#Chapter1

Hey there, I'm Araceli López, or as my friends call me, Ara. I'm 18 years old, not very tall, with fair skin, short hair, and green eyes. Ever since my mother passed away, I took on her role as the guardian of the wolves, to protect and assist them in dealing with vampires. During the mornings, I'm a normal girl, more or less, but at night, I become a guardian.

I was trained from a young age by my mother and her partner because I know nothing about my father; my mom never wanted to talk about it. Just a few days before she passed away, she told me that my dad was a werewolf, the Alpha of his pack. Because I'm the daughter of a werewolf, I have a bit of his "DNA". My mom said she wasn't my dad's mate, which is why I'm half human and half wolf. But I can't shift into a wolf because my mom wasn't his mate. I only have the abilities of a werewolf.

I've been living in London for two weeks now since I left my hometown. I attend school (university) like everyone else, but it's not just any school—it's a school for werewolves. I made a friend here, her name is Gabriela Flores, but I call her Gabi. She's a she-wolf.

(…)

I wake up to the sound of a beautiful alarm clock. I turn it off, head to the bathroom, take a shower, and after 10 minutes, I step out. I go to the closet to pick out an outfit. I choose black pants, a short-sleeved white blouse, my black leather jacket, and my ankle boots with some designs on them.

All set, I grab my backpack and my cellphone, leave the house, and walk to school. After 20 minutes, I arrive, and at the entrance, I see my friend Gabi. I greet her with a look. (Gabi is about the same height as me, with brown skin and slightly longer hair than mine.)

Ara – Hey, Gabi.

Gabi – Hi, Ara. How are you?

Ara – I'm good. Finally back to classes after the break.

Gabi – Yeah. Hey, wanna go to a party tonight?

Ara – Whose birthday is it?

Gabi – No one's. My brother's friend is back, and he's even attending this school. He's Yolanda's boyfriend, by the way.

Ara – Ah, so he must be just like Yolanda—arrogant, full of himself, etc…

Gabi – He's the Alpha of all Alphas. According to my brother, he hasn't found his mate yet. If he doesn't find her, he'll marry Yolanda.

Ara – Well, if he's Yolanda's boyfriend, then they deserve each other. Birds of a feather.

Gabi – No, he's different. I don't know why he's with Yolanda. They're nothing alike.

Ara – I'm sorry, I won't be able to make it. I've got work to do.

Gabi – I know, the guardian duty calls. Taking care of the wolves, right? (with a hint of sadness)

Ara – Yes, it's my duty as a guardian. But if I finish early, I promise I'll come.

Gabi – Thanks, friend! (jumps with excitement)

We enter the school as the bell rings, and we head to the classroom, taking our seats. Soon enough, the teacher arrives. I notice that Yolanda didn't come to class today—probably waiting for her future husband.

(…)

Finally, classes are over. I gather my things, bid farewell to Gabi, and head back home. I have a part-time job, a regular one. I arrive home, leave my backpack behind, and change before heading to my job as an archery instructor at an exclusive club for the wealthy. I set everything up for when the students arrive...

(…)

Finally, my shift at the club is over, and I head home, feeling somewhat tired. I take out my phone to check the time, and it's already 9 PM. I ended a bit late today. The advantage of working here is that I can use the bows and arrows to practice my shots.

I arrive home, enter, and head straight to my room. I take off my clothes to take a shower. When I'm done, I step out with a towel wrapped around me. I go to my closet to pick out an outfit when I hear my phone ringing. I walk over to where I left it—it's lying on the bed. I pick it up and answer the call without looking at the screen.

Ara – Hey.

Gabi – Ara, you need to come to the party. We're under attack by vampires!

Ara – I'm not in the mood for jokes, Gabi.

Gabi – It's not a joke, Ara. Please!

Ara – Where are you?

Gabi – At the Alpha of all Alphas' pack. I'll send you the location. Please hurry.

Ara – Alright, hide. I'm on my way.

I hang up and my phone rings again. It's a message with the location. I go to one of my secret closets, grabbing everything I need for my job. I change into my guardian outfit: black pants, a leather jacket with a hood, a black blouse, a mask, and my shoes—perfect for easy movement.

Ready to go, I leave my house and head to the location Gabi sent me. The address she gave is close to where I train when I'm not teaching at the club. I arrive at the location, hide to avoid being seen, and move through the trees until I reach a rooftop. I see several wolves fighting vampires, so I take out an arrow.

I adjust my aim and release the arrow, hitting a vampire. I hide again and find a new spot to continue picking off the vampires. I climb down from the roof and approach stealthily, ensuring I'm not spotted. I have another arrow ready as I see two vampires cornering a large wolf. He's larger than the others. I focus and release the arrow, hitting both vampires.

The giant wolf starts searching around, and I hide until his gaze moves away. I believe he's looking for a wounded wolf, so I move on to help others. After assisting, I leave. As I walk, I hear a noise behind me. I draw an arrow and aim, thinking it could be a vampire. But I don't see anyone, so I scan the area without lowering my bow.

Ara – Whoever's hiding back there, come out!

I then spot the large wolf and lower my bow, tucking away the arrow.

Ara – It's you, big guy. I thought you were a vampire.

He continues to stare at me. I bow slightly and turn around, starting to walk. He growls, and I look back.

Ara – You don't need to thank me. It's my duty as a guardian.

Suddenly, he howls. I take this as an opportunity to start running. I hear his growl, but I don't pay it much attention and keep running until I find myself surrounded by several wolves. I look around for an escape route, but there's none. Then, I hear that growl again behind me. I turn to see the massive wolf. I step back slightly. Before I can say anything, I feel a sting in my arm. It doesn't take long for my body to feel heavy, and my eyes begin to close. Everything becomes blurry, and in the haze, I see the giant wolf shifting into human form. Darkness takes over, and I close my eyes.