THE GIRL THE PACK PRETENDED NOT TO SEEK

The dogs wouldn’t stop barking—not until she crossed into the courtyard. It wasn’t like their usual racket. This was something else: shaper, desperate, like they were warning about something no one else could see. Their claws scraped stone, their bodies strained against chains, all wild eyes and teeth. Then Vaelyra stepped through the gate. And everything just—cut out. Not faded. Not turned down. Gone. The silence felt heavy, so sudden it might as well have knocked the air out of her lungs. Vaelyra hesitated. Was she imagining things? Maybe the barking was never that loud. Maybe that crawling sensation under her skin was just her mind playing tricks. Wouldn’t be the first time. She shifted the basket in her arms and headed down the path. Her footsteps almost swallowed by the quiet. No one called out to her. Not that anyone ever did. That part was normal. Over by the training yard, some of the young wolves were sparring—rowdy and half-laughing, pushing each other, limbs flashing. Alive in a way she never tried to be. Vaelyra kept her eyes low and walked past. Easier to stay unseen. She’d always found it easier. But today, something felt off. Not out there. Inside. A prickling awareness—like standing too close to something dense and invisible, buzzing just out of sight. She tried to ignore it. She always tried. The pack house doors were open up ahead, voices tumbling out to meet her—lively, but not for her. “—Aelira’s control is improving faster than expected.” “Of course it is. She was born for this.” A pause. Then a quieter voice, almost as if it was an afterthought— “And the other one?” A quiet scoff. “There’s nothing to discuss.” Vaelyra kept moving. Didn’t look up. Didn't react. She didn’t feel a thing. Just walked past the doorway, head turned away. That was normal, too. Inside, everything was warmer—rich with the smells of firewood and food. People shuffled past, bumping into her shoulder, never pausing, never noticing. Their conversations moved around her, as if she wasn’t even there. She set her basket down at the kitchen entrance and started to turn away. “Vaelyra.” She froze. Not at the sound of her name—but that anyone actually said it. She turned, slow. Only one of the servants. Distracted, half-turned away already. “Leave that there,” the woman said, waving vaguely. “And don’t forget the back corridor this time.” Vaelyra nodded. Of course. The woman was gone before she could reply. No one ever waited on her answer. Vaelyra grabbed a cloth and headed for the corridor, already fading back into the edges. She knew how to make herself small. Invisible. Safe. Out of sight. — When she came back outside, the energy in the air had shifted again. Most of the training had stopped—not everyone, but enough that things felt different. Tighter. More on edge. Vaelyra paused on the courtyard’s edge. Something was wrong. Really wrong. That same weird pressure, heavier now, crept under her skin. Like something was waiting to break through. She gripped the cloth in her hand. Not now. Don’t think about it. Just walk. She took a step. A young wolf—one of the new ones—was joking with his friends as he spun toward her, not really watching where he was going. He was on a collision course for her— She didn’t get a chance to move. He should’ve crashed right into her. But his body jerked to a halt. No pause, no stumbling—just frozen, right in the middle of a laugh. His smile twisted. His eyes snapped onto her. Not angry. Not annoyed. Scared. Something raw and ancient, in someone who should never fear her. Vaelyra edged back. “I didn’t—” He recoiled like she’d slapped him. Honestly flinched. The courtyard fell so quiet she could hear every shift. Every breath. People weren’t ignoring her now. They were all watching. Vaelyra’s chest went tight. This isn’t how it’s supposed to go. A sharp voice cut through the tension: “You need to watch where you’re going.” Aelira. Of course it was. She strode over, soaking up everyone’s attention, the lot of them straightening just because she looked their way. Always the one in command, so sure of herself. The opposite of Vaelyra. The young wolf straightened too, forcing his embarrassment into place, eyes dropping to the ground—except for a quick, uncertain glance back at Vaelyra. Aelira didn’t bother to look at her. “Always in the way,” she said. Like that explained everything. Some people laughed, and the world rushed to fill itself back in. Vaelyra dropped her gaze. Back to normal. She turned away. That was it. It always was. — But lingering at the edge of the training grounds, the pressure clamped tighter. It was almost physical now—like invisible hands pushing down. Far off, the dogs started whining. Low at first. Then louder. Restless. Uneasy. Vaelyra slowed her steps. Not now. Please, not now. She didn’t look back. Didn’t want to see if anyone else felt it. Didn’t want to know if this was all in her head. Her hands curled into fists. It’s not you. It’s never you. Keep walking. But it didn’t let go. The pressure didn’t ease. If anything, it pressed in harder, like the world was waiting for something. And then— All sound disappeared. Even the air stilled. Vaelyra’s heart stumbled. She turned, every motion heavy. The entire courtyard stared at her. None of the usual mockery or indifference—just uneasy, confused faces. Not like they hated her. Like they didn’t know what she was. Her breath stuck in her chest. No… No, this isn’t happening. She hadn’t done anything. She never did anything. One of the elders stepped forward. Old, sharp-eyed, always studying, always quiet. He fixed his gaze on her. Not angry. But he knew. The recognition felt ancient. Vaelyra backed up a step. “I didn’t—” The words died. Because deep down, something inside her—quiet, buried—wasn’t arguing. The old man spoke then, voice so soft it barely touched the air. But everyone heard. “It’s starting again…”