Even if I wanted to talk, I couldn't. Fright has seized my voice. The man standing in front of me is terrifying. He seems power and intimidation, eyes as blue as the foaming ocean, but as cold as chips of ice. The the fabric that covers his nose and mouth matches the hood pulled over his head, and the clothes close to his body. His jacket seems to be made out of a hardened mesh fabric - as if to drain away the blood of an unfortunate victim - with hardened panels on the breast area and shoulder. Whoever he is, I'm about to obey his every word. I wouldn't stand a chance against him. I can see the thickness of his muscle stature under his clothes. One wrong move on my part could mean the end of my life. He flicks a finger toward the door. It's covered in a leather glove, to leave no trace of himself. It's frightening. I noticed the camera's mounted in the corners of the room yesterday. Are they not seeing this? Following the silent instruction, I quickly hustle into the corridor, the
The next day, no one spoke. It seemed as though there was a shared understanding that we wouldn't mentioned what happened last night. Whatever the interrogation was in relation to, it included our greatest insecurities. They targeted my family. The one thing I have. Or had. Everyone else seemed just as troubled, stares glazed over, lips tight shut. By the swollen black bruises on Raynard's face the next morning, accompanied by the seeping cuts plastered over by thin strips of gauze, he has something to hide. Something that required him to be so stubborn. "Anyone know what this training is going to entail?" Dax asks. I like Dax. He seems kind, thus far. His eyes are so gentle and warm. I hope I can trust him throughout this. It's Drayton who shrugs. "Something demeaning I'm sure." To be honest, I have no idea what today has in store. Thorran is such an enigmatic figure, whatever is going on within his mind is unknown to all of us. If it's anything like last night, I'm not sure how
"There has to be a mistake." Juan had his back turned to me, dismissing me. I had tracked him all the way to his office, which was in a building I was technically not prohibited to enter. Which is why I had caught him right before he had entered. And at my presence, he did not look all that fazed. However, he should have seen this coming. With one hand on the glass door to his office building, Juan looks back at me. He's all the more intimidating when he's irritated. All I want to know is why my Alpha's name is upon my piece of paper. His eyes drift down to the letter grasped within my fingertips. "I don't make mistakes." "Clearly you have," I say, wishing I had the piece of mind to speak less aggressively to the person who has a say in whether I stay in this competition or not. "I don't remember there being a competitor named Thor in my group. Especially with the title Alpha!" Juan sighs deeply, raising an eyebrow at me pointedly. "Is that sarcasm?" I bite back some kind of reto
I startle so hard, whoever is in the other end of that voice loses their grip on me.My senses are jumbled, knocked all over the place from the darkness. Seeing no other option, I run in whatever direction I can. I don't care about the bramble that catches around the hem of my pants. Nor do I care about the low hanging branches and twigs that snap in my face as I frantically run blindly in one direction.Head first into a tree.A flash of bright light in my vision blinds me for a moment. I stand still, gripping my hands to my head, waiting for the spike of pain to diminish.A rumble of a laugh from behind me. "There are things we learn the hard way, don't we?"Twisting around, I stare blindly into the darkness. My breathing is so rapid, I can hardly hear if the man in front of me is talking. Whoever they may be, there is a potential they are out here to kill me. Or...Or..."I think you need to calm down."Embarrassment is the first feeling. Followed by relief, which is soon consumed b
Finding an excuse for why my face is cut and bruised isn't coming to my mind as easily as I had hoped.A first aid kit I had found underneath the bed is a blessing. A smear of antiseptic cream and a plaster strapped over wound is all I can do. The bruises, which surround both my eyes, and part of my forehead, a dark mess of blue and purple, have no hope of being hidden. And at this point, no hope of being explained.Naturally, at breakfast, it was Aiden who pointed it out."Someone is desperate to win this competition," he says, sliding into a seat next to me. I have no patience for Parker. He seems pretentious and almost everything he says can be seen right through. I don't think I'm the desperate one.Sighing deeply, I place my toast back on the plate, reluctantly giving him my attention. "Aren't we all, Parker?""Nasty battle wound," he says, that grin manifested from constant compliments about his straight, white teeth. Reaching up with prying fingers, he gets so close, he almost
I had zero clue how to respond to that. There was no flinch in his gaze. No sudden smile to express his joke. No reprieve for the increasing silence, heavy with expectation. He simply stared, those dark eyes slightly narrowed. This must be how he interrogated information out of people. I felt as though I was about to spill every secret I had ever kept, even the most mundane kind. I treaded carefully. “I have no doubt you’re already aware of any secret that I might have.” If he was offended by my tone, he made no mention of it. The impassive expression reaching the tightness of his jaw to the defined angle of his cheekbones. Were I not so shaken, perhaps I would have admired his hardened handsomeness. Instead, I was insinuating that he knew what he needed to about me. That intimidating the evidence out of me was enough to inform him of what he knew. “I want you to elaborate on it.” Part of me wanted to pretend I didn’t know what that meant. But I did. Maybe it was because I was af
