I opened my eyes slowly and groggily, noticing that I was lying on a damp, cold floor, my head throbbing with a dull ache, and that Kaidรซn's face was above me, his eyes filled with worry."Astrid, can you hear me?" he whispered, his voice low and urgent. I tried to sit up after nodding, but I felt so lightheaded that I had to lie down again.My voice trembled as I whispered, "What happened?โ"You were touched by that... thing. I do not know what it was, but it seemed to drain the life out of you," Kaidรซn said with a somber expression. Though my memory was fuzzy, I tried to recall the sensation of the shadowy figure's touchโlike fire and iceโbut everything else was a blur.I lay there trying to regain my strength when I became aware that we were in a cavernous, dark room with rough, black stone walls and the smell of damp earth permeating the air. Then I heard a slight rustling, deliberate and soft, as if someone was trying to be inconspicuous."Do you hear that?" Kaidรซn whispered as h
As I slowly came to, I realized that I was lying on a cold, damp floor. My head was pounding, and my mind was foggy. I tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over me, forcing me to lie back down."Kaidรซn?" I whispered, my voice shaking. "Evelyn?"There was no response. I was alone.Panic set in as I scrambled to my feet. Where was I? How did I get here? And where were Kaidรซn and Evelyn?As I looked around, I saw that I was in some sort of dark, cavernous space. The walls were made of rough, black stone, and the air was thick with the scent of damp earth.I stumbled forward, my hands outstretched in front of me. As I walked, the darkness seemed to press in around me, making it hard to breathe.Suddenly, I heard a faint rustling sound. I spun around, my heart racing. "Who's there?" I called out.The rustling grew louder, and I saw a figure emerging from the shadows. It was Kaidรซn."Astrid," he whispered, his eyes locked on mine. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to leave you alone."
My mind was full of questions as I walked through the forest with Kaidรซn. I had more questions than answers after seeing the visions at the Heart Tree. "Kaidรซn, did you mean that I was chosen by the Heart Tree?" I inquired as my curiosity overcame me. Kaidรซn paused before answering, his face taking on a serious expression. "The Heart Tree is a potent representation of the magic and history of our pack. It is believed to contain our ancestors' secrets and the ability to influence our future. As I heard Kaidรซn's words, a chill went down my spine. What did being selected by the Heart Tree mean? And what did Kaidรซn have to conceal from me? During our walk, I could not get rid of the impression that Kaidรซn was keeping something from me. In the hopes that the older woman could offer some insight, I made the decision to confide in Evelyn. "Evelyn, I'm getting really frustrated with Kaidรซn," I said, trying to keep my voice down. "He never tells me anything, but he keeps giving me hin
I could not get rid of the impression that Kaidรซn's words had given me. "I am attempting to keep you safe from myself." By that, what did he mean? Did he have a secret from me?An uneasiness gripped me as I made my way back to my room. I felt as though I was drowning in secrets after meeting Xylara, finding Lucas, and hearing Kaidรซn's cryptic warnings.I felt a wave of relief as I arrived at my room and locked the door behind me. However, I saw something that made my heart skip a beat as I turned to head for the bed.There was a little piece of paper with a note written on it on my bedside table. Even though I did not recognize the handwriting, the message chilled me:"At midnight, meet me in the ancient oak forest. Come alone."I felt a surge of fear mixed with curiosity. What did they want from me, and who could have written this note?I was standing there pondering my options when I heard a slight scratching noise coming from the window. I turned to see a single word scrawled on a
I stood there, frozen in confusion, as Kaidรซn's words hung in the air. "What...what do you mean?" I stuttered, my mind racing. Kaidรซn's eyes seemed to glaze over, and he stared at me for a long, uncomfortable moment. I felt like I was drowning in the depths of his gaze, like he could see right through me. Then, suddenly his eyes widened and he shook himself back to reality. His eyes snapped back into focus, and he quickly stepped back, putting some distance between us. "I...I apologize, I didn't mean to startle you." I shook my head, still feeling a bit dazed. How can he say something like that? Was it a joke or what? "It's okay, did you need something?" Kaidรซn took a deep breath, composing himself. "Your father sent me to check up on you, you were gone for a while now" he said as I nodded, feeling a bit more at ease. "Okay,"Kaidรซn nodded, his eyes serious. "I'm going to go on patrol tonight, I want you to spend the night with Xylara. She's alone as her attendant is on a
I tried to run, but my feet felt heavy, as if rooted to the spot. Kaidรซn's eyes, now a piercing gold, locked onto mine, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. His body was almost fully transformed, his muscles bulging beneath his skin as he took a step closer to me. I managed to break free from my paralysis and turned to run, but Kaidรซn was too fast. He caught me harshly, pinning me to a nearby pillar. His grip was like a vice, and I could feel his hot breath on my skin. I was scared, very scared. Kaidรซn's eyes seemed to bore into my soul, and I could sense the wildness of his wolf emanating from him. I tried to struggle, but he held me firm, his fingers digging deep into my skin. "Astrid," he growled, his voice low and menacing. "You shouldn't have come here." I tried to speak, but my voice was caught in my throat. Kaidรซn's face was inches from mine, his eyes blazing with a fierce intensity. I felt like I was staring into the abyss, with no escape in sight. And then, just as