Episode 7 – The Awakening Begins
1598 Words
Alyssa’s breath came in shallow gasps as the forest around her pulsed with unseen energy. She was different now. She could feel it. Her body had awakened to something ancient, something buried deep within her blood.
Kade remained close, his gaze never leaving hers. He was watching her—assessing, searching for signs of fear. But she had none. The fear had burned away the moment her power surfaced.
Lucian stretched, rolling his shoulders. “Well, princess, you’ve got potential. But potential means nothing without discipline.”
Alyssa narrowed her glowing eyes. “Then train me.”
Lucian let out a sharp laugh. “That’s cute. You think it’s that easy?”
“I don’t care if it’s easy,” she said firmly. “I want to know what I am.”
Kade stepped in before Lucian could respond. “It’s not just about training, Alyssa. The pack won’t just accept you. You’re an outsider. You don’t even know the laws you’re bound by yet.”
Alyssa crossed her arms. “Then teach me the laws.”
Lucian’s smirk widened. “Oh, you really don’t know what you’re asking for.”
Alyssa held his gaze. “Then show me.”
The amusement in Lucian’s expression faded. He studied her for a long moment before turning to Kade. “You’re serious about her?”
Kade’s jaw tightened. “More than you know.”
Lucian exhaled, shaking his head. “Alright then. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Before Alyssa could question him, he turned toward the dense forest. “Let’s go. Your real initiation starts now.”
They moved deeper into the woods, where the moon barely reached through the thick canopy. Every sound was amplified—the rustling leaves, the distant howls, the rhythmic pounding of her own heart.
Lucian stopped in a clearing, motioning for Alyssa to stand in the center. Kade stayed close, his protective stance making it clear that he didn’t fully trust what was coming next.
Lucian paced around her, his expression unreadable. “There’s a reason why our kind doesn’t just accept outsiders, Alyssa. Power alone isn’t enough. You have to earn your place.”
Alyssa kept her chin high. “And how do I do that?”
Lucian’s lips curled into a slow, predatory grin. “By surviving.”
Before she could react, the ground trembled beneath her feet. A deep, guttural growl echoed through the darkness, sending a chill down her spine.
Something was coming.
Alyssa turned, her instincts sharpening as glowing red eyes appeared in the shadows. The scent of blood and earth filled the air, thick and suffocating.
Kade swore under his breath. “Lucian, what the hell did you do?”
Lucian simply smirked. “She wanted to learn, didn’t she?”
From the darkness, a monstrous figure emerged—massive, hulking, its fangs dripping with saliva. Its fur was matted with dried blood, and its eyes locked onto Alyssa with unrestrained hunger.
A rogue wolf.
Alyssa’s stomach twisted. This wasn’t training.
This was a death sentence.
Alyssa’s heart pounded as she stared at the monstrous creature before her. Its breath was hot, heavy, and filled with the scent of decay. A low, guttural growl rumbled from its throat, a sound that sent every instinct in her body screaming at her to run.
But she didn’t move.
This was it. Her test. Her trial.
She clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms. The energy she had felt before—the raw, untamed power that had surged through her—was still there, coiling inside her like a living thing, waiting to be unleashed.
Kade was at her side in an instant, his body tense and ready to defend her. “Lucian, call it off,” he growled, his voice sharp with fury. “She’s not ready for this.”
Lucian crossed his arms, watching with amusement. “You’re wrong,” he said lazily. “She’ll never be ready unless she faces it head-on.”
Alyssa barely heard them. Her entire focus was on the beast in front of her. It was watching her too, its red eyes gleaming in the darkness. There was no hesitation in its stance—only hunger.
She had seconds to react.
The rogue lunged.
Alyssa’s body moved before her mind could even process what was happening. She spun out of the way, her reflexes faster than she ever thought possible. The rogue’s claws barely missed her, slicing through the air where she had stood just moments before.
She landed in a crouch, her breath coming fast.
I’m faster than I should be.
The rogue snarled and charged again. This time, she didn’t dodge. Instead, she planted her feet and braced for impact.
