Becky POV
I woke up, sweat dripping down, and my heart hammering against my ribs. I looked around. I was still in class, and everyone seemed to have gone out.
The dream! My mom.
I grabbed my bag, bolting out of the door on my way out. I bumped into Drey. I dash past him.
My heart raced with the thought of anything happening to my mom. I'd ask for a car because right now I wish I could teleport home.
I'd walked in when I noticed the stares I got and the air stiff, like they were avoiding me, but right now I just wanted to see my mom.
"Aunty, you're back."
I heard a tiny voice behind me. It was FaeFae, the little girl I met on the first day here.
"Hi, FaeFae, I'll talk to you later," I said.
"Aunty, is it true you injured Aunty Natalie? Everyone says you're evil." Her voice halted my movement.
I turned, smiling wrinkly. "Do I look evil? Have you seen such a beautiful person being evil?" I winked at her, walking away.
It doesn't matter what they think; she had come at me first.
I didn't need to look at them to know they were afraid. Fear has a scent; it's sharp, bitter, and burns at the back of your throat. And that's on them.
I ignored them and headed straight to the ward.
Mom was right where I left her, lying peacefully.
Machines hummed beside her, counting heartbeats I used to listen to against her chest as a child.
My heart squeezed in pain seeing my mom in this vegetative state, but there's nothing I could do other than get stronger for us.
I sat down beside her and reached for her hand. It was cold, but it was still her.
"Hey, Mom," I whispered. My voice cracked, tears threatening. "You'd hate the way your daughter survives now. They look at me like I'm some monster."
I tried to laugh, but it came out broken. "Maybe they're right."
Her face didn't move, but I swore for a second her fingers twitched. Maybe I imagined it. Maybe not.
I leaned closer, resting my forehead against the side of her bed. "I don't know what's happening to me anymore. The dreams. The power. I just know only the powerful rule this side."
"I'm going to get strong for us." The machines kept beeping, mocking the chaos inside me.
"I'll fix this," I murmured. But first, you have to wake up, okay? I can't do this alone."
I left the ward with my chest. I'd plan on talking to the masked man about his plans for me. Too tired to grab anything to eat, I went straight to my room.
I caught my reflection in the mirror: messy hair and eye bags I've had these past few days. Not like it's not always rough, but yeah, this was worse.
I opened the drawer where I kept the things that mattered. A photograph with the corners folded. I'd never dare open the other side because my mom said it was my dad and her. The other photograph was of me and my mom.
My daggers shone in the dark; they were laced with wolfsbane. I've never let my guard down. I looked at the sword too. I smuggled this in.
Late at night I fought tirelessly. I couldn't trust this stupid fated power.
I gently locked the drawer key on my waist; no one must know about this.
The alarm brought me back from my thoughts. My body was tired tonight, but my trainer wouldn't have it if I didn't show up.
I managed to drag myself there; the others stepped out the moment I'd entered, like I was some plague.
The trainer gave me a look. "Something had changed." "What changed?" I muttered.
"Girl!! Can't you feel the shift? "You're doing great," he said. "Natalie, that bitch I'm so happy she got what she deserved."
"Shes not my problem right now," I sighed. "When can I see my full wolf form because I smell doom ahead?" He sighed, looking at me with pity.
I hated it. Pity. It was a taboo to me.
"Warm up," he said.
I channeled my inner energy, my senses heightened, as he jabbed at me, I dodged swiftly.
"Look whose senses heighten," he laughs. I closed my eyes and felt a light swoosh coming at me. Narrowly escaped this time. My wolf growled inside.
Another came at me again. This wasn't from my coach; he's not as fast as this. My eyes glowed, and I could sense it clearly. My claws grew and caught it.
A tiny needle aiming for my neck.
Laughter erupted. "As expected of someone I choose," it was the masked man's voice.
"Why are you piercing at me?" My face scrunched in anger.
"Easy there, just testing you," he smirked.
"You can go for today." He turned to my trainer.
He walked up to me. I could feel his breath, like mint. Our eyes locked.
