By the time I reached my room, my chest felt too tight to breathe properly.
The door shut behind me harder than I intended.
The sound cracked through the silence.
That was all it took.
Everything I had been holding in, every moment I had swallowed, every humiliation, it broke.
I pressed my back against the door, my hand flying to my mouth as a sharp, broken sound escaped me.
“No…” My voice came out small and shaking.
I slid down slowly, my legs giving out beneath me until I hit the floor.
My breath came out fast, like something was choking me from inside.
“Stop” I whispered to myself but it didn’t.
It never did.
The tears came suddenly, blurring my vision.
I pressed my palms to my eyes, to dry my tears but I couldn’t control it.
My head dropped forward, my forehead pressing against my knees.
“I don’t belong here” I sobbed.
I thought I had gotten stronger and proved myself but today had reminded me that I was still not accepted.
I am not one of them and I would never be.
I am not strong or fast and I’ll never be enough.
My hands clenched tightly into the fabric of my clothes.
I took in a deep breath.
“This would be the last time they make me cry” I swore to myself.
That night, I couldn’t sleep.
I sat at the edge of my bed, staring at the moonlight spilling through the window.
That was the only thing I could do since sleep refused to come.
Every time I closed my eyes, I heard Elke’s voice.
Placeholder.
The word had rooted itself somewhere deep inside me.
It followed me and mocked me.
It refused to leave.
I had cried until my eyes burned.
Then I had stared at the ceiling for what felt like hours.
Now the room felt too small and quiet that it made me feel suffocated.
With a lot on my mind, I knew I wouldn’t have a proper rest.
I couldn’t stay in this room, not tonight.
Slowly, I pushed myself to my feet.
The corridor outside was empty.
Most of the pack had retired hours ago.
The few guards I passed barely looked at me.
Good.
The last thing I wanted was company or pity.
I slipped through the entrance and out into the night.
Cool air brushed against my skin.
I heaved a sigh of relief.
For the first time all day, I could finally enjoy a peaceful time.
The moon hung high above the forest.
It was a half moon and it was beautiful.
I followed a familiar path that led behind the pack walls.
Far enough to be alone but close enough to remain safe.
At least, that was the plan.
I hugged my arms around herself, trying not to think.
Trying not to imagine Hades and Elke together.
Trying not to wonder if everything Elke said had been true.
Because the more I thought about it, the more it hurt.
A branch cracked somewhere behind me.
I froze.
My head snapped around.
“You’re imagining things.” I said to myself.
I turned back toward the path.
I heard another sound.
This time it was closer than the first one.
My stomach dropped.
I was not imaging things.
Someone was here.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up.
“Who’s there?” I called.
No answer.
The silence felt wrong and the need to go further vanished.
I took a step backward and then another.
Something moved fast.
A dark figure burst from the trees and my instinct screamed.
Adrenaline kicked in and I to run.
I had barely managed to turn before a hand reached for my throat.
A gasp tore from my lips.
The attacker missed.
Fear exploded through me.
I stumbled backward and the figure lunged again.
I had a clearer view now, but the attacker was covered head to toe in dark clothing.
Their face was hidden.
No identifying features.
The person was not from here.
I turned around and ran.
My heart hammered violently.
Footsteps thundered heavily behind me.
It was getting closer.
I couldn’t outrun them.
I knew I couldn’t especially if the person is a werewolf.
Panic clawed at my chest.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed the back of my shirt, the fabric tightened painfully.
I cried out loudly.
“Help!” The attacker yanked me backward, hard.
I hit the ground and plain exploded through my shoulder.
That’s when I noticed the blade, the moonlight flashed against the metal.
My heart beat faster than before, everything seemed to stop at that moment “No, no.” I screamed in my head.
I was going to be killed.
I didn’t want to die yet.
Not like this or here where I probably won’t be found.
L The blade came down to my neck and something inside me snapped.
A surge of heat exploded beneath my skin, violently.
It was blinding and something flowed through my body.
Every nerve ignited and I screamed.
The attacker paused long enough for me to defend myself and then I shoved him.
At least it shouldn’t have been hard but the figure flew backward.
Several feet through the air and crashed into a tree.
Everywhere went silent.
I stared at the place the attacker crashed and I was breathing hard.
The attacker groaned obviously in pain and then he looked at me, clearly in disbelief about what just happened.
I was also in shock because I didn’t understand what had just happened.
Because that wasn’t possible.
It couldn’t be.
I was human.
Wasn’t I?
The attacker’s gaze moved to me and I saw his body suddenly stiffen.
Was that fear or confusion?
He stood up and I thought he was coming back to finish what he started but then he ran.
He disappeared into the darkness like he had never been here in the first place.
I was alone beneath the moon.
My entire body shook and the strange heat remained, burning through my veins.
My pulse raced and my vision sharpened.
Suddenly, I could hear everything.
Leaves rustling miles away and owls moving through trees.
I gasped.
The sounds hit me all at once.
It was too much.
My hands flew to my ears but it didn’t help.
I didn’t know where all the sounds were coming from and it made me insane.
“No…” my voice trembled.
“Stop please!” I cried out.
The world tilted and the strange heat surged again.
My knees buckled and I collapsed onto the grass, confused and terrified.
What is happening?
The next thing I heard was shouting.
Voices and footsteps running in my direction.
The sounds pulled me from darkness.
“Iris!” Someone was calling me.
It was getting closer “Iris!” It was Cassian.
My eyes opened.
“Ir—” relied washed across his face when he saw me.
Then his expression changed to concern.
“What happened?” I tried to sit up but failed.
Cassian caught me before I could fall.
More warriors arrived with weapons drawn and they were scanning the area.
“What happened?” he repeated.
“I…” my throat felt dry and my mind struggled to catch up.
“T-there was someone.” I stuttered.
Cassian’s jaw tightened.
He exchanged looks with the warriors.
Then he turned back to me.
“Someone attacked you?” I nodded.
The memory sent another wave of fear through me.
“Their face was covered.” Cassian cursed quietly.
Something he almost never did.
“Did you recognize them?” “No.” “Did they say anything?” “No.” His expression darkened and that seemed to worry him more.
One of the warriors stepped forward.
“Beta.” Cassian looked up.
“The Alpha has returned.” “I know.” “No.” The warrior swallowed looking uneasy.
“The Alpha is here.” Cassian froze and I did too.
“What?” “He arrived minutes ago.” Alpha Hades was here.
My stomach dropped.
My hands trembled, I was going to be punished.
The air changed almost immediately.
Whenever he arrived at a place, it was hard not to notice.
That familiar pull was back that even in my distressed state, I could still feel him.
Cassian must have noticed my reaction.
His grip tightened and his expression changed.
“Oh no.” The words came out barely above a whisper.
“What?” But Cassian wasn’t looking at me anymore, he was staring past her towards the forest, something was behind me or rather someone.
The warriors around them suddenly went silent.
Fear flashed across several faces and I felt it that he was nearer.
Slowly, I turned and I saw him.
Alpha Hades stood at the edge of the clearing, unmoving.
The darkness itself seemed to bend around him and his eyes locked on mine and then dropped to my arm.
His eyes lingered there.
I felt exposed because of my torn clothes.
His expression changed to something colder and terrifying.
The kind of fury that came before bloodshed.
His gaze lifted and scanned the area.
Understanding settled into his expression and a muscle jumped in his jaw.
Cassian held me tightly.
The warriors had still not spoken, they were waiting for their Alpha.
“Who touched her?”