The forest was eerily quiet, save for the crunch of dead leaves beneath my boots.
The night was dense, the air thick with tension, and the cold bit at my skin as I moved, eyes sharp, scanning the dark wilderness.
Alpha Rowan's words echoed in my mind: Prove you're not a threat. Prove you're not a spy.
And this is me proving myself.
A rogue had been spotted just beyond the pack's territory, terrorizing the borders.
My mission was to hunt down the rogue.
Rowan said if I pulled this off, his people would see I wasn't some danger to them. They'd see I could protect them, that I'd risk my life for them. He also wanted to see what I was really capable of.
If I could bring him down, maybe—just maybe—they'd stop looking at me like I was the enemy.
I crouched low, my breath shallow.
Ahead, the scent of blood mingled with the musk of damp earth. The rogue was close. I could feel it—a creeping presence, a predator lurking just out of sight.
A growl vibrated through the trees, low and threatening.
Then I saw him—a massive figure with wild, matted fur, circling a wounded deer. He moved like a shadow, but his eyes glowed with feral intensity.
The rogue.
He was bigger than I imagined, his body rippling with muscle, claws gleaming even in the dim light.
I took a deep breath, forcing my fear down.
I can do this. Although I was out of shape after not training for so long I still had my strength and skills.
I couldn't match him in raw power, not without being a wolf, but I had speed, I had my wits—and I had nothing left to lose.
Without warning, I lunged from the underbrush, the sudden movement startling the rogue.
He whirled, but I was already there, slashing out with the silver dagger I'd been given from the pack armory. The blade sliced into his shoulder, and he howled in rage, his claws swiping blindly at me.
I barely dodged, the rogue's claws grazing my side, tearing through fabric and skin. Pain seared through me, but I didn't falter. I couldn't.
The rogue recovered quickly, snarling, blood dripping from his wound. He was faster now, more desperate.
He lunged, claws aiming for my throat, but I rolled beneath him, my dagger flashing again as I stabbed upward into his ribcage. The rogue yelped, stumbling back, his eyes wild with pain and fury.
But he wasn't done.
With a roar, he charged, knocking me off my feet.
I hit the ground hard, the wind knocked from my lungs. The rogue's hot breath was on my neck, his claws digging into my shoulders, pinning me to the dirt.
He leaned in close, growling. And I didn't need to hear him speak but his eyes said everything.
Weak, pathetic, broken. They were written clear as day in his eyes.
My vision blurred with pain, but I gritted my teeth, my hand tightening around the hilt of the dagger still buried in his side.
With a fierce scream, I twisted the blade hard, driving it deeper. The rogue jerked back, howling in agony.
I didn't waste the moment. I surged to my feet, ripping the dagger free, blood spraying from the wound.
With a brutal, final strike, I slammed the blade into the back of his neck, severing the spinal cord. The rogue collapsed, twitching, his growl turning into a pitiful whine as his body stilled.
I stood there, chest heaving, blood—his and mine—coating my hands. The forest fell silent again, save for my ragged breathing and the distant rustle of leaves in the wind.
The rogue lay dead at my feet.
My legs trembled, and my head swam from the effort, but I stood tall. I wiped the blood from my blade and turned towards the pack's territory.
The proof was in the kill.
Branches snapped behind and I turned sharply, ready for the kill, but I relaxed when I saw who it was.
Rowan, Lilith, Joseph and Sofia were standing there, their wild gaze darting from the dead wolf back to me.
I felt my chest swelled with pride at the look in their eyes—they were impressed.
"You guys came to watch if I was going to kill or be killed?" I asked.
Rowan was the first to recover. He cleared his throat and stepped forward. "That was impressive, Ravenna."
"Thank you."
He nodded and smiled. "Welcome to the pack."
I mirrored his smile and nodded. "I would really like to live in this moment but I am in so much pain right now," I said through gritted teeth, clutching my injured side.
Lilith and Joseph rushed forward and that was when I saw the first aid kit Lilith was holding.
I snorted. "You guys came prepared."
"I'll see you guys back at the pack house," Rowan said as he turned to leave while Joseph got to work with Lilith as his assistant.
Sofia turned and followed Rowan but not before she shot me a hard glare.
I guess I couldn't win everyone over.
"Damn," Joseph muttered under his breath.
I faced him and he was looking at my injury. I dropped my eyes to it but quickly looked away. It'll hurt less if I don't look.
"That'll make a really badass scar," Lilth said with a half-smirk, trying to lighten the tension.
I tried to smile but I couldn't. Now that the adrenaline was fading, the pain was coming to me in ten folds.
I bit my tongue as Joseph cleaned the wounds not wanting to make a sound.
"Don't bite your tongue," Joseph scolded as he continued working. Even though he didn't look up, he seems to know what I was doing.
I released my tongue and tried to relax.
"You're good at this," I said, trying to talk to take my mind off the pain.
"Went to medical school for five years," he said as he continued working.
"How old are you?" I asked before I could stop myself.
"Twenty-six."
If I wasn't in so much pain I would be shocked. He looked around my age.
"Yeah, I know. I look young and all that. Don't look too shocked."
"Too late."
"That was really impressive, Ravenna," Lilith complimented. She had been so quiet I had almost forgotten she was here.
"Thanks." I managed a small smile.
When Joseph had finally stitched my side and shoulders, they helped me walk back to the pack house.
When we arrived the place was more busy than when I left.
"What's going on?" I asked, intruded.
"Oh, we're preparing for a party," Lilith answered excitedly.
"What party?"
She turned to me and smiled. "For you."