CHAPTER 5

The werewolves trials was a massive yearly event that determined a lot about the individuals participating, during the trials one would undergo tests which will push the limits of the younglings tested.

It was forbidden to shift into a wolf until the end of trials, this would teach the younglings control and discipline, there are times where you would have to take action in humanoid form which was crucial especially for scouting.

Atarah and Tiana walked into the wooden hut, the air was heavy but cool and smelt of strong wine concentration, it filled the air and was almost intoxicating on it's own.

There were tens to maybe a hundred barrels inside here, there were other people filling some empty barrels and adding purple flowers to the mix before covering.

Atarah instinctively covered her nose due to the high concentration but Tiana began working like there was nothing to worry about.

"Alright, make sure you pour all of that into that." Tia ordered Atarah, as she pointed to a fat barrel of wine.

"This is tiring, why are you tasked in making the wine here?" she groaned as she followed her friend's instructions irritated at the smell of the wine.

"Don't complain, just do as you are told. The trials will soon start, we have to be ready in time." Tiana said to her as she continued mixing some herbs into a barrel.

The scent of wolfsbane also trickled her nose, it wasn't a bad scent just a little woodsy or like a damp forest.

She watched as Tiana peeled off parts of the purple flower into the barrel for mixing, the purple flower which usually comes multiple petals with a hemlet-shaped structure was wolfsbane, which was detrimental to the unique cells of werewolves but then due to the rapid regenerative and healing factor of werewolves.

They can't be intoxicated by alcohol because their immune system eliminates the toxics, wolfsbane is added in little quantiy to the wine to slow their immune response, so they can get drunk or else, it would be like drinking flavored water.

Of course, too much wolfsbane mustn't be added due to the fact that it can render a wolf vulnerable to any form of attack or sickness.

"I believe that should be enough." Tiana said with a sigh as she finished mixing the flowers into the wine.

"Alright, what is next on our agenda?" Atarah sighed tiredly as she asked and Tiana smiled.

She was about to reply but a group of men walked into the hut and following the orders of the one in front, they carried the seemingly weightless barrel on each hand.

"It seems, we don't have to distribute the barrels, they will do it for us." Atarah said with bright smile, for a moment there she wondered how she could have carried those heavy barrels without tipping over and spilling out the contents.

"We weren't going to do it." Tiana laughed at physical prowess.

Atarah's pouted her lips in annoyance and then she recalled the reason why she had helped out Tiana.

"Okay, so..........what about Amon?" She caught Tiana off guard as her face turned red like beetroot.

"Um.....yeah, he's fine...... I guess, ahhh........ I'm not sure, if he's interested in me. I mean, during our conversation in school, he seemed interested in you." Tiana confessed to Atarah, she was a little distressed about Amon. She didn't even know if he was interest in her or not and his reactions and way of speaking seemed friendly but at the same vague.

"What do you mean by he is interested in me? You left me in school to follow him out, remember?" Atarah asked her puzzled by Tiana lack of enthusiasm.

"Well, we talked for a while but he didn't show any interest in me. It was like his heart was somewhere else and he asked some questions about you." Tiana said with a frown, obviously displeased with what had happened.

Atarah was silent for a moment, she was thoughtful about the situation. She couldn't let Tiana troubled thoughts cause a rift between both of them.

"Well, have you asked him directly, if he is interested in you? He did kinda mention earlier that he is a straightforward person."

Tiana shook her head and peered at the ground perhaps confused about the whole matter, she hadn't confirmed anything from Amon.

Her imagination was just running wild.

"But, he seemed........... interested in you." Tiana said weakly.

"Huh? Me? I'm not sure about that, I'm just a human after all. If anyone of us, he should see you more as desirable and if you feel like you're not comfortable about that, you should ask him if he is interested." Atarah said thoughtfully and Tiana gave her a look as her eyes sparkled with hope.

"Do you really think he is interested in me?" Tiana asked her and Atarah nodded her head vigorously.

"yeah, you're right...... Thanks Atarah." She said warmly and hugged her friend.

"Could you do me a favor then?" Tiana asked her and Atarah replied.

"Yeah sure, anything for my friend."

"Then.......... Could you help me find out if he is truly interested in me?" She didn't even let Atarah reply before she started pleading.

"Please, please, please.......Just do this one for me, please." Atarah couldn't refuse her friend who was hugging her and tireless pleading.

"Alright fine, I will do it." Atarah said with a sigh and Tiana squeezed Atarah fortuitously with her hug.

Atarah rapidly tapped Tiana back to stop as she managed to speak up

"You're....... killing me." Tiana stopped hugging her and giggled nervously.

"I'm sorry." She lowered her head a little but the excitement was still on her face.

Atarah sighed softly and spoke out.

"Let's go watch the trials."

The event took place in a pit with some wooden and stone structures built for each trials, the pit was large and wide perfect for an amphitheatre which was just like a Colosseum.

