Misae could hear nothing but her loud, breathless breathing. She could see nothing but the numerous, snowy trees of the forest she passed by as she ran away from home. Her mind was only preoccupied with the mere action of putting one foot in front of the other.

Again and Again.

She ran, the faster she could. She was fleeing, the farthest she could, while trying to think of a way to shake off her pursuers for good. She could do nothing but that. Nothing but to obey her mother’s Order. For the future of the Pack, Inyô ordered Misae, her daughter, to escape. She asked her as the Alpha, but also as her mother. That’s why, no matter how Misae wanted to fight back with the others, to defend her land, her pack, her family, her pride, she couldn’t. It didn’t help that her transformation remained incomplete yet. She might be stronger than a mere human due to her mother’s blood running through her veins, but in her current condition, she would not be able to overpower them if they were to fight. Because if the Assignment couldn’t take place for a reason or another, there was only one other way for the Alpha’s role to be transmitted to the Heir.

Death.

And Misae was far from being stupid. She knew. The moment her mother asked her to flee, she knew what was going to happen. What it really implied. Because it was a surprise attack, the Tenohra’s Wolves hadn’t seen it coming. The previous days had been mainly devoted to the preparation of the Assignment’s Ceremony, the same one during which Misae should have been proclaimed Alpha. That’s why they were unprepared to defend themselves. They were vulnerable and so, an easy target. What led Misae to guess that the motives of the attack were greater than a mere lack of food.

Inyô had only wanted to gain some time so that Misae could escape an impending death. Because she was the remnant of hope for the pack. The soon-to-be Alpha. The only person who could ensure the continuity of their Family. But for that to happen, her mother had to die. Or more accurately, she would sacrifice her life. Not just for Misae. But also for the entire pack. Because that was what an Alpha should be able to do. Taking crucial decisions for everyone’s safety. Being an Alpha might imply being powerful. However, this power was by no means a source of privileges. It was above all a rank of selflessness and sacrifice.

Misae looked back to see if she could take a peek at her enemies but it seemed like the coast was clear. She stopped for a moment to focus on her surrounding. She had no idea where she was but it seemed like the frontier was near as she could slightly sense their smells already. She closed her eyes and deeply inhaled some fresh air to recover. If she could cross the border, she would maybe get rid of her trackers. Unless they followed her, which would confirm her assumptions concerning their motivations to eliminate her Family. Power.

It was settled then. She would cross and see what they would do. She only hoped she wouldn’t be caught red-handed crossing another pack’s territory. It would only lead her to