October 13th, 20 years ago
Fifteen years ago, Rafael's world fell apart, he was just sixteen years old when his father, Casien Voss, the powerful Alpha of the Nightbane Pack died unexpectedly from silver poisoning.
One day he was the strong and untouchable leader and the next day, he was gone, there were no warnings or time to prepare, just a cold harsh reality for poor 16 year old Rafael that he was now Alpha...at such a young age.
The weight of responsibility crashed down on him, he just became the new leader of the Nightbane Pack and also the heir to Voss Pharmaceuticals OVERNIGHT!.
He had been trained for both roles his entire life but training wasn't the same as reality, nothing could have prepared him for the emptiness his father's absence left behind.
he tried to stay in control, to be the leader his pack needed, but grief had a way of breaking a person from the inside out and Rafael was breaking, his emotions were volatile, unpredictable, and so was his wolf.
The first time it happened, it started from a nightmare, he had seen his father's body lying cold and still, the image jolted him awake and before he could even process what was happening, his body was shifting against his will; His bones snapped and twisted as he transformed, his claws tore through his sheets, he had no control and no sense of self.
After that night, It happened again and again, for each time that it happened again, it was worse; his shifts were violent, uncontrollable, and dangerous.
Then one night, he lost himself completely.
It was supposed to be a normal evening, young Niko had come over like he always did, standing by Rafael's side through everything but Rafael wasn't himself that night, his emotions were too strong and before he knew it, the shift took over, his vision blurred and his mind was clouded... when he came back to his senses, he was on top of Niko, his claws were on his best friend's throat.
"Brother, stop! You don't want to do this!" Niko had shouted, struggling to keep him at bay.
But Rafael wasn't hearing him, his wolf had fully taken over, and all he saw was a threat, his own best friend had become prey.
Then, before he could strike the final blow, another wolf crashed into him, sending him tumbling across the room, a snarl ripped through the air and even in his dazed state, Rafael recognized it instantly, it was his mother.
Thalia Voss stood between him and Niko with her silver-gray fur bristling.
"Enough!" she commanded with her voice ringing through the room.
Rafael growled, his instincts were still screaming for blood but Thalia didn't waver
"I said enough!" Her voice shook the walls and for the first time since the shifts had started, Rafael hesitated.
He recognised that his mother wasn't just anyone, she was an Alpha's mate, his father's mate and she was strong and dominant in her own right.
After Thalia's redeeming scold against Rafael, slowly and painfully, Rafael forced himself to shift back; is body was shaking and his breath was ragged.
Thalia stared at him "You are losing yourself, Rafael and if you don't find a way to control this… you won't survive...hell! the entire pack WILL not survive with a leader who has no control"
He was pierced by his mother's words.
Rafael was determined to regain control and so he made the decision to isolate himself at the Voss cabin, one of their family's remote vacation homes designed to accommodate both human and wolf forms.
In all honesty, he wanted to train, to learn restraint and to prevent himself from destroying everything his father and ancestors had built...he also intended to go alone.
But secretly, Niko had other plans; he knew Rafael would want to go alone but he swore in his heart that it is only over his dead body that he would allow for something like that to happen, he resolved within himself to go along with Rafael even if he had to force his way through.
On the day that Rafael intended to set off, he got into his vintage convertible, about to drive away, niko threw a bag in the car and attempted to open the door and get in, Rafael gripped the door and shut it tight and so Niko jumped right in through the roof and grabbed Rafael`s collar,
"If you think I'm letting you disappear alone into the woods to rip yourself apart, you're insane Brother," Niko had said, leaving no room for argument.
Rafael sighed, knowing there was no point in refusing him, he knew that Niko was stubborn, and despite Rafael's efforts to push everyone away, Niko had always refused to budge.
So, they went together.
At night, it always started the same, the itch beneath Rafael's skin and the pull of the shift he couldn't control; The first few nights were brutal, his bones snapped and his body contorted, whenever the transformation was complete, he was nothing but intense rage.
To keep Rafael from destroying everything in sight Niko always had to be quick, he used everything in his arsenal...commands, brute force and even silver chains when necessary and no matter how many times Rafael lost control, they kept trying; every night, Niko would forced him to fight against the shift, to hold it back for even a few seconds longer and every night, Rafael pushed himself further, refusing to be ruled by this lack of control that grief had brought upon him.
One night, something horrifying happened.
Rafael shifted more violently than he ever had and this time, he ran out of the cabin with speed that cannot be described.
Niko didn't waste time before shifting and chasing after him but Rafael was fast, faster if you might, he weaved through the trees with an unnatural speed and his large form blended so perfectly into the night.
Niko pushed harder by tracking his scent and it worked for a while, this helped him to continue chasing after Rafael but suddenly, he lost track of the scent, Rafael was gone.
He stopped immediately and began scanning the area, listening carefully but the woods were eerily quiet, he took a deep breath, trying to catch Rafael's scent again but there was still nothing, It was like he had vanished.
Thats when he heard it...a low, eerie wet tearing sound.
Niko followed the noise with speed, hoping deep down that it wasnt what he was thinking and when he finally caught sight of the scene, he saw Rafael, his stomach twisted...Rafael was hunched over something, his fur was matted with blood and beneath him was...
the lifeless body of girl.