I couldn't sleep that night. My mind was whirling, pouring over every word Kael had said to me. I'm not sure if it was his intentions to make me confused, but if it was, he succeeded. I never knew his family had died...or gone missing. I'm not sure what he had meant. All I know is he has on family left, and is left alone to be an Alpha. Is that why he has Silent's? Tomorrow we are revealing our secrets to Juan. Part of me wonders what I should say, considering no one else surely knows about this. Juan will be surprised. I would surely make it to the next round... But can I really say it? A foolish part of me feels as though it's a special secret I share only with Kael. Like no one else can know. This is my downfall. Sighing through my nose, I turn over on my side, looking at the moon that glares straight into my room, alighting my bed covers in a silvery glow. Right as I thought my luck was changing, I'm back where I started. I should enjoy the freedom before I'm whisked off into
In all honesty, I was not looking forward to today. Last night, I hadn’t slept at all. I’d stared at the ceiling until the dawn broke. I couldn’t get Thorran out of my head. This morning I had woken up cursing to myself. I knew I was not allowed to be thinking about him like I was. I was here to become an Assasin, where my job would be to protect and serve him. Nothing more. But was that why I had dreamt about him last night? It may have only been fleeting, but it was all him. Those dark, sultry eyes...tall stature... soft, rousing voice. It was obvious. I needed help. Everyone seemed as anxious as I was. Aside from Aiden, who was finding amusement in harassing Mira. I ignored them both, joining everyone else in worrying about what today would entail. We’d be finding out what our next challenge would be. After last time, none of us could predict what Thorran and Juan had decided would happen today. I was just hoping I didn’t see Thorran today. As usual, Juan had us line up in fr
As dawn’s first light crept over the horizon, casting long shadows across the Stonevale forest, an unearthly silence settled over the camp. Rayka and Sylvester could feel the weight of Bael’s betrayal bearing down on them. Their alliance with Stonevale was more fragile than ever, and the threat of the Steelclaws loomed dangerously close. Just as they were about to join Thorne for a strategy meeting, an elder wolf, bent and cloaked in heavy robes, shuffled into their path. “Alpha Rayka, Alpha Sylvester,” the elder rasped, her voice as brittle as dry leaves. Rayka blinked, taken aback. She hadn’t seen this wolf before; her fur was a grizzled silver, and her eyes were clouded with age. She leaned heavily on a twisted cane, her steps slow but deliberate. Sylvester tensed, recognizing her as a seer—a figure of reverence and mystery among the packs, rumored to carry glimpses of the past and future. The elder’s gaze fixed on them, though her eyes seemed to look beyond, as if she saw things
The atmosphere in the Stonevale territory was tense, the air filled with the weight of recent battles and hard-won alliances. Rayka and Sylvester had just returned from a skirmish with the Steelclaws, the relief of victory tempered by a newfound alliance with Stonevale. It had taken all their strength and diplomacy to secure this partnership, and now that they had it, they knew the cost of failure was even higher.Rayka sensed the underlying unrest even as they met with Thorne and his senior advisors, sitting around a council fire deep within the Stonevale woods. Stonevale’s warriors watched with wary eyes, their trust in the Moonshadow Pack still fragile, and rightly so. Only days earlier, their neutrality had been threatened, and whispers of betrayal still lingered.As the meeting began, Thorne addressed the tension, his voice somber. “It has come to my attention that some of my own pack members are not entirely pleased with our alliance. Their discontent runs deeper than I realized
As dawn broke over the Moonshadow territory, a renewed sense of purpose filled the air. Rayka and Sylvester had spent the last few days recovering from the battle, but they knew that rest would have to wait. The Steelclaws’ persistent threat lingered, and they had only narrowly managed to hold their ground. Now, they needed something more—a definitive edge that could help them secure the future of their pack.Rayka looked at Sylvester as they stood on a ridge overlooking the northern forest. “We can’t keep fighting like this, Sylvester. We need allies—someone strong enough to counterbalance Mordaen’s forces.”Sylvester nodded, his gaze scanning the horizon. “Agreed. The question is, who can we turn to? Most of the nearby packs have already chosen a side, either with us or the Steelclaws.”Rayka's eyes sharpened with resolve. “Then it’s time we approach a neutral pack.”There was only one group that had the power and resources to truly tip the scales in their favor. Known as the Stonev
