I had no choice but to shrink back against the rocks and stay as far away from the fighting as I could and wait.  My strong wolf body huddled and shivered like a cornered rabbit.

I watched, but I could not bring myself to look directly at particular wolves in the fray, presumably the wolves who were above me in my new—my false pack.

Even thinking of them sent a wave of fear through me.  It wove around my heart and squeezed.  After mere moments of this cold dread I could not imagine how I would live like this.  I understood I had never known true fear before.

My one consolation was I could still look at my family and Matthias and the other members of the pack I loved.  I watched as our fighters took care of the remaining eastern aggressors.

The few that were not killed outright were forced into submission, but through physical might alone, not the overwhelming curse that had been laid upon me.

It was only once the threat was routed that my father noticed I was there.  He was definitely furious at my disobedience and I longed for the days when that would have been my biggest concern.  I could not even properly worry about his reaction under the sweeping waves of terror in which I now drowned.

He trotted over to me, his eyes full of anger.  His fury melted into concern as he observed me shaking in a pathetic heap.

Sean followed him with a similar expression on his wolfish face and he too looked me over carefully with his quiet golden eyes.

I could see they both knew that something was wrong.

Sean found the wound on the back of my neck and they exchanged a look that made my heart drop even further.  Their dire expressions confirmed what I already knew.

My father nudged me and tried to get me to follow him home, but my body was not interested in listening to his or even my own commands.

All I could do was shiver with my eyes shut against the truth that even then I could not hide from.

My shaking increased until I felt I might rattle apart at the joints.  Then I became aware that an unfamiliar wolf had come up to me.

I could smell that he was male and I did not know him; I did not need to open my eyes to know that.

I also did not need my eyes to know that he was the one who had attacked me, because the wound on the back of my neck burned with ice as he came nearer to me.  I cowered.

My father growled at the intruder.  He did not respond in kind and I could not bring myself to look over to read the nonverbal communication between the three.

Finally, he nudged my shoulder with his muzzle.  The spot he touched almost felt like I was stabbed, but at the same time it was as if I had been released from a spell.

I found myself walking after him towards my home.  I could see him from the corner of my eye, but I could not bear to look at him so I shifted my eyes to look at the passing rocks and trees with absolute disinterest.  I followed him, instinctively ensuring I was neither too close nor too far away.

My heart pounded frantically as the cold magical shivers of fear continued to rush through me.

* *  *   *   *   *   *  * *

My house came into view and I watched as some of the pack came out to greet the returning warriors.

The wolf who had bit me walked away out of sight of the corner of my eye, allowing me to relax slightly.

My father began transforming.  "Elise, what were you doing out there?" he half howled.  Moramay quickly swept a long robe over his transforming shoulders.  He pulled it around himself absently.

Another long robe was placed around my neck and covered me completely.  I transformed quickly under it, although normally I would have just gone to my room.

"I-I had a bad feeling and I couldn't shake it.  I'm s-so s-sorry, dad," I cried.  I wanted him to understand that my actions had not been born out of disloyalty to him or our pack.

My actions had been born of reckless impulse with dire consequences.

I could tell he understood my intentions, not that his understanding changed anything about my new reality.

A shot of fear rushed from the painful bite and down my spine.  The wolf who had bitten me was coming. I could feel my heart race frantically in my chest at his approach.

"Nick," I heard him say to my father in a deep voice.  It made me shudder.

As he walked over to join my father, I tried to look at him, but my eyes still refused to cooperate.

From the distant corner of my eye I could see he had already dressed.

I shook harder as he approached.  The magic on the back of my neck burned until I shrunk down and was prostrate in front of my subjugator quite against my will.

My father was frowning, caught somewhere between worry and fury that his beloved daughter would now suffer as a thrall.

"I mistook her for an enemy in the heat of battle, Nick.  I am sorry."

My father was tense.  I could tell he wanted to attack, but I also knew the factors that held him back.  This man was an ally and we...  No, my former pack needed him and his forces more than my father needed the satisfaction of revenge.

