Laila is just one of the many Omegas of the Grey Marsh pack, a werewolf pack widely renowned for their savage brutality. A brutality that - for some members at least - isn't only aimed at outsiders. But as fierce as Grey Marsh are among werewolves, even they tread carefully when it comes to the Lycans that inhabit the mountains to their west. They, too, are feared and avoided by others of their kind, and a werewolf is no match for the raw, brutal power of a Lycan. Or are they? She's about to find out..
View MoreI rested my hands on my knees, sweaty and panting for air. Training was brutal today, even moreso than most, and they're never easy sessions. Our leaders push us hard, and walking away with a few cuts and bruises wasn't uncommon, especially for us lower ranks.
I'm just one of many Omegas in the Grey Marsh pack, a small pack, but with a enough of a reputation for pure viciousness that no one really messes with us. Which is also why no one is exempt from these daily training sessions, every single pack member is expected to be able to hold their own, and then some.Thankfully, real fights are rare, as there isn't much competition for our territory. Our namesake, the Grey Marsh, is a dark, thickly-treed, perpetually misty marsh that lays in the valley between the greener, fertile inland plains, and the jagged, black peaks of the mountain range that rims the western edge of the continent.No one ever dares to wander into that mountain territory, and aside from our small pack, none even want to reside anywhere close. While Grey Marsh's shameless brutality might be feared among werewolves, we're about as fearsome as day-old runts compared to the mysterious and solitary Lycan pack who call those dark peaks home.Stretching and checking myself over, I seem to have come off pretty unscathed today, with just a few sore spots that will likely be purple tomorrow. No blood though, which meant I could go for a much-needed run to my favourite, secluded spot.I took off at a light jog through the centre of our pack's village, but ducked quickly behind the packhouse as I saw our Gamma, Trev, coming out the front, with his girlfriend, Sarah, hanging off him. I generally preferred to avoid confrontation with those two.Sarah had always hated me, with every fibre of her being, though I've never really understood why. Trev used to be nice, at least, but now he just as often joined in, if only to avoid Sarah's savage ire being directed at him instead.Heading quickly to the edge of the forest that surrounded our pack's centre village, I sped up as I ran through the twisted, mossy trees of the marsh that I knew well. I might not have my wolf yet, being still nearly a week out from my 18th birthday, but I was fast and nimble, like most of our pack. We certainly weren't known for our size or brute force, but most of us could take down several stronger wolves with our superior speed and agility.It was always a long run to the border of our territory, but it was refreshing. There was a certain serenity here, where no one else dared run, far away from the packhouse. It felt oddly safe, when even the members of the pack with the harshest of reputations chose to avoid this place.Finally slowing, I began leaping from one rock to another, as the rough terrain began to rise steeply upwards. I'm not crazy enough to cross the river into Lycan territory, but right here along the border are some stunningly beautiful spots, only made better by the solitude.Reaching the river just below the falls, I climbed up the rocky side, reaching up and stretching myself out as I reached the top. There wasn't much of a view from here, with the trees in this part of the untouched wilderness towering over several levels of the falls, but at the top of the second cascade are some incredible natural springs, that I'm pretty sure not a single other pack member knows about.I continued climbing, only the sound of the rushing water for company, and headed to a large, crystal blue pool, naturally formed in the ground. Steam rose from it, and I felt the warmth of the rocks below my feet as I undressed, leaving my workout clothes and sneakers on top of a large boulder close by.Tying up my long, dark, wavy hair, I stepped in slowly, letting the hot spring water soothe my aching muscles as I submerged, keeping only my head above the water. I treaded water in the centre for a while, before moving over to my preferred rock, over on the side, just at the right height for me to sit on with the water coming up to the top of my shouldersI rested my head back and closed my eyes, the intense heat relaxing me completely. It had been far too long since I came up here, with the way the training schedule had increased as I neared my 18th birthday. It was intense, and I'd been feeling