Mia's PovAs I followed Mabel through the forest, the dappled sunlight filtering through the dense canopy overhead cast shifting patterns of light and shadow on the forest floor. Mabel was leading me somewhere though I didn't exactly know where. The earthy scent of damp soil mingled with the sweet fragrance of wildflowers, and the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze provided a soothing backdrop to our conversation. We had been talking about some obscure herbs and the like Mabel knew of but the conversation had fallen I to a brief lull and had finally petered out."So, Mia," Mabel began again, her voice gentle yet probing, "I heard you and Martha got into a bit of a tiff. Is everything alright?"Her words caught me off guard, and a flush of embarrassment crept up my cheeks. "Yeah, we had a disagreement," I admitted reluctantly, trying to downplay the severity of the situation."And I heard you got roughed up pretty good," Mabel continued, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Care to s
Hazel's povAs I strode down the dimly lit corridor of our pack's stronghold, the sounds of my footsteps echoed off the stone walls, sending shivers down my spine. It has been almost a month since I met Alpha Phelan and I have not been idle. I pushed open the heavy oak door at the end of the corridor and stepped into the room beyond and I was greeted by a scene straight out of a nightmare. The room was suffused with an eerie glow, emanating from the various alchemical apparatuses that lined the walls. Glass vials and beakers bubbled and hissed with unknown substances, their contents casting strange, shifting shadows across the room.I had little idea what they were but the team of physicians I had working here had requisitioned them and so I had provided.At the center of the chamber lay the operating table, a crude and blood-stained slab of wood surrounded by a tangle of ropes and chains. Strapped to the table was the corrupted wolf, its grotesque form contorted in agony, patches o
Mia's POVAs I stepped into the clearing of the forest, my senses were immediately overwhelmed by the sheer beauty and majesty of my surroundings. Towering trees stretched towards the sky, their branches reaching out like welcoming arms, while the gentle rustle of leaves provided a soothing backdrop to the symphony of nature.Shafts of golden sunlight filtered through the dense canopy above, casting dappled patterns on the forest floor below. The air was thick with the scent of pine and earth, mingling with the sweet fragrance of wildflowers that dotted the forest floor.Suddenly, a voice broke through the stillness, and I turned to see Michael approaching with a playful smile tugging at the corners of his lips. His presence filled me with a sense of excitement and anticipation. He had been teaching me forest stealth for about a fortnight now and I finally convinced him to test me on it today. He did not think I was ready yet but I could not wait to begin trying to awaken my wolf once
Mia's POV"That is a load of horse shit," I said blandly.Michael laughed. "Alpha Fenrir had predicted you would say as much. He told you to consider this: two people get into a fight and one person survives said fight. Who is stronger? Who is better off?""The survivor obviously," I snort in disdain. "But it is still a load of nonsense.""Perhaps," Michael chuckled. "Though, truth be told you had exceeded my expectations by quite a bit. For someone who has been at it for only two weeks, you have gone surprisingly far.""Still a load of horse shit. I know for certain that I had not been completely silent and you might as well have tracked my footsteps if you bothered to heighten your senses.""Mostly, what you need now is just practice," Michael said, shaking his head. "In about a week or two we would actually begin with the hunting part of your schedule."Now that I was looking forward to........As the golden rays of the late afternoon sun filtered through the canopy above, casting
Mia's PovAs Lycidas led the way through the dense undergrowth, I couldn't help but feel a surge of curiosity bubbling up inside me. "So, where exactly are we headed?" I asked, my voice carefully neutral.Lycidas shrugged, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips. "There is a river not too far from here," he replied casually. "I thought we could cool off there."My ears perked up at the mention of a river, the thought of dipping my toes into the cool, refreshing water sounding like heaven after a day of intense training. "Oh, also there might be alligators," he added nonchalantly, as though it were the most natural thing in the world."Alligators?!" I exclaimed, my eyes widening in alarm. "Are you serious?!"Lycidas shrugged, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "Relax, Mia," he said, his tone reassuring. "We're not going to be diving into the river or anything. And besides, the alligators haven't been seen around here for a while."I eyed him skeptically, a nagging fe
Mia's PovAs panic tightened its grip around my heart, I scanned the river from the outcropping, desperately searching for any sign of Lycidas. The water churned below, its surface rippling with the remnants of his struggle, but there was no trace of him to be found. And the spreading red! Oh my goddess!Just as I prepared to dive in after him, I noticed a shadow creeping up on me from the side.Without even turning to face him, I instinctively issued a warning to Lycidas, my voice dripping with irritation and frustration."Hey, Lycidas," I called out, my tone firm, "don't you dare try to push me into the water."But before I could react, his laughter filled the air, and I felt his hands on my shoulders, propelling me forward with surprising force. With a startled cry, I tumbled into the water, my turban held tight against my head to prevent it from being swept away by the current.The shock of the cold water enveloped me as I plunged beneath the surface, my lungs burning with the nee
Mia's Pov I sighed, the tension draining from my shoulders as I realized it was in no way real blood. And truth be told, while it was annoying then, it was pretty fun to look back on now."Well, next time, maybe warn me before you decide to stir up the riverbed," I replied with a wry smile. "I was... I was scared out of my fucking mind."But before Lycidas could respond, a sudden shift in the air caught his attention, and he turned to face the forest behind us with a furrowed brow. Instinctively, I followed his gaze, my heart pounding in my chest as a sense of foreboding washed over me. I turned to see Lycidas's expression harden, his eyes scanning the forest for any sign of danger."What is it?" I whispered, my heart pounding in my chest.Lycidas didn't reply, his attention focused on something in the cluster of trees behind us. And then, as if on cue, a corrupted emerged from the trees, its eyes burning with malice as it fixed its gaze upon us.As the corrupted creature pounced tow
Mia's Pov.As Lycidas and I began our run through the dense forest, every muscle in my body surged with a newfound energy, propelling me forward with a sense of urgency that bordered on desperation. The forest blurred past in a kaleidoscope of greens and browns, the rhythmic pounding of our footsteps echoing through the stillness of the woods.With each stride, I felt the weight of the world slipping away, replaced by a sense of freedom and exhilaration that was both intoxicating and terrifying. Branches whipped past us in a blur, the air filled with the heady scent of pine and earth as we raced deeper into the heart of the forest.But even as we ran, a sense of unease gnawed at the edges of my consciousness, a whisper of fear that refused to be silenced. The forest seemed to close in around us, the shadows growing darker and more ominous with each passing moment.As we navigated the twisting paths and tangled underbrush, my senses were heightened to a fever pitch, every rustle of lea