Natalie pov:

I rushed out of my house and ran into the woods, running all the way, with wolves chasing me behind me, snarling. I didn't know how they had appeared, nor did I know why they were attacking me. Running is the only thing appeared in my mind. The cold wind blew on my face like a scraping knife, and the sharp gravel on the ground pierced my bare feet, bleeding. But I had no choice but to keep running. If I stopped, I would be caught and torn apart.

I gradually lack of strength, painful and unpleasant sensations coming from various parts of my body. It’s difficult for me to breath, and I gradually slowed down. The growling sounds behind me became clearer and clearer, and the footsteps of those wolves was getting closer and closer. I didn't have the courage to turn back, but to run desperately. I was very scared and started to wondered about the wolves’ intention. Had I done something wrong?

Thinking about it, I tripped hard over a tree root on the ground and fell on the mud, the pain instantly spread throughout my body. I got up with difficulty, surrounded by the group, it seemed I got no chance to be alive. In the darkness, their eyes glowed with an eerie green light and their mouths let out a low wolf growl.

They did not rush to me immediately, because I knew very well that they were laughing at me and looking at me with such contempt and disdain. This kind of look was very familiar to me. Since my father had lost his power, the people in the tribe all looked at me in this way.

I could not bear the feeling of fear, I cried loudly. But they didn't show the slightest pity, but mocked even harder. One of the black wolves suddenly pounced on me, a very ugly black wolf with mange-like fur in pieces. I tried desperately to resist, but it was so strong that my resistance was useless. All the wolves around me looked at me banteringly, laughing at my powerlessness. The black wolf pressed down heavily on me and opened its bloody mouth, emitting a suffocating stench from its mouth, its sharp teeth slowly approaching my neck, and I closed my eyes in despair.

The pain did not come as I expected, the weight on my body suddenly disappeared. When I opened my eyes again I saw that a wolf with crimson fur was standing in front of me, and the ugly black wolf had been knocked into the tree. Then the red wolf let out a huge howl. It shook the whole woods, and all those ugly wolves looked scared and cowered, and then disappeared in the woods. The red wolf turned towards me, its dark blue eyes staring at me tenderly, and a familiar smell came to me.

I opened my eyes, finding that I was lying in my own bed, clear sunlight piercing in through the window, casting a stark contrast to the darkness I had just experienced in the woods.

By this time John was by my side, looking at me worriedly. he was the one who had just woken me up. He handed me a towel, and when I took it, I found myself sweating profusely.

"Did you have a bad dream? Natalie, I'll be around you to protect you. Don't be afraid." John gently stroked my hair with his hand. He was so gentle and considerate.

"Please stay by my side, John." I got hold of his arm and rested my head on his shoulder.

"You know, I will, always." John put his arm around me.

This nightmare, which had followed me for years, was a dream in which I could not escape the hunting of those ugly black wolves every time. But this time was different, I buried my head in John's arms, and this time, I was saved.

It had been a week since I agreed to John's proposal.

Our marriage finally decided on my eighteenth birthday. John was now living with us as my fiancé. John quickly adapted to our family life, and my father, Borris, would often talk with him, but in fact the talk was merely my father’s solo show concerning about his brave fight with hooligans back in the old days. John would often help my mother Davis with heavy work which used to fall on my mother after my father’s legs broken. Now John's help releases a lot of burden for my mother.

My father smiled more frequently, and mother was no longer feeling sad. Our family has finally come out of the difficulties, but there is one last thing concerning me. John was reluctant to mention about his past. I chose to respect him so I didn’t ask more about it.

When I got up, I walked into the living room with the companion of John. My father, Burris, and my mother, Davis, were already eating breakfast in the living room.

"Come to have breakfast." Mother said as she waved to us.

"John made this oatmeal and pancakes early in the morning. It tastes so good." The bowl in front of Father was long empty, and he had a cup of coffee in his hand.

"Come sit down and try my dish." John smiled tenderly at me.

"Sure!" I shouted happily.

