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12. Strength And Weakness
Huling Na-update:
2025-01-21 09:55:27
MishanAngelI definitely did not mean for this chapter to be this long. Haha. Sorry guys! I hope you enjoy! Sorry for the break. A lot happened and I needed to step back for a bit. We are back though! :D
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Winter 13. Someone I Used to Know
We pulled into the pack house and I turned off the car. Looking over at my impromptu passenger, I watched her unbuckle her seatbelt. Winter was much less tense than when she got in. Giving me the same soft smile as earlier, she nodded her head.“Thank you for the ride. I appreciate it.”“Of course. Happy to be of service.” I realized my own smile might have looked a bit strained.Opening the door, she stepped out and swung her bag over one shoulder. Ember threw open the door and smiled.“Winter! I’m glad you…” Her words stopped and her smile fell.“I’m fine, Luna.”Ember growled low. “I’m sure you are. Come on, I’ve got an ice pack with your name on it.”Winter chortled and nodded, heading inside. Ember raised an eyebrow at me as I closed my door and shoved my hands in my coat pockets. Walking up to her, I gave her a peck on the cheek.“I was driving the back way and I saw her walking on the side of the road. I offered her a ride.”Her eyes narrowed for a moment but she nodded. “Thanks
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-22Winter 14. Falling
*** Winter’s POV *** I stood in the back of the yard. Everyone who had a wolf gathered on the last Friday of the month for the pack run. Even though I didn’t technically have a wolf, I could still shift. Alpha Damian gave me his usual creepy giant smile when he was about to say something he knew I wasn’t going to like before telling me I was to join. So now I’d been bringing up the rear for two years.There were only a few others my age or younger. Since only leadership, strong leadership at that, shifted when they were fifteen, it was a very small few. The rest were all eighteen and above. Sighing, I leaned my back against the tree.Most people ignored me. Usually for two reasons. One, I was just a young pup and they didn’t really care. Others knew that I didn’t have a wolf or that my dad had basically discarded me for Rebecca. Speaking of which, I didn’t see her nor Hannah in the mix. Dad was standing with Gamma Maddox off to the side.Gamma Maddox had taken over for my grandfather
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-23Winter 15. Keeping Pace
The feeling of running as a wolf was something that I loved more than anything. It was a freedom that you could never replicate as a human. With everything heightened, it was an entirely different experience than just running with two legs.How the grass and moss felt brushing against your paws. How the earth sank in as you pushed off to continue a stride. How the air felt flowing through your fur, just barely kissing the skin. How the smell of the forest, particularly as the sun was going down, differed to the morning mist-covered scent. All of it was so overpowering and yet empowering at the same time.Running hard, I passed a few of the slower pods before finding my usual pace. Since we started on the West side of the pack, we would go close to the river before swinging around to the north of the territory. I decided to swing wider than the pack would go to the West.The forest gave way to the pebbled riverbank that could easily be called a beach with how wide the river was at this
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-24Winter 16. Secrets Are a Heavy Burden
I froze, my body going stiff as I looked up at my dad. Not that I really wanted to go with him. It would be nice since the walk was a long way but hope was not something that I held when it came to my dad.He frowned again before he shook his head. “She exerted herself too much.”Translation for that meant that I was too sweaty and I would have gotten his seats dirty. The front door slammed shut behind him and I winced. Luna Ember pulled me close, her arms wrapping around my shoulders.“I’m fine, Luna. I wasn’t expecting…”I nearly jumped out of my skin when Alpha Damian turned and threw a bottle at the door. The metal bottle didn’t break but there would be a dent in it for sure. My eyes widened as I stared at the door and then at Alpha Damian. It was rare that I saw any outbursts from Alpha but that was way more than normal.“Honey…” Luna Ember sighed.“Go get your backpack, Winter. I’ll drive you back.”My mouth nearly fell open. “Alpha, you don’t need to…”“Now, Winter.”He didn’t n
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-25Winter 17. Best Wing-Woman
“You saved my ass on Friday.”Krista was lying on the grass in the empty park close to the school. We decided to meet up here on Sunday. Usually she was busy on Sunday with her family but her mom had taken her dad to a work function. Of course her brother was in the dojo but she wanted to get out.“You probably would have been fine. It’s not like you were doing anything bad. You just went to a party.”“Well, I was about to get down with my bad self.”I rolled my eyes. “Please don’t say that.”She laughed, rolling on her side to face me. “I heard Rebecca got torn a part. Not just by Gamma either.”“Oh, I’m pretty sure you could hear my dad yelling from the pack house. She comes in, getting dragged in by Gamma, drunk, smelling like sex and smoke, and I’m pretty sure she took something hard. Her pupils were blown out like crazy.”“Oh my goddess. I would have loved to hear that. Finally, they catch her doing when she has been doing for years.”Leaning my head back, I frowned. “I just don’t
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-26Winter 18. A Little Sabotage
