Fangs and fates

Chapter1

Chapter 1

I wanted out. Out of here. Out of these four walls that held me. That's what I thought when The wolves howled again. I stood at the edge of the training field, holding my practice sword so tightly my fingers felt stiff. The sound was closer this time, sharp and eerie. I didn’t let it distract me. I couldn’t.

“Focus, Mia!” Elias barked, pacing around me like a wolf himself. His tone was sharp, like always. “You’re too slow. Again.”

I clenched my teeth, trying to steady my breathing. My arms ached, and my legs felt like they might give out any second. Everyone else had gone to dinner already, but not me. Elias never let me leave early.

“Again!” he barked.

I gripped the sword and lunged, aiming for his side. He blocked it like it was nothing, sweeping my legs out from under me with one quick move. I stumbled but caught myself before I hit the dirt.

“Enough!” I shouted, heat rising to my face. I straightened, glaring at him, my chest heaving. “I know I’m not good enough, okay? You don’t have to keep saying it!”

Elias didn’t react right away. He just stared at me, his expression smug. “I know you’re better than you think,” he said finally, his tone softer. “But strength isn’t just about swinging a sword. It’s about not giving up.”

I looked away, my eyes drifting to the iron gate at the edge of the haven. Beyond it, they said, was the forest. Dark, endless, and full of danger. I’d never been out there—not since the night I was brought here. The memories were blurry now, but the fear still stayed.

“I’m not running,” I muttered, though I wasn’t sure I believed it.

Elias didn’t argue. He just nodded toward the dormitories. “Go. Get some rest. We’ll pick this up tomorrow.”

I didn’t say anything as I walked away, my boots crunching against the gravel. The cold night air bit at my skin, but I ignored it. My mind was too full of thoughts I couldn’t process.

This place was safe. That’s what they always told us. But it didn’t feel like home. Not really.

When I reached the dorms, Clara was waiting for me by the door. She leaned against the frame, arms crossed, a smirk on her face.

“Let me guess. Elias kept you late again?”

“Something like that,” I said, brushing past her.

She followed me inside, flopping onto her bed like she didn’t have a care in the world. “You know he only pushes you because he thinks you’re worth it, right? He doesn’t waste his time on people who aren’t.”

“Maybe I don’t want to be worth it,” I muttered, sitting on the edge of my bed.

Clara laughed. “You’re his favorite project, Mia. Just accept it.”

I didn’t answer. Instead, I traced my fingers over the crescent-shaped birthmark on my shoulder, hidden under my shirt. I’d never shown it to anyone. It felt like a secret I needed to keep.

“Get some sleep,” Clara said after a moment, her voice softer. “Tomorrow’s another chance to prove him wrong.”

I nodded and lay back, staring at the ceiling. I knew every c***k in the wood by heart. The howls outside had stopped, replaced by the soft rustle of the wind.

Tomorrow would come, like it always did. And I’d still be here, fighting the same fights, stuck in the same cage.

The sun was barely up when I slipped out of the dorms. I liked mornings like this—calm and still.

I headed to the training field, the cold air stinging my cheeks. The grass was wet with frost, crunching under my boots.

That’s when I saw him.

Alex.

My heart skipped a beat.

He was jogging along the edge of the field, his blond hair catching the early sunlight. He moved so effortlessly, like everything came easy to him. I stopped, hesitating.

“Morning,” he called, jogging toward me with a smile.

“Morning,” I replied, trying to sound normal.

“You’re up early,” he said, stopping a few feet away.

“So are you.”

He grinned, his hazel eyes warm. “Fair enough.”

We stood there in silence for a moment. Then he spoke again. “You training this morning?”

“Yeah,” I said, shifting my weight.

“Mind if I join?”

I hesitated, but only for a second. “Sure.”

We grabbed practice swords and headed to the center of the field.

“Don’t go easy on me,” Alex said, a teasing glint in his eyes.

“I wasn’t planning to,” I shot back.

We started circling each other, our movements slow and careful. He struck first, a quick jab that I blocked with ease. The clash of our swords echoed in the still air.

“You’ve gotten better,” he said as I countered with a swing.

“So have you,” I replied, focusing on his next move.

We went back and forth, neither of us holding back. My arms ached, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. Finally, I saw an opening. With a quick feint, I knocked his sword out of his hand.

He laughed, raising his hands in surrender. “Alright, you win.”

“Told you not to go easy on me,” I said, grinning.

We sat on the edge of the field afterward, sharing a bottle of water. Alex leaned back, looking up at the sky.

“You ever think about leaving this place?” he asked suddenly.

