I was grateful when I heard that Astrid had decided that the garden party needed a marquee. Walking out, I look around; the snow has stopped falling.It's still deep, though, but Astrid had clearly thought of that and made sure multiple pathways were cleared, making it easier to walk through.While the marquee is there and it is big, there are a lot of tables and seating around the garden as well."I shall see you out there." Sage hugs me and walks to Beta Tony. Astrid planned this perfectly. We all walk in with someone. She, of course, is walking in with Darius."I'm here to replace you, Yori." Kellan pushes past him."You're meant to be spending time with others, Kellan." He plans to stay with me at my event and Sage's. He shouldn't be with me at this one."I'm simply walking you into the event. You can push me away after we get there, agree?" He smirks at me and I fail and laugh."I won't push you away, and can you stop calling me an alien? I heard you before." I narrow my eyes at
Kellan calling me alien wakes me. I almost want to punch him, but I don't. Sitting up, I look at him."Is it time?""Yes. Get dressed. I will wait outside for you." He walks out, and I rush to get myself ready. I'm not sure how this morning will go, but I'm hopeful.Walking out after getting ready, Kellan is waiting. I walk down with him, and he guides me around to the cars. I still don't know how they get past the angry mob.They must, though, as Kellan has left a few times."You are to stay with Beta William and Yori until we give the word." Darius looks at me."Fine. I'm happy to follow the order." I will, as I don't want them at risk. Getting in the car, I sit and begin to feel nervous and scared. It's not so much about getting caught but the thought of actually having my wolf back.A short while later, the cars stop, and I watch everyone get out and go into the building. Even from here, I can feel it. My body is itching to run towards it."Don't." I turn to William, my eyes going
My body is burning, and strong waves of pain continue to paralyse me. Every time I'm ready to fight against it, I hear Kellan in my mind telling me to relax and another voice. One I've never heard before. It feels like I've been in this hell for hours or even days. Every time the wave of pain stops, I feel hopeful it's ended, but the burning still continues, and soon after, another wave of pain. My body is exhausted, and the burning slowly disappears. "Elara?" Kellan's words seep into my mind. "Open your eyes, please." Slowly, I open them. "How do you feel?" I turn, hearing Maze. "What happened?" Something did. "I can't remember anything after stepping into that room." "I was right, you're an alien." Kellan's words have me groaning. "You're different, and so is your wolf. You never needed me or magic. I will give you some space. Come find me when she's awake properly." I hear the door closing. "What happened?" "No one knows. Maze tried using magic, but it didn't seem to work.
Walking to where the event is being held, Kellan walks further away from me. I stare at him, confused."Ahm." Turning, I look at Darius. "Don't, ignore your feelings, focus on the event. We need to welcome people, explain what the plan is and such." I nod, and we walk towards William. Darius seems to be keeping space between us.I listen to him welcoming everyone, and then I explain how the event will work. While talking about it, keeps me focused, everything is building inside of me.I announce the categories and explain how winners will get trophies and such. Darius then steps in and announces the three top ones will be given paid scholarships from him.He hadn't told me about that prior to this. We walk around briefly before he guides me to sit down. I'm sat at the opposite side of the table to Kellan, between us on each side is Beta Yori and Ash.Anyone would think he's scared of me. I laugh slightly and turn my chair to watch the events. Sage is sitting with her family. It's nice
Kellan walks towards us now that everyone has left. The other contestants have gone inside, except for Sage."Okay, I'm going to speak to Maze. Maybe she has a plan to figure this out. Tomorrow is Sage's event, so..." He stops and looks at us. "I'm not sure the plan for that, keep you like this, or let you shift, I'm not sure. So, Kellan stay with her, let her shift, and see it helps her focus more after." He walks off, and Sage smiles.She hugs me and steps back. "I shall leave you two to it.""Okay, so maybe Darius is right, maybe shifting will focus your mind. Maybe it won't. Maybe it will make things worse. For now, though, shift and let your wolf have a bit of time in control. Not full control.""I don't know how." I can't remember ever doing it. How do I shift?"Close your eyes, focus on Winter, feel her." I turn to look at him."You know her name?""Zeus, my wolf, said it. Stop getting distracted, focus."Nodding, I close my eyes and focus on my wolf, my body shifts and I stand
I hear Kellan whispering at me and slowly wake up."Now, before you let your mind run away with stuff, you need to eat. So breakfast."I won't even argue. I'm actually starving."You're not having breakfast with the others. Not until we talk and figure this out.""Figure what out?""Just get ready. Yori is outside and will bring you down." Smiling at me, he walks out. Getting up and ready, I walked out. Yori stood smiling at me."I'm to escort you to breakfast." He begins to walk, and I follow."What needs figuring out, Yori?" He will know."Just some things. I'm sure you can wait like thirty seconds." I laugh and nod. He's right. I can.Walking into the room, I sit down. Darius looks at me. "Are you okay?""Yes, I just need to wake up fully." I slept in. Normally, I have at least half an hour to get ready, but not today."Okay, well, everyone is going to know you have your wolf. Yesterday, you didn't get close, and everyone was too focused on their own family and packs to realise." K
As I step into the room, Sage runs to me."Are you okay?" She looks over me."Yes, why?" What happened? I look around, confused."You disappeared." I laugh at her words. "I mean it, Elara. Darius was on the warpath. He assumed you had come back and came searching all the rooms for you and Kellan. He was freaking out.""I'm fine, we weren't gone long.""Elara, you were gone for eight hours!" I stare at her. We can't have been. At the most two, it didn't feel long at all."It honestly felt like nothing.""It does when you're in your wolf form; it's easy not to realise that time passes. Just be careful. Darius was ready to kill Kellan.""I didn't know." I hadn't. They were fine today and didn't look like they had fallen out. She pulls me over, and I sit with her and the other and eat. Again, because somehow I'm starving.Everyone is staring at me. Can I sense I have my wolf?"You and Kellan ran away with each other. How cute." Callista laughs, and I don't reply because we didn't, but I g
I am considering ways to taunt Darius while breaking out of his hold. My mind isn't focused on one topic; it's all over, and Winter isn't helping with her obsessing about Hades."Is your wolf Hades?" It has to be."Focus Elara. Okay, focus on your wolf, feel Winter's strength, pull it through you, to part of your body to get free."Closing my eyes, I try and focus, and I can feel it. It's so different. I move suddenly without even realising. He groans as I throw him down and straddle him."How the hell?" He stares at me in shock. "Elara, that's not possible."I smile at him. "What isn't? You told me to break free.""Yes, break free, not throw me to the ground." He's staring at me like Kellan does before he calls me an alien."I'm not an alien!"He chuckles. "No, but you're something. You're stronger than me. Anyone else wouldn't have been able to do that. Break free, yes, but throw me down?""You said I would be stronger because my wolf isn't controlled yet." They all said it."We mea