Shifting Shadows

Chapter4

"Woah!"

"Yessssss!"

"We're here!"

Shouted my packmates. So one by one, we all got off. As I stepped down from the bus, the surroundings were vast, with mostly flat land visible in the distance.

There was a long fence made of metal at the gate. We entered through the metal gate and saw many teenagers talking, some sitting, and some running around.

We entered excitedly. There were tents lined up as soon as we entered the gate made of metal. The battlefield was so vast, and there were so many youth.

"Wow, there are so many handsome guys," my female packmates joyfully exclaimed.

"Are you the youth from the Sirenmoon pack?" asked the woman, and we nodded. "Who is the alpha son among you?" she asked again.

"It's me," Freen said.

"Just you?" the woman asked.

"I'm the only child," Freen replied.

"Okay, follow me, I will show you to your tent, but the alpha son's tent is different," said the woman.

We all followed and arrived at the tent. The tents were almost the same size, large enough to accommodate about 20 people.

The woman faced us.

"I am Shia, your leader. I will assist you for now. I know you are tired, so rest here in the tent. We have 50 tents for all packs, and your tent is number 31, which means it's for the Sirenmoon pack. The tent number is not based on hierarchy but given to avoid confusion due to the many tents," she said before leaving.

We entered the tent, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. There were bedsheets laid out. Each of us chose where to sleep.

I settled at the end and lay down. I woke up, and it was already night.

Three packmates were sleeping, so I just stood up and went out of the tent.

I saw the large number 31 written on the tent.

I wonder where my companions are...

I stopped when I bumped into someone.

"Sorry," I said.

"It's okay," he replied, which surprised me. When I looked back, they were gone.

That voice...

The voice I heard when I fell off the cliff... The scent of roses. Was it him?

I quickly ran to look for him but couldn't find him.

I held my heart. I felt the pain I felt as a child when I was in the clinic in the pack. It was the same feeling I had when I first saw Freen coming from America.

I quickly went back inside the tent and rummaged through my bag for medicine and took it.

I felt a bit better.

Why did that feeling suddenly come back?

I went out of the tent and walked around. I encountered many youth.

Until I walked out of the tents and saw the bright surroundings, even though it was night. But because of the large flashlights or standlights.

With so many young people around, I couldn't find my packmates.

I just walked around until I bumped into someone. I immediately apologized, but they looked me up and down. I felt embarrassed, especially with their friends looking at me.

"Oh, you're apologizing? Well, I accept your apology, but why did you join with that fat body of yours? You will have a hard time keeping up with us!" the woman said, and they laughed.

Their laughter caught the attention of the youth nearby. Not wanting to be embarrassed, I bravely spoke up.

"So what if I'm fat, what's it to you?" I retorted.

"Oh, nothing, but my advice is that you'll have a hard time training because of your weight," she said, and they all laughed.

I felt my vision blur from the laughter around me.

My heart ached so much, and I felt like crying.

"Miss Mariah, stop what you're saying," a man approaching us said.

I was surprised because the voice was the same as the one from the beach that I was looking for earlier.

I could smell roses.

So I quickly turned to look at him and was shocked because he was incredibly handsome.

His face was perfect.

His eyes were sharp and slanted with blue eyes, pointed nose, thin and red lips, fair skin.

All the women were staring at him, even Mariah, who had scolded me earlier.

"How did you know my name?" Mariah asked.

"I just do," he said, and I could smell the scent of roses. He looked at me. "I'm Finn, one of your instructors," he said, looking at me. "Are you okay?" he asked, and I nodded. He looked around and at Mariah. "If you bully again using hurtful words, I will not tolerate it," Finn said to Mariah.

Finn approached me, and my eyes widened.

"Follow me," he said to me, with his face very close to mine, and I could smell the scent of roses.

He moved away and walked ahead. I could see the girls looking at me, so I glared at them.

I followed Finn, and we walked a long distance until we stopped at some benches, and he sat down.

I thought all the young people were looking at me earlier, but there were many hanging out in the distance. Like here, there were young people sitting on the benches, some far away, some running around, and some forming circles while sitting.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Have we met before, Finn?" I asked.

He looked at me meaningfully and then looked away.

"Maybe," he said.

"Because your voice sounds familiar," i said but he cut me off.

"Don't ask anything because I'm tired," Finn said.

I just nodded.

"I grant wishes. The first wish has no cost, but the second wish has a price. Do you have a wish?" Finn asked me.

I was surprised.

"It can be fulfilled instantly?" I asked.

He smiled and said,

"Yes," he said.

I just smiled and shook my head.

"I don't have a wish," I said.

"You don't have a wish? Why?" he asked.

I just shook my head.

"As long as I find my mate, I know he will love me," I said, and I saw a flicker of pain in Finn's eyes, but it quickly disappeared.

"How can you be sure?" he asked, smiling at me.

"Because I'm still a virgin," I said