Taking A Stand Novels & Stories

Once upon a time, this place had been my turf. I pushed open the door to see Janae sitting inside with a wide smile. She seemed to have been waiting for me. "You look like a stray dog now, Renee. So what if I'm a stand-in? I'm the one Marcus loves now, and you are nothing. You're not even worthy of being my stand-in now!" she said. I stood there dazedly and looked around the familiar room, feeling like my heart was bleeding. Then, I heard Marcus' voice in the distance—he was shouting and warning me not to do anything to hurt Janae.

If he chooses not to be present with us, then he does not get to be present at all. I will stand on my own two feet. Even if they are shaking.

“If you’re serious, I’ll back you up. But be ready: taking a stand makes you a target.” “I’m aware,” I replied, steeling myself. “But it’s worth the risk.” ──────────────────────────── Later that day, the central hall was packed. The walls vibrated with murmurs of fear and frustration as the pack gathered to discuss their next moves. Lucan stood at the front, addressing the crowd about strategies, defenses, and patrols. Yet beneath his calm tone, I saw doubt in their eyes, especially as they glanced toward clusters of Vrax’s supporters. It was now or never.

From a young age, I've known I was born to be a substitute for my deceased sister, Leah. On my 6th birthday, my parents take me to the market to choose a cloak for cubs. I excitedly spend ages choosing, then point at a silver one. However, Mom's expression shifts drastically, and she grabs me by the ear and screams like a madwoman, "Who told you to choose silver? Leah's favorite color can only be red!" When Dad sees Mom act up, he roughly yanks me away. I fall to the ground, hitting my head, and blood streams down my face. From then on, I desperately try to become more like Leah. No matter what I choose, I only choose something in red, the color she loved most. But one day, I break the

I declined her offer politely. She couldn't use this medium to prove to people that she was something she wasn't just to keep up with the vibe. She has to be aware that this either came with it or without it. "Are you serious? I don't think I should be standing. It's only when you're about to deliver such a groundbreaking piece of information?"

Not the absence of information or the refusal to engage with the information that was available. The presence of something else. The specific courage of a woman who had looked at what she knew and what she didn't know and had decided that what she knew about the person was sufficient to move toward the person regardless of what she didn't know about the record. She talked about the kind of woman who stood beside someone when the standing would cost her. Not stayed. Stood. There was a difference, she said. Staying was passive. Staying was the absence of leaving. Standing was active. Standing was a choice made in real time in full knowledge of what the choice cost.

"Fine. I swear I won't hurt Kyle. Emily, are you satisfied now?" I didn't call her by her nickname "Em" like I used to. My cold tone made Emily frown uncomfortably. She looked uneasy, thinking I was being sarcastic and hadn't truly given in. "If you think this compensation isn't enough, we can keep talking—" "How about I talk with you?" Before anyone realized it, Kyle had walked off the stage and was standing in front of me, cutting Emily off. Emily panicked. She quickly shoved me hard, terrified that I might suddenly attack and hurt her Kyle.

I will have fun doing it too. I notice she purposefully doesn’t give away her position when we go for our stance. She assesses but doesn’t take an offensive or defensive position. She stands there lazily. It’s interesting and different. Smart to say the least. You never know how your enemy will respond to you if you don’t show them.

I stand and make my way to the ledge. I'm not afraid.

He said sternly, his voice crystal cleared. He walked back to his position and took the stand. “Now, as you all listened your alpha, it is a war and I don’t want to force anybody in it. Every one of you is free of your own will, if you don’t want to be the part of it, it’s the best time to walked back to your homes.”