Thane set about his task dutifully, with deliberate slowness, his movements precise and calculated. He began by plucking strands of hair from each member of the group and placing them in his right palm where they lay like a small, dark nest. Next, he dropped to his knees, his eyes closed as he breathed in the scent of the forest floor. He raised his hands to the sky, all the while muttering "The accessible way" over and over, to the astonishment of his bewildered audience. Then he started moving his hands, weaving an intricate pattern in the air, and then suddenly his hands stopped, his palms opened, and the hairs all flew to one direction, landing on one of the paths. "The first path to the right." He announced. "That's the one." The group breathed a collective sigh of relief, and Alpha Ryker nodded curtly. "Let's move," he said, his voice low and urgent. “We should rest for a few minutes” Thane whispered, his voice barely audible over the rustling of leaves beneath their feet,
Thane’s gaze lingered on the spot where Zular had vanished, leaving them in an awkward limbo. Given the tone of urgency in which Zular had conveyed the summons to them, he found it odd that the High Priestess would make them wait. However within this ethereal presence, obviously the High Priestess can do no wrong, and it would be well within her rights to take her time.Alpha Ryker sat beside him, rigid as a statue, his unease concrete. Thane sensed the same tension emanating from their companions. The young Lunar Council representative, fidgety and restless, paced the length of the antechamber, his footsteps echoing off the walls. “This is ridiculous,” he muttered under his breath. “We’re not here to sightsee.”Even the wardens, normally stoic and focused, looked bewildered, their eyes wide with wonder. Thane smiled wryly, remembering his own first visit to the Sanctum. The place had a way of mesmerizing even the most hardened individuals.As they waited, a soft snore broke the silen
RAVENHURST CLANLylah sat in the Hearth Room of her family house, surrounded by the opulent furnishings and the weight of her parents' expectations. Her father, Lord Girad, leaned forward in his chair, his eyes blazing with a mixture of disappointment and determination."Tell your mother of the secret, treacherous discussion you were having with your friend earlier." He commanded. Lylah stayed silent, her gaze fixed on the floor. Shay had excused herself and left shortly after her father burst in on their discussion, but for her, there was no escape. She eas trapped - forced to sit tight and be subject to her parents' judgement. "Why aren't you speaking?" Her father thundered, his patience wearing thin. "You can't bring yourself to repeat the treachery you were plotting?"Lylah smiled sadly. Treachery, Indeed. Her father always had his ways of exaggerating her wrongs, but to call her private conversation with Shay - the only one that listens to her without judgement - treachery, see
The grand Hall was abuzz with esteemed guests from the clan, all gathered all gathered to witness the formal betrothal of Lylah, Lord Girad's daughter, to Cormac, the Alpha’s son. Although it was merely a formal betrothal ceremony, the hall was packed full with eager, excited high lords and chiefs. Lylah sat on a carved wooden chair, her gaze fixed determinedly on the floor, avoiding eye contact with Cormac, who sat opposite her. The Alpha and his Luna, Cormac's parents, stood supportively behind him, while her own parents stood behind her as well; her mother beaming with pride, and her father looking on with a very high sense of satisfaction. Councillor Gallen, the moderator delegated by the Lunar Council, stepped forward to formally begin the event. The hum of conversation in the Great hall faded as he began to speak, looking most solemn, in his blue, ornamented robe - one which the elders wore only on very special occasions. "Our gathering here today is marks a significant occas
Lylah stood transfixed, staring at Thane. Time seemed to stand still, and everything else melted away into the ground. All that remained was Thane's handsome face, with his soulful blue eyes, plump lips and determined expression which seemed to call out to her. She wanted to run into his arms, to hug him tight and never let go, to pour out all her worries to him, and run away with him forever. But standing there in her resplendent gown, surrounded by guests, she couldn't react. She couldn't even breathe without drawing attention to herself. So she stood frozen, her heart pounding in her chest. Thane seemed to read her anguish, because he finally allowed Shay to guide him out of the hall. Lylah wanted to run after them, but just then, she felt a gentle touch on her arm. She turned to face her mother. "Come, my dear," Lady Clarina urged, "go stand at the podium with Cormac." Lylah had almost forgotten that Cormac existed. In fact, she had almost forgotten that the event happening in
The midnight breeze carried a chill that seeped into Lylah's skin as she made her way to the Gannar Inn. She had chosen the longer, more concealed route to avoid detection, even though the village was asleep. The risk of being seen on the shorter route, with its wide, open terrain, was too great. She wouldn't make the journey through the bush in her wolf form either, as her mother had the uncanny ability of sensing her whenever she turned into her wolf form on nights other than the full moon. Earlier she had pretended to go straight to bed and had locked her door loudly behind her. But no sooner than her parents gone to sleep had she slipped out of bed, her bare feet making barely a sound on the cold stone floor. She tied up her full hair behind her head and wore a wig. Next she brought out a very old dress at the bottom of her drawer and put it on, and, having convinced herself as she stood before the mirror that she looked nothing like Lylah Vale, she'd slipped out of the house. Th
