Flora stood outside the pack's training grounds, her nerves a knot of tension. The crisp air carried the faint scent of pine and damp earth, grounding her as she stared at the obstacle course ahead. The field was a symphony of movement, with pack members running drills, sparring, and shifting between human and wolf forms. It was a world she didn't belong to—at least, not yet.
"First time seeing this up close?" Seraphina's voice was sharp, almost mocking, as she approached. The warrior's icy blue eyes scanned Flora with a mixture of disdain and curiosity.
Flora straightened her back, determined not to let her unease show. "First time being part of it."
Seraphina smirked. "We'll see if you last the day."
Before Flora could respond, Maxwell appeared, his presence commanding without effort. His gray eyes held a storm she couldn't decipher as he looked at her. "You don't have to do this," he said, his voice low, as if trying to shield her from the judgment radiating from Seraphina.
"I want to," Flora said firmly. "If I'm going to be part of this pack, I need to pull my weight."
Seraphina's smirk widened. "Then let's begin."
The training session was brutal. Flora's muscles screamed as she pushed through the drills, her body unfamiliar with the grueling demands. Seraphina seemed to take pleasure in pushing her to her limits, barking orders and throwing her into sparring matches with pack members twice her size.
By midday, Flora's legs wobbled with exhaustion, and her arms felt like lead. She wiped the sweat from her brow, catching her breath as she watched the others. Luke stood nearby, his eyes filled with concern as he handed her a water bottle.
"You're doing great," he said softly.
Flora gave him a weak smile. "Thanks, but I feel like I'm dying."
"You're not," Maxwell interjected as he approached, his tone more encouraging than she expected. "You're stronger than you think."
The sincerity in his voice caught her off guard. She met his gaze, searching for the aloofness she'd once associated with him, but it wasn't there. Instead, she saw something else—respect, maybe even admiration.
Seraphina clapped her hands, breaking the moment. "Break's over. Back to work."
As Flora pushed herself through the next round of training, she couldn't shake the feeling that Maxwell's attention wasn't just about the prophecy. It was as if he saw something in her she hadn't yet discovered.
Later that evening, Flora sat alone by the edge of the forest, nursing her sore muscles. The moonlight filtered through the trees, casting silvery shadows on the ground. She leaned back against a tree trunk, letting the cool air soothe her overheated skin.
"You survived," a voice said, breaking the silence.
Flora turned to see Seraphina standing a few feet away, her posture relaxed but her eyes sharp. "Barely," Flora replied, her tone wary.
Seraphina crossed her arms, studying her. "Most would've quit by now. Why didn't you?"
Flora hesitated, searching for the right words. "Because I have something to prove—to myself, to the pack."
Seraphina's lips twitched, almost forming a smile. "You have potential, but potential isn't enough. You'll need to dig deeper if you want to survive what's coming."
"What's coming?" Flora asked, her voice tinged with unease.
Seraphina's expression darkened. "War. And war doesn't care about potential. It only cares about who's left standing."
Before Flora could respond, Seraphina turned and walked away, her words hanging heavy in the air.
The next morning, Flora woke to a knock on her door. She groaned, her muscles still aching from the previous day's training. Dragging herself out of bed, she opened the door to find Luke holding a plate of food.
"Figured you could use some breakfast," he said with a grin.
Flora's heart warmed at his thoughtfulness. "You're the best."
As she sat down to eat, Luke pulled up a chair, his expression shifting to something more serious. "Flora, are you sure about all this? Training, the prophecy—it's a lot to take on."
"I don't have a choice," she said between bites. "If the prophecy is real, then I need to be ready. And if it's not, at least I'll be stronger for it."
Luke nodded, but his eyes betrayed a deeper concern. "Just promise me you'll be careful. I don't want to lose you."
"You won't," she said, placing a hand on his. "I promise."
Training resumed that afternoon, and this time, Flora felt a slight improvement. Her movements were still clumsy, but she managed to hold her own in a sparring match against Vera, a fierce and agile pack member.
"You're learning," Vera said afterward, a hint of approval in her voice. "But don't let your guard down. That's when they'll strike."
"They?" Flora asked, wiping sweat from her forehead.
"The vampires," Vera said, her tone grave. "They're not just enemies—they're predators. They'll exploit any weakness they see."
Flora nodded, the weight of Vera's words sinking in. She couldn't afford to be weak—not in this world.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Flora found herself in the pack's common room, surrounded by the hum of conversation. Damian stood at the center, addressing the group with his usual authority.
"The vampire activity has increased," he said, his voice steady but filled with urgency. "We need to be prepared for an attack at any moment."
The room fell silent, tension thick in the air. Flora's gaze flickered to Maxwell, who stood near the back, his jaw tight. He met her eyes for a brief moment before looking away.
After the meeting, Flora approached Maxwell, her curiosity outweighing her hesitation. "What's going on?" she asked.
Maxwell hesitated, as if weighing his words. "The vampires are moving closer to our territory. They're testing our defenses."
"And the prophecy?" she pressed.
His expression hardened. "It's not just a dream, Flora. It's a warning. And if we don't act now, it'll come true."
His words sent a chill down her spine. She had always thought of the prophecy as a distant, abstract threat. Now, it felt dangerously real.
That night, Flora couldn't sleep. She lay awake, her mind racing with thoughts of the prophecy, the vampires, and her place in the pack. The weight of it all felt suffocating, but she knew she couldn't back down.
She got up and stepped outside, the cool night air helping to clear her mind. The forest loomed dark and silent, a stark contrast to the bustling pack grounds. She wandered to the edge of the woods, lost in thought.
"You shouldn't be out here alone," a voice said, startling her.
She turned to see Elliott, the quiet pack member with an uncanny ability to appear unnoticed. His dark eyes held a seriousness that matched his tone.
"I couldn't sleep," she admitted.
Elliott nodded, his gaze scanning the forest. "Be careful. The vampires are closer than you think."
Flora's pulse quickened. "Do you sense something?"
Elliott hesitated before replying. "Not yet. But it's only a matter of time."
His words hung in the air, a stark reminder of the danger that surrounded them. As Flora returned to her room, she couldn't shake th
e feeling that the shadows were closing in—and that her role in the prophecy was only beginning to unfold.