"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
My first thought was that I had to tell someone. My second thought was questioning what I was meant to do. It felt improper to continue watching his scandalous act took place, but I was stunned by what to do. All I knew was this shouldn’t be happening. It was forbidden to have a relationship with an Assassin or Trainer. And yet here I was, witnessing Cynthia making out with Juan.I had to interrupt. It might not be the best thing to do, but what if this was a mock situation? What if I was meant to intervene and stop Cynthia from getting eliminated? Was this my chance to protect her?With all these questions needing to be answered, I could barely make sense of my thoughts. I was a good person, and I good person wouldn’t let something this unfair happen.Right?"Hey, what’s going on?" I asked, emerging from the shadows. I had no weapons or any means to protect myself if Juan’s next motivation was to turn against me. If this was a simulation like I was hoping it was, that should be how
I had no idea who on Earth this Shinee was. By the way, he looked at me, he assumed that I should at least have an inkling. Yet just because I didn’t know who he was at first glance, that didn’t mean that I was not feeling terrified the moment my gaze landed upon him. It didn’t mean I didn’t see something in those strange, lavender-colored eyes that could frighten even the bravest souls. The fact that he was immortal, for starters. No one looked like that, asserting that aura and confidence without being of high power. But what an immortal was doing on a mortal soul was something that baffled me. I eyed Shinee and cast a rather pointed state in Thorran’s direction. "Well, I didn't know this was going to be a party." "Neither did I,” Thorran mumbled in return. His tone was low but being werewolves, we did have our superhearing. Almost instantly, my cheeks flushed bright red. I should have just stayed in that forest. I should have never walked into this cabin. What on Earth was I th
The forest trembled under an unnatural energy. Shadows crept where they didn’t belong, and the wind carried whispers that felt like an unspoken warning. Rayka and Sylvester stood at the edge of Marelda’s clearing, watching the horizon light up with a pulsing glow. The artifact in Rayka’s hands hummed, its blue gem flashing in time with the ominous light.“This is it,” Rayka said quietly, her voice almost drowned by the rising gusts of wind. “The artifact is leading us there.”Sylvester tightened his grip on the hilt of his blade. “Then we have no choice. Whatever ritual they’re attempting, we have to stop it.”Marelda stepped up beside them, her sharp eyes focused beyond the treeline. “They’ve chosen a sacred place, one tied to the power of the Ancients. You must hurry, or the consequences will be irreversible.”“What happens if they complete the ritual?” Eira asked, her tone edged with unease.Marelda’s expression darkened. “It will awaken something that should remain buried—power th
The morning sunlight barely penetrated the thick canopy of the Emberfang forest as Rayka and Sylvester rode out with their team. Their hearts were still heavy with the betrayal they had uncovered within their ranks, but there was no time to dwell on it. Scouts had discovered a deserted faction outpost hidden deep within the woods. The timing was suspicious—almost as if the faction wanted them to find it—but Rayka couldn’t ignore the potential for critical intelligence.Sylvester rode beside her, his sharp eyes scanning the trees for any sign of danger. “If they left in a hurry, they might have overlooked something important. Let’s make this count.”Rayka nodded, her thoughts echoing his. “We’ll keep the group small and discreet. If this is a trap, we can’t risk a full-scale engagement.”Kaelin, Eira, and two seasoned scouts flanked them as they reached the outpost. It was little more than a cave obscured by thick underbrush, its entrance guarded by fallen logs and brambles. The group
The tension in the council room was suffocating, each leader’s gaze darting between Rayka and Sylvester as they delivered the troubling news. The messenger's announcement of the advancing forces had left a chilling silence in its wake. However, as the details unfolded, an even more sinister realization began to take root: someone within their ranks had betrayed them.Rayka’s mind raced as she paced the room, her thoughts a whirlpool of doubt and suspicion. Trust was the foundation of their fragile alliance, and if that trust was compromised, everything they had fought for would crumble.“We need to act fast,” Sylvester said, his voice low but firm as he leaned against the council table. “If there’s an inside man feeding information to the faction, they’ll know our plans before we even make them.”Helmar, seated at the far end of the table, nodded grimly. “But how do we root them out without causing a full-scale panic? The packs are already on edge after the Silvermane rescue and the re
