Chapter seven

[Dylan]

I got into the ... wood shed where the whole pack had assembled just before the bell went off. At first, I was skeptical, not sure if whatever the assembly was summoned for was opened to visitors but after contemplating for a few seconds, I stepped inside, and no one stopped me.

With the sitting arrangement, I could easily spot the Beta, the Delta, and the Omegas. There was also a group of werewolves who didn't fall within these categories, and I assumed them to be visitors or non important pack members so I took a seat among them, at a spot where I could easily spot Avira from where she sat in the least important part of the hall. Are those slaves? I asked in my head, referring to the others who Avira sat with. As poorly as the Omegas looked, the Omegas looked way better than them, although Avira looked less poorly than the others and the Omegas.

While the pack did their thing, I focused my gaze on Avira, and wondered how she managed to keep her face so calmly when she was feeling so much pain in her stomach. I couldn't stop wondering in my head just how strong she was.

Our eyes met one time, and she was quick to look away, although she didn't hide her displeasure but it didn't stop me from looking at her even when it was obvious that she was bent on avoiding my gaze.

I felt a sudden shift in the temperature, and as much as I wanted to stare at Avira nonstop, I had to look away to observe the environment. Something didn't feel right, and I was sure it had everything to do with the Alpha who was busy reciting some incantations from a scroll.

It was very dark now, and an artificial moon stood above the Alpha, radiating so much light, too much light in fact for a moon, and I suddenly felt my wolf reaching out but I was not alone. There were screams, and loud snapping of bones, and sounds from ripping clothes all around me as every werewolf that were of shifting age, shifted gradually into a wolf.

Avira was the last to transform, so that for a moment I thought she was wolfless, and unable to shift until I heard her scream in so much pain. Well, she screamed out the pain which we both felt, and was soon transformed into the prettiest she-wolf I have ever seen.

Wow!

After paying a little attention to the Alpha, I realized that we were being sorted into groups, hunting groups. According to the Alpha, there was a rogue wolf in the pack.

One by one we were sorted into a group, determined by the colour of the spark made when each wolf stepped into the circle which was drawn with chalk.

I stood close to the other members of my hunting group whose sparks were green, and watched as the others got sorted until it got to the last person. Avira!

She seemed lost in thoughts, and didn't realize that it was her turn to be sorted into a group or that she was the only wolf that was yet to be sorted out until the Alpha screamed her name.

I watched her step forward rather reluctantly, as though she was afraid, and placed her limbs inside the circle as slowly as possible. I held my breath once she was fully inside the circle, and when the spark came on, and it was green, I growled in relief. I didn't realize that I was wishing for her to be sorted into the same group with me until she was.

But, she didn't seem happy at all. If anything she felt disappointed. Her sad red eyes said it all as she walked rather reluctantly towards the group, and took a position that was a little distant from the rest of us.

***********

The pack's Alpha recited some incantations and we all shifted back into our human form, following the restoration of daylight. The meeting soon came to an end, and we were dismissed with the Alpha warning us sternly to assemble the next day for the hunting exercise.

From where I stood, I saw Avira hurrying out of the shed, and going back to her quarters maybe, and I followed behind her. All the time she had stayed out here, I had watched her continuously, and all the time I watched her, I did not for once see her talking to anyone else. Maybe she was an outcast or something close or maybe she was in too much pain to talk to anyone.

Speaking of pain, the pain I felt in my stomach was gone, which meant she too wasn't feeling any pain in her stomach, but how is it possible? I was sure she didn't apply anything to her aching stomach.

I increased my pace when I saw how quickly she walked, and when I realized that I would not meet up with her easily, I called out to her.

"Avira!" I called but she did not stop or make any move to show that she heard me even though I was pretty sure that she did.

"Avira!" I called again in a not too loud voice. She slowly turned back this time to look at me with her face void of any expression. She frowned deeply once she recognized me, and continued walking. It was just as I had expected. The few seconds she had stopped to look at me gave me a little time to cover some distance between us so that I was able to catch up with her a few seconds later.

"What is it that you want?" She asked harshly, and I sighed.

"I just want to be friends," I replied. Of course I wouldn't tell her I came to this godforsaken pack because of her or that I needed to unbind a bond that exists between us, one I was sure she knew nothing about.

"We can't be friends," She snapped, increasing her pace, and I followed suit, wondering why she was so uptight.

"I don't bite, well my wolf does sometimes," I joked but she wasn't smiling. I have never seen her smile, and I didn't think it would be difficult to guess the reason. She was far too unhappy with whoever she lives with.

When I pressed further, I realized she was the Beta's ward, although I had initially thought she was mated to him, and wondered how the Beta's mate could go through so much pain. But she had quickly corrected that impression, and I had sighed in relief. The fact that she was not mated to the Beta meant that her pains in his hands were only but temporary.

It was surprising that she had given out these information about herself to me, and I suddenly felt hopeful. Who knows we could be friends, and easily unbind whatever bond existed between us.

"I feel every pain you feel, and every whip you receive from the Beta." I told her, and watched her face curl up in confusion. "By the way what did you apply to your stomach?" I added when she said nothing after some time, and to further prove my claims.

"Stop following me!" She said in a firm voice, and followed the footpath which I was sure led to the Beta's quarters. I knew better than to go with her even though the Beta was still at the Alpha's quarters. He could arrive any moment, and that would mean trouble for me, and worse for Avira. It was the last thing I wanted, stirring up any more trouble for Avira.

I turned just then, and looked around me, realizing my new problem. I didn't know which way to go.