Trinity moved through her day on autopilot, her mind replaying the horror of the night before. She had been forced to return to her dorm, the pack Warriors taking Timothy away without a word. No one would tell her where they had gone, and she couldn't even speak to him. She knew, deep down, that she had done something awful to him, even if it hadn't been on purpose.
She was numb as she went through the motions, stepping into the shower and letting the water beat down on her, then changing into her uniform. Still, the sounds of his suffering echoed in her mind: the sickening crack of his bones breaking, his pitiful cries, and the screams of his bones tearing through his flesh, unable to shift into their proper form. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to force the images away, but they remained etched behind her eyelids.
Ryan found her in the middle of the room, standing motionless as if she were a zombie. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug. "He's going to be okay," he murmured into her hair. "We're going to figure this out."
"I did it to him!" The words tumbled from her lips as she clutched onto him. She still didn't understand how she had done it. She had only said a word, an ancient word she didn't even mean to say, but she had repeated it, not wanting him to die.
She wondered if he was trapped in an in-between state, like she had been, not quite human, not quite wolf. Her self-preservation had been on such high alert that it hadn't left room for anything else. Was it like that for him, too? Could he relax enough to shift back? To go back to normal? Would a "normal" even be possible for him now? She didn't know if he would ever forgive her.
"Stop," Ryan whispered into her ear. He gently pulled away from the hug, his hands resting on her shoulders. Trinity's guards had told him that she couldn't talk about what happened, that no one could know all the details. It was strange, and he knew they needed to speak to Beta Boris, but for now, they were forbidden to speak about last night.
The door to the dorm room creaked open, and Jess stepped inside. She was still in the same clothes from the night before; the chaos had been so much that she had just stayed at Noah's room, thinking it would be less stressful. But she had to return to get dressed. She saw Ryan holding Trinity, and for the first time, she felt no jealousy. She was simply worried.
Ryan pulled Jess to the side so he could fill her in. "Timothy shifted last night," he explained quietly. "We don't know why, or what happened. He's having trouble shifting back."
Jess's mind raced. "He shifted? How? Is he okay?" Her thoughts swirled with questions and confusion. Why was everyone but her having their wolf emerge? She was worried, but a part of her was also jealous.
"He should be okay, probably just freaked out," Ryan said, his tone deliberately guarded. "Don't ask Trinity about what happened, because we don't know." Jess noticed the emphasis he placed on his words. He was making it obvious that there was something she wasn't privy to, something he couldn't speak about. Given that wolves could hear everything, she nodded in understanding, knowing that when they had the time and ability, they would fill her in.
Trinity watched them from the bed, her head hung low. Her shoulders began to slump as she felt the full weight of her actions. Slowly, she reached for the mental link with her father.
Boris, she whispered, her voice trembling, her mind reaching out to Boris.
The smile on Boris's face faltered when he noticed the tremor in her voice. What happened?
I did something bad, she thought, still gazing down at her hands. I've been having weird dreams.
Tell me.
I've been having weird dreams about being a wolf, running through the forest, she said, the thought of it making her feel crazy. How could she tell her dad that she had heard a strange language in her head?
No matter what it is, T, I'll believe you.
I was running in the forest, and wolves were chasing me, she began. They were shouting this word into my head, and I didn't understand it. When I said it, it was like a spell. I turned back into my human self, but it wasn't even me. Timothy woke me up, and I said it, and he shifted into his wolf. And he can't shift back. He's just attacking everyone, and I don't know what to do! I didn't mean to do it, and I feel like I'm losing my mind! She felt like she was spiraling. None of it made sense. Dreams weren't supposed to mean anything, just an outlet for the mind. No one will let me see him. How can I fix it?
Just breathe! Boris's mind echoed, the force of his command shaking her. You're not losing your mind. We'll figure out what's going on. Just give me some time.
Can you come back? The question was selfish, she knew, but she asked it anyway. She just wanted him there.
Not yet. I'm going to help.
But you're not even here, she thought, feeling like a foolish child complaining about a lost doll.
Feel the tether.
As she started to think about her father, a glowing ribbon began to appear in front of her eyes. The link between her and her father. She reached out, her fingers dancing just above and below it, unable to touch it but still feeling its warmth.
I am right beside you. Give me time. I love you.
Yeah, she thought, the word weak and hollow.
The glowing ribbon faded, leaving her alone once more. Her shoulders slumped even further. Ryan had hoped that speaking to her father would make her feel better, give her some answers, but she still seemed dazed.
The three of them walked down the halls together, the other wolves staring and whispering about what had happened. They all had their own theories, their own speculation on what was going on in the "defective" room. But the trio chose to ignore it all, walking out into the field behind the warrior house and lining up in their neat rows. They waited for Thomas to come and tell them what they would be doing today.
Thomas looked over his students with a proud, yet pensive, smile. Today was an odd day, but it was still meant to be a good one. He was sad to be losing one of his favorite students, one who had changed his mind on so many things.
Beside him stood Onyx, a second-stager. His strong build was notable, and he looked like a powerhouse, ready for more. He felt annoyed that he had to be the welcoming wagon for the newest second-stagers. It seemed like he was always getting stuck with annoying tasks for the pack.
"Luca Blackwood, Trinity Carter, step forward," Thomas called out.
Luca's eyes connected with Trinity's as they made their way to the front of the class.
Trinity was hoping this wasn't another speech about how great she was and how everyone else was not. Luca was just glad to finally see her, to know that she wasn't the "defective" one stuck in a dungeon. He had smelled her scent, but her friends always smelled of each other, their scents mixing together.
Once the two stood before him, Thomas gave them a genuine smile. "Congratulations to both of you. You have outgrown my class. You will join the second-stagers."
Though some in the class were envious and others ambivalent, those who had seen both of them excel were proud. Their new ranks were well-deserved and hard-fought.
The first to clap was an unexpected voice. Caldera clapped his hands vigorously, shouting out his congratulations. The wolves around him knew he didn't like Trinity or Luca, but respect didn't require you to like someone. Others soon followed his lead, leaving their petty grievances aside. Even if they were unliked, they deserved the respect.
The scene before him felt ridiculous. Onyx knew that what came next was nothing to be applauded. The title of "the best of the first-stagers" gave the impression that you were something, that once you moved on to the second-stagers, you would be at the top of the pile. But you just ended up at the bottom of the heap all over again. You hadn't won the game; you had just restarted the clock.
Author's note:
I might stop for the day. And write the next six chapters tomorrow maybe we will see. 🤷🏿♀️