John pulled me down and my mother handed us a bowl of oatmeal and milk. The breakfast was delicious, and it was wonderful to be able to sit and eat together as a family in such a cheerful manner.

"Ding Ling Ling!" The phone rang.

"I'll get the phone." I went and picked up the phone.

"Hello, hello, this is the Borris family."

"Hello, my dear cousin. It's Bowler, and to thank you and my brother-in-law for 'taking care' of me last time, I have a nice thing to inform you. Hey, hey, hey, hey."

A sickening laugh came from the other end of the phone. I felt that my mood had instantly dropped from the heaven to the hell, and I wanted to vomit the breakfast I had just eaten. How I wished at this moment that the phone hadn't been invented.

"Bowler, say something, or I will hang up."

Since the last time John clashed with Bowler, uncle had done any action. I already felt very strange about this. The trouble is still destined to come but I don’t know what’s their trick this time.

"Dare you talk to me in this manner, Natalie. I tell you, you will be expelled from the tribe in three days, hurry up and pack up, find a backpacking house. Finding a ghetto gutter with John is also a good choice. Hahaha."

"What do you mean? Impossible, you have no right to do this, grandfather will definitely not do so."

"My father has already talked to the Scarlet Pack about the cooperation. The Scarlet Pack is the strongest pack in Country C. As long as the alliance is successful, my father will make a great achievement and will definitely become the Alpha of the Red Moon Pack. At that time, you guys as parasites deserve no place in our pack. Grandpa is ready to expel you guys. Hhhhh."

"You will not achieve your purpose!"

I angrily hung up the phone, only to feel my head roar and freeze in the void. I was never expecting the Bowlers to play such a mean trick.

John's came over to me and putting his arm around me, asking me worriedly about what had happened. He was so gentle and attentive, his arms giving me a strong sense of security.

I told everyone what Bowler had said.

"Those bastards, do they really think I'm a husky? If they dare to set foot in my house, I'll beat them back." Father Burris looked angrily.

"They can't do that, oooh, no." My mother began to cry.

"Mum, it's okay, I'll think of an idea. I'll go to find Grandpa Alpha and let Grandpa Martin do justice." Actually, I don't know if it's of any use, because grandpa has always been partial to uncle Dover.

"John....... if you hadn't impulsively hit Bowler, things might not have developed like this either." Mother complained sadly to John.

"Shut up, Davis. Can you accept your daughter being humiliated by that beast?" My father said sternly to my mother.

"Mum, it's not John's business, the idea must come from Uncle Dover and Bowler who have been planning this for a long time, and no matter what, those narrow-minded, sinister, little people are not going to let us off the hook." I explained to my mother.

I hoped that John would not blame himself for what my mum had said, but I did not think he was at fault, knowing how desperate and helpless I was, and how John had come to my rescue. His presence was like a lighthouse in the abyss, bringing hope for my family.

But the reality is cruel. We could not fight with the strongest chief, Alpha in the tribe, I began to worry about John's safety. As much as I wanted him to stay by my side, I couldn't be so selfish and get him out of the house. I was grateful for the happiness he had brought me in the past few days, and I calmed myself down, pretending to be tranquil and said to John.

"John, let this marriage come to an end. I don't want to drag you into our families’ affairs. If Uncle Dover becomes the Alpha, Bowler will not let you off the hook. You should leave the Red Moon Pack and leave A City. By the way, don't go to C City. If uncle and the others are allied with the Scarlet Pack, then C is not safe either." I held back the reluctance in my heart, and the moment I finished my words, my eyes were already moist.

"I know the situation. Don't worry, they won't drive you away. Within three days, they will surely come back to beg us to stay." John's expression was very plain. He smiled a little and said to me gently.

"Why do you think so?" I was surprised and looked at John curiously. He smiled with determination and I didn’t feel like he was telling a joke.

He shrugged his shoulders and put on an attitude of taking all things for granted. Then he looked at me. From the moment we made eye contact, I saw toughness and confidence in his eyes. And finally he said slowly word by word,

"Because I'm your destined mate."