EPISODE 1

EPISODE 1 

THE BEGINNING

ANGELICCA SEVERIA

I violently pulled the curtains apart, the thick fabric swishing loudly as I forced them open with a single rough motion. 

Right after that, I slid the glass window open, and the breathtaking view outside immediately revealed itself before me. The cool dawn air rushed inside the room at once, carrying with it the scent of the early morning and the stillness of the world beyond my walls.

I fixed my attention on the scenery outside, my gaze steady and distant while my eyelids rested half-lowered. My face remained completely expressionless. I simply stood there in silence, staring blankly at the sky as it slowly began to brighten with the arrival of dawn.

The darkness that once covered the heavens was gradually fading away, replaced little by little by pale streaks of light stretching across the horizon. The faint glow of the rising sun painted the sky in soft shades that blended beautifully with the remaining traces of night.

I could feel the cold wind brushing against my entire body. The icy air wrapped around my bare skin, crawling slowly over every exposed inch of me. I wore nothing at all, to shield me from the sharp embrace of the freezing breeze.

My room is on the second floor, which gives me a perfect view of the scenery below.  The distant trees are beginning to reveal themselves little by little beneath the soft glow of dawn. 

It is only four o’clock in the morning, yet I am already awake. Normally, most people would still be deep in sleep at this hour, comfortably wrapped in their blankets. 

I have a duty at the hideout at exactly five am, and I need to prepare myself early. 

As I stared outside the window, I allowed myself to enjoy the peaceful scenery for a few moments longer. 

Before starting my day, I stretched my body first, lifting my arms above my head while trying to shake away the lingering drowsiness from waking up so early. I rolled my shoulders and loosened my stiff muscles, breathing in the cold morning air that instantly refreshed my senses. 

Once I finished stretching, I finally began preparing myself for the day ahead. I fixed my appearance, gathered the things I needed, and mentally readied myself for the responsibilities waiting for me at the hideout.

Just then, a familiar voice suddenly called out to me, breaking the silence of the early morning. “Angel! Good morning to you!”

The moment I closed the main door behind me, the faint creaking sound of the wood had barely faded when I suddenly heard a familiar voice calling out nearby. 

The voice was warm, enough to make me instinctively turn my head toward its direction. My eyes searched the narrow path ahead, and within seconds, I caught sight of Mr. Max riding on top of his horse.

The large stallion moved at an unhurried pace, its powerful legs carrying it steadily across the uneven mountain trail toward where I stood. The soft thudding of its hooves echoed gently through the surroundings. Dust rose lightly beneath the horse’s steps as it continued approaching me.

As they drew closer, I could clearly see the bright and welcoming expression on Mr. Max’s face. 

His weathered features and the wide smile stretched across his face made him look even kinder. Deep wrinkles lined the corners of his eyes, proof of his age and years of hard work as a farmer.

Mr. Max was one of the elderly farmers living in this part of the mountain. His small farmhouse stood not too far from mine, which was probably why he had become familiar with me over time. Even though I rarely talked to anyone and mostly kept to myself, he still made the effort to greet me whenever we happened to cross paths. 

Somehow, despite my silence and distant nature, he never treated me like a stranger.

When he finally reached me, Mr. Max gently pulled on the reins, causing the stallion to come to a slow stop right in front of me. 

He carefully climbed down from the horse. Once both of his feet touched the ground, he faced me fully, the cheerful smile on his face never once disappearing.

“So, have you eaten breakfast already?” he asked me happily, his voice carrying the same warmth and friendliness whenever he spoke to me.

“You already know what my answer is,” I replied.

Mr. Max let out a soft chuckle. A gentle smile spread wider across his aged face while he casually slipped his free hand into the worn bag hanging from the side of his horse.

The old leather bag shifted slightly with his movements, producing a faint creaking sound. “Here,” he said after a moment. “Eat this later.”

My eyes immediately fell on the object he pulled out from the bag, a small black pouch. He extended it toward me without hesitation.