I looked over at my dad. He looked agitated. His back was straight as his hands thrummed on the steering wheel. Not just that but his leg was bouncing as well. It was odd seeing him like this. “Winter, I need you to remember. It’s really important.” “We didn’t talk about you or Hannah. The only thing we talked about was that Krista had seen Rebecca at the party. It wasn’t…” He growled, glaring at me. “I need you to tell me what he said!” I did jump this time as he raised his voice. “Nothing. Really. He didn’t say anything! It’s not like he would talk about that kind of stuff. He knows I can’t do anything or that you think I’m worth telling anything.” “That’s right. That’s right.” The second time he said it, he let out a sigh. “Why would Damian talk to you about anything?” He chuckled to himself. “How silly of me.” I looked out the window, keeping my hands in my lap. After that, I expected him to just kick me out of the car and make me walk home. However, he seemed like he w
Huling Na-update : 2025-02-12Winter 19. Trespassing
One thing I didn’t expect was Mr. Penn waiting outside of Statistics. Krista elbowed me and waggled her eyebrows as he motioned me to follow him. I gave a quick wave to Krista and I followed a few steps behind. Usually Krista and I would part anyways, since I had my Study Period and she had her Pottery class. Mr. Penn lead me to the front office and held the door open for me. Principal Miles seemed to be surprised and immediately frowned. He stepped up the counter and tapped his fingers on the wood. “Is everything okay, Caspian? Winter?” I shrugged and Mr. Penn must have realized then that this looked like I had done something wrong. He waved his hands before reaching into his back pocket for a folded piece of paper. “Miss Winter expressed the interest in learning German. I thought during her Study Period, she could take German from me. However, I wanted to make sure she could get the credit for it.” Principal Miles let off a sigh of relief. “Is that so.” “Principal Miles,
Huling Na-update : 2025-02-12Winter 20. Irritatingly Correct
I nodded again. “We did. My Great-Grandmother was a full-blooded witch that found refuge in Dawn Claw. At the time, my Great-Grandfather had lost his mate a few years back. He had been the current Gamma of the pack. They two of them didn’t have an…instant…connection. At least not from the stories my mother told me. But they did end up marrying and having my Grandmother and a Great Uncle.” “A witch line is passed down through the eldest female? Correct?” “Yeah. It’s why I have the last name Cyprus and Rebecca doesn’t. Hannah never had the last name Cyprus either. She took after my Grandfather, Gregory Tank. She changed her last name when she moved in with Dad.” Mr. Penn cocked his head to the side. “I remember Linny doing spells, or always having a potion on hand.” He looked down and smiled to himself. “She always smelled like herbs. Like mint and rosemary.” “That’s what I remember as well.” It was weird. I didn’t talk about my mother with Luna Ember much because I knew it was
Huling Na-update : 2025-02-13
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Winter 87. All Heroes Inevitably Fall
“Poisoning?” My knees started to give, but Councilor Daeva went from hanging on to me to holding me up. “They poisoned my mother? Is that how she died?”Councilor Erissa got up and got another glass. This time, it was filled with water and she handed it to me. I took a couple sips, still feeling like I wanted to pass out.“To answer your question, yes and no.” Councilor Daeva chimed in again. “Sorry, I’m not reading the room again, am I?”“No, you aren’t. You’re being overly touchy and the poor girl looks like she is going to faint.” Councilor Morel spoke again, shaking his head.He was right. I wanted to faint. Councilor Erissa helped me with the next couple of sips of water while Councilor Daeva left my back to go bicker with Councilor Morel. My mother…I always thought that she died from a broken heart. That the bond that my father refused to acknowledge had ki
Winter 86. Exposed
I didn’t know what to say. This all was so overwhelming. I sat there, staring into the coffee table. My mind was going a million directions and unable to settle. The mug of hot chocolate was placed back in my hands and I instinctively took a sip. It was the taste of home. The same feeling when I smelled the herbs drying or damp soil from a garden. The same feeling I had stepping into this room.Taking a breath, I finally spoke. “Before…I ask anything else. The reason I came here was because Alpha Damian and my father were trying to mate me off to another pack. They said that y-you signed off on it. I wanted to state my case. At the very least that I should be allowed to meet with Caspian when I turn eighteen. To know…before I’m mated off to someone…”“You have no need to worry about that.” Councilor Augustine growled. “You will not be going anywhere. Not unless by your choice.”“We also didn’t sign off on it, for what it’s worth. They never came to us.” Councilo
Winter 85. Into the Fire
The door opened and I felt my stomach drop. Regis moved to the side to allow me to step in. He gave me a smile and nodded into the room. Stepping into the room, I kept my eyes on the floor for a moment. My mother’s locket was tight in my hand. The door shut quietly behind me and slowly, I lifted my head.I had to blink a couple times to comprehend what I was seeing. The room was nothing as I expected. There were windows along the entire wall I was facing, a gorgeous view of the forest and even the river that ran all the way down to the pack. Inside the room reminded me of my house before Hannah got her grubby paws on it.It was the warm comforting living room or den. The stone floor had been covered in a hodgepodge of large area rugs. About three different styles of antique couches, five in total, were all around the room. The wall to my right was floor to ceiling bookshelves. There were was one long table in front of it and then two desks, one facing the windows
Winter 84. Out of the Frying Pan
