Cassandra’s point of view: I turned around on my back and watched the roof absentmindedly. It was nearing midnight and I was yet to fall asleep. Sleep was something I hadn’t been fortunate enough to get like most of the pack members for a while now. The entire pack house was as quiet as a rock. Even the forest was unnaturally silent. Unlike the pack house, the forest was the most alive at night for our kind. A strange creak coming from the hallway by my bedroom door made me get out of bed. Tiptoeing towards the secret weapon I’d kept in case I would need to fight an intruder someday, the only thought that flashed into my mind then was ‘well, get ready to fight, the day was finally here’. I raised the bat further up, ready to hit whoever stood outside my door this late at night. With my enhanced senses, I could hear the footsteps inching closer. Too close! I held the bat tightly in one hand while the other hand slowly reached for the doorknob. I was about to turn the knob when the

Cassandra’s point of view: Sitting beside Millie, I watched Dalton and one of the best warriors fighting a duel to instruct some of the pack members who were still lacking in some way. In case you’re wondering, I was one of them too. Today, it was my first day getting trained along with the rest of the pack. This morning, Dalton had made sure that I’d accompany him everywhere he went during the day after having breakfast. Starting with his pack work, he made me sit on the couch in his office while he completed some last minute works regarding an alliance with the neighbouring packs which seemed downright peculiar to me. Dalton was an Alpha known for always leading his pack on his own. He was even feared by the neighbouring packs. Why would he need to form a pact with the other Alphas? I knew better than to ask him about it though. So, without saying much, we’d come down here at the training field at around ten o’clock. From today onwards, I’d have to get trained along with the

Cassandra’s point of view: “Since we have only a few minutes left, we’ll do the combats in our human forms. You will each be equipped with a single weapon.” Dalton started, pointing at the side table which was filled with all types of different weapons. “Feel free to choose a weapon.” I followed the others towards the table to grab a weapon of my own. Almost everyone could familiarize themselves with at least one of the weapons. But, I couldn’t say the same about me. While they knew which weapon they could use to its efficacy, I wasn’t even aware which one I could use to my advantage. Ashley flashed me a smug smirk when she noticed my hesitance and confusion in selecting my desired weapon. As if she’d always chosen the weapon she’d laid her hand on, she picked it up. It was a single spiked ball attached to a handle by a metal chain. A flail! How did she even lift that up from the table? That looked heavy as fuck! And she held it up as though it weighed nothing in her hand. Okay,

Cassandra’s point of view: It’s been two days since I’d last seen Dalton. He wasn’t around to direct the pack training. It was one of the best warriors who trained us for the past two days. I didn’t get to see him at all during the day nor at night. It felt like he just went missing all of a sudden or was he avoiding me on purpose? Why would he do that though? Either way, I didn’t like that he wasn’t there and that I couldn’t see him. I wandered across the stream, admiring the view from up here. The bittersweet moment I’d shared with Dalton back then flashed into my mind. Looking back over my shoulders at the specific spot where we’d first shared a kiss, where we’d first felt this strange pull drawing us closer, I felt my heart skip a beat. The emotions I’d felt since then whenever Dalton was around me seemed too real to just ignore as some kind of physical attraction. It got to be more than that but what? If only I could talk to someone about my feelings, about the strange ye

Cassandra's point of view: Not only me but the warriors standing behind me were shocked to hear him begging us for his death. But, they didn't, not even once, relaxed their posture. They stood tall and stiff, ready to take charge if needed. "Why do you want us to kill you?" I asked the zombie. It was quite hard to breathe in the same air as him since his mouth stink. Yet, I held on, hoping to get the answers the dark energy within me was hoping to hear. "They tortured us." His voice softened as though he was re-living every moment he'd suffered. He had sounded gruff at first but then, his voice had turned more... human. 'What is he talking about? They... who?' I questioned the voice within me. Unlike earlier, it ignored me. "Who tortured you?" I heard myself questioning the zombie instead. "I don't know them. They took us from our homes and imprisoned us." He answered me as if he felt obliged to obey me. That was weird! I couldn't help but think. "Where?" The dark energy wit