Wolf #1: The Pack [COMPLETED]

Chapter 36

Warning: Themes of toxicity and bullying.



Chapter 36

I trace the lines of my hands as the final fight wraps up and everyone begins to pack up. Natalia is the winner and is toted around on Jace and another Wolf's shoulders. Mira and Ilya howl for her, and soon the entire pack joins in.

Her eyes brighten up, and Natalia grins widely as her chest wells up with pride.

"Amelia..."

I look down at Rachel, but she's still fast asleep. With a hitched breath, I turn my eyes up. Steph sits on the other side of the cot, worried and bug-eyed.

"Are you okay?" She grabs my hand, looking up at where I assume Adrian is in the distance, "I—"

"I'm sorry," I whisper, "I'm sorry if I've been so busy with this pack, Steph. I shouldn't have gotten distracted..."

She squeezes my hand gently but disappears as Mallory walks through her. My eyes well up with tears of despair. I wipe them away when Mallory gives me a concerned look and shrug.

"I heard what happened during your last fight," She mixes a cupful of herbs together and waves them under Rachel nose, "And I brought you something to help."

She hands me a bag of herbs and minerals. Just as I take them, Rachel breathes in deeply.

Mallory quickly says in a hushed whisper, "It'll help mute him out."

"Thank you," I breathe a sigh of relief and pocket the herbs, "Mallory...my hands. They became black—and Adrian said that only happened to—"

"I'm not the one to ask," She says, "But...the High Priestess's skin changed when she used her power. Like gold...it's possible that the same happened to you."

I nod. It still doesn't explain why the same thing happens to Orion as well.

Rachel groans loudly, "What the...my head..."

"Hey Rach," I take her hand. Mallory begins looking her over and calls Doc.

"Ah crap—did I get K-O'ed?" She only laughs when I nod, "Jace is never going to let me live this down. I should have just broken the rules and shifted. I definitely could have taken him on shifted."

"Why aren't you guys allowed to shift?" I stare at the many Wolves who had now shifted. All were Breccian or from the other packs like Ameku or Umbra.

"Not all packs shift regularly like we do in Breccia," She shrugs, "Palus almost never does. And Diurnal—well, no one has ever seen their Wolves except the Diurnal."

"The Diurnal don't shift outside of their packgrounds?"

"Or when there's a major conflict with another pack—but that last war like that was over twenty years ago," She turns her head over her shoulder and says darkly, "The Diurnal don't need to shift. They're deadly enough in skin form."

My eyes find Adrian in the crowd. Kiana and Mac hover by his side, along with several of the Diurnal. They're no longer smiling and carefree. Again, I compare their presence and movements to that of demi-gods. The Earth seems to groan under the weight of their footsteps—the thunderclouds rumble in response to their moods.

"Doc's here," Rach knocks my shoulder.

I smile and listen to Doc as he explains how to treat her for the next couple days. Despite Rachel insisting she is fine I help her to her feet and to the cabin. She's telling me all about how she has been winning up to the point that the guy had clapped her on both her ears when a woman passes us.