If our packs did not stand together we would all fall alone.  None of us could match the eastern forces independently.

"I would undo this if I could."

"I know," my father's voice was bitter.

"I will do everything I can to ensure she is not harmed," he promised.  "I will find a way to rectify this, I swear."

My father's face was hard and harsh.  There was nothing he could do.  The damage was already done.  My free will had been crushed and there was no feasible way to repair it, not with the eastern threat hanging over our heads.

"I know."

We all knew the truth.  I had been ripped from my high status as the leader's daughter and thrown down to the lowliest place in an unfamiliar pack.

I was now in the position of the worst of enemies and criminals that were so disrespected as to be kept alive for a lifetime of suffering.  I was as a sentient robot, forced to obey, but still feel.

It did not matter what my father or I or even this man who had cursed me thought about the justice of the matter, the magic was running free through my body and none of us could change that.

No longer was I the precious daughter of the respected pack leader.  I would ever more cower before my new false pack; I was the lowest of the low.

* *  *   *   *   *   *  * *

The back of my neck was patched up and I got dressed inside.  I was told to wait in a black truck by a man with a gravelly voice.  I still could not even look at the member of the pack who had given the command.

I knew it was not the pack leader who was giving me instructions, but that hardly mattered.  My new magic curse screamed at me to submit to this person, and not just him, but to every person in my new false pack.

If they wanted to abuse me sorely, there was nothing I could do to stop them.

Only the leader's vague promise to my father assured my safety and what did that really mean coming from the one who had subjected me to the magic in the first place?  Anything could happen to me now and I would be too helpless to even fight for my own safety.

I tried to raise my eyes to meet this pack member's own, but I could not, no matter how hard I tried. My eyes skittered as if of their own accord from this person's feet and off into the distance and the curse assaulted me for my audacity.

Just this morning, I would have met this one and looked him in the eyes without fear.

In my mind, I still knew that there was nothing to be afraid of by simply looking at another person as if he were my equal, but now when I tried I felt bone deep fear and my body would not obey.  Even trying only served to increase my terror.

I mourned for who I had been.  I knew she was still in there somewhere, but she was now bound and buried by thick chains of magic.

I huddled in the back seat of the extended cab.  I flinched each time a door opened and shut as the driver and two more passengers got inside.  One sat in front of me, the other beside me in the back seat.  I did not, could not, look at either of them.

The truck began to move and everyone maintained a mournful silence.  I tried to keep my breathing quiet so that they would not notice me more than they already had.  I felt like I should be crying, but did not seem to be able; such a show of emotion might displease them and draw attention to me.  I stared at the floor.

Finally, the silence was broken.  It was a female's voice, coming from the other side of the backseat.  I could barely see from the corner of my eye that she was wearing jeans and a hooded sweater.

"I've heard your name is Elise," she said in a soft voice.  "My name is Karen.  I can guess how you're feeling, but you don't have to be afraid.  We're not going to let anything else happen to you."

It was easier said than done.  Even her soft words felt like whips on my back.

"No one will abuse you.  Serge has given the order."

Serge?  I had heard my father speak of him in the past, but I had paid scant attention at the time.

Now, however, his name spawned another shiver of fear inside me.  It was as if my body thought I was not even worthy to even know his name; not even worthy to know which leader of which pack had done this to me.  I accidentally whimpered and then clamped my hands over my mouth.  How was I going to bear to live like this?

* *  *   *   *   *   *  * *

The car finally stopped.  I could not see what this house looked like, because my eyes were trained on my feet.

"Follow me, please," Karen said, opening my door.  It was an invitation, but I could hear it as nothing but an order.  I scrambled behind her.

She led me into a house.  It smelled alien to me and set my already frayed nerves on end.

I belonged to these strangers now like I had never belonged to anyone.  I shook as I followed Karen through a large room and down a hall.  She pushed open a door and indicated I should go inside.

"This is your room, Elise.  You'll be safe here.  I'm going to leave you for a bit to get settled in."

It was a lovely lie, but I knew the truth.  I was cursed to never feel safe again.

* *  *   *   *   *   *  * *