Chapter Two: Awakening at Eighteen - A Wolf's Return to the Pack.

"You gotta sneak." Mane instructs. "I'm second to the Alpha's Beta. I mustn't be caught doing this."

"Thank you, Mane." Sera appreciates.

"Don't thank me yet." Mane says, with his gruff voice. "Not until we get inside unnoticed, unscathed."

"Sure." She nods her head.

Mane and Sera finally jump inside the pack house, landing with a light thud. As Mane notices a security wolf approaching, he tries to hide Sera but the wolf notices her already.

"Don't move. This is treason to the Alpha, and to the pack at large." He approaches Mane, stating the consequences he'd face for his actions.

"Hey brother." Sera calls, throwing a kiss at him. She deems it fit to seduce him maybe they'd be freed. The wolf shoots a deadly glare at her, switching her mood instantly into a fearful one.

"Now, come on…" Mane pats him on his shoulders. "...I saw you go in with Lisa, I have the videos. If you don't let us go, I'd display it on the projector."

"Nice try. You can go."

Mane winks at Sera, and they leave his presence, rushing inside his personal room.

His guards welcome him, but don't let Sera in.

"Let her in." He instructs and shuts the door when she gets in, only for him to see the Alpha inside his room.

"Damn it." Sera cusses.

"Language, rogue!" The Alpha rebukes. "Beta's sexy mate, good one at it, Mane."

"I-I never planned to do it this way. I'm sorry." Mane apologizes.

"That's not my point right now." The Alpha deadpans. "And to you, rogue, I'm Ralph, Midnight Echo Pack. It's nice to know a wicked soul that will experiment on you soon."

Sera sighs.

"I think I have the rights to know your name too." Ralph says with a smirk.

"Sera. Sera Moonshade." She clips.

"Mane, your fellow Beta was wounded by a rogue on his way to inform our neighborhood pack house about an urgent message from the moon goddess." Ralph states, feeling disappointed.

"Ugh…Damn. Did the wolf healer do a thing already?" Mane shows care, and walks towards the Alpha. Sera follows him behind but Ralph stops her.

"Feign respect, if you don't have it." Ralph tells her.

"The wolf healer demanded a potion that was unavailable in his boxes." Ralph continues. "Since your fellow Beta couldn't heal himself, and the wolf healer couldn't…"

"We'll forsake him?" Mane asks, shutting his eyes and opening them suddenly.

"Not until after the last try. We need a young wolf to get the potion from Dan. And as you know, no young wolves are present here. We all sent them for…" He gesticulates, instead of saying the last word.

"I understand. Where do we get the young wolf?" Mane asks.

"I don't know. That's where the problem lies." Ralph grumbles. "The pain keeps worsening."

"Should I speak with my new friend?" Mane asks. "And I can get back."

"When making choices, make reasonable ones. This one is human! A mere human, and an abomination to this pack." Ralph condemns.

"I'm not human, I'm a werewolf." Sera corrects, directing Mane's gazes at herself.

"Really?" Ralph asks, smirking. "What if we decide to confirm?"

"I'm ready." Sera retorts, sounding brave.

"Go." Ralph commands Mane.

Just about he's about to step out of his room, he stops him, "don't be late. And I'm sure we've agreed: If she's human, we'll kill her even if you hide the truth, and if she's a wolf we'll recruit her."

"Agreed." Sera retorts and walks out as Mane attacks her once they're out.

"Damn. You don't talk back to an Alpha that way." He corrects sharply. "Let's get down there. The field."

She shuts her lips and moves with him.

"Quick question." Mane states, snapping his fingers.

"Go ahead. Hold on, who are these?" Sera asks, staring at a master wolf training a few other wolves.

"Oh, those? They're wolves - I mean wolves that just shifted, newly." Mane replies.

"Can't they get the potion from Dan?" Sera asks. The urge rises within her to join those wolves and be trained as well, but she remembers that she's not even eighteen yet.

She wants to reveal to Mane that she's a young wolf, but afraid that she'd be sent to get the potion from Dan.

"Who's Dan? Stop prying." Mane rebukes her, chuckling shakily.

"Are you human, or a young wolf?" Mane asks.