As I looked up, I was met once again by Mr. Max’s bright and cheerful smile. 

But even then, I did not move.

Both of my hands remained hanging stiffly at my sides.

I simply stared at the pouch in silence, neither accepting nor refusing it.

For a brief moment, an awkward silence lingered between us.

Then Mr. Max sighed softly.

Without another word, he reached for my left wrist. He lightly tugged my arm upward before placing the black pouch directly onto my open palm.

“Eat properly, Angel,” he murmured. “Even if you keep saying that you eat a lot during your lunch break, you still end up skipping breakfast all the time. Your work every morning is already difficult enough…”

I did not answer him right away. 

When I remained quiet, he only gave a small nod, almost like he had already expected my reaction.

“Alright then,” he said gently after a moment. “I should get going now. You already know that I still have plenty of things to do back at my farm…”

Before I could even think of replying, he turned away from me and climbed back onto his stallion. The large horse shifted beneath him, its hooves scraping softly against the ground. He lightly flicked the reins in his hand, and almost immediately, the stallion surged forward into a swift run.

I stayed rooted in my place, my eyes following him without blinking.

I watched as the distance between us slowly grew wider and wider. The sound of the horse’s galloping echoed faintly through the quiet surroundings while his figure gradually became smaller beneath the towering trees ahead.

Soon, the dense plants and thick forest swallowed both him and the stallion from sight until they completely disappeared before my eyes.

I slowly lowered my gaze toward my palm where the small pouch rested quietly in my hand. The warmth of the bread inside was still very much there, seeping gently through the thin material and against my skin. 

I could almost imagine the steam trapped inside, carrying the rich scent of freshly prepared food. Even without opening it, I already knew what it contained. It was a sandwich filled with egg, vegetables, and some kind of meat. The smell alone was enough to make my stomach stir faintly with hunger.

I had only recently moved into this part of the forest after finally leaving the village where my clan lived. 

Thinking about it now, it had probably already been a month since I started living here alone. The days passed in this place, blending beneath the endless rustling of trees and the cold forest breeze.

I left the village because the house I had built here was finally finished.

That house had been my dream for years.

For the longest time, I stayed in the village and endured everything there because I had no other choice. 

I needed to save enough money first before I could fully build the life I wanted. Every single day, I worked while carrying that dream inside my head, imagining the moment I could finally leave and live somewhere far away from everyone else.

I chose to live here deep in the forest because life here felt lighter. There was less pressure, noise, and most importantly, I was alone. No elders are constantly reminding me of responsibilities. No clan members prying into my personal life. No suffocating expectations hanging over my head every single day.

Back in the village, everyone knew everyone’s business. People always had opinions about how you should live, what decisions you should make, and what kind of future you were supposed to have. 

Being part of the clan meant carrying expectations whether I wanted them or not. Sometimes it felt like I wasn’t living for myself anymore.

It was exhausting.

That was why this place in the forest felt so precious to me.

I had spent years enduring life in that village while slowly saving money to complete the house I truly wanted. It wasn’t easy at all. 

That was the reason I couldn’t leave immediately, no matter how badly I wanted to.

I carried the pouch with me as I made my way toward the horse stable located beside my house. Sunlight streamed weakly through the tall trees surrounding my home, the golden rays flickering across the ground as the branches swayed gently with the wind.

The stable stood at the side of the house. The moment I stepped inside, the soft sounds of my horses immediately filled the silence. Their steady breathing, quiet rustling of hay, and the scrape of hooves against the floorboards.

My three horses were resting peacefully inside their stalls.

My eyes naturally landed on my brown stallion standing near the far side of the stable. The moment he noticed me approaching, his ears twitched slightly before he lifted his head. His dark brown coat reflected faintly under the morning light slipping through the gaps in the wooden walls.

I walked toward him and gently ran my hand along the side of his neck, feeling the warmth of his body beneath my fingers. 

Without wasting any more time, I opened the stall and led him outside.

I climbed onto his back, adjusting the pouch in one hand before lightly guiding him forward.

