Author's Note

Something random that I'm writing, inspired by a previous work on here that I never continued. Let's see where things go, huh? A comment, like, and following is always appreciated! Read it fast, cause I'm probably going to place it on Amazon since I've been here for six years and haven't seen a cent!  

Sunday mornings were spent lazing around the Godspeed's property. With four-hundred acres unfolding in every direction, there was no lack of entertainment to the peaceful pack of thirty-eight.

Tansy Godspeed grew up with these idle days, and, until this morning, she assumed she would spend the remainder of her life enjoying Sunday mornings in peace and quiet.

For Tansy, it wasn't unusual for her mother to pull her out of bed early. It meant they had time to run to the market for breakfast or enjoy the early sun in the garden. Her mother passed down her greenthumb, and together, they created an acreage of vegetation for the pack to share.

But, this morning proved to be different.

Upon waking, her mother roughly shook Tansy into consciousness, forcibly pulling the nineteen-year-old out of her dreams. Her warm hands stayed on Tansy's shoulders, even after her eyes shot open.

"Sweetheart," she spoke in a soft voice. The light from outside was hardly filtering through Tansy's thin curtains. It was early early. "Come downstairs with me, Tansy. Quickly, please." Despite her mother's tender smile, there was something off in her expression. Her words seemed rushed, despite the careful control she attempted to maintain.

Despite taking command of the Birch Grove Pack as High Alpha at the young age of twenty-four, her mother grew into her role gracefully. She was a tall woman with willowy features. Her long dark hair grew past her shoulders and reminded Tansy of raven feathers. This morning, she wore her nightclothes, as if she only just rose from bed.

"Alright," Tansy said in a quick breath. She turned around in her bed, until her face dug into her pillow and her body curled away from her mother's offending hand. "Just, five more minutes though, momma."

"No," her mother disagreed. "Up, now."

Her mother hardly used harsh tones, but today, she stared at Tansy with eyes shining gold. It was unlike her mother to show her status as High Alpha. The last time Tansy saw her eyes that yellow was the same night her older sister, Rose, stumbled in reeking of booze, sex, and human.

"Okay, I'm— I'm getting up," Tansy recognized something was off in the way her mother moved around the room and scooped up a sweatshirt and a pair of tennis shoes.

She placed the items on Tansy's bed.

"Hurry," her mother said. "Put your shoes on now. The sweater can wait."

Tansy turned to glance out the window, morning frost covered the glass panes and an inch of snow rested on the exterior frame. Naturally, Tansy knew it was below thirty-degrees outside. She wouldn't be worried if she was a Beta or Alpha. But Tansy was an Omega, a weak shifter who could almost be classified as human if it wasn't for her uncanny knack for scent.

Omegas were like that. Some had strength. Some could outrun even the fastest Alpha. And others inherited noses stronger than a bloodhound's.

"What's happening?" Tansy asked. She attempted to keep her voice calm despite her quickening heartbeat. There was trouble coming, she could feel it.

"Honey, please," her mom replied in a tense voice. Tansy translated the words as: We don't have time to stick around to talk about it.

As soon as her tennis shoes were tied, her mother grabbed her by the hand and pulled her through the maze of their three-story home.

Because her mother was the pack's leader, they resided in the pack house on floor two. Above them, members at risk lived. If Tansy wasn't her mother's daughter, as an unmated Omega she would live a flight up, with the other three Omegas in the pack.

While her mother pulled her down the staircase, Tansy glanced up to the floor above. The pack home was created to be open and welcoming, meaning that each floor plan was made open and visible from the main stairwell. Tansy realized the door to the Omegas' shared corridors was guarded by two of the pack's Alphas.

A really bad sign, Tansy thought. Across most packs, the abuse of an Omega was completely untolerated. There was never a need for guards.

The two men noticed the High Alpha's daughter at once and raised a hand in her direction.

The tiny waves almost made the anxiety bubbling in her stomach disappear, and it would've, if it wasn't for the heavy scent of blood in the air. She offered the men a miniscule smile in an attempt to cover her fear.

"Momma," Tansy said, as they neared the front door of the pack house. Tansy didn't want to leave, she wanted to turn on her heels and disappear into the safety of her bedroom. If she locked her doors and drew her curtains, nothing would get her. Nothing could get her, not here in Birch Grove, the most peaceful pack of all fourteen sanctions in North America. "Mom, where are you taking me?"

As they crossed through the living room, her mother's steps hesitated, but only for a fleeting moment.

"Nowhere," her mom whispered. "We're surrounded. There's forty Alphas combing through Birch Grove. I— I don't know what they want. But they aren't getting you. You have— you have to go with your sister."

Her words sent a shiver down Tansy's spine. Suddenly, she wanted to fold in half and vomit. She wanted to scream. She wanted to press rewind and forever live last night, when no threats were known and the pack sat around a bonfire, drinking and smoking and laughing underneath the stars.

"Mom—" Tansy attempted to speak. She pushed against her mother's hand, as if to say stop, but the woman ignored it, and continued to drag Tansy along.

Her mother swung the backdoor open and turned to her daughter. Suddenly, Tansy's cheeks were enveloped by her mother's warm palms. She closed her eyes at the touch, always grateful for the closeness of her High Alpha.

"Sweetheart," her mother said. She stared into Tansy's gaze with gold eyes, unable to control the reaction. The scent of blood was too heavy in the air. Tansy was surprised her mother hadn't shifted. "Stay with Rose. No matter what you do, promise me you'll stay with Rose. She's the only one that can protect you. Tansy— if— if anything happens to me—"

"What's going to happen to you?" Tansy asked in a voice full of fear. Of all the mornings she could wake up to, Tansy found herself in this one. She hoped this was nothing more than a silly nightmare, that it was an insane lucid dream filled with Tansy's worst fears. "I don't understand. Who's here? What's happening?"

"Get in the truck. Rose has the keys," her mother whispered.

"Where's Dad?" Tansy asked, suddenly terrified of her father's absence. He should be here. He should definitely be here, leading beside her mother.

"Injured," her mother admitted without a pause. Her face turned to stone, as if she refused to allow the thought to even enter her head. "But— but he's going to be fine."

"I want to see him—" Tansy attempted to say.

"No," her mother's stern voice was accompanied by a flash of gold. "Stay low in the truck. If I— if I don't come back, if I can't reach you by the time the sun fully rises, assume the worst and don't you dare return."

Her mother drew close to Tansy and kissed her forehead. She wrapped her hands around her mother's back, suddenly realizing this felt too close to a goodbye. As they enveloped each other in a desperate embrace, Tansy stared at the world around her.

There was nothing out of place.

No screaming.

No crying.

No howling.

Just the quiet of the forest and the stench of blood hanging in the air.

"Mom," Tansy said. Tears formed in her eyes, suddenly causing her cheeks to burn red. "I'm not leaving you— I'm not leaving you behind."

At her words, her mother pulled away and grabbed Tansy by the chin. With her eyes blazing a furious gold, the older woman used her High Alpha voice— something an Omega could only submit to.

"Don't you dare come back for us," her mother commanded. Her grey eyes filled with tears as she spoke. "Don't you even look back."