She didn’t know whether she should be scared or amazed by the wolf standing in front of her. The size of the wolf was larger than regular ones and its eyes, she could drown in them and hope to never return. Celia could almost swear that she had seen those eyes somewhere, but she didn’t know where.

“Get away from our daughter!” her mother called out, making the young girl snap out of the spell.

The ten year old girl started crying as she ran to her parents, and right into her mother’s arms. She felt them wrap around her as tight as they could, wanting to protect the innocent soul. Behind the child’s back, more wolves came out of the shadows, growling and revealed their teeth as they got closer to the small family.

“Listen here, sweetie. You have to get as far as you can from here. Try to get a hold of the police chief and tell him your full name, he will know what to do,” her father told her as the wolves just came closer and closer to them.

Celia shook her head at her father’s words, she didn’t want to leave her parents behind, in case she lost them as she had lost her brother two years ago. As she saw the look on her father’s face, she froze in fear, or it wasn’t really fear. . . she knew what was coming and what he was meaning to say. She nodded slowly before looking at both of her parents, then she ran to the house, grabbed her father’s necklace and hurried into the tunnels under their house, which lead to the capitol. Her senses shut down, her heart was just beating faster and faster in her chest, her hands became sweaty around the stone the necklace contained.

“It seems like she’s in the tunnels, sire. She will reach the capitol before we can get a hold of her, and if they see us. . . we’re dead,” a faded voice said from behind her.

She didn’t know how long it took her. . . minutes? . . hours? The young girl had lost track of time while crawling through the tunnels. When she got out of them by the edge of the forest, she felt the scent of grilled fish and heard people calling out from their shops. Celia looked over her shoulder before she tightened her grip around the necklace she had brought. It was the only thing she had from her family and she would die for it if needed. Tears streamed down her face as she walked into the capitol, knowing she was the last survivor of the Montgomery line, a werewolf pureblood family.

"Are you lost, little one?" a voice asked the young girl as she seemed to be shaking.

Celia looked up at the male and nodded before showing the necklace, hoping the male would understand what she couldn't say. When she saw the expression on his face, she knew that he had understood her and that brought a small smile upon her lips. She followed the officer to the police station and waited outside of there, looking around at the town. Her parents had never allowed her to go here, so it was new and there was some excitement in coming to a whole new place.

"Montgomery," a dark voice said, and a hand landed on her shoulder.

Somehow, she knew that voice. The moment she turned around, she threw herself into the officer's arms, it was her father's best friend, which had been coming to them a lot the past years. Celia couldn't stop her sobbing or the tears as she held on to the older man. She heard him yell some words, but she was too busy trying to feel safe. Her hands were shaking and there were some moments she would let out small whimpers, as if she was hurting and she was indeed hurting, only not physically. Celia knew that her parents were gone, that they had sacrificed themselves to save her and make sure that she was alive and well.

It had been six years since she had gotten to the capitol and been under the police chief’s protection whenever she was outside, as well as receiving the same training as the police officers out in the field. Celia was currently sitting on top of a rock, listening to people argue and the sound of hooves against the dirty ground. She had snuck out from her room and was still wearing her training outfit, but it didn’t really surprise her that she felt someone watching over her, they had been that for six years already and she always knew they were there and when they would begin to talk.

“Look who’s out of their cage, little miss innocent,” one of them said right next to her ear.

Even though it did annoy her, she just sat there and listened to everything else in this world, she didn’t have time for people who were thinking she was a fool and tried to pick on her for it. This world needed to change, it need to change to a society where women are more appreciated. Celia opened her eyes slightly and got up on her feet, brushing off her pants as she started on her way down the street of the market. She looked at the people, she studied them.

“Come on, sweetheart. You know that you won’t be able to resist my charm forever,” the same one said and walked up to her.

“What charm? All I see if a group of idiots who goes after the wrong people. Oh, I almost forgot. . . they are just idiots and doesn’t know what’s best for them,” she replied, turning to the group that was bothering her.

By the look on their faces, she had just pissed them off more than she usually did. It looked like they were ready to attack her at any moment, but who dared to attack a girl in broad daylight, especially in the middle of the capitol. Celia shrugged her shoulders and turned back around, heading towards the end of the street, where the royal gates were. She did this every day, just walking down the street to the end and stay there for a time, chatting with the guard before she went back to the house and got dinner. This day seemed different though, when she came to the gates, there were no guards there and the gates were slightly opened.

“Where did they go? They never leave their posts, no matter how much young girls nag at them,” the girl said before entering the ground.

In front of her was a fire as high as the sky. Her heart pumped in her chest and her blood faster before her whole body felt different. She rushed to the smell she was catching up, but it seemed weird, as if she wasn’t in her own body. Celia looked down and saw paws, making her almost jump back in surprise. What had happened to her?

“There is no time to spare! We have to get the baby out of there!” a light voice called out, a woman perhaps.

