I could hear my heart thumping in my chest like frantic drums, sweat pouring down and clouding my eyes as I continued to train with a violence I had never known in myself before.
I was pushing my body to its absolute limits, as if trying to escape some thought through sheer physical exhaustion.
Suddenly I stopped, my knees trembling, and threw myself onto one of the side wooden benches, trying to reclaim my stolen breath which escaped my chest as a muffled rattle.
"If this continues... I am surely doomed."
I whispered to myself, wiping my forehead with a shaking palm.
I closed my eyes for a moment, and the image of that cursed party at the King's palace leapt into my mind.
I felt a knot in my stomach; I truly didn't want to go, and I didn't want to engage in those ridiculous rituals, but... there was no choice.
Escaping my fate and my family seemed impossible.
I exhaled in frustration and stood up heavily:
"Ah.. I must return; I am beyond exhausted."
I stepped out of the hall, the surrounding silence only increasing the noise of my thoughts. I walked submerged in a whirlpool of confusion, my eyes fixed on the ground in a dazed wandering.
Who the hell am I? This question gnaws at my mind whenever I am alone.
I know for a certainty that I am not just an ordinary werewolf; my speed, my endurance, and my senses that pick up the finest details... they all surpass even the abilities of my brother Jack in his role as "Alpha."
There is something else—a strange,
dormant energy flowing through my veins like volcanic lava waiting for the moment of explosion.
My features dissolved into a worried frown, and I placed my hand on my head, which felt ready to burst from the weight of questions that had no answers.
I entered the house with faint steps, gave a brief greeting that was no more than a tired hum, and went straight up the stairs to my room.
I wanted nothing but warm water to wash away this tension, and a bed to swallow my consciousness.
I wished from the bottom of my heart, as I closed my door, that those distorted nightmares would not visit me tonight.
Downstairs, a heavy silence reigned for a moment, broken by Mary's worried voice as she whispered to Jack:
"Will she be okay?"
The maternal features on her face betrayed a hidden dread, as if she realized her daughter carried a weight that even mountains could not bear.
Jack didn't look at her immediately; instead, his eyes remained fixed on the top of the stairs where Sira had disappeared.
He sighed deeply, trying to paint a look of reassurance on his handsome face despite the conflict raging within him:
"Don't worry, Mother... she will be fine."
He said it with his tongue, but his wandering gaze and clenched fist betrayed the truth of what he felt; he hoped, with every fiber of his being, that this storm would pass in peace.
"Sira.. Siraaaaaaaa!"
This human cricket pierced the rare moments of peace in my life, shattering the cocoon of sleep I was sheltering in.
I felt a throb in my temples and tossed under my covers in intense annoyance, muttering bitterly:
"Oh, damn it... can't I sleep in peace?"
I didn't bother opening my eyes, but instead threw the word:
"What?"
into the void with a sharp tone, waiting for the reply—or rather, the next shouting fit—from this madwoman who knows no meaning of tranquility.
"Come on, wake up! How long do you plan to sleep? It's already the middle of the day!"
I snapped my eyes open, my pupils dilating in slight shock. Had I really slept all that time?
I found Zoe standing over me, but her agitated features faded for a second as she stepped back slightly, eyeing me with a scrutinizing look of concern.
She said in a low voice:
"Are you okay? You look exhausted."
I tried to put on a natural face despite the dizziness that hit me, and said as I pushed aside the covers and headed toward the bathroom with heavy steps:
"I'm fine.. fine, don't worry about me.. what is the reason for this visit?"
Zoe let out a desperate sigh and slapped her hands together:
"Don't tell me you forgot! Oh, mercy.. where is your mind, girl?"
I stopped in my tracks and turned to her coldly:
"Forgot what?"
Her features suddenly went still, and shock occupied her beautiful face before she said with an eerie calmness:
"The party, Sira.. the party!"
"Oh.."
I felt my heart drop into my stomach.
I had completely forgotten it amidst the wreckage of my nightmares.
Damn it, this is exactly why I hate parties and their never-ending whirlpools.
Later, I was sitting at the breakfast table, picking at my food out of boredom while my ears were subjected to a concentrated bombardment of Zoe's endless chatter about dresses, hairstyles, and types of makeup.
Is it possible she doesn't get tired? I felt real pressure behind my eyes, so I raised my hand to rub my temple and said sharply:
"Can you please be quiet for a moment? I swear my head is going to explode!"
She went silent for a second, so I seized the quiet to escape the heaviness of the place.
I looked around, surprised by the silence enveloping the house:
"Where is everyone?"
"At the Pack House.. there's a meeting regarding the trainers,"
she answered simply.
I bolted upright as if struck by lightning.
"What? And why did no one tell me?"
I jumped to get ready with the speed of lightning, trying to open the mind-link with my brother, but it was firmly shut, which increased my tension.
I left the house using the strength and speed of my wolf.
I felt the energy flowing through my veins like an electric current, navigating through the crowds with extreme flexibility and high professionalism, as if in a real battle against time.
I finally reached the door of my brother's office, panting with my chest rising and falling violently.
I opened the door and entered with a straight posture, giving a formal salute with frozen features, intentionally trying to annoy my brother Jack:
"Sorry for the delay... Alpha."
Jack shot me an annoyed look at my provocative formal manner, but he didn't comment. Instead, he continued the meeting seriously:
"No matter, you've come at the right time."
Then he continued, pointing at the schedules:
"The training schedule has been adjusted
and intensified. Karl will handle the High Rank, Os the Intermediate, and as for you, Sira... you will handle the group that is about to shift."
My face brightened slightly, and a confident smile drew across my face.
This was good; I loved dealing with teenagers.
And while I enjoyed easing their difficult moments of shifting, I couldn't deny the pleasure of crushing the ego of the boys among them, those who thought being male gave them an advantage over me.
I remembered their faces when I'd knock them to the ground with a single blow, and I felt a secret internal satisfaction... for breaking their ego was my favorite kind of training.