as she runs out of the room, leaving me and my mother alone.

  "I swear Mum, every time I see Gem, she gets prettier each time."

Mum laughs as she pulls up a plastic chair and sits opposite me. Her blonde hair is tied up into a bun and her blue eyes shine brightly as she smiles.

  "Honey I think the same about you." I giggle and take a seat on the floor as I can't be bothered to pull up a chair. "No, I'm being serious, it feels like just yesterday when I had you in my hands and now look at you. My little princess is nearly twenty-two." I blush, and rock myself back and forth.

  "What did you think of me when you first found me?" I ask and look up to meet my mother's warm gaze. I had always known that I was adopted. I mean my mother had blonde hair and blue eyes, my father had brown hair and grey eyes and there was me with the black hair and brown eyes. Oh and of course, they were werewolves and I a human.  I would have been beyond stupid to think I was biologically related to them.

But to me it didn't matter, they were my parents and I their daughter.

Mum purses her lips and looks up at the ceiling.

  "I thought you were the most gorgeous baby ever. You had the biggest brown eyes and the chubbiest cheeks. But you were so ill, so very sick and that made me scared. I had never felt as maternal in my life as you made me feel in that second I held you. It didn't matter that someone else gave birth to you because to me you were my daughter and I finally had you in my hands." She sighs and looks regretfully at me.

  "And now, my heart breaks every day because I can't hold you the way I did then."

A tear rolls down my cheek and I don't have the energy to wipe it away so it rolls and rests on my chin.

I raise my hand and place it on the glass.

  "One day, mum. One day."

She nods her head but I can see the lack of faith in her eyes as she repeats, "One day."

★☾★

"Is it true?"

I stirred awake and opened my eyes. The light in my room was turned off but the room opposite the glass was still lit up and I could hear my father's voice. Just as I was about to sit up I heard another voice - Dr Kahled.

  "Yes. She isn't getting any better, in fact it seems like she is getting worse and there is nothing we can do to prevent it."

My father let out a growl and I decided it would be better to stay in the bed, pretending to be asleep.

  "So what is your plan?" my father asked the Doctor.

  "The next step I believe is to ask Eve. It's time she took control of her own life." My eyes flew open and I stayed still, lying motionless as I continued to listen to my father argue with the Doctor.

  "Are you suggesting that I let my daughter die?" he growled. "Are you telling me that you can't save the Alpha's daughter?!" My father's snarls made my hairs stand on end and I tried to maintain my breathing.

There was a loud 'thud' and a frightened gasp and I quickly sat up slightly and watched with wide eyes as my father grabbed Dr Kahled by the neck and pushed him up against the wall. Even though there wasn't much light to judge by, I could clearly see the blood drain from the Doctor's face and an overwhelming urge to stop my father and to save the Doctor built up in my body.

  "You are lucky that you are good at your job, otherwise I would have no problem letting my wolf rip you into shreds." My dad let go of Dr Kahled who quickly slid down the wall and crumpled onto the floor. I quickly fell back into my bed and closed my eyes tightly, feigning sleep.

  "Don't you dare mutter a word about what we discussed to the Luna or to my daughter. If you do I will rip out your tongue and feed your dead body to the dogs."  My heart thumped against my chest like an African drum and I held my breath praying for Dr Kahled's safety. I had never seen my father so angry and suddenly I realised why he was the Alpha of the biggest pack in the country.

There was a silence before, with a final growl, my father left the room.

★☾★

That night I didn't sleep. I tossed and turned but sleep evaded me and finally when I did manage to close my eyes it was already morning and Dr Kahled was outside my room with the usual tin of tablets.

However this time it was different.

I stared at the five tablets in my hand and then glanced over to Dr Kahled who watched me carefully. I noticed a fading blue bruise around his neck but knowing what happened last night I decided not to ask.

I sighed, what was the point in these tablets if I wasn't getting better? Dr Kahled noticed my unusual hesitation and approached the glass.

  "Eve, you must take the tablets," he said, worry lacing his voice.

He had every right to be worried. Not for my health but for his. If my father found out I wasn't taking my tablets he would think that Dr Kahled had told me about the lack of progress in my health and that would be enough for my father to carry out last night's threat. However as I stared at the pills in my hands I couldn't find the strength to put them into my mouth.

Why? Why should I?

Dr Kahled knocked on the glass trying to get my attention but I ignored him and placed the pills back in the metal tin and left them on the table before turning to the Doctor.

  "Can you please call in my parents?" I asked, while Dr Kahled looked around confused.

   "Yes of course I can Eve, but first take your tablets." He nodded to the table but I shook my head.

  "No, I want to speak with my parents first." There was a silence.