perpetually exhausted for weeks. It didn't really help always needing to be on edge around the pack.That kind of came with being female in the Grey Marsh territory. The pack was known for its.. unsavoury types. The types you didn't want to run into alone. I sighed deeply, as I started to massage my muscles, easing the tension and soreness that had been building for weeks, my mind drifting to my coming of age.I was excited about finally meeting my wolf, and transforming under the full moon that followed. Even just the idea of running in wolf form was exhilarating, but the anticipation of it always came with a sharp slice of apprehension about the whole mate thing.It was a double edged sword, for a Grey Marsh woman. To either be mated for life to one of the notoriously savage werewolves here, or to be mated to a werewolf from another pack. The latter might seem like the obvious better choice, but Grey Marsh's solitary and hostile reputation meant that could mean a life never meeting your mate. Or never meeting them until it was too late.I shuddered as I thought of how Grey Marsh usually treats the rare attempts from outside male wolves, who occasionally get desperate enough to try and find their mates here. It's only worse when they do, for both wolves. They always make the female watch, and that fate was by far the harshest. Not for the first time, I wished same-sex mateships weren't so rare among werewolves.It's not that I've ever hated men, hell, it's pretty hard to ignore how incredibly hot most werewolf guys are, with their incredible abs and thickly muscled bodies, huge in every way.. but some of them are just complete monsters, in the other sense of the word, especially out here.Sighing as the daunting possibilities of my near future killed the relaxing mood of this place, I closed my eyes and tried to relax for a while. When I eventually opened them again, a long while later, I noticed the sky slowly turning red. Time to get going. Even I'm not bold enough - or desperate enough for seclusion - to be this close to the Lycan territory after nightfall.As I stepped out of the steamy water and into the crisp autumn evening air, I felt that eerie sensation of being watched. I ignored it as I stepped towards my clothes, knowing I'd have a far better chance against an attack if they thought I was unaware.'Which one of those assholes is actually bold enough to follow me all the way out here?' I wondered, assuming someone from the pack was trying to screw with me. I listened intently for movement as I dressed, deliberately moving slowly and calmly.The nearby rushing water made it difficult to hear anyone approaching, but I knew my instincts weren't wrong, and they told me someone was getting closer. As I pulled my sneakers on, I no longer had to wonder, hearing a low, dangerous growl, that was distinctly un-werewolf like.I froze for the briefest moments, but then stood, keeping my composure as I turned towards the river, seeing the enormous black-furred Lycan on the opposite bank, their front claws in the cold, rushing water as it crouched low, staring right at me.I frowned slightly as I stared back, on edge, but not about to let them see that. 'Why growl and announce their presence like that?' I wondered briefly, before realising that they would easily win a fight, no matter how much pre-warning, or headstart, I had.If this kind of beast decided our whole pack was dead, we'd be dead. Lycans in general had that kind of power, but this pack, whose territory covered the rest of the land to the west, was by far the strongest and most lethally brutal. No other Lycan packs ventured anywhere even close to this end of the continent, their fear of the Nightfall pack was so great.I studied this one a moment longer, noticing that their beast form was even more enormous than I'd been taught. Slowly, I bowed my head in what I hoped would be considered respect. The Lycan raised their nose, sniffing the air. They seemed to close their eyes, savouring a scent.'Are they.. savouring my fear?!' I wondered as I watched, my eyes widening slightly. That only made it grow, and I stood there frozen. The Lycan tilted their head at me oddly, then bounded to a large boulder in the centre of the river, then one almost at the edge, within arm's reach of our pack territory.I held my breath, getting ready to run, despite what little good it would do, but the Lycan only crouched there, as though waiting. Slowly, shockingly, they bowed their head in return, their glowing golden eyes meeting mine.Completely stunned, I could only stare at them, as they crouched mere meters from me as the light around us faded. They still seemed like they were waiting.I tentatively took a step closer, and they lowered their head briefly, almost seeming approving. So, in