They always used to say, "Let’s gather the group," or "The band’s playing at this place today," so if they ever mentioned the name, I never really paid attention.“Need some help?” Annie asked, probably noticing my confused expression. I decided to move around a bit to get where I needed to go without drawing attention.“Now that I’ve started using this, I need to follow some profiles, but I’m not sure where to start.” I gave her a warm smile and handed her my phone, hinting that she should do it for me. She immediately accepted, no questions asked, and was happy to do it.“Hmm, start with our band’s profile.” Bingo! I watched her search for "Howling Wolves" and held back my surprise so no one would notice.You’ve got to admit, that name makes sense, Lisa commented.Even so, I almost asked who came up with the name for the group and where the idea came from. The profile picture was of the band itself. They were standing on stage, which suggested the photo was taken during one of their
The scent of wet earth filled the air as the rain intensified. There was nowhere to hide. I shifted into my human form and let the rain completely soak my bare body while watching the waterfall swell, its raging waters growing fiercer by the second.Do you think the rain will ruin Annie’s night? Lisa asked me, concerned.It was around 2 a.m. when I quietly slipped out of my bedroom window. My goal was to return to the waterfall to map out the route more precisely and find the best paths. Although the night was darker and cloudier than usual, there hadn’t been any sign of rain—until I got close to the waterfall and was suddenly caught in a downpour. I walked slowly across the terrain, scanning my surroundings."Better for the skies to pour now than on the big night," I said hopefully. It wouldn’t be as fun if we couldn’t bathe in the waterfall or howl at the moon during our girls' night, which would take place in two days, on a Thursday. Just to be safe, I decided I should stock up on
I wandered aimlessly beside Annie, stopping the moment my eyes landed on a watch store’s display window. There were various models on display, ranging from the simplest to the most sophisticated.“Do you think Maxsuel would like a watch as a present?” I asked Annie while scanning the models.“I think so,” she replied with a bright smile, following my gaze.“Wait here a sec. I already have one in mind—I won’t be long.”The brand was known for its quality, and its watches were stylish without being flashy. As soon as I saw one in the display, I felt the urge to go in and ask about it. Though it wasn’t the most expensive watch brand in the store, the price would probably startle Annie if she came in with me, so I preferred to go alone.“Good afternoon! How can I help you?” the saleswoman asked politely.“I’d like to buy a watch as a gift for a friend. Do you have any other models of the Omega brand besides the one in the display?”“Yes, I do!” She took out three different models and plac
As Annie browsed through the options, she suddenly stopped, her gaze fixed on a particular dress. Her eyes lit up as she took it off the rack and held it against her body.“I love this one! It’s gorgeous!” she exclaimed excitedly.While she stepped into one of the fitting rooms, Lorraine stormed out of another, looking frustrated. She was wearing a dress but had to hold the side zipper and front in place to keep it from slipping. I couldn’t help but chuckle—a quiet laugh, but loud enough for her to hear.“What’s so funny?” she snapped, her eyes blazing with anger.“I didn’t say anything…” I turned my back on her, pretending I had nothing to do with it as I waited for Annie to come out. Lorraine marched over to the saleswoman, and even though she spoke in hushed tones, my sharp ears caught their conversation.“Is there any way to alter it?” Lorraine asked, her voice laced with desperation.“Impossible! If it just needed to be taken in, that’d be one thing, but letting it out…”Fashion
It was a long and exhausting hike. When I bought the tent and the rest of the camping gear, I had no idea how tiring it would be to cover this entire distance in my human form. Because of Lisa’s strength, I had thought the load would be light, but the distance felt countless times longer than when I traveled it in my wolf form. It wasn’t even midnight yet when I slipped out of my room, and even though I kept a fast pace, I felt like time was against me.Looks like you’re not getting any sleep tonight! my wolf commented.And I don’t need to, I replied. I had eaten dinner early and managed to sleep for a few hours before coming here. My next rest would probably be in the early hours of the following day since I’d be starting the journey with Annie before sunset.Still in my human form, I set everything down and inspected the area, using Lisa’s senses along with my flashlight. Finally, I stopped in front of the waterfall, staring at it for a few minutes. The water flow had already return
We started the hike right after I checked the items Annie brought. I wanted to put some distance between us before the sun set. After nightfall, the latest time for the wolf’s awakening would be during the peak of the full moon in the sky."Where are we going?""Putting some distance so we can strip down without worrying about being seen," I replied briefly. I was too focused on sensing the surroundings."How will you know there’s no danger without your wolf?""But I’ve got my wolf with me! The whole time!" I stopped for a moment, turned to her, and pointed to my nose, then my ears. "How do you think I found you so quickly?""I don’t get how you do that without being in wolf form. Isn’t that hard?""Remember when I asked you how I should teach you about this?""I remember. You said there was your way and the book way.""What you know says that you and your wolf are separate beings sharing the same body, but have you thought about the possibility that your wolf has been with you since