   "Eve I think it's better if yo-" I interrupted him.

   "Dr Kahled, remember who you are talking to. Despite my respect for you, you will understand that I am the Alpha's daughter and if you want to keep your life you will listen to me." My voice had managed to stay levelled and I watched as fear flashed in his eyes before he bowed and apologised. Regret pulsed through my body. Oh God I feel so bad. I hate using my status to gain advantage on others but in situations such as this, my title was the only power I had.

  "I will bring your parents as soon as I can." And with that the Doctor rushed off, leaving me staring into an empty room.

★☾★

My parents stood opposite me and I smiled at both of their apprehensive faces. It had been so long since I had seen my parents together in the same room, standing side by side looking like the powerful couple they were known as. Even as a human I could still feel the power radiate off them.

  "Eve?" My father started and my eyes locked with his grey orbs. I had always envied my parents' eyes. My mother's blue ones enhanced her gorgeous looks and my father's clear grey ones made it look like he could see into your soul. My brown ones were nothing compared to theirs.

  "Darling what's wrong?" my mother asked.

I closed my eyes and sighed.

  "I want to stop my medication."

Silence.

   "No," both my parents answered in unison and I held back a smile.

I approached the glass and held my palm against it. I glanced to my mother and knew that what I was going to say next was going to break her heart.

  "Daddy, I heard you talking to Dr Kahled last night." My mother looked at my father with questions lingering in her eyes. "I heard him tell you that there was no hope and that I wasn't getting better. He said it was up to me to choose what to do and I choose to stop the medication and leave the sterile room."

My mother gasped as she fell to her knees. I could see her cry, and in pain I clutched my chest; my heart was breaking but thinking logically I knew this was the right decision.

"Dr Kahled said a lot of things but I assure you by the time I am finished with him he won't be saying anything." There was a growl in his voice and I watched as his eyes turned obsidian. It was frightening but I knew he wouldn't hurt me.

  "Don't!" I pleaded. "Daddy please don't hurt him. He has saved my life on several occasions. You know that without him I wouldn't even be standing here." I watched the normal colour of his eyes return as his fist unclenched.

  "No...No. No." I crouched down by my mother. "I'm not letting you leave this room Eve, never, ever. Not until you are well enough."

I smiled and wiped a tear from my face.

  "But mum, I'm never going to get better. I haven't felt the wind or the grass beneath my feet for 14 years. It's been so long I don't even know what the outside world looks like." My mother continued to cry, but I knew she was crying for me. She was crying for the things I had missed, the dreams I never achieved, the life I never lived and I cried with her too. I cried until my dress was drenched, until my throat hurt and until there were no more tears left.

My father gathered my mum into his arms and I watched the mate bond in action as he kissed her head and whispered sweet nothings into her ears until finally she too had stopped crying.

  "I can't..." my mum finally whispered and I understood what she meant.

   "But you must, mum. You must because you have controlled my life for 22 years and now it's time I take control.  Death is inevitable but if I die without even living how pitiful is that? I want to live mother, not just survive."

★☾★

"What did you think of the movie?" Gemma asks as she links her arm through mine and we walk down the street.

I had done it.

I had finally made it out of the sterile room and eaten the chocolate sundae and went shopping and watched a movie at the cinema. My dreams were slowly being pursued one step at a time and I was forever grateful to my parents for letting me finally leave. I was still in the pack territory, but after countless times begging, my father had allowed me to go out with Gemma.

Just Gemma and I.

There were no guards, no Doctors, no protective parents, just me and my best friend.

  "I don't know," I reply as I kick a rock with my feet, "it was too cheesy for me. Too hopelessly romantic. I mean the main guy did not deserve the girl but at the end of the story they both end up getting married and having kids. How unrealistic." Gemma bursts into giggles as she dances around me.

  "Eve, I'm a freaking werewolf. I'm not realistic but I still exist."

  "True, true," I reply amidst laughing. The wind picks up slightly and I shiver, earning a worried glance from Gemma. I shake my head. "I'm fine. I am just enjoying this feeling of freedom."

Gemma remains silent before she rolls her eyes.

  "That was your mother again, asking if you were fine." I smile, tightening my grip on Gemma's arm. Because Gemma is a wolf, she can communicate with the pack using a mind link, but since I am a human I don't have that advantage.

  "Tell her I'm fine, that I am having the time of my life."

  "I already did," Gemma replies as she pulls me down onto a bench, facing the forest. She lays her head on my shoulder and closes her eyes.

  "You have no idea how much I wanted to do this with you. Things like shopping and watching a movie with your best friends are so insignificant but when you can't do them you finally realise the true value of it."

