Nobela ni Harachi Uga

“Breathe, Selene,” I said. She was shaking and gasping. I wasn’t exactly sure what to do. Here was Selene in the middle of a panic attack, and just a few feet away, a soldier’s dead body. “Wait here,” I told her once she stopped shaking. “I have to go fetch the healers.” Selene nodded, still visibly shaken but at least breathing better. I ran back to the den, heart racing. By the time I returned with the healers minutes later, Selene was gone. Only the dead soldier remained. Now it was my turn to panic. Where did she go? Did someone — or something — take her? “SELENE!!” I yelled. No response. One of the healers knelt beside the soldier and gently placed two fingers on his neck, confirming what I already knew. He was gone. “What happened?” one of the healers asked. “I don’t know. We just found him like this.” “We?” another healer asked, raising a brow. “Selene was with me. I told her to wait while I called you, but now she’s gone.” I scanned the woods. No sign of her.

It wasn't until we arrived at his cabin that I let go of Aidrac’s hand, suddenly feeling guilty. He knocked on the door, and his mom — the Luna — opened it. She looked like she had questions. Like why we arrived together. Heck, the whole room looked confused. Inside the living room were the Alpha, my dad, Rohan, my mom, and Vira, who was darting her eyes from me to Aidrac, then back again. “We met on our way here,” Aidrac muttered to no one in particular. I nodded in agreement, my eyes fixed on the floor. “So how did the trip go?” he asked, trying to ease the tension. “A failure,” the Alpha said. “We couldn't get into Valeblood.” “Why?” Mom asked. “Their borders were heavily guarded by soldiers,” Dad said. “They wouldn't let us in, even after we told them who we were and why we wanted to see their Alpha.” “Is it usually that guarded?” I asked, confused. I knew this wasn't their first visit to Valeblood, but it was the first time they were denied entry. “No,” the Alpha replie

The sun was setting by the time I got ready to meet Aidrac at the healing den. Vira and her friend Astrid were in the living room, so engrossed in their conversation I was sure they wouldn’t notice me leaving. But just as I reached for the door handle, Vira said,“Where are you going?”“The healing den… to see Dexter.”Which wasn’t entirely false. I was going to see him… and meet Aidrac.“Can I come with you?” Astrid asked.“Do you even know him?” I said, raising an eyebrow.“Not personally,” she said, “but Vira told me he was hurt badly, and I’d like to see.”I snapped.“He’s not a spectacle!”“I know…” Astrid muttered, heat rising in her cheeks.“He’s dying. Did she tell you that part?” I burst out. “He’s dying and you're fascinated to see him?”“Rhea, she didn’t mean—” Vira began, but I was already out the door, slamming it behind me.I stomped through the woods, still fuming at Vira and Astrid. The area was restricted now, but I slipped deeper in anyway, moving fast to avoid the p

The Alpha’s orders were put into action the next day. Soldiers were doubled at the border and inside the pack too. The woods were restricted, and we couldn’t leave our cabins alone. But trainees still had to report to the training grounds. A bummer, because I didn’t feel like leaving my room this morning. I hadn’t stepped out since I came back yesterday, even when Mom and Dad knocked on my door. I knew they wanted answers for what happened at the cliff, but I wasn’t ready to face them or anyone. But when I caught a whiff of Mom’s cooking, I had to come out. Mom and Vira were in the kitchen when I entered. “Good morning,” Vira said. I ignored her and reached for a glass of water. She stared at me intently. In an effort to ease the tension, I asked, “Where’s Dad?” “He’s escorting the Alpha to visit the Valeblood pack, to get to the root of this,” Mom said. Valeblood pack was the one we shared our borders with, but those wolves didn’t look like Valebloods. I watched Mom and Vira

I rushed out of the cabin and down the pathway to the woods where the healing den was. Vira caught up with me a few minutes later. I hadn’t known she was behind me, and honestly, I wasn’t pleased about it. Like she actually cared about Dexter. I shot her a look. She stared straight ahead, but muttered, "I'm sorry." Sorry for what, exactly? Our fight last night? Or for a lifetime of wrongs? This is the part where I'm supposed to say I'm sorry too and we hug like Mom would want. But I don’t owe Vira anything. She owes me way more than sorry. "Save it," I said, and picked up my pace. Selene was standing outside the healing den when we arrived. She looked like she’d been crying. "Rhea, are you okay?" she asked, glancing at the bandage on my arm. "I'm fine. How's Dexter?" Selene's face fell. "See for yourself." I took a deep breath and entered the den. Vira followed behind me. Dexter lay on a mat, a wreck. Deep, jagged claw marks from shoulder to waist, like they tried to tear him

They are real. These wolves from my nightmares, they're real. Just like in my dreams: bigger, twisted, with fangs like blades and glowing red eyes. They circled us—all three of them—slow, deliberate. "Stay close to me," Dexter whispered, halfway through his shift. His voice was strained, low and primal. I knew he was strong, but against all three? No way. We were at their mercy. I was trembling. Then, without warning, one lunged. Just a blur of fur and teeth. Dexter met it midair, and the collision made a sickening thud. I screamed and that was when the others turned toward me. Eyes locked. I ran. I ran along the pack's border, screaming, hoping someone—anyone—might hear me. I didn’t look back, but I could hear them: pounding paws, snarls, low growls. If I had any chance of outrunning them, I needed to shift. Except... I couldn't. Not on command. The first wolf let out