The Ride.
1295 Words
The drive took several hours.
The Academy was located in the middle of nowhere—far up north, where even in summer, snow sometimes danced through the air.
There was something about this desolate place that strangely pulled at me. Like a distant memory of home.
But home was supposed to feel warm. Here, all I could feel was cold and loneliness.
Most of the time, we drove in silence along a road that cut through the forest. Not that anyone was in the mood for chatting.
The instructions had been clear—deal with the problem and return. That was it.
I tried to calm my racing heart before another panic attack could creep in.
From the front seat, Eliah finally broke the silence.
“We should agree on how we’re going to handle this... Or don’t. Do whatever you want, as long as you don’t cause trouble. Leave the actual issue to us. I think we all want this over with as soon as possible. You get that, right?”
The tension in the car was unbearable.
I could feel Mira beside me simmering with anger.
Before she could explode, I spotted a small roadside diner up ahead.
“Hey, how about we stop for a bit? I need to stretch, and I’m stiff all over. If you don’t mind, maybe we could grab a coffee or even a bite to eat?”
“I’d go for some coffee,” Niran said from the front.
We pulled into the parking lot.
The diner looked like it had jumped straight out of a low-budget horror movie from the '90s.
It was the first sign of civilization we’d seen in hours. Nothing fancy—that was still at least another hour's drive away.
While Eliah and Niran went to refuel, I gently tugged Mira toward the restrooms.
Inside, a few people were seated at the tables, and a middle-aged waitress looked up with a bright smile that seemed far too enthusiastic for my taste—but it was her job, after all.
“Hi ladies! What can I get you?” she asked cheerfully.
“We’re just looking for the restrooms while our companions fuel up and order coffee. Would you mind pointing us in the right direction?” I replied with a polite smile.
“Oh honey, just back there—right around that corner,” she said.
Once we stepped into the restroom, I leaned closer to Mira and whispered,
“Listen… let them do whatever they want. Don’t let them get into your head. No one said we can’t observe. You know damn well that as trackers and scouts, we’re better than they’ll ever be.”
“I know,” Mira grumbled. “But I’m tired of their condescending crap. Every time we’ve had the chance, we’ve kicked their asses, and they still act like they’re the superior ones.”
“I know. You’re right. But you’re also smart enough to understand they can’t help it. They’re alphas and betas. It bruises their egos when someone proves them wrong—especially when someone beats them in a fight. And we both know exactly why we get under their skin so much."
Mira let out a frustrated sigh.
“Fine. We’ll stay out of their way. Pretend we don’t care... while watching everything and making our own conclusions.”
I smiled.
“Exactly. We’ll do what we do best—stay invisible, but deadly.”
“Bad b***h mood. I like it.”
We shared a conspiratorial grin.
“Come on, let’s grab that coffee. Hopefully, we can get this over with quickly.”
“Don’t worry. Everything’s going to be fine. And if not, we’ll just wipe them all out and run away together—Bonnie and Clyde style.”
“As a backup plan? Not the worst.”
“Don’t be nervous, Savanah. You’ll see—it’s all going to work out.”
“I’m really glad you’re coming with me,” I admitted. “I’ve been thinking... maybe it’s not such a good idea to stay at my parents’ place. Maybe it’s time I show them I don’t belong there anymore—that I belong with you. With our pack. Of course, I’ll explain it to them. I’m sure they’ll understand.”
I sighed wearily.
“It’s only for a few days, right?”
With coffee in hand, we got back into the car and continued the drive.
My thoughts were restless, spiraling into a thousand different versions of how this return might go.
None of them were good.
In one, the entire pack house exploded. In another, people cried and trembled just from looking at me. And all I had done was step out of the car.
God, I hope we get there soon—or I’m going to lose my mind.
With everything going on in my head, I hadn’t even noticed that the scenery around us had changed.
It felt familiar now.
In the distance, I heard the howling of the guards.
We were here.
I was here.
I can handle this.
I’ve survived worse.
......
We stopped in front of a massive iron gate. The metal stretched upward like creeping ivy anchored into stone pillars. I never quite understood why we even had gates when our territories didn’t have fences.
Three warriors surrounded the car—today’s patrol. Of course, it couldn’t be anyone else but my old tormentors, starring none other than Derek.
I took a deep breath.
Niran rolled down the window. “We’re from the Academy. You should have been informed about our arrival.”
“Oh, we were,” Derek said, narrowing his eyes. “But what’s she doing here?”
All eyes turned to me.
“Derek,” I said flatly. “What a joy to see you again. Is there something confusing about me being here with my family from the Academy? You were supposed to receive a special request with my name on it.”
I refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much it rattled me to be back.
“You little—”
“It’s completely understandable that you’re lost,” I interrupted sweetly. “Let me help you.”
“You have two choices: let us pass, since we’re official envoys from the Academy acting under orders from the Council, or we turn around and let you deal with your problems however you see fit. Of course, we’ll also report everything to the Council. I doubt they’ll be thrilled to hear that some average-ranked warrior refused to follow a direct command.”
Derek’s face shifted from red to an even deeper shade of crimson.
“All this thinking doesn’t seem to suit you,” I added with a mock sigh. “If I may suggest, I’m really leaning toward option two. I’d love to finally watch you suffer the consequences of your actions—and if your entire pack crashes and burns with you, well… I’ll be the first in line with popcorn.”
I let out a full-blown sadistic laugh. Mira, sitting beside me, struggled to hold back her booming laughter, while our two other companions exchanged a tense glance.
Derek's complexion shifted from burgundy to ghostly pale. Clearly, he hadn't expected such boldness from me—something none of them ever had. But times change.
“Savanah’s right,” Eliah added, picking up where I left off. “You shouldn’t delay us any longer. So, what’s it going to be?”
Derek finally gave a stiff nod and stepped aside, allowing us to pass.
As soon as we crossed the gate, I squeezed Mira’s hand.
I can do this. It’s only for a few days. I’ve got this—I’m doing great.
- Writer