Lylah woke with a start, her mind foggy from sleep. She looked around the unfamiliar room, where was she, and how did she get here?Thane stirred beside her, and as her gaze fell on him, memories of the previous night came flooding back to her mind - the tears, the kisses, the lovemaking, the promises... The first light of dawn was already creeping into the room, and with it came the weight of reality. Lylah’s heart raced. How could she oversleep this much? And most importantly, how was she to find a way back home before her absence was discovered? "Is it morning already?" Thane's groggy voice came from beside her."Yes," Lylah replied, throwing off the covers. "And I need to get going, my parents are going to discover my absence soon." She started putting her clothes on. Thane sat up, wide awake now, his eyes filled with a mix of sadness and reluctance. "I'll come for you, Lylah," he promised, his voice low and urgent."Don't make promises you can't keep." Lylah said as she pulled
The days after Thane's promise to Lylah, and her expectation of his return saw her in very high spirits. She went about her duties happily, readily availed herself whenever Cormac called in to meet with her, and went along with the wedding preparations as though it was the most important thing for her in the world. Her father was most impressed with this new development. "Now there's my girl!" He hailed her, "This is how happy you should be, you will make the best match of the century!" He went around telling anyone who cared to listen what a proud father he was, and spared no expense in her wedding attires and other neccesities. Lylah was happy that she had everyone fooled, and counted the days patiently until Thane would come for her.A week to the wedding saw her in Shay's house. She had come late in the afternoon, without prior information. Despite her excitement which was reaching its peak, as she was expecting Thane anytime soon, she was deeply troubled by one singular event. H
Justine’s office was quiet and still as Lylah slid the door sideways and entered without knocking—her presence a shadow cast against the doorframe.Justine didn't look up as the door slid open. “I told my secretary I didn't want to be disturbed,” he said, an unmistakable annoyance in his voice. “Well...” Lylah started. “I let myself in, she isn't there. She left to use the restroom.”Justine looked up at her, his brows twitching with irritation. “Lylah, I’m not in the mood for one of your performances today.”She stepped forward. “This isn’t a performance. I came to ask you—beg you, if I must—to call off the mission, please.”Justine stood, his movements sharp and swift. “Well I won't, Lylah. And even if I wanted to, it's already too late. Commander Harris already led them out for the first phase yesterday morning.”Lylah froze. “Yesterday?”He moved past her and strode briskly out of his office toward the stairwell. She followed, nearly stumbling after him. “You sent them out alrea
Two days had passed since the rupture in Kael's room, and Angela still felt the sting of his cold retreat. His words - curt, defensive, and final - had left a hollow ache that even sleep couldn’t soothe. She’d replayed the moment too many times to count, wishing she’d said more, a little bit more to try and being him round to see things from a different perspective.The morning atmosphere outside was hushed, the sky a soft gray, heavy with unfallen rain. Angela moved quietly through the residence wing of the mansion, her echoing softly off the gleaming tiles. Angela reached Lylah’s door and knocked gently. No answer. She gripped the handle and gave it a gentle tug. Surprisingly, it turned and the door opened. She held it a bit open, and slowly and peeked in.The room was dim, the curtains drawn, letting in slivers of pale light. Lylah lay curled on her side atop the large canopy bed, the sheets tangled around her legs. She looked smaller somehow, not in size, but in spirit—like somet
The corridor was quiet, the late evening hush settling over the facility like a soft veil. Overhead, the fluorescent lights buzzed faintly, casting a gentle glow on the polished floor. Angela stood outside Kael's door, her knuckles poised to knock again. She had already tapped twice, each time with growing hesitation.She wore a light olive-green sweater, the sleeves pushed up to her elbows, and a pair of black jeans that hugged her frame. Her red hair, vibrant and unruly as always, was pulled into a loose ponytail that cascaded down one shoulder. A small backpack hung off one shoulder, her thumb hooked into its strap. Her expression was pensive, almost shy — the kind of look that hinted at unspoken words.Still no answer. Her hand dropped. She turned to leave.Then — footsteps.Angela paused and turned just in time to see Kael striding down the hallway toward her. His face broke into a smile the moment he saw her, the stormy weariness in his eyes giving way to something lighter, warm
