LOGINVaerith“Ha… ha… ha…” I watched her drag in those shaky breaths. She was still way too weak to push herself up on her own. Every tear that slipped free rolled down her cheeks like tiny crystals. I hadn’t realized I could get this angry until I saw her crying. She clearly didn’t want to talk about whatever nightmare she’d just lived through. What the hell had she been hallucinating?“I-I’m fine, Alpha Vaerith,” she managed, pulling herself back together bit by bit. It was like she was rebooting into the real world after being stuck somewhere between nightmare and reality. I knew that feeling too well.My fist stayed clenched tight behind my back so she wouldn’t see. I was crouched right in front of her, one knee sunk into the damp, muddy ground. Her entire back was caked in dirt and whatever toxins had soaked into the soil. I’d carried her all the way to the far side of the forest, and it hadn’t been easy. Even for a Lycan Alpha of my strength, hauling her while my head spun had been b
I was dazed, completely out of it.Why was he begging me to wake up? What the hell was happening to me?I could feel this huge, deep-breathing presence all around our minds, like we were trapped inside the chest cavity of some massive creature. The rumbling sound kept getting louder, slow and steady, sending chills down my spine.“Wake up, Nyra. Please. Please!”At his final plea, the imaginary figure of Lycan Alpha Vaerith jolted me hard. What was going on? Why was my mind conjuring him of all people to pull me out of this mess? I didn’t understand anything anymore. All I knew was that I wanted these endless loops of my past to stop repeating.I wondered if I’d even be okay once I finally snapped back to reality. Would it leave me with trauma I couldn’t shake? Hallucinations mess with you like that they sneak in and twist your head, forcing you to stare at your own buried thoughts and the ugly conflicts inside your beliefs. They make you confront yourself in the rawest way possible…
Nyra VirellionI’ve had these awful dreams three times in a row now. The memories from my past keep replaying, mixed with twisted new versions of how my parents died. It’s like a broken record that won’t stop spinning in my head.No matter how much I cried, I couldn’t pull myself back to reality. All I could do was sob through the whole thing. I was terrified I was losing a piece of myself, that I’d finally crack and go completely psychotic from all these forced visions and nightmares.They weren’t wrong about the south side of the forest being treacherous. It was one giant, open trap laid out for anyone or anything that wandered too far in.Nature could be so beautiful, and yet so cruel.Right beside those greedy, poisonous mushrooms grew the deflecting rafflesia flowers. They bloomed year-round in the dark woods, completely native to this place. And there was a reason for that.I should have known. The stench of those rafflesia we passed should have been warning enough not to keep g
VaerithI was keeping tabs on all the trial participants this time around. There was no slipping away into the operating room like before, for obvious reasons.It was still tough for me to admit I had feelings for her, even after what went down that night at the banquet. The slap still stung somewhere deep. Her rejection had left me second-guessing everything, but I hadn’t really had a chance to dwell on it. Between prepping for the next Trial, handling Pack business from the cabin, and sitting through endless meetings, I’d been swamped. Hell, I hadn’t caught a wink of sleep since the night before.Then Tharok started going wild inside me. I felt Beta Raelor suddenly pause his coordination duties among us royal spectators he could sense the storm building in me.‘Tharok. What’s going on?’ I asked the wolf inside me.‘Vaerith, something’s wrong with Nyra Virellion. She’s not responding like before. I can’t sense her the same way… She’s in danger.’My eyes shot wide open. I wanted to bo
Oryndor Blackveil“Bring that wet wood here, dammit! You’re gonna kill the fire!” one of my teammates shouted at the other. I rolled my eyes at the pair of them. They weren’t even trying to make things work, and it had only been a few hours since the trial started.Still, I’d already managed to do what I wanted before this whole thing even kicked off. Since it was a survival trial in these dangerous woods, I didn’t trust anyone else to keep her safe. Especially not herself.She’s a danger to herself, honestly.Jokes aside, as her friend and yeah, a distant admirer I feel like it’s my job to keep her close and protected. I can’t help it. My heart’s never really been under my control, not since I was a kid.That doesn’t mean I’m some reckless idiot. I keep my behavior in check most of the time. I even avoid things that might stir up trouble just to protect my peace.But then she came into my life.That cute girl who got so excited touching my fur in the middle of the woods when I shifte
Kaelith NoctyraWe were heading southeast from the starting point. The sun was still high, and that supposedly brilliant girl had been the one to suggest this route. What a naive little fool she was, walking straight into the trap laid out just for her.The whole time we moved along the path, I deliberately ignored her. She even called my name a few times, but I stayed focused on not breathing in the air around us. That’s right the hallucinogenic mushrooms I’d been crushing under my boots were releasing their toxins into the breeze. These particular ones are rare outside the dark woods.I had to keep my mouth and eyes sealed tight. Even if some got to me, my wolf could shrug off the effects. But her? She wouldn’t stand a chance. She’s always been a helpless little wolf.When she shouted my name again, I scoffed and picked up the pace. I kept glancing back, judging the right moment. She should’ve been stumbling by now, legs giving out. Her vulnerability needed to be obvious, or the who
~Nyra Virellion~My reward had been taken from me actually, all three ancient rune slips were clutched tight in my hand as I stepped out of the space. I made my way back into the hall, drawing in a deep breath.I’d been completely numb the whole time. I’d come in second-to-last on the winners’ lis
~Nyra Virellion~The second trial of intellect was only a few hours away, and I was a complete nervous wreck. Last night, that nameless wolf I’d met had actually managed to calm me down for a little while, but the peace hadn’t lasted. Everything felt off again.I kept scanning my notebook, trying t
~Nyra~ [THE EVE OF THE 2ND TRIAL]DARK WOODS“Thank you,” I said, nodding at the guards as they let me through. I took a deep breath and stepped into the vast dark woods that stretched all around the lycan pack.The second trial of intellect was tomorrow, and I was feeling nervous. If it had been
~Kaelith Noctyra~Tragedy has followed me like a shadow since the day I was born. I, Kaelith Noctyra, came into the world in a remote, struggling pack called the Nightshades. Everyone knows us for being poor and constantly hungry. But being isolated like that also made us extremely traditional and