I close my eyes as well, feeling a painful pinch in my chest.

  "I'm sorry; you got a defect like me as a friend. Not only am I just a human, I am also a pathetic little human whose body can't even work by itself." Gemma silences me with a hug.

  "Don't say that. You are the most powerful human I know. For goodness sakes you are the Alpha's daughter and not just any Alpha's but the Alpha of Crescent Moon. You have no idea what that title means."

We sit in silence for a while longer watching as the sky begins to darken.

  "Shall we?" Gemma finally says, making me alert again.

   "What?" I ask in confusion as I notice the amused glint in her eyes.

   "Shall I show you my wolf?"

I screech in excitement as I jump up and drag Gemma into the woods, laughing and giggling as we both run through the forest. It was always something I had wanted to see. Because I can't do it myself, I want to watch someone else transform. The idea of a wolf emerging from a human body seems magical and impossible and before I leave this world it is something I want to witness for myself.

We reach a clearing, where the soft forest bed squelches beneath our feet and I glance up to meet Gemma's gaze.

  "Now please promise me you won't freak out," she whispers and I roll my eyes.  Freak out? Is she crazy? I have waited my whole life for this moment and even if the world was ending or we were being attacked by zombies I would still stay to the end.

Gemma takes off her large overcoat which reached her knees and hands it to me and I hold it tight against my chest. She then kicks off her shoes and keeps her eyes on me as she clicks her neck side to side. Then she reaches forward and crouches against the ground and suddenly it happened.

The hairs on my arms stood tall as I heard the snapping and rearranging of bones in Gemma's body. It looked so unnatural but at the same time so natural and I couldn't look away as her body elongated and dark brown hair sprouted over her body. Her hands became paws with long claws and her mouth changed into a snout. A tail grew and the only thing 'Gemma-like' was her eyes which still remained a startling green.

My jaw dropped in awe as the wolf approached me slowly as if not to scare me.

  "I'm not scared Gemma," I whisper as I reach out my hands and place them on the soft fur of the wolf. Stroking her I notice that the wolf is the same height as me; it makes me smile.

  "You are so beautiful," I say and I wonder if she can understand me.

Gemma bends down and for a second I am confused until I realise she is telling me to climb onto her back. I shake my head. "No way. I'm too heavy and I could hurt you."

What I say seems to make her laugh as she sticks her tongue out and wags her tail. She nudges me continuously until I have no option apart from gently pulling myself onto her back. I hold onto her fur, gently, because I am scared I will hurt her and she slowly begins to trod throughout the forest. I laugh as I feel her pick up speed and holding onto her fur tighter I feel her body move beneath me. The taut muscles stretching and pulling as she sprints through the forest, dodging trees at lightning speed which makes my breath catch in my throat. She is not afraid at all and I know that in reality she could be running at a faster pace but she is restraining herself for my sake. Eventually, after a long time of racing through the vast forest, she slows down and we stop near a lake and I get off her back. She shifts back and I hand her back her coat and shoes before pulling her into a hug.

  "Oh my goodness!"I scream. "That was bloody amazing."

Gemma laughs as we both sit down by the lake and let our feet dangle in the icy water. We don't recognise the hours going past as we enjoy the silence and talk to each other about everything and nothing.

★☾★

"Eve, we have to go home now," Gemma says as she stands while I pout and stare into the distance watching the sunset.

  "I don't want to go back yet," I whisper, knowing fully that she is listening. Gemma strokes my hair and sits back down next to me.

  "We can do this again tomorrow if you want," she offers and I nod my head but I know she is unsure herself.

Throughout the day I have been getting sicker. Even though I am still standing and laughing I can feel my skin burn and my head pound. I am becoming weaker and every time a pain kicks in my body I regret leaving the sterile room, only for a second though because as soon as I feel a wince of regret I quickly shake the thought from my mind. How could I ever regret such an amazing evening?

  "Alright," I whisper as I stand up watching curiously as Gemma stands tall, her eyes wide in what looks like fear.

  "What's wrong?" I ask as I step closer to her.

  "Don't move Eve," Gemma whispers, fear truly showing through her voice, "I can't believe I didn't notice this before. Oh shit, what am I going to do?" Gemma is panicking now, her face losing all colour and beads of sweat gathering at her hairline.

  "What's wrong?" I ask again, getting worried myself. Gemma's frantic eyes turn to me.

  "There is a territory boundary here. I can sense it because it is so strong, but I don't know where it is."

  "Well then let's just move away from here," I reply.

  "But I don't know in which direction Eve. The boundary seems to be all around us and I fear that if we move in the wrong direction we might cross the boundary and be trespassing."

Oh shit.