The day had dawned with a clarity that brought both hope and trepidation to Rayka and Sylvester. As they prepared to leave for the council meeting with the neighboring packs, the weight of their responsibilities pressed down on them, thicker than ever. The looming threat of the Steelclaws remained, but today was a pivotal moment—one that could shape the future of the Moonshadow Pack and their allies.Rayka paced the small tent that had become a temporary command center for their operations. Maps sprawled across a table, markers indicating pack territories and possible routes of Steelclaw incursions. Sylvester stood by the entrance, scanning the horizon as if anticipating trouble. “We need to ensure that our presence is felt at this council,” Rayka said, her voice steady but charged with urgency. “If we can unite our packs against the Steelclaws, we can show them that they’re outnumbered and outmatched.”Sylvester nodded, his brow furrowed in thought. “But
The first light of dawn filtered through the dense forest surrounding the Moonshadow Pack’s territory, casting a soft, golden glow over the settlement. After the tense confrontation with Gareth, Rayka and Sylvester felt the enormity of their responsibilities settle more heavily on their shoulders. The betrayal, while quelled for the moment, had shaken the foundation of trust within the pack. As leaders, they were expected to restore stability and protect the pack’s future, yet they knew it wouldn’t be easy.For days, the atmosphere was tense but hopeful. The pack’s loyalty had been tested and reaffirmed, but the whispers of unrest and doubt hadn’t entirely vanished. The Steelclaws, though momentarily pacified by Gareth’s removal, were a looming threat. Everyone sensed that the balance of power was fragile, and one misstep could bring everything crashing down.Rayka awoke that morning with a quiet resolve. She gazed over at Sylvester, who was already awake and watch
The tension following Gareth's bold challenge hadn’t yet dissipated. The air in the Moonshadow Pack's clearing was still charged with the emotions from the confrontation, with every pack member on edge, their loyalty now a silent declaration that spoke volumes. Rayka and Sylvester knew they had to act fast to prevent Gareth’s divisive rhetoric from gaining more traction. But amid the turmoil, an unexpected turn of events brought a ghost from their past back into their lives.That night, as Rayka and Sylvester retired to the strategy room, Calder and Lara followed close behind. The four of them had spent the past few days planning every angle, every possible step they could take to neutralize Gareth’s influence without alienating the pack members who had started listening to his promises. But as they were poring over the details, there was a soft knock at the door, a knock that resonated oddly in the quiet of the stronghold. Rayka exchanged a look with Sylvester be
The cool night air was thick with tension as Rayka and Sylvester paced outside the stronghold, each lost in thought, the echoes of Gareth’s defiance still ringing in their ears. The sparring display was more than a challenge to their authority—it was an open invitation to rebellion. It was only a matter of time before the pack’s younger, more ambitious members began questioning the leadership they had fought so hard to secure. Sylvester clenched his jaw, his hand reaching out instinctively to rest on Rayka’s shoulder. “We can’t let Gareth’s influence spread any further. He’s planting seeds of dissent, and they’re taking root faster than we anticipated.” Rayka nodded, her gaze fixed on the dark expanse of trees stretching beyond their territory. “He’s smart, I’ll give him that. He knows exactly what to say to stir doubts, especially with the younger wolves. They haven’t seen the battles we’ve fought or the sacrifices we’ve made. To them, Gareth’s promise
The sun bathed the vast expanse of the Moonshadow Pack’s territory in a golden glow as Rayka and Sylvester stood on the ridge, overlooking their home. The once-constant tension of leadership and impending danger had subsided for now, replaced with the quiet hum of daily life. It had been months since the final confrontation that secured their leadership and family’s future, yet the journey ahead remained far from simple. Rayka placed a gentle hand on her stomach, where the last remnants of her pregnancy had passed into memories, and now a small, healthy child awaited them at the stronghold. She could hardly believe how much had changed. The responsibilities of parenthood had transformed her, as much as it had strengthened her bond with Sylvester. Together, they had led the pack through political upheaval and personal sacrifice, and now they faced a new era—a balance of power and family, peace and vigilance. “Are you ready for another day of juggling diplomacy and diaper changes?” S
The first rays of dawn broke over the mountains, casting a golden hue across the landscape as the Moonshadow Pack stirred to life. The morning chill hung in the air, but within the stronghold, a different kind of cold had settled in—one borne of uncertainty and lingering tension. Rayka stood at the window of their chambers, watching the sun creep over the horizon, her thoughts a tangled web of worries and plans.In the weeks since the scout had returned with news of a rival pack forming alliances, Rayka and Sylvester had been tireless in their efforts to fortify the pack, both in strength and strategy. Every move they made now was crucial—one misstep, and everything they had fought for could come crashing down. The safety of their child, their leadership, and their future hinged on how they navigated this delicate time.Behind her, Sylvester stirred awake, his arm reaching out instinctively for Rayka before he realized she was already out of bed. "You’re up early,"