NATALIE It’s been a month since I started training with Jake. The first step of this program was to get beaten—a lot and learn to anticipate blows, moves. It took me a week to start blocking them or dodging. Then we were onto the next level where I was supposed to hit back. It’s been three weeks and I haven’t done that even once. It seems like all the training I received previously was of no use against a real opponent. But, I believe I am getting better at this now. I still haven’t hit Jake, I know, but I have defended myself better than ever before. In the morning, I trained, exercised, ate breakfast. During the rest of the day, I learned a lot of things about the pack from the other guard Luke. In the night, Ryke often took me to the forest so I can shift back and forth and get a hang of my abilities. I believe I can control when to not start burning or burn things around me but when I feel too much, I can’t help but let the energy escape from my body. The life energy I have

NATALIE My eyes trail off to the off—white wolf running alongside a grey wolf. A line begins to form, a good side which helps me recognise who is who. I won’t cause anymore accidents. Clenching my hands into fists, I walk forth, determined to do what I never thought I ever will. The group of pack warriors, give me way and let me walk to the front, facing the rogues. They all have oddly stopped when they saw the pack members falling back and coming into a defensive formation. Rogues don’t have such detailed thoughts. They can’t think so straight. It’s absurd that they even have one huge wolf standing at the front, snorting down at me. An Alpha. An even absurd sight to see. It’s almost like they are a pack, a hierarchical pack. But, the foul smell hanging in the air gives away their identity. When I stop in front of the whole shifted wolf army of the pack, the supposed rogue Alpha shifts back to his human form. I breathe in through my nose and unclench my hands. “ It’s good y

RYKER “ Stay away! ” She yells, standing up with a jerk and pushing herself in the farthest corner of the shower room.“ Love. You will never hurt me. ” I whisper tenderly, lifting a hand to grab her wrist.She shakes her head hysterically and tugs her hands back to keep me away. “ I thought the same about Anne. I can’t hurt her. I can’t hurt her. I can’t… ” Tears stream down her blood—shot eyes, disappearing into the water, becoming one with it. “ …hurt her. It was not me. I can never do it. ” “ I know. It was…not you. ” I murmur, feeling the pain in my heart intensifying ten folds. “ It was an accident. You can never hurt her deliberately. ” Even if that snake betrayed you, you can never do the same to her. She pauses and cranes back her neck to peer into my eyes. The dull look in her eyes scares me.“ It was a dream. I am sure. ” From disbelief to shock to disbelief. She is swinging back and forth.The worst thing that can happen after such incidents is your refusal to accept

NATALIE“ Anne. ” I call out her name again, higher in volume this time.She doesn’t respond. The sound of her heartbeat drowns even more until it’s a weak tik-tik in my ears and nothing else.“ Anne. ” I yelp, tears sliding down my cheeks.I drop my head down, anger taking the place of hurt quickly. A thorn pierces my heart, making me bleed inside.Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath. It’s all my fault. My hold tightens around her hand until I am unconsciously drawing her blood. The surge of energy shoots down my hand to her flesh, quick and soothing.All the memories, all the moments, all my life flashes before my eyes. Her bright smile, the wicked ways, and those odd habits all make me cry harder.We have been friends—true friends. She looked after me better than my own family. If anyone says it’s not true, I will never believe it. And I—I killed her. The words knock the breath out of me. My eyes snap open, landing on Anne's hand, which I am holding. There is some kind of blue

NATALIEI feel…calm. Strange!I should be livid, ready to turn into some fucking dragon and go suck the life out of the woman who claimed to be my friend yet betrayed me for so many years in secret.But, my feet refuse to move. My emotions cheat my mind, compelling me to stand by the glass wall and stare at the Beta’s house.Fucking rain has decided it’s the best time to blur the world and create a loud enough noise to drown all my non—existent thoughts.“ She slept with someone to pay for the potion? ” A ghost of a whisper slips past my lips.It’s so…unbelievable for me.“ Zero confirmed it. He followed her for a while. ” Ryker answers.“ Her mate? ”Her mate caught her prostituting herself. Can it get any worse?The same calmness reigns over my mind and keeps my eyes glued to the view.“ Is this some kind of calm before the…fire? ” Ryke asks, standing in the corner, his back against the glass wall while his eyes assess me.“ This can not be fixed with random distracting shit, Ryker.