My heart skipped a beat. I glanced at him, but he wasn’t looking at me.

“Sometimes,” I admitted.

“Me too,” he said, his voice quiet.

I looked down at my hands, twisting the strap of the bottle. I’d been planning to leave for weeks, but hearing Alex talk about it made me feel... unsure.

“You belong wherever you decide to be,” he said, his hazel eyes meeting mine. “Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

His words hit me harder than I expected. Before I could respond, Clara’s voice called out from across the field.

“Breakfast is ready!”

Alex stood, offering me a hand. “Race you there?”

I smiled despite myself. “You’re on.”

We sprinted toward the dining hall, and for a moment, I let myself enjoy it. But deep down, I knew I couldn’t stay in the haven forever.

The training field was filled with noise. laughter, shouting, the clash of practice swords. I stood at the edge, arms crossed, watching everyone move with ease. They made it look so natural, so effortless.

Clara stood next to me, leaning against a tree. “You’ve been quiet all morning,” she said, nudging me. “What’s wrong? Something with Alex?”

“No,” I muttered, though my cheeks felt warm. “I’m just tired.”

Clara raised an eyebrow but didn’t press. Instead, she nodded toward the center of the clearing, where a crowd had started to gather.

“Looks like Lana’s at it again,” Clara said with a sigh.

My stomach dropped. Lana. She was tall, strong, and terrifyingly confident. She always had to be the best, and she loved putting people in a corner—especially people like me.

“Mia!” Lana’s voice cut through the air, loud and mocking.

I froze as the crowd turned toward me. Lana stepped forward, her green eyes gleaming.

“Why don’t you come join us?” she said, her smirk widening.

I hesitated, my pulse quickening. “I’m good,” I said quickly, hoping she’d let it go.

“Of course you are,” she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “You never want to join. Afraid you’ll get hurt?”

The crowd chuckled, and I felt my face burn. Clara stepped closer to me. “You don’t have to do this,” she whispered.

But I knew I couldn’t walk away. If I did, Lana would just keep pushing.

“I’ll do it,” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady.

Lana grinned, satisfied. She stepped back, her body already starting to shift. Her wolf form was massive—muscular and sleek, with thick gray fur and glowing green eyes. The crowd murmured in awe as she growled, low and threatening.

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. Shifting never came easily to me. It felt like wrestling with my own body, trying to force it into a shape it didn’t want to take.

When it was over, my wolf—Eda—stood there. She was smaller than the others, with golden-brown fur and wide, uncertain eyes.

The crowd’s murmurs grew louder.

“She’s tiny…”

“No wonder she never shifts.”

“She doesn’t belong here.”

“Why does she even try?”

Eda’s ears flattened at the whispers. I felt her shrinking under the sound of their judgment, but we couldn’t back down.

Lana didn’t give us time to think. She lunged at us, her claws swiping through the air. Eda jumped back just in time, but it was clumsy, and the crowd laughed again.

Focus, I told myself, but Eda’s movements were hesitant. She wasn’t like Lana—sure of herself, full of power.

Lana struck again, her teeth grazing Eda’s side. Pain flared, sharp and hot. Eda whimpered, but I forced her to stay standing.

“Come on, Mia!” Lana barked, her voice smug. “Is that all you’ve got?”

Eda growled back, but it was shaky. We lunged forward, aiming for Lana’s shoulder, but she dodged easily, slamming us to the ground with a swipe of her paw.

The laughter from the crowd was louder now.

Get up, I thought desperately, trying to steady Eda. But Lana was already circling us, her jaws snapping close to our neck.

“That’s enough!” Clara’s voice rang out, sharp and commanding.

Lana stopped, baring her teeth as she shifted back into her human form. “What’s your problem?”

“You’ve made your point,” Clara said, stepping between us. She glared at Lana, daring her to argue.

Eda shifted back, and I was human again, sitting on the cold ground with my legs trembling. Clara knelt beside me, her voice soft. “Are you okay?”

I nodded, even though I wasn’t sure. My pride felt bruised, and my side ached where Lana had hit me.

The crowd started to disperse, but I could still hear their whispers. They stuck to me like thorns.

Back at the edge of the field, Clara handed me a water bottle. “You didn’t have to do that, you know.”

“Yes, I did,” I said quietly.

Clara sighed, shaking her head. “You need to stop letting them get to you. They don’t know what you’re capable of.”

I didn’t answer. Instead, I stared at the forest beyond the training grounds, willing myself to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.

I couldn’t stay here forever, surrounded by whispers and doubts.

Soon, I thought. Soon, I’ll leave this place behind.