1 Chapter One

Rieka Varon PoV:

It's a gorgeous, clear Sunday morning. I was always the last member of my family to get out of bed. Because of how things are, I really value the rest I am getting because you never know when your next sound sleep will come.Ah, I see now that you are unfamiliar with me. Rieka is my name. I'm a 25-year-old college student right now. My older brother Ethan is a little older than I am and definitely more obnoxious than I am. Out of everyone, he has the largest ego and is self-absorbed. Let's just say that we don't get along very well. Would we die for one more.I would definitely give it some thought. He believes he will obstruct our Father's path. The leader of our pack is our father. To avoid any confusion, yes, we are werewolves. Imaginary, huh? But don't worry, we are completely harmless—well, except for vampires. Yes, they do exist. My family moved to this lovely country side, a bit outside the city near the forest because it appears that there haven't been any vampires in the area of our city in decades. However, we remain available to defend the populace if necessary. Returning to my family My father Takoda, who is our Alpha and, most importantly, our guardian, is next in line. He was, at least. He became ill after aiding our relatives in a foreign country years ago. He was cut with a poisoned knife by someone. Vampires are naive. Since that incident, especially, I detest them with all of my being. He is getting weaker every day, which means his time is drawing near, leaving me to take over as the next Alpha. We never found a cure, and it doesn't get any easier. Since his ego is already on cloud nine, my brother doesn't know, but he also doesn't care about our father. Ethan is only holding out for his final breath in the hopes that he would succeed as the alpha and then be given the go-ahead to hunt the vampires down in the sake of vengeance. My mother and I long ago gave up on my brother. It broke her heart, but she chose to focus her efforts on my father rather than some ungrateful son who can't even show her the courtesy she deserves. My mother Adira, the best comes last. She is our family's soul. She always looks after everyone in the family and is well-known in the city for her childishness and supportive demeanor. She is, without a doubt, the best mother I could ask for.

"Rieka, come down here for breakfast!" Oh, no. Okay, I forgot to mention that she can be a fiery woman if she so desires. Even more so if you ignore her the first time. I get out of bed and put on some baggy shorts and a sports bra, then a shirt. The aroma of freshly made pancakes fills my nose as I descend the stairs. As I walk into the kitchen, I see my father sitting at the table and my brother stuffing his face with pancakes and fruits. I just roll my eyes at him before walking over to my father and kissing him on the cheek and saying a quick good morning. As I approach the kitchen, I do the same to my mother. "Morning, Mom, do you need any help?" I ask, giving her a side hug. "No, it's fine, sweetie. "I'll be finished in a minute." She smiles at me and kisses me on the cheek. I take my glass to the table to fill it with juice and place some pancakes with fruit on my plate. "Are you always the last, sis?" he smirks at me. I despise his smirk; it makes me want to punch him. "I heard the best always comes last," I say, faking a smile. "No way if I'm always better than you. Because once daddy is gone, you will no longer be the number one, the alpha. You'll always be second, sweetheart, the little beta." Remember to take deep breaths, don't let him get under your skin, and enjoy these homemade pancakes. "Perhaps if you knew how to use your brain before talking and stop talking nonsense, you'd be better" I glare at him. He tenses up and looks me in the eyes with daggers. I certainly got under his skin. He was about to get up and walk over to me when I heard Adira come out of the kitchen. "Sit your ass down!" Now!” Her tone was harsh, and Ethan knew not to mess with her when she was upset. He makes no comment. He simply sits back down and finishes his breakfast. While I'm eating, I sense that my mother's emotions are once more low, which makes me sad and upset with my brother. She is also concerned because my father has not even touched his plate. I lock my gaze on her. They were tinged with sadness and anxiety. "You're free to go, Rieka." "I've got this," she says over our linked minds, smiling reassuringly. I return her smile before proceeding to my room. I don't care that my room is a mess. I pull out my history book and begin studying for the lesson tomorrow. Our teacher informed us that there would be a new student in our class. I'm curious about who this person is. Hopefully, it won't be someone like my brother. I've had enough of them. After hours of studying, I went outside for some fresh air, only to see my father sitting on the lawn, watching my brother train. I walk over to him and take a seat next to him quietly. "Dad, what are you doing?" "Seeing your brother lose his way to our family," he observes. His voice was filled with pain, and his emotions were all over the place. I'm not sure what caused Ethan to lose his way, but it breaks our hearts silently, mostly because he doesn't talk to us about his problems. "Will you promise me something, little one?" I turn to face my father and nod for him to continue. "Promise me that you will save your brother from himself." I understand what he's saying, but I'm not sure if Ethan isn't already out of my reach. "I promise, dad", I say with a small smile. I hope I can keep my word. I stand up, wishing my father a good night before getting ready for bed. My emotions are all over the place. Furthermore, it is not the good kind. I'm hoping college tomorrow goes better. With that hope for the next day, I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.