Masuk~Lysander~Getting out of bed without waking her was one of the harder things I'd done recently and the bar had been pretty high lately.My body fought me the whole way. The dizziness hit the second I got upright, and I grabbed the bedframe and stayed still until it passed. When it eventually did, I went over to the window to observe. Outside was the training ground. I could see it from here, the open space behind the house, the worn patches of grass where we trained. Empty now in the early morning dark.I stood there and looked at it and made a list in my head.Strength. I needed more of it. Alerion had it, Zane had his speed, Caius had his head, and I had what. Quick reflexes and the ability to make everything into a joke. That wasn't going to cut it when the Dark Wolf King came for the ceremony and Val needed people around her who could actually protect her. I found a notebook on the side table. Pen inside the cover. I took them both back to the window so I could see the light co
~Lysander~I turned my head slowly, mostly just to see if I could, and that's when I saw her.Val was asleep in the chair next to my bed. Head down on her arms, the way you fall asleep when you sat down for just a second and then didn't mean to stay. Her hair had fallen across her face and she was breathing slow and even and she looked more relaxed than I'd seen her look in weeks, which honestly said everything about the current state of our lives that she was getting her best rest in a hospital chair in a room with her possibl
~Valeria~Lysander had been quiet. Which should've been my first clue.While the vines were concentrated on the other three, while the stronghold was busy making its ultimatum, Lysander had been slowly moving to the side of the platform. Watching the way they moved, the pattern of them, where they were paying attention.He looked at me once. The one that meant I know what I'm doin
~Valeria~We were literally standing right in front of it. My mom's badge. The last piece of everything. And instead of, I don't know, having a plan, the four of them had turned into this."I should grab it," Alerion spoke up. "My Alpha power can suppress the vines long enough to pull it clean.""You’ll be humbled by this place in just a matter of seconds." Zane laughed. Not
~Valeria~Lysander moved first. Spun around the corner fast, dagger raised, and I saw the exact moment he recognized who it was because his arm was already swinging and he had to throw his whole body sideways to stop it.Zane.Limping, Caius's arm around his waist, both of them frozen in the doorway staring at the dagger that had stopped about four inches from Zane's face.
~Valeria~The stronghold was exactly as described, the entrance warning us to head back. Right above it there were these old carved words in some ancient language.We all stopped. Alerion pointed up. “Caius, what does that shit say?”
~Valeria~
~Valeria~
~Valeria~"Okay, now that sounds like trouble," Lysander said, jumping up. "I'll be right back! Don't move!"He disappeared, literally. Used his speed to vanish.I was alone for exactly thirty seconds before the door opened again.Zane came in carrying a tray. "Fresh soup. Still hot. Made it myself
~Valeria~







