A Purpose

"Kyra, wake up." Jake's gruff voice stirs me awake.

My eyes flutter open, still groggy and heavy with sleep. I glance around uncertainly, there is not a streak of daylight to be seen yet and a quick glance to the clock on the wall tells me it is just 5 in the morning.

Jake's voice is urging in his second call and somewhat impatient. "Kyra. Get up and come out here. We have a busy day ahead."

'What could he want so early in the morning?' I wonder to myself as I get off my bed and quickly throw on decent clothes.

The room I currently occupy in Jake's house is much smaller than the room I was given in the Silver Tower, but it has all the basic amenities including a bathroom, a closet and even a small balcony with a limited view of the woods. It is much more practical and I never did need all the extra space.

Unlocking the door, I pull it open and fix a questioning gaze on Jake who stands in the hallway, hand poised to knock a third time.

"Good, you're up. Come with me." Jake says, ignoring the question in my gaze. He strides down the hallway and I step out of my room, shutting the door, I quickly follow after him.

Jake's house is a small wooden cabin a short walk from the Red Ember Bar but it is a little deep into the woods and away from the rest of civilization.

Though Red Ember City is more remote than Everdale, it is still a bustling city. But these parts of the city are much quieter in the day and will only come to life in the night hours when the supernatural community come out to mingle, or so Jake said.

Jake also explained that these parts of Red Ember City did not accommodate humans and I would only find them if I go further into the city, to the parts with the towering buildings and fancy roads, which explains why Tracker and I did not encounter any humans on our way.

That a city like the Red Ember has an entire district dedicated to the supernatural community, despite living amongst humans is something I find fascinating, Everdale could never achieve that without alerting the suspicion of humans to the segregation.

Jake is yet to tell me what cover this part of the city is under that justifies the exclusivity of supernaturals and keeps humans and their curiosity away, but I know he has no reason to trust me with such information, but he can at least tell me why he woke me up so early.

"Where are we going?" I ask Jake as I fall into step behind him.

"For a test." Jake replies in his usual calm tone.

"A test?" I ask uncertainly.

Jake says nothing until we arrive at his truck. He gets in and then stares at me expectantly.

I get into the truck and he pulls out a sheet of paper from his pocket and hands it to me before pulling the truck into the road.

Reading through the contents, I realise in complete astonishment that it is a training schedule.

Speed training, strength training, agility training, mental training, combat training, all sorts of training were arranged into different times covering every single day of the week.

"From this moment on, you will be accessed on your eligibility for becoming a silver enforcer. I will have you know that only a few non-Lycans have qualified for this position and so you will have to prove yourself worthy of consideration... only if you qualify will that schedule be worth anything to you." Jake reveals to me.

"A... silver enforcer?" I ask in confusion.

Jake passes me a look, his brows furrowed slightly. "You do not know what happens in the Silver Tower? Why it exists and its significance to supernaturals?"

I shake my head slightly. I only know of the existence of the Lycans and their unmatched influence amongst shifters. I did not even know they occupied Everdale territory or the existence of any silver tower till I was captured.

"What did they teach in Everdale? That your Alpha is solely responsible for governing that city and keeping you all safe from dangers? And that the rogues stick to the forests because he is such a big bad scary wolf they do not dare confront?" Jake's tone is sarcastic, however his expression turns sour when I nod slowly.

The Landry's have always been of high authority in Everdale, to humans and werewolves alike. Mikos is District Attorney and before him, his father Rich Landry occupied the office.

The actual government of Everdale holds little sway as most of the position of consequence is occupied by Everdale wolves, and human loyalists... though the humans do not know that and it will remain so.

"I do not know what a silver enforcer is." I admit honestly. "I have lived most of my life amongst humans, I am not familiar with pack laws or their ways."

"The Lycans are not just any ordinary pack. There are too few of them left to even be called a pack, rather than a pack, we prefer to call them an agency. With their vast wealth and influence, they keep the peace amongst supernaturals and contain rogue supernaturals of any species." Jake reveals to me.

"In the eyes of the humans, they have various respected identifies. But the true purpose of the silver tower is the center from which the agency tracks down supernaturals who have broken the law, and bring them into custody before they cause great harm or expose our secret." He continues.

My eyes widen in surprise, I did not expect there is such a secret purpose behind the silver tower and the Lycan Pack.

"And now, if you can prove yourself to be an asset, you might stand a chance to become a part of

the agency. That...is why you are here, Kyra." Jake says.