what felt like a moment of completely abandoned sanity, I took another, and then another, until my feet were in the cold mountain stream, right in front of the most deadly beast known to our kind.The Lycan bent their head close, sniffing me, so close I could feel their jet black fur. Somehow, it felt.. nice. The Lycan seemed to agree, by the soft, satisfied growl they gave. Then suddenly, the beast bent even closer, their nose nuzzling against my neck as they growled again.And then they bit my head off. Hah! Just kidding. This was.. quite possibly worse.After that, everything else began to happen all at once. A blurry, chaotic, storm of events, as attacks began, from their side, and then ours, as our patrols began to hit their more isolated groups, using the terrain they knew so well to take them by surprise. We weakened them quickly there, while our sentries weakened those who dared attack our home, the few who broke through meeting Tyson and his teams, and finding themselves overwhelmingly outmatched. As the sun went down, they only grew more desperate and disorganised, the attacking groups growing smaller, weaker, and far less confident. Within a few hours, Marcus had his original patrols hunting down the remnants of Yannick's pack. Yannick himself was captured as he tried to flee, and his Beta, Sean, was killed as he led a dismal final attempt to attack our home. It was almost dawn again when Yannick was brought before us, greatly wounded in both pride and body. Cole, Finn, and I stared down at him with disdain, while we awaite
Dorian reached up to wipe my tears with his thumbs, a look of sorrow-filled sympathy on his face, "I promise you, we'll help him as best we can," he said softly, "but your pack still needs you, you need to help them." I stared at him wide eyed, not feeling like I could help anyone right now, but he cupped my cheeks gently, giving me an encouraging nod. "I.. but.." I stammered, looking around and seeing so many uncertain faces looking right back at me, and I knew that it was me who needed to give them certainty again. He stepped back, organising for Thane to be taken to the hospital, and I shook my head sadly, taking several long deep breaths and closing my eyes for a moment, before speaking again. "I need reports," I said more firmly, "I need to know what's happening with the incursions, and.." I paused for a moment again, trying to clear my head enough to focus. "The sentries, they need to report to Finn now," I said, looking up at him. His face was pale, so very pale, and shocked,
Samantha seemed to find some determination from somewhere though, straightening her posture even as her companion fell forward, his face hitting the ground with a soft thud. She suddenly dropped her hand, allowing the metal piece to move towards her, before suddenly raising both, trying to thrust it towards me with everything she had. I screamed wordlessly, letting that rage rush through me again, wildly, as I raised both hands, thrusting them towards her. I could see the fear in her eyes as the object raced towards her, and unable to stop it, she ducked, and it shot right past her, barely missing her companions, and out of sight. She turned to me as she straightened again, but her eyes were drawn to the same thing that had caught my own attention. From Thane's slowly stirring body, a dark figure had formed, leaving his body and hovering above it. "What are you doing?!" Samantha screamed at it, sounding hysterical, "She's right there! Take her!" She pointed at me, but nothing rushed
"Where?" asked Finn, and I frowned at him, "Right there, in the middle, Thane's walking over to her.." I stopped as he exchanged a look with Jess, both of them looking puzzled. "The young blonde kid?" Jess asked, and I stared at her in bewilderment, "What young blonde kid? I mean the black haired woman, standing in the middle of the group waiting for Thane." Finn stopped walking, grabbing my arm and turning me towards him, "You see a black haired woman standing there?" he asked, as he and Jess both frowned at me in confusion. "Yes.. don't you?" I asked, suddenly feeling uncertain, and they both shook their heads looking concerned. "No.." Jess began, looking thoughtful, "Do you think.. could she be masking herself somehow?" she asked, looking up at Finn. "I don't know.." he said, as he rubbed his chin, seeming to consider the idea, then lifted a brow, looking over behind us, "but I know someone who would," he added, and I turned, seeing Elyanna over at the edge of the green, closer t
