Shadow Of The Hunt

Chapter 4: YOU ARE MEANT FOR MORE

He arrived at his uncle's house, Ethan stormed inside, not bothering to knock. "Uncle Gabriel," he called out, his voice loud and insistent. "I need to talk to you."

Luckily, Ethan didn't have to search the whole house just to get Gabriel. He was in the living area, holding an opened book. His eyes were directly fixed on the book. Gabriel , looking up from the book he was reading, a look of surprise on his face. "Ethan, what's wrong?" he asked, setting the book aside.

"You know exactly what's wrong," Ethan said, his voice accusatory. "Why did you send me to that school? It's not a normal school, is it?"

Gabriel sighed, rubbing his temples. "Ethan, it's complicated," he said. "Just trust me, okay? It's for your own good."

Gabriel seemed to have been looking up to a day when Ethan will confront him. He didn't look surprised even if this was not how he planned the conversation to be.

But Ethan wasn't having it. He wasn't ready to go through another curious conversation with his own relative. The person who knew the reason he was sent to this place.

"Aria told me something," he said, his eyes narrowing. "She said I'm a wolf. What does that mean?"

Gabriel's expression changed, his eyes flashing with surprise. "Aria told you that?" he asked, his voice tight with tension.

Gabriel's expression moved, that had caught him off guard. He didn't expect Ethan to have known that he was a wolf.

“Wolves are not to be discovered by others. What forbidden thing have you done, little man?”

Gabriel was quite sure of what he meant.

Ethan furrowed his brow and then sneered, “I shouldn't have come to this city in the first place. Was my mother's death a part of the plan? How can I become a forbidden being that hunts people without knowing. I hate this new creature. I don't want it.”

Gabriel's expression was not what Ethan expected to see. He thought he would be angry at those harsh words he said,but all Gabriel did was to smile.

“You have to lose certain people who wouldn't help in order to become stronger and do what you were made for.”

But Ethan wasn't satisfied. He felt like his uncle was hiding something from him, something important. He stormed off to his room, slamming the door behind him.

Gabriel's words hit the wrong spot in Ethan's heart.

Hours passed, and Ethan lay in bed, unable to sleep. His mind was racing with questions, with doubts and fears. What did it mean to be a wolf? Why had his uncle sent him to that school?

Would he rule? Would he become fearless but fearful?

As he lay there, Ethan started to feel a strange sensation, like his senses were becoming sharper. He could hear the sound of his uncle's breathing in the other room, the creaks and groans of the house settling around him. He could even smell the scent of the trees outside, the earthy smell of the garden.

It was as if his senses had become heightened, and he could perceive the world around him in a way he never had before. Ethan's heart started to pound, his breath coming in short gasps. What was happening to him?

As he drifted off to sleep, Ethan's dreams were filled with strange sounds and sensations. He could hear the howling of wolves in the distance, the rustling of leaves and the snapping of twigs. He felt like he was running through the forest, his senses on high alert, his heart pounding in his chest.

Could that be what happened the day earlier?

When he woke up, Ethan was sweating, his heart still racing. He looked around the room, disoriented, trying to shake off the feeling of unease that lingered inside him. What had happened to him? Why had he had that strange dream?

As he sat up, Ethan realized that he was alone in his room, the house quiet around him. He looked at the clock, seeing that it was late at night. He lay back down, trying to calm his racing heart, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

Ethan returned to school that same night. It was when he was about to leave the house that he realized that he hadn't eaten the whole day. His stomach didn't grumble like it used to do on normal days, but he had to eat.

He ended up staying to eat a meal before returning to the school., his mind still reeling from the conversation with his uncle.

The days passed with Ethan struggling to focus on his studies. What seemed to be a normal school activity now turned into talks about those majestic creatures.

Aria was the only one who kept his company, his roommate stayed away from him as if he feared what Ethan had become.

Aria was always with him during lunch, talking to him about nothing in particular,just trying to keep his mind off things.

But whenever Aria was in contact with him, there were always hateful glances often from Darius.

One day, as they were walking through the school hallways, Aria turned to him and said, "Ethan, I think it's time we started your training."

"Training?" Ethan repeated, as trepidation washed over him. "What kind of training?"

"Werewolf training," Aria replied, her voice low and serious. "You need to learn how to control your powers, how to shift and hunt. It's not going to be easy, but I'm willing to help you."

Ethan had grown to understand that he was a werewolf and he shouldn't react to being called that even if it might feel somehow. He wondered why training hadn't begun yet,but he feared having to undergo the training.

The idea was both thrilling and terrifying.

"Okay," Ethan said finally, his voice firm. "I'm ready to start training."

Aria nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "Good," she said. "We'll start tomorrow, after school. Meet me at the old oak tree in the woods."

The wood? The same forbidden place?

The next day arrived just in the blink of an eye. Ethan met Aria at the old oak tree, his heart racing with anticipation. Aria was already there, her eyes gleaming in the fading light.

"Let's get started," she said, her voice crisp. "First, we need to work on your shifting. It's not going to be easy, but I think you have the potential to be a great werewolf."

Ethan nodded, feeling a sense of determination. He was ready to learn, to become the werewolf he was meant to be.

The training was intense, with Aria pushing Ethan to his limits. She had no pity on him throughout and they kept training everyday.She taught him how to shift, how to control his powers, and how to hunt. Ethan struggled at first, but he was determined to master his new abilities.

Ethan developed this ability to think of himself as something greater. He no longer feels weird. He discovered that throughout the training he never for once felt sick even if he was tired during the training.

The tiredness would end immediately when the training stops.

As the days turned into weeks, Ethan began to notice a change in himself. He was stronger, faster, and more agile. His senses were heightened, and he could smell and hear things that he never could before.

But with these new abilities came new challenges. Ethan struggled to control his temper, and he found himself lashing out at those around him. Aria was patient with him, but Ethan could sense her frustration.

How long can she be patient with him?