The transformation was now complete, but her body remained on the ground, convulsing as her paws twitched as if trying to grasp something. I lay down beside her, and it seemed to calm her. Minutes later, she reacted, showing that she had regained consciousness. A newly awakened wolf wants only one thing—to run! Unfortunately, when it was my turn, I couldn’t give that to Lisa, but I made it up to her later.Annie’s wolf clumsily rolled over, trying to get to her feet. I used my body to help steady her and walked in front of her, locking eyes with her. The glow in her gaze told me the worst had passed. From this point on, it was just a matter of making small adjustments as she got used to her new form. I wrapped both bags around my neck and walked ahead slowly, waiting for her to follow.Her paws wobbled as she took slow, uncertain steps forward. Little by little, her stride became steadier, and when I saw she was starting to find her rhythm, I picked up the pace, matching my pace to he
I stretched my arms and yawned, accidentally bumping into the figure sleeping peacefully beside me. It was probably around 3 a.m., the time I’d biologically set to train with Lisa.I stepped out of the tent and sat by the water. The sense of peace I felt was indescribable. I couldn’t quite understand why this place brought out two completely opposite emotions in me. Sometimes, I felt restless, my heart racing, and other times, like now, I felt calm.It's so peaceful! How about we go hunting? Lisa suggested."I don’t want to leave Annie alone," I whispered, mesmerized by the movement of the water. "Besides, we should start heading back if we want to keep a pace that's manageable for her."Lisa agreed right away. I stood up and began packing my things into my bag. Then, I gently nudged her shoulder. She shifted a bit and opened her eyes."Hmm, why are you awake? It’s still so dark!""I need to head back. While you get the day off from school, that’s not the case for me.""But the guide
“Auntie!” the girl shouted the moment she saw me walk through the door. She’d been reading a book and dropped it right away to run over to me. “I missed you!”“I missed you too!” I said warmly, wrapping her in a hug.“Why haven’t you come to see me these past few days?” she asked, eyes pleading.“I’ve just had a lot going on lately,” I explained. “Because of that, I’ll have to push back your piano lessons for a little while.”“What happened? Can I help you, Auntie?” I gently ran my hand through her hair. She was so innocent…“I should be asking you that. Why are you still in your pajamas? Do you know what time it is?” She was wearing light pink pajamas with little white teddy bears on them. Her hair was a total mess, like she’d just rolled out of bed.“Well, I’m not going anywhere, so why bother getting ready?” She shrugged, which made me laugh.“You’re the little princess of Siram—you can’t think like that! Whether you’re going out or not, you should always be dressed up and looking
I entered the Alpha’s house through the front door. Since I had permission to visit Caroline whenever I wanted, none of the guards dared to stop me. Obviously, I had a different goal this time.“Where’s the Alpha?” I asked a maid walking by.“Miss Eliza, if you’re here to see him, I’m afraid I can’t help you. He just went into a meeting, and I don’t know how long it’ll last.”“Where is it?” I asked her.“Miss, you can’t go in there.”“Don’t worry, I’ll just wait outside,” I said, trying to put her at ease. It seemed to work, because she led me down a hallway and pointed to a room with two guards posted outside. There was a bench in the corridor, so I sat down calmly. The guards looked at me, puzzled, but neither tried to make me leave.Drawing on Lisa’s energy, I heightened my senses to the max, identifying the scents in the room and listening closely to the conversation inside.“I don’t think what you’re doing is right! You should wait until my father gets back before discussing this
I began to wake up, a sense of peace and comfort settling in my heart. When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in the sleeping bag in the exact position I’d curled into the night before. I looked around, confused, realizing I was alone. A bit of daylight streamed into the cave, signaling that morning had arrived.“Was it all just a dream?” I asked myself as I sat up. I rubbed my eyes a couple of times, recalling the feeling of being in Phantom Lord’s arms, telling him about my pain and anguish. Could it really have just been an illusion?That scent is amazing, my wolf said calmly inside me. How could a simple dream have eased our pain like this?“Scent?” I drew on Lisa’s energy, sharpening my sense of smell, which immediately brought my attention to my own body. I wasn’t just wrapped in a towel—there was also a soft, white cloak covering me. I pulled it to my nose and inhaled deeply. It was his scent. “It wasn’t a dream…”My heart started racing, and I found myself smiling genuinely