"Woah, this place is so huge." It didn't matter how many times Atarah been here, it was beautiful sight to behold.

"Yeah, it is." Tiana said dryly as her eyes scanned the crowd that was entering the amphitheatre to sits and wait for the trials to start.

"There!!!" She said loudly as she spotted Amon and she brought Atarah attention to him.

They both saw him and to their surprise, they saw him walking together with a blue haired girl, she had long blue hair and appealing feminine features coupled with a slim figure.

"What! Is that his girlfriend? Maybe that's why he wasn't interested in me. He could at least have mentioned her." Tiana scowled while Atarah shouted our his name.

"Amon!!!!!!" Her loud voice reached him and she waved her hand when he reacted to her.

"What are you doing?" Tiana asked her with a puzzled look.

Atarah deliberately avoided her question and waited for a moment until Amon approached them.

"Hey, I thought you guys were already seated." Amon said softly as she eyes alternated between Atarah and Tiana.

"No, we were a bit late cause we were preparing the wine." Atarah answered and then her eyes travelled to the beautiful blue haired that hugged Amon's arm.

She looked like she was the same age as Erza or maybe younger, she wasn't sure.

"And who is this?" Atarah asked with a smile as politely as she could, she was expecting Amon to answer but the young girl lowered her head to greet.

"I'm Eve, I'm Amon little sister." Her voice was rather soft and filled with pure honesty.

"Oh?" A voice escaped from Tiana's mouth as she noticed the similarities in both Eve and Amon, the blue hair was the dead giveaway.

"She's so cute and polite." Atarah said to her.

"Thank you." she replied softly.

Atarah gave her friend a side look, Tiana was worried about nothing, Amon wasn't that type of guy. At least he didn't give off that aura about him.

"Um......We should probably get seated, the trials are about to start." Amon said while turning around.

"Yeah we..... should probably get seated." Tiana said the same words as she gave his sister an uneasy look.

They walked towards the entrance and entered the amphitheatre, they were large wooden logs to sit on and as soon as she Atarah took her spot, a voice spooked her from behind.

"So, easy to find."

Her body shook a bit before she turned her head to see her handsome lover.

"Alaric."

She whispered his name, his face was too close to hers, she could literally feel his breath on her lips.

He pulled away from her and sighed before opening his mouth.

"Dad wants you to seated up there with him."

He said to her as he pointed to a spot, specialized for the alpha and his family.

The Luna and her daughter was already present coupled together with other family friends.

"I don't want to sit here." She said to him.

"Huh? Why? is there something wrong?" He felt disturbed by her answer.

"Are you annoyed at me perhaps?" He asked and brought his face close to her again.

"No, of course not... I'm with my friends that's why." She said which gave Amon and Tiana the cue to introduced themselves.

"Nice to meet you both." Alaric replied them both without looking away from Atarah.

He peered at Atarah for a while before sighing tiredly.

"If that's what you want, I will tell the Alpha." He said to her without taking his gaze from her before turning his head and walking away.

"Woah! that was intense glare." Tiana said while staring at his back.

"Yeah, it was odd though." Amon said speaking objectively.

"What do you mean by that?" Atarah asked like he was on to something.

"I mean, you two feels very close.... But perhaps, I'm the one misunderstanding it." Amon said dismissing his own point.

"Yeah, but what's his dea.....?"

"Oh look, it's starting!!!" Eve shouted excited at the event that was about to occur while unknowingly cutting off Tiana.

Tiana gave her a glare and Atarah noticed and just shook her head, Tiana was annoyed at the fact that she mistook Eve to be Amon's girlfriend and because of that. She was annoyed at his sister for making her think that way, it was an insecure way of thinking.

Atarah looked at the spot where she was supposed to been seated, she didn't see Alaric anyway but she saw the Alpha who was just coming.

It was duty of the alpha to start the event with a trembling roar after making a speech.

The Alpha mostly spoke about the culture and tradition of the trials, he spoke about how the moon goddess blessed the wolves with this important event and just before his roar, the full moon came out to signify the start of the event.

Atarah covered her ears just as the Alpha roared, she considered it noise. It was just bothersome to have that sound echo in her head.

She was seated close to Amon which gave her the chance to talk with him, to find out if he was interested in Tiana.

"It's starting already, the next wolves of this year would be chosen from here and then we will be the next generation." Amon said without looking at anyone, just peering at the colosseum.

"Amon, can I talk to you? It's important." She said and gave Tiana a glance, who got hint and took immediate action.

"Sure, you guys can talk and maybe bring some wine for us, I will watch over Eve." she said and excused both Atarah and Amon.

"Alright, sure....What do you want to talk about?" He asked her as they both stood up and began walking out of colosseum.

"I don't really want to waste any of time here, so I will ask you directly. Why are you toying with Tiana feelings?" Atarah asked her question coldly but yet with a straight face without any contempt towards him.