Bölüm 3 : Discouraging Circumstances 

= TRIX =

The meeting hall went quiet, and Alvera's words hung heavy in the air. Dixie had a mark on her hand that she hadn't seen herself, and it was the same symbol that the rogue pack had talked about—the mark of the Blade. It was the same mark that was on the wolves who killed my brother.

The memory of that afternoon pricked my veins. I hate remembering it, I so hate remembering that accursed afternoon. Everything was going well, it was not meant to end that way with my brother’s lifeless body dangling from the ceiling fan of an abandoned classroom, but it did. And I only have the gharry scene imprinted in my head from that afternoon to ever be the last memory of me seeing my elder brother’s face.

I took a deep breath.

Focus on what’s happening now. What’s happening? Dixie, that green and four-eyed blonde-haired bothersome piglet! With how short she is, I wonder why she always seems to stumble into the wrong places and get the attention of everyone in the room.

It happened once during grade 9 P.E. class and another time during one of our recent AP classes.

“Grhhh…”

I couldn’t even stay any second longer while she pretended to not see the mark that was on her hand so I stormed off.

I was furious. 

Just then, Elder Rowan rushed into the hall, his old face full of worry. "Alpha Slater," he said urgently, "we've been attacked. The Moon Temple..."

"The rogues," I interrupted, feeling sick with the realization.

They had tricked me, made a fool out of me. Those blasted Nardoos. They talked about a truce, about negotiating, but they were after the key and the artifact the whole time. I felt sick to my stomach. The attack on the Moon Temple—it had to be their doing. The timing, the audacity... it all made sense now.

"And the Tear?" My voice was a low growl.

"Untouched," Rowan confirmed. "But for how long? They'll figure it out eventually. We need to find the rune, Alpha. We need the Tear."

The rune was crucial for finding the chamber; it was an ancient symbol that had been handed down among the leaders of the Slater Pack for generations. But despite years of searching, it still hadn't turned up and we were running out of time. 

Coincidentally, it was from my great-grandparents that the rune stopped showing up. Why/ I don’t fucking know. 

"The Tear," I muttered, feeling overwhelmed by the pressure. "It's the only way to wake up the Bamboo Alpha. He's the only one strong enough to take down the rogues."

My heart hammered against my ribs. 

The Bamboo Alpha – a legendary creature, a primordial werewolf said to be the first of our kind.  A sleeping giant and a legend whispered in hushed tones – a werewolf so powerful he could command the very forest itself.  He slept within the heart of the Forbidden Bamboo Forest, a dormant power that could be our salvation…  or our doom.  Tradition held that only the Alpha of the Slater pack could awaken him, using the Tear during a full moon.  

He was our ultimate weapon, but awakening him required the Tear.

If we awoke the Bamboo Alpha, our control over him is a terrifying possibility. But without him - the Alpha, the Slater pack would crumble. My pack. Our home. All at the mercy of power-hungry wolves.  

A primal growl ripped from my throat. I needed a plan. We needed the Tear. We needed to find that rune.

But then, a cold dread washed over me as a memory flickered in my mind - Dixie, her wide eyes staring at me, the mark on her hand. I hadn't had time to process it all before the elder arrived.

Dixie.  Where was she?  

"Alvera," I snapped. "Where's Dixie?"

"She… she ran away," Alvera stammered. "Right after you…"

Rowan's brows furrowed, and there was an unspoken question hanging in the air. This wasn't the time for explanations. The pack was at stake. 

"Elder Rowan," I said urgently. "We'll continue this discussion another later.  Right now, we have a bigger problem."

Rowan looked like he wanted to argue, but seeing the urgency in my eyes, he simply nodded, his ancient eyes briefly showing he understood at least for the time being. He threw a worried look at the hanged picture frame of my parents on the wall, then he made his way out.

Now, it was just Alvera and me, and I felt a fresh wave of frustration hit me. Not only had I been tricked by the rogues, but I'd also managed to scare the living daylight out of Dixie.  Just another thing to add to my ever-growing list of screw-ups. I had a bigger problem on my hands now.

“Why the hell would you let her out your sight after you saw she bore the rune, Alvera?” I faced her.

“I was trying to catch up to you after you stormed off. I…I didn’t realize when she slipped away. Forgive my foolishness, Alpha.” She replied tentatively and bowed. 

Curse her always-respectful way of arguing with me. I can’t take out my anger on her, She’s the most efficient person in this pack after myself. Besides, now wasn’t the time to argue with anyone or trade words.There were more pressing things to deal with. That puny human girl with a Blade mark AND the rune, my pack slowly being brought to its foundations by those relentless rogues, and a sleeping Alpha who could be our only hope. 

"Find her, Alvera," I commanded hoarsely. "Find Dixie. And bring her to me."