The news of Silvermane's fall came like a thunderclap, reverberating through the corridors of the Moonshade stronghold. Rayka stood frozen, her breath catching in her throat as Helmar delivered the report with grim precision.“Silvermane has been compromised,” Helmar said, his voice steady despite the gravity of his words. “The new faction seized their stronghold during what was supposed to be a peace negotiation. Alaric and his pack were ambushed—caught completely off guard.”Rayka’s mind raced, the weight of the betrayal sinking in. Alaric, the Silvermane alpha, was one of the few leaders she trusted implicitly. His strength and loyalty had been a cornerstone of their alliance. To imagine him captured—or worse—was a blow she hadn’t anticipated.“Do we know their status?” Sylvester asked, his voice tight with controlled anger. He stood beside Rayka, his presence grounding her even as the storm of emotions raged within.Helmar shook his head. “The survivors are scattered. Some made it
The council room was shrouded in a somber atmosphere. The scent of old parchment and burning candles filled the air as Rayka and Sylvester studied the detailed reports laid out before them. Helmar’s scouts had uncovered a revelation that sent a chill through the room—a hidden base belonging to the new faction, nestled deep in an uncharted valley surrounded by towering cliffs and dense forest.Helmar’s voice broke the silence. “The base lies here,” he said, tapping a spot on the map with his finger. “Near the Whispering Woods. It’s a stronghold—a fortress. They’ve taken great care to conceal it from prying eyes.”Rayka leaned forward, her sharp eyes narrowing as she traced the marked routes and symbols. “How long has this been there?” she asked.Helmar exchanged a glance with Seren, the lead scout. “Years, perhaps. Long enough to construct defenses, patrol routes, and stockpile resources. They’ve hidden it well, likely using the dense forest and treacherous cliffs as natural camouflage
The dawn broke over the aftermath of the battle, casting its muted glow over the fortress and its scarred courtyard. Rayka and Sylvester stood on the battlements, surveying the horizon as their thoughts churned with the weight of the recent attack. The silence between them spoke volumes—both understood the gravity of their situation.“We’re fighting an enemy who’s always one step ahead,” Sylvester said, breaking the silence. His voice was heavy, his grip on the battlement stone tight.Rayka nodded, her expression somber. “And now we have this unknown faction to contend with. We can’t keep reacting; we need to take the offensive.”Their conversation was interrupted by the approach of Seren, her stride purposeful. “We have a visitor,” she announced, her tone carefully neutral.“Who?” Rayka asked, her instincts on high alert.Seren hesitated, her gaze flicking between the two leaders. “It’s... Helmar.”Both Rayka and Sylvester stiffened at the name. Helmar, a former rival and one-time ch
The air inside the grand hall was cold and still, a stark contrast to the warm sunlight spilling through the tall windows. Rayka and Sylvester stood side by side, their gazes locked on the figure seated at the head of a long obsidian table. The leader of the new faction, a man named Draven Kallor, exuded an air of control and menace. His presence dominated the room, every movement calculated, every glance a subtle assertion of power.“Welcome,” Draven said, his voice smooth yet laced with condescension. “I’ve been expecting you.”Rayka stepped forward, her posture poised but unyielding. “You’ve gone to great lengths to orchestrate this meeting,” she replied, her tone carefully measured. “Let’s not waste time with pleasantries.”A faint smile tugged at Draven’s lips. “Straight to the point. I can respect that,” he said, gesturing for them to sit.As Rayka and Sylvester took their seats, their elite guards positioned themselves discreetly along the walls, eyes scanning for any signs of
The council chamber was heavy with tension, its stone walls amplifying the ominous weight of Alaric’s discovery. Rayka stood at the head of the long oak table, her fingers tracing the edges of the decoded scroll spread before her. Each line of the text seemed to pull her deeper into a web of danger and uncertainty.“This isn’t just a minor setback,” Rayka said, her voice low but firm. “This changes everything.”Sylvester, standing close beside her, nodded grimly. His arms were crossed, and his eyes were locked on the cryptic runes and careful diagrams sketched across the parchment. “A secret alliance between the Silverclaw Order and a faction we’ve never encountered,” he said, his tone laced with disbelief. “This isn’t just an escalation—it’s a declaration of war.”Lysandra, seated at the far end of the table with her meticulously kept notes spread out, adjusted her glasses. “What’s most concerning,” she said, “is the nature of this new faction. From what we can decipher, they call th
Rayka paced the length of the war room, her boots tapping a steady rhythm against the wooden floor. Her mind churned with thoughts of the ambush and the calculated precision with which the attack had been executed. Every detail—the timing, the terrain, the coordinated strategy—pointed to one undeniable truth: this was no random act of violence.Sylvester sat at the head of the table, his broad shoulders tense and his gaze fixed on the map spread before him. The table was cluttered with evidence retrieved from the ambush site: broken blades, marked arrows, a bloodstained map, and, most disturbingly, the silver ring etched with the emblem of the Silverclaw Order.The sight of the ring sent a shiver through Rayka. It was a symbol of an enemy long thought defeated—a ghost from their past that refused to be laid to rest. She reached out, her fingers brushing over the intricate design of the serpent coiled upon itself.“This can’t be a coincidence,” she said, her voice low but firm. “The Si