I once had a home, a family, and a destined partner. There was a time when I had it all, but that is now part of the past.

With the awakening of a cold war between clans, the beginning of the end arrived, and not just for me; it was devastating for everyone I ever knew. But before I confuse you further, let me tell you how it all began 2 years ago.

Our village was one of the largest, rich in precious minerals, which are now useless, with abundant food and water, and our clan was strong by nature. The best purebred and dominant warriors were born in it; it was considered bad luck to cross paths with an angry alpha, and suicide to confront him.

Born to one of the most powerful alphas, I was considered a jewel without equal, and my cousin Freia, my aunt's daughter, was inferior to me in every way, giving rise to a limitless envy that would lead us to another war in which not only lives would be lost, but something much more valuable.

This one down here was my fiance, and I say "was" because, thank heavens, he no longer is. Jason, a were-beast of great power and influence. 27 years old, with a firm and dominant character, authoritarian and very conceited, but I still loved him and was happy that he was my partner.

And this is Alan, his younger brother, Freia's fiance, not as strong and with a kinder and funnier character. I got along very well with him and considered him almost a younger brother to me.

Freia, for her part, was an arrogant woman who loves to show off what she didn't have, cowardly and envious, incapable of defending herself, and she got Alan after begging for two whole months when she saw that Jason had chosen me; I suppose she settled for Alan.

Last but not least, your humble servant. My name is Megan, and I don't mean to brag, but I have excellent skills in combat, hunting, and impeccable aim. Also, I'm fun and friendly. Too trusting, unfortunately.

Hours before the war between clans began and on the night of our engagement, Jason took my hand to escape the boring party. Like a silly pup, I followed him as usual, arriving at the beautiful spring where we would bathe as children.

"Did you ever think we would end up like this, Megan?"

"Yes, and you?"

"Me too, I can't wait for you to finally be only mine."

"You're nervous. Is something wrong?"

"Something is happening, but it's not bad, at least not for you."

"Just tell me, silly."

Jason intertwines his hand with mine, letting me feel his warm embrace. - After tonight, we'll have to wait another month for the wedding to take place.

"What about it?"

"It's just that I can't take it anymore, the desire I feel for you is consuming me from the inside, and all I want is for you to be my woman."

His words surprise me more than I expected; I mean, I already noticed those looks, those caresses, and those intense kisses... But hearing it directly from his mouth was shocking.

"Megan, we're getting married anyway, whether it's today or in another month doesn't make a difference."

"I don't know what to say..."

"I'm going to be the next leader of the pack, and you will be my only queen, so no one will dare disrespect you."

"This is so recent that I don't think we should. Besides, you still have to pass the test to be the leader, it's not like that position is already yours."

"No one is stronger than me, no male here compares to me... Just let yourself go, let my desire activate yours, and follow the instinct that runs through your veins."

Before I can answer, Jason starts kissing me while his hands roam my body. This is wrong; his body is burning.

"Are you in heat?"

"I'm madly in love with you."

"If you're in heat, you can't leave your house."

"Megan, don't you love me?"

"Of course, I love you, and that's why I'm asking you to stop here."

Before I can stand up, the pheromones take effect on me, his arms wrap around me, intensifying the desire that begins to grow with his closeness, and before I know it, we both end up in the spring naked, giving ourselves to each other.

The sun surprised us loving each other, being one, but happiness didn't last long for either of us.

"Meg was very sorry that our first time was this way, but it's also fair to say that I don't regret anything."

"It's okay, I love you too, Jason."

"This will not be an impediment for us, I promise you that your dignity will not be tarnished by what happened."

"I trust you more than anyone."

We give each other one last kiss before returning to the village where everything is already chaos, people running from one side to the other and fear is seen on their faces.

"What's happening."

"There is a sighting of the northern tribe invading our lands. They come armed and looking for trouble."

Before we can react, a scream immediately alerts us.

"THEY ARE HERE!"

We try to stay together, but with all the maddened crowd it is impossible, I release his hand and lose sight of him in a matter of seconds. I run to my house to understand what is happening.

"Mom."

"Thank the ancestors you're okay."

"Where's dad?"

"Megan, a war has begun and your father left with the first battalion to defend our borders."

"But why, how out of nowhere there is war when for so many years we had peace."

"That's what happens with peace, it gives you a false sense of security and when you least expect it you realize that it never really existed."

"What do we do now?"

"The men have to go to defend the border while we take care of things here. Take what you need to work in the fortress."

It's amazing to see how everything can change from one moment to another. Hours ago everyone was celebrating my engagement and now people are dying around me, my friends, comrades.

Upon arriving at the entrance I can see Freia with the other women working hard. - Finally the little princess decided to help.

"Now is not the time for that."

"Where the hell have you been Megan."

"It's not the time, I already said."

The world we knew, the peace we thought we had, faded little by little and in a month half of the pack was gone. We lost my father and many brave men who gave their lives to protect ours.

"We are in very bad shape, we have no supplies left and winter is just around the corner... If we continue like this it will be our extinction."

"They are just as bad as us, they have lost their best warriors, that's why everything has been quiet lately. They are surely preparing not to die frozen in the winter."

"What do we do then, it is an excellent opportunity to attack them."

"It would be suicide because, like them, we do not have enough resources for the females and the little ones to survive alone."

"Tell us Jason what comes next, you are the strongest we have left and although you have not had your ceremony it is more than clear that you will be the next leader of the pack."

"We are going to start stocking the vaults, getting enough food to survive. That will be the task of the women while the men will do rounds to keep those bastards at bay. We take care of you and you gather food."

I rise from the crowd. - Well I'm going to guide them and we will bring the necessary resources.

"Thank you Megan, you are an excellent hunter so you will be the leader."