Soon, we left the house behind.

As he continued walking at an unhurried pace, I finally opened the pouch and started eating the sandwich Mr. Max had given me.

Honestly, the only reason I no longer bothered eating breakfast was that I already knew Mr. Max would pass by and give me food anyway.

It had somehow become part of my routine without me even realizing it.

Back when I had just moved here, I used to cook for myself every single day. Since I lived alone deep in the forest, I had no one else to rely on. Every morning, I prepared my own meals before starting the day. It was tiring sometimes, but I didn’t really mind. I was already used to doing things alone.

But everything changed after I met him.

Mr. Max started visiting from time to time, always bringing food with him whenever he stopped by my house. Sometimes it was bread or full meals. Other times, sandwiches like the one I was eating now.

Several long minutes had already passed before I finally arrived at one of the largest hideouts. Even from a distance, I could already see the massive building standing in the middle of a wide clearing. It was enormous, with multiple floors rising high into the air like a fortress built to withstand endless battles.

The first thing that immediately drew my attention was the massive silver gate that remained tightly shut at the entrance. Surrounding the entire compound were towering silver walls that stretched across the vast property, creating an intimidating barrier.

As I slowly moved closer, I became more aware of the activity surrounding the hideout.

Numerous men wandered around both inside and outside the compound, all carrying their preferred firearms and deadly weapons. Some held assault rifles securely against their chests while others had pistols strapped to their waists and blades hanging by their sides.

They were the warriors.

The sworn protectors of the human realm.

The very people entrusted with defending humanity against our deadliest mortal enemies.

Werewolves. 

They are immortal monsters that roam these lands, mercilessly hunting and killing the people who live here, capable of every kind of brutality imaginable. They slaughter innocent people without hesitation, devour human flesh, and abuse the weak for their own amusement. 

Because of the terror they brought into this world, the clans were formed. 

Powerful groups of warriors united with one purpose, to protect humanity from the monsters lurking in the shadows. Since I was a child, I was taught that the clans are humanity’s shield, the only thing standing between ordinary people and destruction. 

But protecting villages and hunting beasts is not the only duty they carry. The clans also serve as guards for wealthy and influential families, offering protection to those powerful enough to afford it.

In our world, everyone is born with a role they cannot escape.

The boys lose their freedom the moment they reach the age of ten. 

From that day onward, they are thrown into brutal training designed to break them down and rebuild them into warriors. 

Their childhood disappears beneath endless drills, combat lessons, sleepless nights, and painful discipline. For years, they have been trained to fight, survive, and kill if necessary. 

By the time they turn twenty-one, they are expected to become full-fledged warriors capable of facing werewolves without fear. That is the responsibility every man in the clan must carry. Strength is demanded from them, whether they want it or not.

As for the women, our lives are already decided for us before we even have the chance to dream of something different.

If a woman is unmarried and has no family of her own yet, she is required to serve inside the clan's hideouts. 

She cooks meals, cleans the shelters, prepares supplies, and obeys the orders of those above her. Every single day is spent serving the warriors and maintaining the place they call home.

Once a woman marries, her world becomes even smaller. She is expected to stay inside the house, raise the children, care for the family, and devote herself entirely to serving her husband. 

That was the difference between the responsibilities of men and women in our realm.

“Angelicca, you’re early as always.”

Those were the first words that greeted me the moment I stepped inside Commander Viktor’s office.

The heavy wooden door closed softly behind me as I entered the dimly lit room. The scent of old parchment, leather bindings, and faint cigar smoke lingered in the air.

Commander Viktor remained seated in his large chair. “So, your task for today...” he began.

I watched as he picked up a sheet of paper resting on his desk. He lifted it toward his face before carefully slipping on his reading glasses, his expression turning more serious as his eyes scanned the document.

“You are assigned to welcome the fifty recruits arriving at Hideout 10,” he continued in a firm tone. “You already know the standard procedures for handling newcomers. I’ll also leave it to you to assign their duties accordingly.”