10
1620 Words
Chapter Ten
We had set off early in the morning. I hadn't gotten much sleep. Between it being the first time I had spent the night with my mates and the now always looming threat of attack, I just couldn’t get my mind to stop racing. Flint had insisted on carrying my bag and the further we walked away from our pack, the more I began to think that I hadn’t packed enough for our excursion.
A camp came into view as the trees parted, revealing a collection of makeshift huts and glowing torches scattered across a wide clearing. Wolves of all shapes and sizes moved about, their eyes glinting with curiosity and suspicion as they noticed us approach. They didn’t seem to think we were a threat though as they didn’t move to attack us.
“This should be the nomadic pack.” Flint said, his tone skeptical. “Looks cozy.”
“Stay on your best behavior,” Orion said, his voice sharp. “These wolves may seem like they trust outsiders, but we can never be too safe.”
“Relax, Orion,” Flint muttered, flashing a grin. “My charm is my best quality.”
“Charming isn’t going to cut it,” Evan said, stepping ahead to lead us toward the largest hut. His steady presence helped calm the growing tension in my chest.
As we entered the camp, an elderly woman with striking dark hair and a commanding presence emerged from the central hut. Her piercing gaze swept over us, lingering on me. She wore a long, flowing robe embroidered with symbols I didn’t recognize, and a carved wooden staff rested in her hand.
“You’ve brought her,” she said, her voice deep and reverberating with authority. “The Flame-Bound.”
I stiffened. The title hung heavy in the air, and I felt the triplets tense beside me.
Did everyone know things about me?
“I’m Millicent,” I said cautiously, stepping forward. “We’re here for answers.”
The older lady tilted her head, her eyes narrowing as if she were appraising me. “And answers you shall have. But knowledge comes at a price.”
Price? This reminded me of what the Seer had said “answers often come at a cost.” I don’t believe she had charged me but maybe she would do so in future.
“What kind of price?” Orion demanded, his posture rigid.
The lady’s gaze shifted to him, unbothered by his challenge. “My people are under threat. Rogues have been encroaching on our territory, testing our defenses. Help us fend off their next attack, and I will tell you what you need to know.”
Orion opened his mouth to protest, but I raised a hand. “We’ll do it.”
The lady’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Good. Then come. There is a lot to prepare.”
***
That evening, the lady, Tala, as she had asked me to call her, led me to a secluded area of the camp. A fire crackled in the center, its flames dancing unnaturally high. The triplets lingered nearby, keeping a distance but still being protective. I knew they would get to me quickly if I needed them to.
“They are your shadows indeed. Never too far away.” Tala said. I could hear the smile in her voice. “They should know though that there are parts of this journey that you will need to carry out by yourself.”
“How do you know so much?” I asked.
“You and I are a lot alike.” She said, I furrowed my eyebrows in a silent question, which she caught as she answered. “I was once flame-bound as well, but I gave up my powers.”
“What? Why? How?”
“I was once faced with a decision. Save the one I love and do away with a huge chunk of my life or keep my powers and lose my one love forever.”
A million questions swirled in my mind so I couldn't even pick one to ask before Tala changed the topic.
Tala gestured for me to step into a fire pit that looked like it hadn't been used in days. It was just surrounded by one row of bricks.
“Your power is tied to the flame, but it is raw and untrained. To control it, you must first understand it.”
I hesitated but sat, the warmth of the fire l*****g at my skin. “How do I do that?”
“Focus,” Tala said, her voice low and commanding. “Feel the fire within you. It is not separate—it is a part of you.”
I closed my eyes, reaching for the spark inside me. It flickered faintly at first, like a candle in the wind, but as I concentrated, it grew stronger. Heat surged through my veins, and I gasped as the firepit sparked to life, the flames l*****g at my feet.
“Good,” Tala murmured. “But control it. If you let it consume you, it will destroy everything around you.”
The flames wavered and grew. I struggled to rein them in. Suddenly, Flint’s voice broke through my focus.
“You’ve got this, Plum,” he said, his tone unusually serious. “Breathe.”
I took a shaky breath, centering myself. Slowly, the flames settled, shrinking back to a manageable size.
Tala nodded approvingly. “You have potential, but there is much work to be done.”
***
My eyes flung open as I felt Flint reach for my hand. I was quickly learning that touch was his love language. Anytime I was within arms reach of him, he had to have a hold of me.
I took a deep breath and let the mate bond flow where me and Flint made contact. Who would have thought that the same person who had tormented me would bring my wolf the most calm?
I felt Flint move closer and decided that I had enough cuddle time with him. I didn’t trust my wolf to hold back with him so close. I let go of his hand moved to crawl out of the tent that Tala had arranged for the triplets and I to share. Evan was at the far corner while Orion slept closer to the entrance as he had decided to play guard. I carefully crawled over him, making sure to make the least possible noise. I didn’t think that they had gotten much rest the past 2 nights. I would let them sleep as much as they needed to.
I made it successfully out of the tent and stretched deeply hearing my joints pop. I took a deep breath, letting the fresh forest scent waft into my nostrils before I caught it. A stench so putrid it could only be one thing.
Rogues.
As soon as I made eye contact with the first one of them, howls pierced the quiet of the night, and chaos erupted as the rogues poured into the camp, teeth bared and claws ready. Tala’s warriors sprang into action, but it was clear they were outnumbered.
“Stay close to Millicent!” Orion barked as the triplets shifted into their wolves, their powerful forms charging into the fray.
I hesitated for only a moment before letting my wolf take over. My vision sharpened, and the fire inside me roared to life.
A rogue lunged at me, its eyes gleaming with malice. Without thinking, I raised my hands, and flames shot forth, driving it back with a yelp. The fire spread around me, creating a protective barrier.
But it didn’t stop there.
The flames grew wild, l*****g at everything in their path. Panic clawed at me as I realized I couldn’t control them.
“Milli!” Evan’s voice cut through the chaos. He appeared beside me, his wolf form shielding me from an approaching rogue. “Focus! You’re stronger than this!”
I closed my eyes, reaching deep within myself. The fire was wild, but it was mine. Slowly, I pulled it back, extinguishing the out-of-control flames.
When I opened my eyes, the rogues were retreating, their howls fading into the distance.
***
After the battle, Tala approached me, her expression grave. I had lost control and harmed some of her pack members. No one was critically injured but I still felt bad that they had gotten hurt because of me.
"I'm sorry. I lost control." I said as soon as she was close enough.
“You are powerful, but you are not ready. The rogue leader will exploit that weakness if you let him.” Tala said shaking her head.
“What does he want with me?” I asked, my voice shaking.
“He seeks to use your power to cement his own,” Tala said. “He had been testing us for almost a month now, sending rogues to scare us into joining his cause. He wants numbers so he can conquer more wolves and take over more packland.”
“How could he know about me when even I didn’t know that I was elemental wolf last week.?”
Tala looked away as if trying to gather her thoughts. “He has ties to your past, Millicent. Maybe he knows your parents. Elemental powers can be passed down, so maybe he knows your parents.”
“We’ll figure it out,” Orion said firmly. He and his brothers stood behind me. “Together.”
I nodded, determination hardening within me. The fire inside me burned brighter than ever. I wasn’t afraid of it.
I wanted to tame it.
- Writer
