EvelynThe morning light spilled through the narrow windows, painting the floor in muted gold. I woke slowly, every muscle in my body aching, my mind still raw from what I’d faced in the Veil.But I was alive. Whole. And for the first time since I’d stepped onto Blackthorn land, I felt like I belonged — if only a little.I shifted under the blanket, testing my ribs. Sore but intact. The memories of illusions clawing at me still prickled under my skin, but I could breathe. That was enough.A knock sounded at the door before it swung open, and Mara stepped in, balancing a tray of steaming broth and warm bread. She took one look at me and smirked.“Well, look who’s still in one piece.” She set the tray down with a flourish. “The unbreakable human.”I groaned, forcing myself upright. “Don’t make me laugh. It hurts.”“That’s what you get
EvelynThe torchlight wavered as I followed the priestess through a narrow archway at the back of the temple. Stone gave way to earth, and the air grew colder, heavier, as if it had not moved for centuries.We descended a twisting stair cut into the bedrock, the only sound our footsteps echoing against the walls. At the bottom, the passage opened into a cavern veiled in a pale, silver mist.The priestess stopped beside me, her eyes as sharp as a wolf’s. “This is the Veil,” she said. “The goddess’s test. It spares no one with an impure heart. Wolves go feral if they are false. Humans…” She paused, gaze cutting deep, “…lose their minds.”A shiver ran down my spine. The mist curled around my ankles like cold fingers, breathing secrets I couldn’t understand.“What do I have to do?” I asked, voice tight.She pointed to a shadowy archway on th
EvelynThe night air bit cold against my cheeks as I stepped outside. Rafe waited in the courtyard, a silent, towering shadow. The torches behind him cast flickers across the planes of his face, catching the harsh lines and the faintest glint of something unreadable in his dark eyes.He nodded when he saw me, approving, though he didn’t smile. “Good. Come.”I fell into step beside him as he led me out through the fortress gates. No one challenged us. No one even spoke. It felt as if the whole keep was holding its breath.Beyond the walls, the forest loomed, hushed and silver beneath a waxing moon. The path ahead twisted between ancient trees, roots curling like fingers across the trail. Rafe’s presence guided me forward — steady, assured — and I clung to that steadiness because I didn’t know what else to trust.We moved deeper into the night until even the noises of the keep faded. The only sounds left were the hush of our breathing, the distant calls of owls, and the rhythm of our st
EvelynThe next morning, I woke feeling like the weight of the entire night before still sat on my chest. Every howl, every cry, every shiver of fear seemed stitched into my bones.I sat up slowly, stretching against the dull ache in my ribs. A small fire still burned in the hearth, casting a warm glow across the room, but it did nothing to ease the restlessness under my skin.I couldn’t keep living like this — caged, guarded, always afraid. I had to do something, anything, to feel less powerless.I pulled on the heavy cloak Mara had left draped across a chair and stepped out of the room. The hallway was quiet, but I found Mara by the end of the corridor, talking with one of the older omegas about supplies.She turned when she saw me, surprise flickering across her face.“You’re up early,” she noted.I drew a breath, trying to steady the panic that still lurked beneath my ribs. &
EvelynThe night after the punishment, sleep didn’t come.I lay awake in Rafe’s quarters — because where else could I be? — staring up at the carved wooden beams overhead, replaying every lash, every scream, every ragged breath.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the silver biting into flesh, saw the way the guards’ arms had moved, so practiced, so merciless. I heard the way the crowd had gone silent, torn between fear and grim satisfaction.I’d wanted to feel protected. And I had — sort of. But there was a sickness inside me, coiled tight, a voice that kept whispering that this wasn’t safety. That this was a warning.That I was the reason for their pain.By dawn, the tension in my chest had grown unbearable. I finally gave up pretending to rest, swung my legs over the edge of the bed, and stood.The bite of cold air helped ground me. The window was cracked open
EvelynThat night, Mara helped me dress again—this time in thicker clothes, a tunic, heavy boots, and a deep blue cloak that brushed the ground.My stomach turned, bile rising every time I thought of what waited outside.“Where are we going?” I asked, though I already suspected.She didn’t meet my eyes. “You’ll see.”I hated that answer.The courtyard looked different under torchlight, transformed from a training ground to something more like an execution stage. Torches ringed the perimeter, flames whipping in the cold breeze, casting long, eerie shadows across stone and dirt. The pack had gathered, shoulder to shoulder in stiff, silent ranks, eyes gleaming in the night like predators waiting for blood.I swallowed hard as Mara led me forward. Each step felt heavier than the last. Every eye turned to me. I felt their judgment like a blade across my skin—some gaz