Shift

I awoke to find myself surrounded by the dark walls of the health center.

The air was thick with the scent of antiseptic and the faint, metallic scent of blood.

Suddenly, a voice beside me startled me.

Elara was seated beside, her expression marked with concern.

"You're awake," she said. "The alpha visited and suggested you take a few days off for recovery."

I felt a lingering ache in my side, a reminder of the blow that had rendered me unconscious.

Attempting to rise, a wave of dizziness overcame me, forcing me to lay back down.

"What happened?" I asked, my voice hoarse.

"I lost control," Elara explained as she handed me a cup of water. "It occurs at times. I'm deeply sorry," she expressed with remorse.

"It's okay," I responded after drinking the water.

"Where did you learn how to fight like that?" I queried, intrigued.

"My father was a soldier," she responded with a faraway look in her eyes. "He would train me whenever feasible. He departed for the battlefield a year ago. His