As we reached the green, we noticed the tension in the air. Nerves were frayed, and some were frightened, knowing something was happening, but having no clear message of what. A few people stopped, staring at us, seeming to be waiting for something, and I sighed, looking up at Finn. "They need to know," I said gently, and he frowned, shaking his head, "Thane.." he began, and I gently put a hand on his arm. "Check with him," I said gently, "but he's not down here, he doesn't see their nervousness. They'd feel better if they knew, and knew it was being handled." He sighed, but nodded, his eyes going blank for a moment, before they came into focus again, "He still doesn't want to share much," he said, looking mildly disappointed, "but we can let them know a little." I nodded, giving him an encouraging smile, and he turned, making eye contact with those watching and waiting nervously, beckoning them over. When a small crowd had gathered around us, he lifted his head, raising his voice,
Josefine turned to him with an arched eyebrow and a stern look, before looking back to me, "Which one of you does the Fearmonger seek?" she asked. "They said it was me," I answered quietly. "Have you confirmed it?" she asked, and I frowned, asking her, "How would I do that?" She gave a brief nod, then turned to the others, who already seemed to be gathering some things up. "Leave it with us," Josefine said, as they all began heading for the door, and Elyanna ushered for us to follow, "We will do what we can," she said encouragingly, "For now, take care of your pack, defend them if need be. We'll find you when it's time," she continued, as we followed the others outside. "When it's time for what?" I asked, as she pulled her door closed behind us, locking it with a key on a ring full of others. My mind caught on that detail for some reason, it seeming odd, given her tiny cottage, for there to be so many. She smiled and reached over to touch my cheek gently, drawing my attention back t
"Just like Margrethe herself," Mathilde breathed softly, half to herself, and Anne stood, coming closer and peering over her friend's shoulder. "Truly!" she gasped, seeming just as surprised and impressed as Mathilde was. I frowned at them both, as Lisbet began to withdraw again, "Margrethe?" I asked, and they stared at me in mild disbelief."Queen Margrethe, of course!" Josefine said, sounding a little offended, and Anne turned to face her. "She is so young, you cannot expect her to remember a Queen long before her time," Anne said gently. Josefine tilted her chin up slightly, "She was also a werewolf, do they not teach the history of their own Royals?" she asked, and Elyanna sighed. "Whether they do or not, Laila had no control over what she herself was taught as a child," she said sternly, "Do not place the blame that belongs to the generations past on her shoulders."Anne nodded agreement, along with Sofie, and Josefine scowled. "It may be the fault of generations past, but will sh
Elyanna opened the door a moment later, with a small frown in her face. Seeing us, she stepped outside, rather than inviting us in, pulling the door closed behind her. "Finn, Laila," she said with a warm smile, though her forehead still held a small crease, "What's happened?" she asked. Finn and I exchanged a glance, and he gave her an apologetic smile, "This.. probably won't be a quick conversation," he said hesitantly, "Would you prefer to have it inside?" Her lips pursed together as she shifted uncomfortably, "Ah, at the moment, I have.. company," she said awkwardly, "That you may not wish to overhear?" she continued, her tone suggestive. He sighed, and nodded, "We hoped it might have been the kind of company that might have offered further insight," he said gently, "We've just had some ourselves." She raised an eyebrow, "You have learned something?" she asked, seeming surprised, and Finn shook his head, giving a short laugh. "No, I don't think so," he said, "It was Yannick, from
Marian looked stunned, the colour draining from her face, and she closed her eyes, rubbing her forehead, seeming to process what he'd just told her. "Okay," she said shakily, ".. okay, okay.." she took a couple of deep breaths, her eyes still closed as she calmed herself, before looking back at Finn and I. "Are we still trying to keep the South Wing clear?" she asked, sounding much more composed. Finn nodded, "Yes, if we can manage without it," she nodded again, seeming to have fully recovered from her shock as she took charge, and I had to admire her ability to react well under pressure. "We only have five patients at the moment, in wards One through Three," she said, seemingly half to herself. "Camille!" she called out, and the other nurse stuck her head out of one of the nearby wards, "Prepare ward Twelve for emergency triage, we might have a lot of incomings. Eleven too, just in case."Camille stared at her in disbelief for a moment, and Marian raised an eyebrow, "Now! Laila and
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