Kael trailed behind Justine, his eyes fixed on the broad shoulders and the tense posture that seemed to radiate an aura of irritation. They walked down the hallway, the soft hum of conversation from the other offices fading into the background as they approached Justine's office. The door swung open, and Justine strode in, his movements economical and controlled. Kael followed, his heart sinking as he anticipated the confrontation that was to come.Justine settled behind his desk, his face a mask of displeasure. "Close the door behind you," he said, his voice low and even, but with an undercurrent of annoyance.Kael pushed the door shut, the soft click of the latch echoing through the room. He took a seat in one of the chairs facing Justine's desk, his eyes on the desk, avoiding Justine's.Justine looked at him calculatively for a while, then asked, "What was that about?" His voice was tight, controlled, but the anger simmering beneath the surface was palpable. Kael shifted uncomfort
The boardroom of the JANEERAD Foundation was situated on the first floor. It was a sleek, high-ceilinged space with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a stunning view of the New York skyline. The walls were adorned with polished wood panels, and the floor was covered in plush, dark gray carpeting. A large, elliptical table dominated the room, its surface made of gleaming silver-gray glass that reflected the light from the overhead LED fixtures.Around the table were about a dozen chairs, almost all of them occupied by people whose faces bore a mix of anticipation and professionalism. Among them was Dr. Peterson Ganner, tapping away on the apple laptop in front of him. The others, mostly fellow researchers and scientists, nodded quietly to one another as they conversed in quiet tones, glancing every now and then at the entrance door. The door swung open, and Justine strode in, his eyes flashing with a mix of irritation and determination. Kael followed closely behind, his gaze fixed on
The sight of Justine's figure in the open doorway made Lylah's heart sink, her alarm turning into terror as she realized that with this intrusion all her effort to convince Kael and make him see reason - which seemed to be working - might just be washed down the drain with Justine's sudden appearance. Justine took a few steps inside, his eyes scanning the room with an air of authority. Lylah stood up abruptly, a cold sweat breaking out on her forehead as Justine's gaze settled on her."What have you two been discussing?" Justine asked, his voice cold and detached.Lylah tried to brace herself, her voice firm despite the fear that threatened to overwhelm her. "What I discuss with my son is none of your business, Justine."Justine's smile was a thin, cruel line. "As long as you're in my house, it's very much my business.""Ha!" Lylah exclaimed, her eyes flashing with anger. "Your house?" She shrieked. "Like I asked to be locked up in this glorified prison! Why don't you call your guards
Lylah stood outside Kael's room, her hand hovering over the door handle as she gathered her thoughts. She still felt groggy and tired from the uneasy sleep she'd had the night before, however her conversation with Angela had sparked a determination within her. She took a deep breath, her resolve solidifying, and knocked on the door.The door swung open, and Kael stood before her in a bathrobe, wiping his damp hair with a towel. A warm smile spread across his face as he caught sight of her. "Mom." He beamed, "How are you? I stopped by your room last night to check on you, but there was no answer when I knocked."Lylah forced a smile. "Everything's fine, sweetheart. I was just out for a walk in the yard."Kael's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze piercing as he searched her face. Despite her reassurance, the tension in her shoulders and the faint crease between her eyebrows betrayed her true emotions. "You look a bit troubled," he said, his voice gentle. "Do you want to come in and sit do
The sky above had darkened to a deep shade of indigo as Lylah spoke, and stars were beginning to twinkle like diamonds scattered across the canvas of the universe. The air had grown cooler, bringing back the scent of damp earth and the distant hint of rain. Angela stood facing Lylah, taking in the outlines of her face in the bright lights surrounding them, a lot of questions on her mind. She reached out and took Lylah's hand. It was soft and tender. Angela squeezed it gently, as though trying to convey her support and understanding without words."Well, what happened then? How did you manage?" She asked, keeping her voice as soft and encouraging as possible. "It wasn't easy at all," Lylah said, gazing down at her feet which was beginning to hurt. "Naturally my parents were summoned. It was a very uncomfortable scene. My mother was disappointed, yes, but wanted me to just say the truth so that she could find a way to help me. My father on the other hand, well, I think his anger was m
The pale sun was now dipping below the horizon, transforming the lawn into a warm, golden oasis. Sharp lights flickered to life all over the mansion, casting a gentle glow over the lush greenery and the delicate flowers waving up into the sky.Lylah stood watching them, her hands folded over her chest, and her eyes fixed on Angela's face as she pondered whether she could trust her. The fading light danced across Angela's features, illuminating her hazel eyes and bold smile. Lylah's heart swelled with a mix of emotions - fear, uncertainty, yet a deep longing for connection."My life has been a series of events that I never could have imagined," she began, blinking at the dahlias which were swaying lightly in the evening breeze. "You must know by now that I grew up among my kin, werewolves, that is?" She asked, turning to look intently at Angela, who nodded vigorously. "Well," she continued, averting her gaze once more, "I had only heard of other humans who weren't werewolves in storie