THE UNTAMED

THE VISION AND THE STRANGER

"Are you going to sleep?"

"Hmm" I murmured. Before sleep claimed me. The bed rock, then she sits on the bed next to me.

"I think, I should tell you now what I did before." she said.

"What is it?" I asked while my eyes were still closed, but I'm still listening to her.

"I remembered the pink dress you gave me for my 13th birthday. As I folded it to place in my box, I thought of you. Then it felt like a dream.. I saw a light descending, Auntie Solidad was driving, Uncle Mike beside her, and you holding an open pocketbook, reading. The vision stopped, when Mom called me from downstairs.

Tagi explained.

"Do you think your ability is to see the future?" I said.

"I don't think so.. but I'm afraid." She said.

"Same as you. I'm afraid for all of this things. One thing I always think of, is maybe this is just a gift from the creator." I said.

My drowsiness disappeared and I got up and sat next to her "Try me, hold my hands, and let me know if you see my future with Alpha Marvin."

I am hoping that she will try to figure it out. I really want to explain to myself my possessiveness toward Marvin and my future family.

"Ok, but I am not so sure about this. What ever I see in the future, much better if you don't believe me. Because I have no proof" she reminded me, then I nod.

I placed my hand in hers. Tagi closed her eyes, and I found myself waiting patiently for her to speak again.

As I waited, It felt like an eternity.

Almost half an hour, before she finally broke the silence " Abby Jezz,!"

"What? What did you see?" I was shocked when she was finally done. I felt full of excitement.

"You will get married to Alpha Marvin and you will give birth for a beautiful daughter."

"Really?" I replied in shock. My body's vitality suddenly returned. As if I were lying in a garden of roses with Alpha Marvin.

"But I want to ask. What if Alpha Marvin and your daughter's are both on the verge of death? Who will you choose to save?"

She asked me without hesitation and with sadness on her face. Why? did she really see this in the future?

"Are you kidding me? I was not expecting this! Why do you tell me we have a happy ending? but now you ask me that terrible question?!"

"My vision is just a dream or something.. I don't know. I am just seeing things in advance for the future. But it doesn't make sense. There's no proof for that. Don't mind it. Anyway, we have an early class tomorrow. It's better to forget what I told you now. Ok?" She explained.

Then she turns off the light and lies down next to me. I don't know if she was going to sleep, but I am not. The vision she said that Mom was driving with Dad on the right side and the pocket novel I was reading are true. Her vision is true. But how about Marvin and I? Our future daughter? How are we able to pass this challenge? More questions come to mind. I need to calm myself first, but how?

Should I need to tell Marvin?

Since I couldn't sleep while thinking. I slipped out of bed and left the room, careful not to make a sound. The hallway was dim, shadows stretching along the walls like watching eyes.

I went to the kitchen, poured myself a glass of cold water, and drank it slowly. The chill did nothing to calm the fire twisting inside my chest. So I stepped outside instead.

The night air wrapped around me. I inhaled deeply, in twice, letting my senses stretch outward. I smelled everything, the soil, the grass, the faint trace of metal from the road.

Instinctively, I searched for Marvin’s scent, half-expecting him to appear from the darkness as he always did.

But there was nothing.

No familiar warmth. No comforting presence. He wasn’t here.

A quiet disappointment settled in me. He must have been busy, probably preparing for tomorrow’s class. I told myself that was fine, that I didn’t need him hovering over me every second.

I started walking along the road, my bare footsteps soft against the ground. I didn’t realize, didn’t even sense that Tagi had followed me until it was too late.

Something ahead caught my attention.

A shape in the shadow, no movement just standing still. I slowed, my heart beginning to pound as I moved closer. Then it hit me.

The sharp smell. it's like rotten living. My breath caught in my throat.

I knew that scent. I had memorized it, burned it into my mind, because it was the same horrible stranger I had smelled the night before.

“Jezz—stop!”

Tagi’s voice exploded behind me.

I spun around in shock, my pulse racing. She stood there, pale and tense, her eyes wide with fear.

Before I could ask what was wrong, I heard it.

Footsteps. No, it's running.

Something massive charged toward us from the darkness. The ground trembled under its weight.

“Tagi, run!” I shouted.

It lunged.

I barely managed to throw myself aside as the force slammed into us. The impact sent Tagi flying across the road. She hit the ground hard and vomited instantly, her body folding in on itself from the pain.

I wasn’t spared.

