The Forbidden Mark (Book 1)

Chapter 1

DEIDRE

"Deidre, darling, are you almost ready?" her mother called out to her.

"Almost. I'm at the last box," she answered, raising her voice a little for her to hear. "I will be down in a second."

Deidre finished packing the last box, leaving the picture frame of her and her friends. The ones from her old school. Correction: ex-friends. The friends who had abandoned her all because of a slip of a few words. She had met them at the start of sixth grade when she had been put formally into an all-girls school. 

But after she had let slip a small confession about her unknown mind, the rumours had started and they were gone. One bad slip and she had been left alone for an entire year with no one to turn to.

This was the reason why she was thus joyous when her father announced about a new job in the Shadow Frost Pack. Her mother had agreed to the idea which meant she had no choice but to tag along. Her father's accounting office had relocated and now it was time to switch places.

Deidre knew she would not miss the pack they lived in. There was nothing to do there. But the thought of adjusting to a new place where she had never been to and probably going to spend many years at -sent her nerves into overdrive. Also, the name gave her chills. Her friends had talked about it on several occasions. Cornelia's, her ex-friend's, cousin lived there and she had said it to be terrifying. Every week someone was murdered, injured. The pack had the highest number of rejected and unmated people.

Apparently, the people there were lunatics.

And yet, she felt drawn to it for whatever reason.

"Deidre, are you ready?" her mother shouted.

Deidre blinked back to reality and found herself standing in front of the car with her favourite stuffed bear clutched to her chest. She had not even remembered walking downstairs. 

"Sweetheart, is everything all right? You seem a bit oblivious." 

Deidre reassured that she was fine. And said she felt weird about leaving since this had been their home since she was a small child, and how she would miss it with all her heart.

"Oh, sweetie. We will be happy there." Her mother's arms came around her and she smiled tightly.

Would they? Her heart certainly told her something else.

Then her father cut into the moment. "Are you two ready? Why are you hugging without me?"

Deidre giggled. "It was just an emotional moment, so you cannot blame us. You can get your hug when we reach our new home."

Her father smiled one last time, then she got in the car after stealing a glance at the house. She was immediately hit with the car smell, which she used to hate, but over the years had come to love it. Her head lay against the headrest, eyes closed as the tiredness took over.

A while into her nap, she abruptly jolted awake at a bump in the road. Deidre yawned, rubbed her eyes and looked out the window. The road was under construction, workers working on the bumpy road, and she saw a few eyes glimpse in their direction which had her shying away.

They were many miles out of town, not having reached it, and yet, guards already surrounded the place. Deidre's eyes widened at the long, brick wall built around the pack in the distance. Guards walked on top of the wall, weapons in their hands, and fear built from the pit of her stomach.

What is this? The middle ages?

"So, since no one is going to ask, then I will do it. Why is there a wall around the pack?" her mother asked.