UNDENIABLY DESTINED

CHAPTER 1

I awoke from my slumber to the sensation of someone gently shaking me. My body protested, yearning for more rest, but the circumstances demanded otherwise. I willed myself to rouse, lest the person urging me to wake resort to more forceful measures. With a heavy sigh, I peeled open my sleep-laden eyelids, instantly regretting it as the harsh light assaulted my eyes.

Thankfully, my vision was spared further torment as someone shielded me from the blinding brightness. Gradually, my surroundings came back into focus, and I recognized my location. I was seated in the passenger seat of a spacious Volkswagen, a nine-seater by the looks of it, its interior adorned in soothing beige tones, a detail I gleaned from the emblem on the steering wheel.

Still in a daze from my recent slumber, a sweet voice reached my ears, pulling me further from the clutches of sleep. "Baby, wake up."

I blinked in response, and my gaze locked onto a pair of soft grey eyes, their warmth akin to that of a loving mother. The glare of the sun still throbbed in my vision as fragmented memories began to coalesce. We were in the midst of relocating to a new pack, emerging from years of seclusion—an endeavor undertaken for my safety. My aunt, her eyes holding that nurturing warmth, leaned over me with a soft smile.

But my uncle's voice cut through the moment. "Get up, lazy one. We have arrived," he called out, his laughter inexplicable to me. Amidst his amusement, he quipped, "What are you up at this hour?"

In a half-awake state, I absentmindedly reached behind me, attempting to get up from my lying down position. It was then that I realized my unfortunate position—upside down, my feet brushing against the car's ceiling. An involuntary scream escaped my lips as I continued to slide deeper into this precarious spot. My uncle erupted into hearty laughter, while my aunt's panic set in. She scolded my uncle, exasperated, "Why are you laughing? Do you not realize she could hurt her neck or worse?"

Still trapped and increasingly mortified, I flailed my arms like a dying duck, in my attempts to escape. My uncle eventually lent a hand, his strength making it appear effortless as he extracted me from my awkward predicament. He effortlessly hoisted my feet and pulled me out as though I weighed nothing at all.

Once I found myself on solid ground, I crouched down, trying to regain my composure. My uncle bore the brunt of my not-so-tiny aunt's scolding, which only fueled my amusement. It was quite the spectacle, a petite woman of five feet admonishing a towering six-foot man. Unable to contain my laughter, I continued to tease him, sticking my tongue out playfully from behind my aunt, fully embracing my mischievous side.

My aunt turned to scrutinize me just as my uncle retorted with an odd expression from behind her. My aunt had always viewed me as an angel, which, I must admit, often worked to my advantage.

A flush of crimson spread across my aunt's face as she confronted my uncle, who still wore that inexplicable expression. It was as if steam were about to erupt from her ears, and her voice carried a tone that suggested her frustration had reached its peak. "You're not even sorry. She could have been seriously hurt," she exclaimed, her words laden with anger. "Now, help me with the stuff."

The absurdity of the situation struck me, and a subtle giggle reached my ears as I became aware of the curious onlookers surrounding us. These individuals, many of them currently engaged in unloading various items from the cars, had momentarily halted their tasks to witness the spectacle my aunt was creating. Among them, there were men and women of varying ages, all casting their eyes on the unfolding drama.

In that moment, I wished I could disappear, vanishing from their sight. How had I let my guard down to such an extent that I hadn't even sensed their presence? My palms grew clammy as their collective scrutiny bore down on me. They were clearly assessing the new wolf on their turf, even though they were aware of our arrival with the Gamma couple. Their protective instincts for their pack seemed unwavering.