It is true that I am the right one for this task, I am the daughter of a chief, of a strong alpha, so it is time to serve my clan as he did.

The days were not easier, with winter arriving the prey were not so easy to hunt and with the enemy troops still willing to fight it was very difficult to maintain order. Even so I did not give up, every morning I left and returned late at night with what I could. Rabbits, wild boars, deer. Everything was necessary and I tried my best to contribute to my clan.

Another month passed and the first snowflakes began to fall, at this rate in a few more weeks the river would freeze and the animals would migrate to another more distant region and we would have to survive with the little we had obtained.

"Jason how are you."

"Fine if that still exists."

"I've brought you something to eat."

"Leave it for the others, I'm not hungry."

"You have to eat if you want to keep fighting."

"And to think that by this date we would already be married, enjoying a different life. Damn bastards, do you know who was the one who provoked all this."

"No."

"His name is Nodal and he became leader of his clan at the age of 16, he is a damn sadistic sick in the head, ruthless and heartless."

"Why did he do it?"

"Because he wants more, he is insane and wants to unify the entire territory and thus become the only leader, he wants all the others to be under his shoes and thus step on us at will. But I will not allow it, Meg I am going to protect you as well as our entire clan."

"I know, I trust you more than anyone, Jason."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

I leave, leaving him alone with his thoughts, it is good to see that despite everything he is still the Jason that I know, the one who is sweet only with me and no one else.

Even though everything outside is uncertain, being here with him makes me feel happy and safe. Jason is a good man, and I can't wait for the day we finally become a family.

"Stop daydreaming, Megan."

"Freia, I'm not surprised to see you still wandering around so late."

"I need to see Jason."

How I dislike this damned woman. Ever since everything started, she's the one who seems to be daydreaming all the time, acting as if she's the only woman here, with rights she clearly doesn't earn.

"Just let me tell you that if you even think about doing something stupid, I'll be happy to end your life."

"Is that a threat?"

"It's a warning. That right is solely mine, and I'll enjoy it to the fullest if you give me the opportunity. Now get out of my way and remember that your partner is Alan, not Jason."

I pushed her away and continued on my way as if nothing happened. I'd love to break her face, but it's not the time to create another war within these walls that are supposed to be the only safe place.

"Meg, what happened now?"

"It's that bitch Freia, always bothering me. I think it's her favorite pastime."

"She's shameless, doesn't help with anything other than keeping the men motivated."

"As long as she stays away from my man, everything will be fine."

"That's the problem, Meg. Lately, she's been visiting Jason's chambers a lot, and it's not just me who's seen them closer than they should be. People are starting to talk."

"Thanks for telling me, Tisha. I'll keep an eye on her."

That night I couldn't sleep. The idea that Jason might like Freia is something that doesn't leave me in peace. But who would, especially when she offers herself on a silver platter with her legs wide open.

When I finally managed to sleep a little, a crash made me jump out of bed. Scared, I went out to see what was happening, but when I reached the entrance, my mother's body was on the threshold.

That night was so cloudy that the moonlight couldn't penetrate the dense clouds, but I could clearly see my mother's face.

"Run, Megan..."

"No, Mom, who did this to you?"

"Run, he's still here."

"MOM!"

The heavy footsteps behind me put me on alert. I spun around on my heels and started hitting him, filled with fury and pain. I didn't stop until I heard Jason's voice.

"Catch him and don't let him escape..."

"Mom... My mom is..."

"Calm down, Megan, you're okay."

"My mom, please help her, Jason, don't let her die."

He bent down to check her vital signs, took off his jacket, and covered her. "I'm so sorry, Megan... Your mom is no longer with us."

I screamed, cried, cursed. So many emotions together. How did that beast man enter here as if nothing happened? Weren't the guards watching their posts? Are there more than one?

Jason's strong arms hugged me, trying to calm me, but I couldn't do that.

"Listen to me, we're already checking all the surroundings, and I swear we're going to make them pay for this."

"I want to see him, I want to know why, and then kill him."

"Only if you promise me you'll be okay."

Again, outside everything is chaos, just like that day people are running without looking where, with panic in their eyes, with fear of dying.

"Jason, the bastard committed suicide."

"What are you saying, Alan?"

"He had a knife in his clothes, wounded one of us, and then cut his throat."

"How can that be possible?"

"I've heard it before, they are kamikazes who invade the villages in small groups. If they get something good, but if they are caught, they commit suicide immediately so as not to reveal vital information, since if they return to their pack without anything they consider them useless and kill them in a worse way anyway."

"This is getting worse, that kind of people who are not afraid to die are the most dangerous."

"I'm so sorry, Megan."

"Thanks, Alan."

After losing my parents and not even being able to avenge them, I stayed away from everyone, spending my days hunting, clearing my mind, and trying to cling to the little sanity I had left.

"How long are you going to keep doing this, Megan?"

"Until it stops hurting, Tisha. I'm going to report to Jason."

"You got a lot of food today."

I walked slowly, ignoring everyone around me until I reached Jason's room. I opened the door slowly, I didn't knock because I'm his fiancee, there's no need to announce myself, but I saw him with Freia. She stroked his face and he held her hip with both hands. Is this the same man I told over and over that I trusted more than anyone?

"What does this mean?"

"Meg."

I didn't allow either of them to react, I took the water jar and threw it in Jason's face while I grabbed the vixen by the hair and dragged her all over the place.

"I told you that you just had to give me an opportunity... Now you're going to die, Freia."

"HELP! JASON PLEASE HELP ME.."

I hit her until Jason picked me up and took me away.

"Calm down, it's not what it seems."

I elbowed him in the nose and ran away. It's not what it seems, then what else could it be.