Three years ago...

The air was bitterly cold that night. As we trekked through the forest, my breath billowed ghoulishly in front of me, but the excited nerves in my stomach kept me warm. I strode eagerly through the shadows, my parents trailing either side of me. They hadn't spoken a word since we left our house, but their paled faces showed through the darkness and my father's eyes flickered constantly over the tree trunks.

"We've gone far enough," my mother said eventually.

My father nodded hesitantly.

"Now what?" I asked, rocking on my feet as I gazed through the treetops at the moon.

It was cowering behind a thick cloud. Just a patch of dull white light in a sky of deepest black.

"We wait," my father said, "... and pray."

I glanced down at my watch.

11:58pm.

"It's nearly time," I said.

I clutched my hands together as I grinned to myself, but my mother entwined her fingers with mine and pulled them apart.

"We love you, Nelda," she said, kissing the top of my hand with her soft, warm lips, "No matter what."

I smiled and nodded.

Of course they loved me. That had always been clear.

As the clock ticked closer to midnight, my father took my other hand. He clutched it tight and stood close as he set his eyes on my mother's.

The forest stayed deathly silent even as the hands of my watch ticked past midnight.

12:02am.

"My watch must be running late," I said.

My mother closed her eyes, a deep shaky breath seizing her.

"Or maybe you got my birthday wrong? Or maybe-"

"We didn't get your birthday wrong, Nelda," My father said gravely.

"Then what's happening? Why can't I feel my wolf? I've just turned sixteen and I can't feel anything?"

My parents only looked at each other. My mother's lips quivered as her forehead puckered while my father stayed disconcertingly still.

"Mom? Dad?" I said, shaking my hands out of theirs as I looked between them desperately.

My mother seized my wrists and pulled me closer, her face suddenly straightening.

"Nelda, listen to me," she said, "Nobody can know about this outside our family. Not a soul."

"What-"

"When they ask you what happened on your sixteenth birthday, you will say you went into the forest and shifted just like every other werewolf kid does. Your wolf is chestnut brown with vibrant green eyes. There was nothing out of the ordinary."

I glanced over her shoulder at my father. He gave a nod of agreement and with both of their eyes on me, sincerer than I had ever seen them, I nodded too.

"Okay."

"Okay," my mother repeated, "Let's go home and we will never speak about this again."

But as we turned away from the moon to begin the long journey out of the forest, a shout shattered the silence. Deep and distant, yet it pierced powerfully through the air. My parents froze, all remaining colour draining from their faces.

"Run," my father said, "Now."

I didn't have a second to question before my mother bolted and dragged me with her. Whipping branches and the icy air turned our skin pink as we battled through the trees. My father stayed close behind us, his tight lips ready to twist into a reassuring smile every time I glanced behind. But with the ground uneven and my young body so much smaller than my parents, I struggled and stumbled and the shouts grew nearer.

"Stop," my father said with the shouts of dozens of men were strong in the air.

My mother ground to a halt, her arms around me as she held me close.

"They're after me," he continued, "Go ahead."

"Niko no-" my mother started, her voice pricked with panic.

"Liliana, I need you to get Nelda to safety. She is more important."

My mother nodded, a sob bursting free. He hugged her tightly, pressing her head against his chest as he kissed her head.

"Burn everything," he whispered, "I don't want Nelda and Conall to ever get involved in this."

She nodded, clutching his sweater.

"I love you," he said, before kissing her once more and turning to me.

I flung myself into his arms, "What's happening Dad?"

"I love you so much," he said, "Never forget that."

I nodded, "I love you too, Dad."

He gave a sad smile before unravelling my arms from him.

"Go," he said, placing my hand into my mothers, "I'll meet you back at home."

My mother looked back as we ran on without him. Her eyes glossed over and she was never the same again.