She presses his ears to her lips, telling herself that he's the only one she can trust now. She has no family and can't keep hiding the truth from all and sundry.

"I'm a young wolf. Seventeen. Shifting very soon."

"Come up with me!" Mane yells with excitement as he runs towards his room where the Alpha is. She runs after him, not eager to be useful to the Alpha but not to get lost in the pack.

A guard welcomes her into the room and shuts the door.

"Sera Moonshade, we have confirmed that you're a young wolf. Can you help us get the potion, save a life so we'll save yours?" Alpha Ralph requests.

Scared Sera bows her head, "as you wish, master."

"Take her to Dan. Let her get the potion." He instructs and a guard marches her out of the room.

"I thought Mane would follow me. Why…?" She asks but the guard shuts the door at her and forces her to Dan.

Fast, at Dan's.

"Is she a young wolf?" Dan asks, willing to offer the potion to her.

"Release the potion to her. If she isn't, it'll burn her. So try her." The guard retorts and he handles the potion to her. Sera breathes in shakily as she receives it.

"Well done, young wolf." The guard smiles, and leads her back to the pack house, inside Mane's room.

"We found the potion." The guard states and gives it to the Alpha.

"How do we go about it?" Mane asks Ralph.

"I'll do it. Thanks to Sera Moonshade. You're welcome to be one of us. Mane, I got this. Go with your friend." Ralph states but Mane insists.

"You're the leader of the pack, don't stress yourself way than you should." Mane cares.

"I got it. Leave." He orders. Mane with Sera leaves the room, heading to the field.

"Thanks for that. I'm happy you're one of us now." Mane appreciates, pulling her in for a hug.

"I should thank you better." Sera retorts.

"Would you like to check something out?" Mane asks, pulling out of the hug.

"Sure." She nods her head. He leads her to the top of an harmless roof.

"Can you see the other buildings clearly?" He asks.

"Sure. I can. I think there's another pack closer to us than the mere buildings." Sera replies.

"You learn quickly. You'd be useful." Mane compliments.

"Don't blush yet, that's not my point." He deadpans, and she maintains a straight face.

"The pack house closer to us is Crescent Ember Pack. In all your stroll, sneak-out, do not get near the pack." Mane instructs.

"Why? I like it." Sera opposes.

"Don't question my authority." Mane says, touching her lips, wanting them to be shut.

"That's all I have to tell you. Hold on!" He instructs.

"Why scream? I didn't even move." Sera says.

"I wanted to get your perfect attention. You said you're seventeen, are you sure you won't be eighteen soon?" He asks.

"What's the date?" Sera asks.

"June 3rd." Mane replies.

"My birthday is in a few days then. Sorry, ouch, damn. June 4th, mom said I'd be eighteen." Sera says as Mane hugs her tightly.

"Do you know you almost put us into trouble?" Mane asks, feeling good.

"How?"

"You could have died from getting the potion from Dan. You're almost getting your wolf."

"I can't wait. And I'm sorry about that. I guess I'll try better next time."

| DAY BREAK |

"Mane, Simon!!" A wolf screams from a corner. "They have invaded here! Come over."

Mane quickly energizes his wolf, rushing to meet Sera in the room opposite him.

"Hey Sera. I have to be at the battlefield. Be safe. Crescent Ember Pack." He says, and gulps.

"I understand." Sera sighs.

"Don't let them come for you. His son is looking for a mate. He'd soon be done with his mate problems, okay? I love you." He says, gives her a peck and leaves.

He quickly returns, "I forgot to tell you. I know you're good at hiding and sneaking. Never join us in the battle."

Sera screams now, stops for a while and acts like though she wants to vomit a thing.

"Sera Moonshade." She hears a cool voice. She looks around her, scared to know who spoke to her.

"Did anything bad happen?"

Here comes the nightmarish question. She ignores it.

"Sera?" Mane pats her.

"Yeah? Please go. I don't know what has come over me." Sera advises. "Go, now!"

"Did…someone speak to you?" He asks, getting her attention.

"How did you know?" Sera asks.

"Your wolf's right here. Happy Birthday, Sera! Would celebrate you once back."

He pecks her and leaves her in shock.