My foot slipped. I crashed into the yard beside the road, my elbow scraping against stone. Pain exploded through my body as I rolled, tearing through grass and dirt. I heard the sickening sound of wood and stone breaking, the yard destroyed by the sheer violence of the fall.

Groaning, I pushed myself up. That’s when I saw it.

A brown wolf stood in front of us.

Huge. Almost unreal animal.

Its yellow eyes pierced through the darkness. It was almost the same size as Marvin in his transformed state, with broad shoulders and powerful limbs, every bit of it designed for destruction.

The wolf turned to face me completely. Its lips pulled back, showcasing long, drool-covered fangs. Saliva dripped from its mouth as it let out a low growl, a sound that resonated deep within my bones. It wasn’t just angry; it was downright hungry.

“I won’t let you hurt one of us,” I said.

The words surprised even me. Electricity surged through my veins, lighting every nerve in my body on fire. Fear was there, but it was drowned beneath something stronger. Rage. Confidence that didn’t feel human.

My pulse thundered as if my body were preparing for war. I clenched my right hand, stretching my arm out as my fingers curled into a fist. Power gathered there too much power. I felt like I might explode if I didn’t release it.

The wolf attacked.

It lunged at me, with its wide open jaws, and claws slicing through the air. Instead of retreating, or calling for help, I stepped forward, planting my left foot and leaping at the same time.

We collided in midair.

I swung.

Everything I had every drop of strength, anger, instinct, poured into that single punch. My fist connected with the left side of its head. The impact echoed like thunder. Then the wolf was thrown violently back to the ground, with a heavy thud. Dust and debris filled the air where it landed.

For a moment, there was nothing but silence.

Now I'm standing with my trembling hand, asking myself, What… did I just do?

The wolf whimpered, panting heavily, struggling to rise. Its body shook, unable to stand immediately.

I walked closer to check it, while my heartbeat still roaring.

“Besh?!” Tagi called. She ran toward me, clutching her side, with shock and pain clearly visible on her face.

The stranger wolf’s form twisted and shifted, bones cracking, fur retreating into human skin. Minutes felt like hours as it changed back into human form. When it was done, a man stood before us. Tall and handsome, Long black hair fell around his shoulders. His muscular body bore the marks of battle and strength. He hastily covered himself with a large leaf, his sharp eyes locking onto mine.

“Tell me,” I demanded. "Who are you? and why did you attack me?”

“Because of your father,” he said. “He hit my brother.”

My chest tightened. “What did he do? and what happened to your brother?”

"He simply hit my brother with a car,” the man answered grimly.

“The doctor said a bone in his left leg was broken. Until now, he struggles, even with transformation.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, forcing myself to stay calm. “If my father did that, then I would ask forgiveness. But it must have been an accident. I know him, he’s careful on the road.”

Tagi stepped forward despite her pain. “We believe you. Still, we ask forgiveness for any negligence. Now that we understand your anger… what do you want? For peace...”

The man has been staring at us for a long moment. Before he finally said, "I won’t kill you like the others did”

"Then... how can I help you?" I asked.

"I am not here for your help. I am here for your family's debt." he clarify.

"Let me handle this. Just don't bring my parents on this situation. I can do whatever you are asking for. Just, don't tell or even hurt them.. ." I said as I'm trying to explained

"Now your begging for their life..." he said and let a little laughed.

"Please..."

“There is one young female in our pack. Then, I'm recruiting both of you to join us. You will serve according to our customs and our way of life" he said.

My heart sank. I know that my place was with Southern pack. But for my step father? I would accept what he offered just to get this being done.

“You have a ONE WEEK, for you to decide.”

After hearing that from him, I suddenly felt my knees go weak, almost giving out on me. "Fine. Just don’t touch my family.”

“I’ll return next day" he said.

After that, he stepped back, turned, and ran. Halfway down the road, his body shifted again, fur bursting from skin as he transformed mid-stride. In seconds, the brown wolf disappeared into the darkness.

"Trust me. You'll getting yourself into danger!" Tagi said.

“He’s been watching me all the time. He comes around here sometimes.” I said.

Her eyes widened. “How, how did you know that's it's him?"

"His scent. I knew it. He is the one" I said.

Then I looked down at my shaking hand. “Do you think I’m a monster? I don’t even recognize myself. I knocked him down with one punch?"

Tagi smiled gently, despite the pain and danger. “It’s a gift. We may not be pure humans… but I believe our creator has a reason.”

I sighed.