LOGINSophia
The Full Moon Ball is only a day away, and the pressure is on. Each year different pack hosts Full Moon Ball and this is year it is Redwood Pack's turn to arrange this annual ball.
My father is leaving no stone upturn to make sure our pack's Full Moon Ball is one of the best balls that has been witnessed in the years.
Determined to get through my day without drawing any attention, I keep my head low and busy myself with the long chores that I have been assigned.
My stomach grumbles with hunger but ignoring the hunger pangs I continue sweeping the hallways floors until it is shiny enough for people to see their reflection.
Standing up with a sigh, I pick up the bucket of dirty water and carry it outside to throw the water in the bushes before resuming the cleaning of the guest house where all the Alphas and their families will be staying.
As I am polishing the silverware in the dining room, I overhear some of the higher-ranking wolves talking about the guests who will be arriving.
"Did you hear? The Blind Alpha is coming," One of them whispers.
"Really? I thought he never attended these kinds of events," another replies.
A expression of disgust passes over my face when I hear them addressing the Alpha as the Blind Alpha. No one has the right to judge someone and especially labeling them. From what I have heard he is blind, but this doesn't mean that he should be defined by his disability. I quickly shake off the thought and focus on my work, determined not to let their gossip distract me.
As the day progresses, the guest house starts to take shape. The decorators hang lavish drapes, arrange elegant centerpieces, and ensure everything is perfect for the high-ranking guests.
I take a moment to admire the beautiful decoration and feel myself smiling at the thought how beautiful everything will look once moonlight will light up the entire place.
"Sophia! Stop lazying around and get back to work!" Cynthia's sharp voice reaches my ears, her eyes cold and unforgiving.
"Yes, Luna." Nodding my head, I head back outside to tend the garden.
My hands turn raw and bleed by the time I finish clearing up the weeds and picking up the roses from the garden for the vases.
Sitting on the steps, I bend my head on my knees as I feel dizzy because of the lack of food. I haven't ate anything for the past few days, but unlike last time this time I am allowed to drink water. And that is something helping to me suppress my hunger.
Letting out another sigh, I recall the rest of the chores that I have to finish before the sunset. The rest of the day passes in a blur of chores and commands. By the time the sun sets, I'm exhausted. I return to my room, collapsing onto my bed.
As I lay there, my mind drifts to the Full Moon Ball. It's a time when many find their mates, the one person destined to be their perfect match. A small part of me clings to the hope that my mate will come and take me away from all this.
Wrapping my arms around my stomach, I curl up on my side as the pain becomes overbearing. I have a wolf, and the lack of her presence is due to the fact that my father has made her dormant by not allowing me to shift. I have only shifted into my wolf once, and now I feel even she has left me because it has been years since I have felt her presence inside me.
I let myself cry for a few minutes, the tears flowing freely because the realization hits me that I don't have anyone with me; I am all alone, not even my wolf.
"Please come and find me, you are my only hope. I need you." Closing my eyes, I whisper to my probably non-existent mate, hoping that maybe by some miracle my longing will reach out to him.
