The Cursed Gift | B1 [EDITING]

07 | A Truth Beneath the Thorns

Repetition is all it takes to grow comfortable among the thorns. Twelve months of a utopia where the world seemed blissful and peaceful.

It was as if there was a bubble around Snake's Canyon, protecting it from the harsh wilderness.

The outside world was a dangerous place and the harder it was to pop their bubble, the safer the pack was.

It had been an entire year since Alisa had finally taken the plunge and accepted who she was. She was a wolf, not a witch, and Snake's Canyon was her home now.

She felt safe within the pack lines and with the pack. The night Alpha Ryker had announced her acceptance of his offer, the pack had welcomed her with open arms.

Only a selected few had trouble grasping the concept of a rogue joining them but their opinions softened over time.

To hear their claps ring around the pack house, warmed Alisa's once cold heart. The more she had accepted their customs and regulations, she had even grown quite fond of it too.

She enjoyed shapeshifting, the way the change made her feel inside. It gave her an excitement her old life never could.

Things were never planned, always spontaneous and ridiculously fun to boot.

Her heightened senses made playing with the other wolves exciting and challenging. It took her a while to get used to the sounds, as previously they used to make her ears ring for hours.

But the more the positives outweighed the negative, the more she felt herself give in to their way of life and surrender herself completely to their loyalty.

For instead of casting her out, they spared her and offered her refuge among them like she were an old friend.

The night Alpha Ryker began the initiation into the pack, her entire life shifted, and nothing was ever going to be the same again.

The full moon hung in the sky, illuminating Snake's Canyon, where the pack bear witness to the initiation of a new pack member.

Alpha Ryker stood at the front of the alter, preparing to gift Alisa to the Moon Goddess. If it were her will for Alisa to join the Sabor Tooth pack, the patch of damp grass in front of him would light up in flames.

He only hoped that the child would be welcomed into the pack and the choice be blessed by the goddess herself.

As a way to silence the chatter among the wolves, Alpha Ryker held up a hand.

All noised ceased that instant.

Slowly, he had put his arm down before clearing his throat once more.

"As we all know, Alisa stumbled into our world unexpectedly one day. She has struggled and still come out on top. She is a fighter, through and through," he began as he threw a smile over at her.

"Our way of life was strange to her, but she quickly grew accustomed. A long way to go for her, but hopefully the Moon Goddess believes it's alongside us."

There had been very few times where the Moon Goddess hadn't agreed with the Alpha. It was as if they were connected in spirit, and she was guiding him along her destined path.

Alpha Ryker, in other words, was her humble servant.

"Alisa, come here child," he smiled, gesturing for her to stand beside him.