At that simple word, Celia felt her paws move and the heat caressing her skin as she ran into the burning building. Inside, she saw some people and heard the small whimpers of a baby. She changed back to her human form at the scene in front of her and started leading people out, making sure they held their breaths. When she came to the baby, she picked it up carefully and held it close to her chest. A low hum escaping through her lips as she was heading outside of there, her eyes on the baby. The small being was the cutest thing she had ever seen, especially since she hadn’t seen a lot of kids.

“My baby!”

Celia gave the child to the woman which seemed desperate to get it before she coughed slightly but smiling. She saw the guards who usually guarded the gate and walked over to them, hitting them both in the back of their heads.

“You should never, ever leave the gates unlocked, or there might not be me who walk through them and help,” she said before breaking into laughter.

“There was a wolf that ran inside, but you came out, how?” one of them asked.

She only shook her head and walked back to the gates, thinking of the dinner they were going to have today, it was going to be her favourite. Celia used the hem of her shirt and wiped away the black colour from her face, hoping to at least look decent when she came back home.

“Hey, wait up!” a stranger voice called out.

It didn’t take a second before Celia turned around and almost choked as she felt the cold cloth running down her face. A small laughter left the strange male as he rubbed her face clean before taking it away. She blinked a few times before she punched him in the stomach, with her fist.

“Don’t ever do that ever again,” she growled lowly and turned on her heel, walking back to the house.

It had left a small blush on the wolf’s cheeks, never had she met someone as bold as that guy. Celia looked over her shoulder and saw the male talking to the guards that usually stood by the gates, they seemed friendly. Their eyes met for a slight second as he had turned to her, but she had hurried and looked on the road, and just in time. If she hadn’t done so, a horse would of ran her over.

“Watch where you’re going, psycho!”

Celia had to jump to the side to not get run over. She growled slightly before she got back on her feet and walked inside of the police station. The wolf took off her shirt and grabbed the shirt the chief threw to her.

“I have yet to tell you, don’t just take off clothes in the middle of the station,” he said, not looking up from his files.

“And yet again, I don’t really care. What’s the worst that can happen?”

He only had to look up at her for her to get the point. From her childhood, she had gotten into a fight and scratched her back, which had left dark red scars behind. She nodded and put the shirt on, buttoning up the buttons. Celia grabbed the bow from the wall and went out to the back.

Hours had passed by and Celia was soaked in sweat. Her hands were sore from all of the shooting and her head was aching of all the thinking she was doing. Dinner had been served a long time ago, but she didn’t have an appetite, she was too deep in her thoughts to be thinking of eating.

“Come now, Celia. You can’t be out here all night, you have to eat and sleep for your body to work property,” the chief’s wife called out, holding out a piece of cloth and a bowl of water.

The young girl sighed and put the bow by the tree, heading over to her. She took the cloth and dipped it into the water, starting to wash her face and her neck. When she reached the crook of her neck, she stopped and froze in her spot, where was her necklace? Celia punched the bowl, watching it fall and break into pieces. Her eyes went around, scanning every inch of the garden. Only then a thought came into her mind.

“I swear I will kill them,” she growled, dangerously low as she hurried through the house and out of the front door.

No one touched that necklace and lived through another day, she had made sure of that for six years. She walked down the now empty street with clenched hands as well as a fire raging deep within her eyes. It was almost like she knew where they would be in any time. As she walked into the forest, she stopped and watched them from her towering height.

“You should have seen her, she didn’t even know that it was gone, I bet she still doesn’t know,” the leader, James said to his group.

“Oh, I do.”

As she answered, they turned to her and there was a small breeze brushing through her hair, while the light of the moon reflected in her eyes. James walked forth and held up the necklace, like he was comparing them to each other.

“But I have to admit boys, she’s more beautiful in person. Pity that her family got slaughtered.”

That was her limit. Celia let out a growl and she took a chance and jumped, grabbing James and pulled him with her to the ground. She got up slightly and grabbed his shirt, punching his face repeatedly. The girl could hear the bones in his nose break before she heard small gurgling noises from his throat, he was unconscious. With that, she got the necklace and got up on her two feet.

“Someone else who wants to give it a try?”

Fear was written all over their faces as they looked between her and their unconscious leader on the ground behind her. She ran her hand across her lips, getting away the blood that had gotten out from the wound on her lip. There was a deadly silence for several moment, where they just looked at each other. None of them were to Celia’s liking, but when did she start beginning to think of the opposite sex and think about how they look?

“Let’s go boys, we can’t let a female make us scared, she’s only a child,” Axel, the second in command in the group said and stepped forward.

“Wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a voice said from behind them all.

Celia was the first one to turn around and look between the trees, trying to make up the person. She had heard that exact voice somewhere before, but where had she heard it? The wind blew through the trees, making the leaves singing as they followed the wind’s rhythm. It caught the wolf’s attention, making her look up at the night sky and followed the rhythm of the wind.