JuneBy the time I lose count, I know I have circled this mat at least twenty times.Maybe more.My sneakers hit the surface in a rhythm that used to feel freeing. I have always loved running. The rush of air in my lungs. The stretch in my legs. The way everything else fades except motion.This does not feel like that.This feels like punishment stretched thin.“Twenty-five,” Caleb calls out calmly from somewhere behind me.I grit my teeth.He stopped counting out loud after fifteen. Now he only throws numbers in when I slow down half a second or let my irritation show on my face.Which means he is watching closely.My muscles burn. Not the pleasant warmth of effort, but the sharp heat of being pushed past the point of usefulness. My calves ache. My thighs feel tight. Sweat slides down my spine beneath my shirt.I round another corner.This is trivial.Running laps.Like I am some first year who needs to build stamina.Humiliation creeps in slowly, unwanted and sharp. It is not that I
JuneI reach the training area right on time.The doors are already open, cool morning air drifting in through the wide windows along the far wall. The space smells faintly of metal, sweat, and polished wood. Mats stretch across most of the floor, dark and smooth. Racks of weapons line one side in careful order. Pale sunlight spills across the room.He is already here.Of course he is.Caleb stands near the center of the room in black training pants and a fitted shirt that pulls across his shoulders. His back is to me at first. Relaxed. Waiting.I step inside, my sneakers brushing softly against the mats.Then I stop.He is not alone.Heat ignites in my chest before I can control it.Kylie stands too close to him.Her long blonde hair falls perfectly over one shoulder. Even at this hour she looks polished. She tilts her head as she laughs at something while he looks disinterested. The sound is light and airy, practiced. Her fingers trail through the air as she talks, and then she bats
JuneI wake slowly, like I am rising through thick water.A low, silent groan slips past my lips before I can stop it.Everything hurts.Not a sharp pain. Not one single injury. It is everywhere. My arms ache. My legs throb. My back feels tight and overworked. Even my fingers feel tender when I try to curl them. It is like I have done the most intense workout of my life and every bone and muscle is protesting.I keep my eyes closed for a moment, breathing through it.Whenever I shift back to myself, my body is sensitive for a couple of hours. My skin feels thinner. My nerves feel exposed. The air brushing against me is too much. The soil beneath me feels too rough.This is not new.It happens every time my body changes back to human form.I love that I am different. I do. I love that there is something powerful inside me, something fierce and loyal and strong.I just wish it did not come with such excruciating pain.I swallow and shift slightly, wincing as my shoulder protests.Somewh
June I keep running. With every passing moment my paws touch the earth, my speed increases. It feels natural, like I was always meant to move this way. Muscles stretch and contract with perfect rhythm. Air rushes into my lungs, cool and sharp, filling me with something close to joy. It is exhilarating. The forest opens ahead of me and I weave through it without thinking. I leap over fallen logs. I cut around thick trunks. My body knows where to go before my mind even registers the path. I forget about everything. There are no thoughts here. Just motion. Just wind slipping through my fur and the soft thud of paws hitting soil. I chase nothing and everything at once, simply because I can. This feeling of liberation wraps around me and pulls me forward. Sometimes I wish I did not have to contain this part of me for so long. I wish I did not have to measure my days by how well I can keep her quiet. I wish I did not have to wait for darkness and distance and secrecy. I wish I had
JuneI wake up already tired.Not the kind of tired that comes from sore muscles or lack of sleep. This is different. It sits under my skin, hums in my chest, makes my thoughts sharper than they need to be.The room is quiet when I open my eyes. Pale light slips through the curtains. For a moment, I lie there and stare at the ceiling, trying to breathe through the tightness building inside me.It is too early for this.I swing my legs over the side of the bed and sit up. My pulse feels louder than usual. My fingers curl into the sheets, then release. I roll my shoulders, trying to shake it off.Practice starts in thirty minutes.By the time I step onto the training field, the air is crisp and cool. Others are already there, stretching, talking in low voices. I keep to myself like I always do. A quick nod here. A brief glance there.The drills begin.We run first. Laps around the perimeter. My feet hit the dirt in rhythm, breath moving in and out. Normally the motion helps. Normally it
CalebI know I have a temper.It flares fast, burns hot, and sometimes I speak before I think. I have know this all my life. This is how I am.But damn, watching June walk toward Kylie when she was about to shift lights up my fuse like nothing else.We have been told since we were pups to never go near anyone in the middle of a shift. It is one of the first rules drilled into us. Bones break. Control slips. Instinct takes over. Even the gentlest wolf can lash out without meaning to. The outcome can turn devastating in a blink.And June was already too close.Kylie was trembling, her body caught between human and wolf, pain twisting her features. A few people stood back, giving her space. That is what we are supposed to do.June stepped closer.Closer.My chest tightened so hard it felt like something snapped inside me. What was she thinking? Did she not understand the risk?When she took another step, I did not think. I moved.I jumped in between them, my body planting itself like a s