His hand brushed my hair. "How come I never met you since?"
"Don't touch," I snarled at him. I'd seen the look of obsession in his eyes; he was crazed.
"What do you want to say?" I muttered.
"Do I bite? You can't stand me, or you've fallen for me," he asked, gloating like a self-conceited fool.
"Quite the opposite, you're just an insecure man," I spat. "You think by holding something over people that makes you strong?"
"Becky, don't push your luck," he snapped, his grip on my hand. "You know nothing about me. I built everything I have."
Not flinching, I ask, "Or what? You know you need me."
"Come to the lab tonight for some tests," he muttered, releasing his grip on me, and walked out.
For now I'll wait; you all will pay for this.
…
Drey POV
I felt restless all through school, and I wanted to just return to the pack.
The way Becky looked at me makes my heart hurt so much. If I could tell her I'm Blacky maybe she'd have a soft spot for me.
The moment I stepped into the packhouse, the scent of sickness hit me like smoke from a dying fire. I smelled bitterness in the air. Wolves filled the hallway, voices rising in anger and fear. The once proud Atlas Pack was descending into chaos.
I went to the room where the guard was receiving treatment. Ever since that day, he'd lived in constant agony, but I couldn't bring myself to hate Becky or tell anyone.
Stepping out of the room, the hallway was still filled, and they grumbled.
"Move," I barked, and the noise scattered like leaves in the wind. My beta, Anita, hurried to my side.
"Alpha, there's a problem in the pack," she murmured.
"The twins collapsed during training. Mira tried to shift and got stuck mid-form… her body's rejecting the change."
"So what's the cause and why the fuss?" I asked.
My jaw tightened. "Rejecting the change?"
She nodded grimly. "Like something's cutting off their bond with the Moon."
I walked through the corridor, past wolves clutching their stomachs or writhing as faint silver veins crept across their skin. Fear had replaced loyalty in their eyes.
Whispers followed me like ghosts.
"Our Alpha's cursed…"
"He brought this on us…"
"The human girl—she's the reason."
I ignored them, but every word hit like a claw to the chest.
When I reached the training grounds, two young wolves were fighting over food, of all things. I stepped forward and unleashed a bit of my Alpha command.
"Enough!"
They froze, panting. But something was off. My command didn't ripple the air the way it used to. My power, my link, felt dimmed.
"Everyone calm down, and anyone found spreading rumors will be thrown out of the pack," I thundered.
I heard hurried footstep.
"Alpha the elders summon you, the guard said, panting.
"Where has my brother been?" I asked.
"The people following him said he went to New York. He is chasing a new girl. You know how he is," Anita replied.
"Alpha, don't worry as long as he's not causing trouble."
I sighed, wishing my brother could be more responsible with his life.
"My people, I'll be back. Stay calm," my voice spread.
- - -
At the council…
The council chamber was lit with elders all sitting and murmuring among themselves. The air was thick with incense, the scent of herbs meant to "purify." More like suffocating.
The elder of the warlock tribe sat in the center, his eyes filled with contempt. "You arrive late, Alpha," he said coldly.
"I was tending to my pack," I shot back.
"Your pack is falling apart," he snapped. "Wolves are losing their shifts, and others are falling ill. The Moon's blessing fades because you've broken sacred law."
I clenched my fists. "Which law?"
"The one forbidding blood ties with humans," the elder of the Goshen tribe cut in, eyes sharp. "You've entangled yourself with one."
"Remember how I warned your father not to let you take over the pack if anything happens to my tribe people" Elder of goshen tribe added.
My eyes narrowed"You had always been threatened by my power. You can't control me like my father"
"You must bring her here before the next full moon" the elders echoed each other"
"Or we'll strip you of your Alpha title."
My wolf growled, loud enough that the lights flickered.my voice shook with contained fury.
"I said I won't hurt her. And I won't drag her into this madness because you're afraid of shadows."
Another elder stood up, slamming his cane. "You defy us, boy?"
"Be ready for war…"