Pain exploded through her body as the beast’s shoulder slammed into her, sending her crashing into the dirt. The air was knocked from her lungs, but she forced herself to roll away before the creature’s claws could rip into her.
She scrambled to her feet, her vision blurring for a second before sharpening again. Something was changing inside her. She could feel it.
Kade stepped forward, but Alyssa threw out a hand, stopping him. “No,” she rasped. “I can do this.”
Lucian let out a low chuckle. “Now that’s the spirit.”
The rogue circled her now, slower, more cautious. It had expected her to be an easy kill. Now, it was reassessing.
Alyssa’s fingers twitched, and for the first time, she truly called to the power inside her. It answered instantly. Heat flooded her veins, and the air around her seemed to hum.
Then, just as the rogue lunged a third time, she moved.
She was fast.
Too fast for the rogue to track.
One second, she was in front of it. The next, she was behind it.
The creature skidded to a halt, confusion flashing in its blood-red eyes.
Alyssa didn’t give it a chance to recover.
She surged forward, slamming her palm against its chest. The impact sent it flying backward, crashing through the underbrush.
Silence fell.
Lucian’s eyes widened slightly, his usual smirk faltering. “Well, damn.”
Kade was breathing hard beside her. “Alyssa… what the hell was that?”
Alyssa looked down at her own hands. They were trembling, but not from fear.
From power.
“I don’t know,” she admitted, voice barely above a whisper.
The rogue let out a low whimper, struggling to rise. It wasn’t dead, but it was defeated. It slunk back into the shadows, knowing it had lost.
Lucian strode toward her, tilting his head. “You’re interesting, princess. I’ll give you that.”
Alyssa turned to him, her eyes still glowing faintly. “I don’t care about being interesting,” she said. “I want answers.”
Lucian grinned. “Then you’re asking the right questions.”
Back at the safehouse, Alyssa sat in front of the fireplace, the warmth doing little to soothe the storm raging inside her.
She had felt it. The raw energy, the way her body had moved with an instinct that wasn’t entirely her own.
What was she?
Kade stood across the room, arms crossed, watching her carefully. “You shouldn’t have been able to do that,” he said. “Not without training.”
Lucian leaned against the wall, clearly amused. “Unless, of course, she’s something more.”
Alyssa met his gaze. “Stop speaking in riddles and tell me.”
Lucian sighed dramatically. “Fine, fine. Since you asked so nicely.” He pushed off the wall and walked toward her. “You ever wonder why you were adopted into such a powerful family? Why someone like you—a girl with no known bloodline—was taken in by the Crosses?”
Alyssa’s stomach twisted. “What are you saying?”
Lucian’s golden eyes gleamed. “You’re not just some orphan, sweetheart. You were placed there for a reason.”
Alyssa felt her breath hitch. “Placed?”
Kade’s expression darkened. “Lucian, don’t—”
Lucian ignored him. “You were hidden,” he said, his voice low and knowing. “Your real family? They weren’t just anyone, Alyssa. They were royalty.”
The room tilted.
“No,” she whispered. “That’s not possible.”
Lucian smirked. “Oh, but it is. Your blood isn’t human, Alyssa. It’s alpha blood—pure, powerful, and dangerous.” He leaned in slightly. “And the real reason you were hidden? Because the people who killed your family didn’t want you to rise.”
The world around her blurred.
Alyssa gripped the arms of her chair, her nails digging into the fabric. She could barely breathe.
Her entire life had been a lie.
Her identity. Her past. Everything.
Kade knelt beside her, his eyes full of quiet intensity. “Alyssa… look at me.”
She forced herself to meet his gaze.
“You’re not alone,” he said. “No matter what happens next, you’re not alone.”
She swallowed hard, her chest tightening.
Lucian straightened, stretching. “Well, now that we’ve dropped that bombshell, I’d say it’s time we prepare.”
Alyssa forced herself to focus. “Prepare for what?”
Lucian’s smirk faded.
“For war.”
A heavy silence fell over the room.
Alyssa’s heart pounded.
She had spent her whole life being told who she was. A girl of wealth. A privileged daughter. An outsider.
But none of that was true.
She wasn’t just anyone.
She was royalty.
And now… she was going to fight for it.
- Writer
