Waking up after training is a sordid affair.My limbs hurt, bones ache and my heart doesn’t have any willpower to even think about going out to train. Today is a bit different, however. My thoughts have been tangled up with the events of the previous day.Not even the cool crisp of the morning air can help diffuse my thoughts. I step onto the training grounds just as the sun begins to peek over the horizon,Alpha Gabriel stands a distance away while my thoughts confound me.Alpha Gabriel’s comforting words, the intensity in his eyes… our kiss. It plagues my mind all while making my heart beat with anticipation and nerves.The edge of the forest is quiet and everyone in the pack is asleep. Other than those patrolling of course.The man’s posture is relaxed, calm as day as he admires his surroundings. I approach him quietly, something that he always picks up on but this time his eyes are fixed at a distance. No vision of trees and forest in his eyes as he most likely sees a memory or l
“Avery. Wake up!”My vivid dreams of running through the forest falters for a split second. The atmosphere around me is beckoning. The still and silent night, the forest alive with critters as the silver light of the moon bathes all of us animals in its warm comforting glow. Another disturbance and this time I’m yanked awake out of my dream. My heart pounds ferociously in my chest. I look around my room and hear an urgent knocking at my door.“Open the door.”Alpha Gabriel’s voice is low but urgent in its nature.I scramble my way out of my bed and rush to the door. When I fling it open, the Alpha stands there fully dressed. Odd for this hour of the night. His eyes are sharp and dart around; much too alert.It's a vibrant contrast to his otherwise calm demeanor that he always sports/“Alpha Gabriel. Is everything alright? What’s wrong?” My voice is heavy with sleep but the concern in my voice overrides it all.The man steps inside through the open door and closes it behind him. He lo
The rogue is met head on.Annihilated in seconds.A growl echoes throughout the pack. I’m on high alert and my eyes wander over the tree line, alert for any more signs of movement.A few rogues step out with one of them in their human form. He was protected by his members. They all smelt horrid but the man in the middle was the most intimidating. His eyes shine with malice as he stares at us, almost fixated. Serena takes a defence stance, firm and yet unyielding. She won’t take no for an answer.“We belong here. This is my territory. Either you leave right now or you face the consequences.”The man smirks in a sinister manner. The expression itself cusses me to falter. There was nothing but confidence radiating off of him.“Trust me. We’re not here to fight. We’re here for your sister. Avery.”Everything around me stops. My blood runs cold as all eyes land on me. My sister stares at me with suspicion. Our previous conversation is now clear in her eyes.“Why are they after you. Hmm?”
My dream starts off innocently. There’s just me running through the woods. The wind rustles my fur and the mud scratches beneath my paws. I can feel Aurora within me.Her presence acts as a comforting guide.All of a sudden, the scene shifts. The trees that looked down upon me lovingly now warp and twist into something gruesome. It’s a labyrinth of shadows and whispers while the air grows thick with something I cant easily explain. My surroundings go hazy and before I can blink, I find myself in a dark room. Unfamiliar faces surround me. I can tell they’re rogues.Their eyes glint with hate but they surround a figure cloaked in darkness. The person radiates power but also menace.“The Alpha will fall, the pack will crumble. The mole has been planted and the Capitol will burn.”The man’s voice is cold and echoes through the room, cutting the silence in half. Cheers erupt and the rogues grow closer, almost as if they’re desperate to touch the person in front.Panic grips at my chest an
We quickly set to work on reinforcing the defences. Together, we concentrated on the weakest parts of the territory.Alpha Gabriel truly captures the essence of a leader. He barks out orders to the different guards and warriors. Although his presence is commanding, the man still radiates reassurance to everyone around us. I stayed close to the man, trying to assist as much as I could whenever possible.The pack members watch me with a mixture of suspicion as well as curiosity. Their eyes linger on me as I make my way through camp, following after Gabriel.I try my best to ignore their stares, instead focusing on trying to resolve this matter at hand. I can’t help it when the weight of their gaze causes my skin to prickle.The unspoken words in their eyes unsettling me greatly. It was clear that they knew who I was, how I wandered into their Alpha’s life. It was also clear that they haven’t accepted my presence.Despite the uncomfortable situation, I push on. The urgency of the situati
The air in Gabriel’s office feels stifling. The office is packed with tension and unspoken words. Gabriel himself walks back and forth, his face heavy with a frown and brows furrowed together. My heart pounds in my chest as I wait for him to speak. The mate bond is very new but it’s still very raw. Every fibre within me is attuned to his emotions and attitude. “There’s something I really need to tell you, Avery.” The man stops in front of me. His eyes serious but sorrow filling them. “What is it?” My voice is hesitant and I brace myself for whatever he’s about to drop on me. Gabriel takes a deep breath, pausing before he drops the truth on me. “I’m betrothed. To someone else,” he adds as if that’s not clear enough. I nearly double over from the pain that radiates throughout me. It hurts like a physical blow, knocking all the air from my lungs. “I’m sorry, what?” I manage to get out. “It’s not what you think, Avery. I know it sounds wrong but it’s just a business th
Walking back to camp is no easy feat.My mind is a whirlwind of emotions. So hung up on Gabriel, I realized I never even asked that woman’s name.I doubt I’ll see her again. She belongs to this pack and I’m not sure what to do here now. Do I go back to my old pack? I don’t think Serena would appreciate that. I now belong to Alpha Gabriel’s pack. After the recent turn of events, that doesn’t seem as endearing as it did in the first place.The omission of her name now feels like a missed opportunity. It was a fleeting connection that might have helped me.It never hurts to have a friend in such times. Times like your heart being ripped out by your own soulmate.Oh well….I stumble my way back to the camp. The reality of the entire situation weighs heavy over me. Heavier than anything did before. The pressure from the impending rogue attack and my complex emotions makes each step heavier than the last.“Avery. Wait! Please.”The sudden sound has me stopping in my tracks.Turning around
My mind aches from the events of last night.My heart is resolute, unfortunately, and I know there’s much to do. Regardless of the turmoil coursing through me.I make my way to the main hall where I was informed that the pack usually gathered for their daily briefings. The air is thick with tension and it serves to remind me that the rogue attack had been averted albeit narrowly.Walking through the camp, I ignore the wary glances that follow me. As I approach the main hall, a familiar face pops out and grins back at me. A faint smile makes its way across my face, something that takes me by surprise.“Good morning,” She chirps while waving me over.I walk up to her, feeling relief at seeing such a friendly face. The woman from yesterday stands perched up against the door. A few pack members linger around her before dispersing.“Good morning. I just realized I never asked for your name last night.”The woman laughs and waves her hand.“Don’t worry about it. I go by Star. That’s what th