Chapter 3

Elsa’s POV 

The rain poured through our dilapidated castle, even as we huddled together to ward off the cold. I couldn’t say much for myself as I stood outside, listening to the thunder roll. 

My first transformation had me overcoming the fear of my dreams with a fear more palpable and in front of me.

“I killed a human,” I said as I stared into the distance.

“It was your first time,” Damian said, like he meant to comfort me.

I heaved a deep breath as I could see eyes staring at me. 

My little ragtag group of werewolves accepted me more. They believed I was more of a wolf than a human after what they saw when Damian brought me home. 

We barely escaped whatever those human had for us, trudging under the rain back to our hideout to escape.

“What’s happening?” I asked as howls sounded, with people stepping out. The rain faded with growls sounding behind me and in front of me. 

“Elsa,” Damian called as he moved towards me, dragging me behind the line.

The people came out with a male leading them. “This is where you hide and have your fun?” He said as he looked at all of standing in front of the castle.

“What is the matter with you and where we hide to do our things?” Dennis asked. He was the makeshift leader of our group, being a beta.

“You will achieve less if you continue here, hidden in your little fortification. Very soon the human will come and I hope you can keep them away with your little......” the man looked at our group with a sneer on his face as he spoke. “Little rascals.”

Dennis stepped forward, facing this newcomer even when I knew he was afraid. “We have survived in this place far longer, almost as long as any surviving wolf pack, and we will continue as it is.”

The newcomer laughed, turning to his members behind him. “Do you hear what he said?” They laughed at Dennis as they came closer, gathering closer to him in a semicircle.

He moved back, closer to us, when he noticed the noose forming around him. “Who are you?” Dennis asked when he saw he was closer to us.

“You can call me Caspian,” the lad said as he filed his nails, turning to us with a look of confidence. “An important vassal from alpha Hector.”

“We’ve had no run-ins with alpha Hector. What would his vassal want with us?” Dennis asked as more men joined his side.

“Let’s just say you guys are having business very close to his territory and are without an alpha.” Caspian clicked his tongue. “It doesn’t seem you guy will survive long in the coming winter with the activities I saw last night.”

“Is that the reason you came to us with torches, even in the rain? To act like humans and scare us into submission?” Dennis asked with growing confidence as all of us gathered behind him.

“We have survived countless winters, and this one is one less winter for us to survive,” Damian said as he joined Dennis in the front.

Caspian chuckled. “You have a load of balls to say that to my face, but I will offer you another chance from the magnanimous alpha Hector. Join us and you do not have to fear attacks from the humans.”

I could hear murmurs from our side. It was an excellent offer from him without running around and a sense of protection from a recognized alpha."

“Don’t tell me you are thinking of joining this alpha after all we’ve been through?” Damian asked as he noticed the uprising stretching its neck from our group.

“I only gave a choice to everyone here,” Caspian said with a grin on his face."

“And we do not need your option,” I said as I stood out with them.

Caspian laughed as he looked at me. “Do you also allow women to speak for you? Must be a lot of hell you guys pass her for a woman to speak.”

Damian stood in front of me with a protective look in his eyes. “That is the reason we will never join your pack. Tell your alpha we refuse to be a member of his pack.”

I raised my head to stare at the lad in front of me. He was the first person I met after my last hideout got raided by humans in a bid to get rid of us.

“Till another time,” Caspian said as he turned around with his men. “Hopefully, the humans to get to you before us.”

His words stuck out to me with a hidden meaning to me, like a threat.

“There will never be a next time,” Dennis shouted at his retreating back.

“We will see about that,” Caspian answered before they faded into the darkness of the forest.

“I haven’t thanked you for saving me from being mauled to death by those humans,” I said as I lowered my head, fiddling with my fingers."

He chuckled, combing his hands through his hair. “It’s not like I could leave you with those monsters.”

“To them we are the monsters,” I said as I looked out towards the village we barely escaped as it shone like stars in the distance.

“We are only trying to survive,” Damian answered, puffing.

I sighed as I looked at him. “Does our survival mean we have to lower the survival of others?” 

“You should try to get some rest. You should try to rest for a while instead of thinking which one of us would survive,” he advised as he pushed me with himself towards the castle.

“Does it always hurt like this?” I asked as I felt for my body. I was sore from the top of my head to the sole of my feet. 

“It was your first time. It always hurts that way,” he answered, stopping in front of my room. “You will get used to it with time. You would barely feel it when you transform,” he continued, morphing his hand into a wolf’s arm.

“Show off,” I said as I threw him a smile.

He chuckled, dropping his hand on the wall. I stopped, feeling my heart beat faster at how close he was to me. “If I wanted to show off; it wouldn’t be just my hand,” he said with fangs growing from the side of his lips.

I felt like I wanted to kiss him. “Maybe I need that rest right now,” I said as I pushed the curtain away from him, stepping into my room.

“Goodnight, Elsa,” he said with his footsteps echoing away from my room.

“What’s happening to me?” I asked myself as I fell to the bed. I sighed as I rolled to my side. “Let’s hope all of this is just a dream.”