Passion Moore was shopping in the local convenience store when she heard the news. She and her best friend, Spectre Oaken, were preparing for a fun evening filled with watching videos and pigging out on pop corn and enough candy to rot their teeth.
"Ooh we so have to watch Titanic." Spectre said, brushing her blonde fringe out of her eyes, which were a light shade of amber.
Passion's own light brown eyes glinted with joy as she located a box of Oreos.
"As long as we get these I'll be happy." Passion said, throwing a whole box into the trolley.
They continued down the aisle, piling it high with as much fatty food as possible. Passion knew that her diet was shot to hell but she didn't care, her best friend was home for the summer and they had so much catching up to do.
Most wolves never left their packs but Spectre had been given a scholarship for medicine and managed to cajole her parents into going to Yale. It helped that her uncle was Alpha an Alpha that was as liberal as they came.
The Oak River clan were fully integrated with humans living side by side in Oak Falls. This wasn't an unusual process but nor was it common practice. When Passion had first arrived in Oak Falls and joined the Oak River clan she had been surprised and irritated at their stupidity but in time she had learned that not all humans were bad.
"Have you heard? Zachariah Oaken is dead." Passion heard the harsh whisper from across the store stopping dead in her tracks.
She turned to Spectre whose eyes were wide with shock, glazed with unshed tears. Spectre had been close to Zachariah, closer than she was to her own father.
Forgetting their groceries they rushed out of the supermarket climbing hurriedly into Passion's pickup truck. With her foot on the accelerator they raced through the town, passing many other Oak River pack members who appeared to be going in the same direction as them.
The Oaken house was sat high on a hill. It was an old Victorian house, modified in the simplest of ways over the years. Passion had been in love with the Oaken house since the day she had arrived, despite those who had inhabited it and she guiltily admitted that one of the reasons she had allowed Spectre to befriend her was so that she could one day enter the building and experience it in all its glory.
Standing outside the front door was Claw Oaken, Zachariah's younger brother and Spectre's father. He was a formidable man, tall and muscular with an angry scar slashing through his left eye. His blond hair was cut short to his scalp and if not for the permanent scowl on his face he would have been handsome.
Passion left the car, holding Spectre's hand. Whether to comfort her or comfort herself she wasn't sure but they both drew strength from one another.
"When did it happen?" Passion asked Claw who continued to frown, he looked down at Passion with something akin to a sneer.
"Who told you to speak Omega?" He spat, anger sparking like lightening.
Passion felt Spectre's grip tighten, warning her to keep her mouth shut. Passion smiled to herself, she wasn't that dumb and it had been a school girl error to think of speaking to a Beta without permission.
The only people to ever make her feel like she was worth something were her foster parents and Spectre, everyone else took great joy in putting her down and making her feel like nothing.
"Papa what happened, I thought uncle Zach was getting better." Spectre said as both women entered the house.
Passion couldn't help but gasp in awe at the beauty of Oaken house, a crystal chandelier shone in the foyer, spectrums of light glistened against the cream walls. The house was filled with mementos and ornaments on every surface, showing a house well lived in and loved.
They entered the living room with purple velvet couches and a large TV that she and Spectre had been planning on using for their night in, now all thoughts of relaxing and recalling events they had experienced without each other were out of the question.
"He died a few hours ago, just yesterday he was up and shifting." Claw said, covering the crack in his voice with a cough, he turned to them with a fierce determination that unnerved Passion.
"So you are Alpha now?" Passion asked, ignoring Claw's gimlet stare.
"No, Zachariah has a son." Claw said, walking towards the library.
Spectre had the same look on her face as Passion, utter surprise. Passion had no idea that Zachariah had any children and as far she knew he had not ma either, but that couldn't be true for if he had a son then he surly had a mate. How could he have survived without either? Her question was soon answered.
"Ever since Naomi left his health had taken a downward spiral, one day they were here the next they were gone. Zach almost killed himself trying to find them." Claw said, rifling through a sheaf of papers.
Passion sat on the armrest of the leather sofa in the library absorbing all Claw had said.
"Actually it's a good thing you are here Omega, since you are battle pack leader you are needed to retrieve him." Claw said.
Passion head shot up in surprise. Battle pack leader? Since when was she battle pack leader? She was a warrior for their clan but was nowhere near to becoming leader.
She was lucky she was even part of the warrior pack, if not for Zachariah's fondness of her she would still be sneaking along on missions. The thought of kind Zachariah dead and lifeless sent pain through her eyes and she willed herself not to cry.
"But I'm not battle pack leader."
"Zach told me he was planning on making you leader, even I have to admit you are a fine warrior." Claw said and Passion wondered how hard it must have been for him to tell her that.
Spectre gave Passion a reassuring pat and thumbs up, her black eyeliner streaking down her cheeks.
"We need you to get him. He's from the Stillwater clan." Claw said, handing Passion a folder.
In it was a picture of a small boy of mixed heritage with blonde hair and crystalline blue eyes. Passion was taken aback by his resemblance to Zachariah who also had blonde hair and blue eyes, the only wolf with such characteristics within the Oak River clan.
At the bottom of the picture, his name was written in a tidy scrawl. Joshua. Also in the folder were vague directions to the Stillwater community, it was a plane ride away and a few days journey through the forest.
If there was one thing Passion hated it was travelling when she had to shift, shifting always made her uncomfortable especially when she was with her other pack members. She wasn't a grey wolf like them but an Ethiopian wolf originally from Africa.
Her parents had moved to the states when she had been a baby and subsequently they had paid for their actions through death. When Passion shifted her deep red hair covered her entire body. She was lithe and fox like in appearance, which only further drove a wedge between her and the rest of the Oak River pack.
Passion rubbed at the droplets of perspiration that beaded on her ebony skin, lifting the dreads that lay heavy at her nape. Her ears twitched when she heard the front open and shut, she could smell the other wolves of her unit as they entered the library.
There was Lucas, a tall and slim brunette with dark amber eyes, he worked at the convenience store and was still dressed in the green uniform. Standing next to him was Alyssa, she was wealthy, pampered and spoiled but a vicious fighter and if Passion had to choose someone to fight alongside her it would be her.
Alyssa was in her last year at high school and it was apparent that she had been summoned during her cheerleading practice as she was dressed in the Oak Falls cheering outfit of green and gold, her hair parted in two blonde braids. She chewed pink gum, occasionally blowing bubbles and twirling the ends of her hair between her finger and thumb, with a look of utter boredom on her face.
Lastly was Brent, Spectre's older brother and local bad boy. He wore a black biker jacket with a silver hoop in his left ear, his hair was dyed a pale blond and left to grow below his shoulders. Passion averted her gaze from his as he smiled lustily at her, but she knew better than to see more into his gesture. She had learned the hard way, why she shouldn't entangle herself with anyone.
"I'm sure you know why you're here." Claw said looking at the group of assassins.
"What I don't understand is why there are only four of us." Lucas said sitting in one of the chairs opposite Claw.
Passion hid a smile as Claw clenched his jaw, obviously irritated by Lucas's disregard of pack law. Until Joshua was retrieved, Claw was Alpha.