There was a lot of commotion and whispering in the hall. I didn’t hesitate to bolt out of there before that whole mess somehow blew back on me. I was afraid they might try to pin something on me—besides, I already had way too much on my plate. Maybe I was wrong, but I didn’t want to take the risk. It felt like I’d become a magnet for trouble, like everything had collapsed on me all at once. I kicked off my sandals and gathered up the skirt of my dress. I felt like I needed to run until I felt safe.Lisa, answer me! I pleaded. She didn’t want to run with me, and I didn’t push her. I was too much of a coward to shift into my wolf form, knowing that all of Lisa’s feelings and pain would come crashing down on me the moment I did. I could barely handle my own pain—how was I supposed to carry hers, too?I abandoned my sandals the second I entered the forest. The emptiness in my heart felt like it was turning into a black hole, slowly eating me alive. I just wanted to get rid of all that neg
I took a deep breath, trying to hold back the tears, and walked over to the drink table. Even though I was underage, I felt an urgent need to keep myself from crying, and since people say alcohol is good for drowning your sorrows, I figured it might do the trick. I filled my cup with punch, and just as I was about to down it, someone grabbed it out of my hand. I looked to the side and met Nicolas’s eyes. He looked like he was trying just as hard not to cry.“Does it hurt?” I asked him. I wasn’t talking about our bond—I meant his arm, which was bandaged up. Without a word, he set the cup down on the table, turned around, and walked away. I stood there, unsure of what to do. Should I follow him or give him space? “Nicolas, wait!”He heard me, but he didn’t stop. It was clear he didn’t want to talk to me. So I gave up on the idea of drinking and tried to drown my sorrows in food instead while I waited for the performances to start. Every now and then, I found myself scanning the crowd for
I passed by the hospital front desk and paid the entire bill in advance, leaving some credit for any unexpected needs. Then I slowly walked down the road as the first rays of sunlight broke over the horizon.I wandered aimlessly for a while, completely lost. I couldn’t remember where the little house Veronica had taken me to was. I reached into the pocket of my jeans, looking for the key. I was planning to track the house by its scent.“You forgot the keys!” Lisa said in my head. I smiled softly, hearing her voice in my mind again. She was right—I suddenly remembered I’d left the key on the bed and had only grabbed my wallet. I hadn’t even closed the front door.“We’re going to be okay,” I promised myself. I needed to believe that—to believe I could fix everything.“I’m starving!” she said the moment we passed by a café that had just opened. The smell in the air was irresistible. I stepped inside and picked a table to sit at.“Whoa!” the girl at the counter exclaimed when she saw me.
I sat on the bed, completely lost. I tried calling my aunt to find out how my grandma was doing, but her phone was ringing in the room next door. In the rush to help Grandma, she’d left it behind.Next thing I knew, it was almost midnight. My mom got back to me with a message. It was short but straight to the point:Mom: My friend will be there soon. Grab your stuff and go with her!Sure enough, not even five minutes later, a blue van pulled up in front of the house. A medium-built woman with long, curly black hair and dark skin stepped out. She was wearing pajamas."You’re Eliza?" she asked. I nodded slightly."Girl, what kind of mess did you get yourself into? Don’t worry, it’s gonna be okay. I’m Verônica, your mom’s friend."She held out her hand, but I couldn’t bring myself to shake it. Instead, I clutched the bag that held my Preciosa even tighter."Poor thing! I’ll help you carry your stuff, okay? Luckily, I had the perfect place lined up for you. Your mom already paid three mont
Everything in my head was just a high-pitched ringing, echoing persistently in the back of my mind. I started struggling to breathe and desperately searched for music. Lisa had abandoned me, and now Preciosa was destroyed. I was falling apart.By the time I started to get even a glimpse of what was happening around me, it was already dark.“How long have I been like this?” My head was spinning. I leaned against the bed and focused on listening for any sounds. The silence told me there was no one home. I pulled my phone out of my jeans pocket. The screen was cracked, but it still seemed to work. There was only one person who could make sense of everything that had happened.After trying over and over, I finally heard a familiar voice on the other end, and it made me want to break down and cry."Mom, it's me!" I said. "Mom, please help me!""Sweetheart, what happened?""I told Grandma about Dad, and she freaked out. I don’t know what to do. Mom..." I started crying again. The pain was j
William had dislocated Nicolas’s arm, and I couldn’t do anything about it because I couldn’t bring myself to fight against my mate. I felt awful. When I tried to help Nicolas, William grabbed my arm and dragged me along with him."William, he needs help. Please!" I begged again, but it was no use."Shut the hell up!" he shouted at me. He dragged me to his car, and as soon as he started the engine, he floored it, tires screeching."William, let me explain, please!""You bitch! Explain? What the fuck is there to explain that I didn’t see with my own eyes? You spend a week with him, and now you’re meeting up with him alone? You think you’re fooling me? You’re fucking worthless!""That’s not how it is, I—""I told you to shut the fuck up!"I couldn’t hold back the anguish and sadness in my chest. Even staying silent, I couldn’t stop myself from sobbing. William pulled over on a narrow street, out on the outskirts of the village. He was breathing heavily."William, your nose is bleeding. A