I sat in the passenger seat of Mrs. St James giant black Wagoneer. We had left the pack territory a while ago as we drove north. Outside of telling me I looked lovely and asking me to buckle up, she didn’t say anything for the entire drive so far. There was some jazz playing lightly in the background and I looked out the window, everything outside being completely new to me.“Winter.”My head snapped to her. “Yes?”“You will be meeting with the entire Council. I will not be with you. You will be on your own and a few of them aren’t happy with an extra meeting today.”Nodding, I listened carefully to her. She wasn’t looking at me, her face serious as she watched the road. It was her in work-mode. A heaviness to her tone.“You cannot argue. You cannot treat them as you would your pack. While you might rebel against the Alpha, but you cannot do that to them. They would just as easily decide that you’re not worth it.”It wasn’t a matter of seeing me as a child wasting their time. She was
Winter 83. Step One
“Winter, do you know what you are asking for?”I stood in Mrs. St James’ office. She had stared at me a long time when I asked her to take me to speak to the Council of Elders. Luckily, she didn’t dismiss me immediately. Instead, she asked Krista to help me get dressed and then meet in her office. I expected that we would be alone, but Mr. St James was leaning against the wall behind her.“I do.”Mrs. St James leaned forward, her elbows on her desk as she rested her chin on her hands. “Winter, bringing the Council into this…it would get messy. It would also be leaving the decision in their hands. You might not like the outcome. They might not decide in your favor.”I looked down, clasping my own hands together. “I know. Thinking over this past week, I tried to think of what I could do. I felt, powerless, despite telling Caspian that we could figure it out. Leaving it all up to him, when the reason why I’m fighting so hard against this is purely selfish. It’s because I don’t want to le
Winter 82. Plan F
We pulled into the pack house driveway and I was surprised to see quite a few cars around. The pressure on my chest felt heavier when I realized not a single one of these cars was Caspian’s. Getting out, I left my backpack behind and Caleb even waited for me to walk with him to the door. Did he think I would run? Looking around, I wondered if it would be an option.“Inside, Winter.”Nodding, I walked into the house. What used to be a safe place for me now felt slimy. It felt like I didn’t belong here anymore. Nor did I feel welcome. Stepping into the kitchen, Luna Ember smiled and started to pull me into a hug, but I stepped back. Caleb growled but I didn’t care. Not after everything.“Winter…I know it may not seem like it now…but we really just want the best for you.” She stopped trying to hug me, at least. “I know it’s hard to see now, but trust us.”All I wanted to say was no. I didn’t want anything to do with any of this. This was wrong. Everyone knew it and I didn’t understand why
Winter 81. Lockdown
*** Winter’s POV *** “You doing okay?”This had to be the fifth or sixth time that Krista had asked that today. It made me wonder if I really looked that miserable. Or if it was just the fact that there was more of a presence of the pack warriors than normal at the school. They were here to make sure everyone was safe but Krista, myself, some of the teachers, and Principal Miles knew better.“Krista, stop asking, please. You’re just making it worse by asking.” I closed my locker, staring at the front of the blue metal door. “I don’t know if I can be.”There was a good part of me that regretted my decision. Stepping out of Caspian’s arms, hurt so much more than I thought it would. The looked on his face broke me. I couldn’t believe what Alpha and Caleb had done. I couldn’t believe they would go that far or that they would think it was okay.Of course we would fight that! I didn’t care what Caleb said, Caspian was my mate. I knew it. I felt it. There was no way that Caspian wasn’t my m
Winter 80. Standing Down
“What…what is going on?” Winter looked between her Alpha and her father.Onan was sitting just behind my consciousness. He was ready to take over and fight both of these wolves. The fact that one of them was our brother didn’t matter at this point. None of that mattered. These two were trying to take our mate away. I didn’t think they would try to go this far. It didn’t even register that this was an option.“No.”It was a single word from me. However, between Onan and I, the growl and the power that came with it, it might as well have been a right hook to the face of both of them. I was still holding Winter against me, her hand holding my arm. What’s worse is that I could feel her shaking.“You want to break an alliance, Caspian? We need to keep our alliances if we are going to survive. We break this, and we lose their support. Support we count on often.” Damian was struggling still under my anger. “We need this.”“Not. Winter.” I struggled not to shift, the only thing keeping me grou
Winter 79. What Have You Done?
Standing up from my lean, I cocked my head to the side. “I mean, it wouldn’t be a great travel time but I could do it. Probably not every day.”Winter frowned as she stopped, looking up at some of the books. “Wouldn’t it be easier just to move to the city? You wouldn’t need to commute as much. It would be less stressful.”Now I could see where she was going with this. Walking over to her, taking her hand in mine and kissing the back of her hand, I shook my head.“I’m not here to work, Winter. If I wanted to solely work, if I wanted to focus on this side, I wouldn’t have left England.” Her eyes widened but I smiled. “I’m here now for my mate. For my other half. I could move here. I could move back to England. I could do all these things to make it easier to do something that I love. I’m not here for that.”“But…this is your job.”I shook my head again. “This is something that I enjoy. A hobby. I could turn it into my full time job if I wanted. Not at the cost of losing my mate. I came
