CHAPTER 2
"Victoria!" her mother's voice rang loud and exciting through the narrow hallway of their cottage.
"Victoria, come quickly! We got you something!" her father added, sounding more excited and anxious than the person they wanted to give.
Ten-year-old Victoria Fitzgerald burst out of the shared bedroom she occupied with her twin sister, Vera. Her wavy brown hair bounced around her shoulders as she ran barefoot into the living room, with eyes wide withjoy.
"You got me something?" she exclaimed, practically bouncing with excitement. "What is it?! What is it?! I want to see!" she couldn't hold her excitement.
Samantha Fitzgerald beamed, her weathered hands brought out a medium-sized box wrapped in soft gold paper and tied with a red ribbon. George stood beside her, grinning proudly.
"For our future Alpha Queen," he said dramatically, bowing slightly as he extended the gift to his daughter. "Straight from the town market. We've been saving for weeks."
"Go on, open it!" Samantha clapped her hands.
Victoria tore into the wrapping like a child unwrapping destiny. Inside was a stunning custom-crafted leather training vest, black with silver studs, engraved with her name.
Her eyes sparkled. "Oh my goddess… this is amazing! I love it!"
She threw her arms around her parents. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
George chuckled, kissing the top of her head. "Only the best for our Victoria. You deserve it, sweetheart."
Vera watched in silence from the doorway, clutching her small hands to the hem of her too-big dress. Her eyes flickered between the gift and her sister's joyful squeals.
"We'll get you something too soon, Vera," Samantha said quickly, barely glancing at her. "Just… be patient, okay?"
Victoria turned, flashing Vera a smug grin. "If you ever get strong enough, maybe they'll buy you something nice too."
Vera's stomach turned. It had always been this way.
The Fitzgerald family, are a low class family within the pack and like all family in the same class strive to move up the hierarchy, George was a great fighter, among the top fighters in the pack but he had no influence of power within the pack and was just a mere footsoldier for the pack when they had to fight either the cult or a rival pack. It wasn't too long after they married that they gave birth to the twin girls.
But the prophecy…changed everything.
Years ago, the Oracle had seen something in Victoria while she was still in Samantha's womb. The old werewolf, with eyes as sharp as the eagle, had laid her hands on Samantha's stomach and declared:
"This child will change the pack. This child is chosen."
From that moment forward, they treated her like a living relic. They took her to the secret werewolf clinic the humans never knew about, managed by the Oracle herself. She was blessed with herbs, trained in silence, and watched like she was made of gold.
They didn't just love her. They believed in her.
Every time George and Samantha had a spare coin, it went toward Victoria. New boots, new books, rare wolfbane beads, even perfumes from the border town markets. It was as though their every breath existed to worship her twin daughter.
They also reminded her every single day.
"You're special, baby," Samantha would whisper while brushing Victoria's hair at night. "You're meant for more than this little house. More than foot soldier blood. You'll lead."
"I will," Victoria would reply, with a certainty that frightened even her father.
But no one ever whispered anything to Vera. She was just… there. A footnote. Invisible.
At age six, it was already clear….Vera was growing into someone too quiet, but too unsure. She hadn't shifted yet. There was no sign of claws, no speed, no wild strength. George barely made eye contact with her most days. While Samantha spoke to her like a ghost.
And Victoria mocked her for it.
"Oh, you're still here?" she'd say sometimes, laughing as Vera tried to tag along.
Once, Vera asked their parents why Victoria got so many gifts.
George answered without hesitation. "Because she's going to take us out of this rank."
"Take us where?" Vera asked softly.
"To where we deserve to be," Samantha added. "Not scrubbing mess halls. Not risking our necks for alphas who forget our names. Power, Vera. And your sister is the key."
The bitter truth? They weren't even cruel about it.
They simply didn't see Vera.
And as the years passed, these words pressed on her chest like a stone.
************************
"Come on, Vera! We don't have all day!"
Victoria's voice pierced through the crowded forest clearing like an arrow. She wore the leather vest her parents had gifted her, and the confidence she exuded wasnoticeable.
It was the Young Pup Competition, the pack's biggest youth event of the year. Elders lined the clearing's corners, proud and expectant. The Spelman Alpha couple, Vance and Sasha watched with interest, their two sons, Damon and David, were also beside them.
The atmosphere was filled with anticipation, pine needles crackling under foot.
Vera stumbled behind Victoria, nearly tripping over a tree root.
"I'm trying," she said weakly. "Just… slow down."
Victoria rolled her eyes dramatically. "If you can't keep up, stay out of the way. I'm not dragging you through this competition."
Vera's face fell. Her lip trembled.
"I thought we were a team," she whispered.
Victoria scoffed. "This isn't a fairy tale, Vera. It's every pup for herself. And I'm winning today."
The first challenge was brute strength, lifting a weighted log and racing through an obstacle course. Victoria launched herself forward, fast and fierce, her limbs tight of muscle and instinct. She finished the course in record time.
Gasps echoed and cheers followed.
"She's incredible!" one elder whispered.
"Prodigy," said another.
Vera stepped up next. Her hands trembled. The log was too heavy. She barely cleared the first hurdle. By the time she reached the finish line, she was bruised and panting, the crowd had already begun talking about Victoria again.
"Last place," someone muttered.
Victoria strutted over. "Maybe next year, sis."
Vera's eyes glistened.
*********************
At the award ceremony, Victoria was crowned Young Pup Champion. A carved wooden emblem was pinned to her vest. Her parents clapped louder than anyone else, tears of joy were in their eyes, and pride bulged in their chests like helium.
Samantha held her daughter up like a trophy. "Look at her! She's going to change everything."
George nodded, gripping Victoria's shoulder. "She's the future."
Vera stood several paces behind, watching it all.
No one called her name and no one even noticed she was crying.
Later that night, as the stars flickered overhead, Vera sat alone near the corner of the forest. Her hands were scraped. Her knees throbbed. But it wasn't the pain of the competition that hurt, it was the feeling that she could vanish and no one would miss her.
Not even her own parents.
She closed her eyes and tried to remember the last time someone hugged her.
Nothing came.
Just the sound of distant laughter, Victoria's echoing through the trees.
Then, she heard footsteps behind her and was slow and careful.
She turned quickly, her heart almost jumping out. But there was no one.
The trees swayed gently. The air felt… off.
She stood slowly, glancing around.
"Hello?" she called out.
But there was nothing.
She took a step back. A sudden chill wrapped around her spine like a cold breath.
Then came the whisper. So faint, it was almost a breeze:
"She's not the only one the Oracle saw."
Vera froze.
Her eyes darted toward the trees. Her mouth flew open, but no sound came out.
Was it her imagination? Or had someone, or something just spoken to her?
Before she could decide, a rustling noise behind her made her jump. She turned again but there was nothing. But her heart was hammering now. Something had changed.
"Who is the Oracle?"