Ava had never felt so out of place in her entire life.
The weight of the Alpha's words hung heavily in the air, the sting of his commands still fresh in her mind. She had never been one to back down from a challenge, but the reality of her situation in this new world of wolves, power, and secrets was overwhelming. She wasn't sure she was ready to accept the role she had been thrust into, let alone learn how to embrace the wolf inside her.
But as she stood in the middle of the compound, surrounded by the pack, she couldn't help but feel that something had shifted. The moon, hanging high in the sky, cast its pale light over everything, its glow seeping into the cracks of the stone buildings, reflecting off the darkened forest beyond. There was an energy in the air tonight, something alive and primal, like the pulse of the earth beneath her feet.
Damon had told her she would get used to it. He had promised her that, over time, the pack would become her family. But the more she tried to understand this world, the more confused and isolated she felt. The wolves moved with a certainty she couldn't match, their eyes alight with something she didn't yet grasp. Every time she tried to fit in, to understand her place in this world, it felt like she was being pushed further to the edges, caught between the life she had known and the one she was being forced to accept.
Damon's presence beside her brought some comfort, but even his steady gaze couldn't ease the turbulence inside her. Tonight was different. It wasn't just the weight of the Alpha's command; it was something deeper. There was a force in the air tonight, one that called to her, beckoning her to understand.
"Ava," Damon's voice broke through her thoughts, drawing her attention. He stood a few paces away, his posture relaxed but alert. "It's time."
Ava swallowed, her throat dry. "Time for what?"
"To begin your training," he said, his gaze shifting to the sky, where the moon hung like a silver dagger, casting its light over everything. "Tonight is the perfect night for it. The moon is full, and it will guide you."
The pull of the moon was undeniable. She could feel it in her bones, in the deepest parts of her soul. It was like a call, a whisper that tugged at her heart, urging her to step forward into something unknown.
"Training?" she asked, the word feeling foreign on her tongue. What kind of training was she supposed to undergo? How could she possibly learn to control something as wild and unpredictable as the wolf inside her?
Damon nodded, his gaze intense. "Yes. The first step is understanding your true self. The first step is learning to control your powers. You're not alone in this, Ava. You have us. The pack."
Ava stared at him, her mind spinning. The moonlight bathed his face, making his features seem sharper, and more defined, as though the very light of the moon had unlocked something inside him. She had seen the way the other pack members moved with such ease, their actions fluid, instinctive. They didn't question the power they possessed. It was a part of them. But she was different. She didn't feel that connection, that instinct. Instead, she felt like an outsider, a pretender in a world she had no place in.
"Come," Damon urged, his hand reaching out to her. "It's time you learned to embrace what you are."
With a hesitant breath, Ava took his hand. The moment their fingers touched, a jolt of energy ran through her, a crackling spark that made her skin tingle. It was like the air around them had thickened, charged with an electric tension that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She had felt that same energy earlier, in the Alpha's den, but now it was stronger, more palpable, like a thread weaving its way through her, connecting her to something larger than herself.
Damon led her away from the center of the compound, where the pack members had gathered in a large circle. The air was thick with anticipation, the wolves' eyes glimmering in the moonlight, their gazes fixed on Ava as she approached. It was as if they were waiting for something waiting for her to do something. She could feel their eyes on her, could almost hear their thoughts, and the weight of their expectations pressed down on her, making her throat tighten with fear.
"Don't worry," Damon said, sensing her anxiety. "This is just the beginning. We're going to help you unlock what's inside. Trust me."
Ava nodded, though she wasn't sure she could. Trusting Damon, trusting anyone in this world, seemed impossible. Yet, as she looked around at the wolves gathered in the clearing, she couldn't help but feel the pull of something deeper. This was where she belonged, wasn't it? Despite the fear, despite the uncertainty, there was a part of her that wanted to believe that this world was where she was meant to be.
They reached the edge of the clearing, where the trees grew thick and dense, and Damon stopped, turning to face her. The others remained behind a silent, watchful presence in the shadows.
"Ava," Damon said softly, his voice steady and calm, "I know you're scared. But the moon has a way of guiding us. It will help you see what you need to see. Trust in it. Trust in yourself."
Ava nodded, though her heart was still racing. She wasn't sure what to expect, what kind of training this would be. But she knew one thing: she had to embrace this. She had no other choice.
Damon stepped back, giving her space. "Focus," he instructed. "Let the moon's light fill you. Feel it in your body. Let it awaken the wolf inside."
Ava closed her eyes, her breath steadying as she let the cool night air fill her lungs. The moonlight bathed her skin, warming her, calling to her. It was as if the earth itself was reaching up to meet her as if her very soul was being drawn into the light. She could feel the energy of the pack, could sense the power that ran through them. It was a part of her now, whether she liked it or not.
The howl that rose in her chest came before she realized it was an instinctive, wild cry that echoed through the clearing, sending a ripple of energy through the pack. The wolves responded, their howls joining hers, their voices harmonizing with hers in a chorus of power.
For a moment, Ava didn't know where she ended and the pack began. She was part of something larger, something primal, something ancient. The wolf inside her stirred a force that had been waiting to be unleashed.
Ava's eyes snapped open, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she looked around at the pack, their eyes glowing in the moonlight. The air around her buzzed with energy, alive with the pulse of the earth, of the moon, of the pack.
Damon stepped forward, his expression one of pride. "You've made the first step," he said. "You're not just a human anymore, Ava. You're one of us."
Ava's heart was still racing, but something inside her had shifted. She could feel it. The wolf was awakening, deep within her, and she couldn't deny the pull, the power that surged through her. For the first time since she had arrived at the compound, she felt like she belonged.
She wasn't just Ava Winters anymore.
She was something more. Something powerful. Something wild.
And as the howls of the pack filled the air, Ava knew that her journey was only just beginning.