“Run now, or I will make sure you won’t see the daylight ever again.”

The sound of feet running on branches and dry grass filled her ears. She looked towards the source of the voice and frowned when she saw it was the one from earlier that day. He only winked at her when he saw who it was before putting his hands on his hips, just like a girl would do if she was upset.

“You’re such a handful, you know that, princess?” he asked, shaking his head.

“Excuse me?” she asked, shocked by the nickname he had just given her.

It seemed like he was confused to what she was referring to, but soon enough caught on before he shrugged his shoulders and knelt down to the unconscious James. He patted the male a few times, waking him up from his slumber. Celia didn’t even move an inch closer to them as she watched James wake up and almost punch the stranger but backed away when he saw his face.

“Go on now, be on your way mister,” the stranger said and got back up on his feet, turning to her.

She tilted her head slightly before turning back around, leaving the male behind, but to no help. Celia had figured that he would be following her, no matter what she was going to say. Then, she had to just hurry back to the house and get inside so he would leave her alone. As they walked down the street, she heard him starting to sing lowly, he didn’t seem like a real guard, but he was wearing their uniform. She shook that thought out of her head as she walked up to the front door, opening it slightly.

“No thank you or anything like that?” he asked, stopping her from entering the house.

“In my opinion, they should be the ones to say thank you, I didn’t need help, they did, and you helped them. No reason why, but I guess it’s just how you are,” Celia replied, referring to the group of men who had taken her necklace.

“Why is that necklace even that important to beat up guys to get it back? You could have been hurt,” he argued, his eyes never leaving her.

Celia didn’t answer, she couldn’t. If he knew her secret, what would become of her? Would he tell the royal family that they had a pureblood werewolf in their town? Would he understand if she told him about her parents? All of those and similar thoughts ran through the girl’s hair as she watched him just stand there, his hair swaying softly in the breeze and his eyes watching her, like she was something worth looking at.

“None of your damn business,” she replied and went into the house, slamming the door close in his face.

There was no one waiting up for her, she figured out that much by the way everything was almost completely dark. Celia ran a hand through her hair as she went to the kitchen, taking hold of the cold food that had been prepared for her. She took out the necklace from her pocket and put it next to her bowl, checking it out. The dark stone reminded her of her parent’s eyes, which she had not gotten when she was born. A low, fading sound made a chill go down the girl’s back. She gently put down the spoon as she grabbed the necklace, putting it around her neck.

“I know you’re there,” she said out in the dark, folding her hands on the table.

“And how do you know?” he asked, his fingers appearing around her neck and a small smirk upon his lips. “But it’s just anything to sneak up on the werewolf princess.”

Celia tilted her head slightly and sat quite much still, not really wanting to do anything she would regret later on. She shrugged her shoulders as her eyes were fixated on the painting on the wall.

“We need your help, princess. A great danger is coming, and you still have a long way to go if you want to take revenge on your parents for that night,” his breath was tickling her ear, but she still didn’t make any sudden moves.

Light flew over the air as the police chief walked over the floor and sat down next to her. The male had disappeared in thin air, just like a cloud of smoke. She continued eating as she looked up from her plate.

“Do I even want to know?” he asked, filling a cup of water.

Celia shook her head and looked back at her plate, not wanting to be interrogated by him, she knew he would see right through her. When a hand appeared on her shoulder, she had to look up and saw him standing next to her, with a bag in his hands.

“What’s this?” she asked, taking hold of the bag.

“I know your destiny, Celia. You have to follow it and not get trapped in one place for the rest of your life. You’re the werewolf princess, it’s not just a title my dear, it’s a responsibility. We’ve lately been getting message from the undercover knights across the sea that more and more people are getting slaughtered because they’re not normal.”

She looked up at him and frowned slightly, trying to connect every little piece and understand what he was telling her. Did he just tell her to leave everything that felt safe and comfortable, just to follow a destiny that was still unknown for her? Celia stood up from her chair and looked at him, her eyes hurting and getting cloudy. Not even a moment passed before she felt his arms around her body and the familiar scent of his skin, she would miss this if she decided to leave for a whole new place.

“There is someone who needs you more than we do, someone is out there needing their future queen,” he said, brushing his hand over her hair.

Celia sniffled slightly as she pulled away from him and smiled gently. She knew he didn’t want her to leave, but at the same time, he wanted her to be free from her own past. There was a silence between them, but they smiled to each other before Celia left the kitchen to get her things packed.

“And remember, sweetheart. These doors are always open for you!”

She went to her room and got the bag she could put everything in before she started to put what she needed the most into the bag, humming lowly. A lot of the things made the memories come back from all of the years she had been there, from the day she had arrived till now, the day she was leaving the place that grown into her safe heaven. Celia sat down on the bed and looked around, running a hand through her hair as she was trying to get some kind of strength to get back up and actually walk out of the door, leaving her old life.