I returned a short while later with a load of
firewood and fresh prey, my heart pounding
with exhilaration.
The strength and speed of this new body were
beyond anything I could have imagined.
I was certain I was just as powerful as Kiera’s
three prize–winning mates.
As I entered the cave, I saw that it had been
tidied up.
The hard stone slab that served as a bed was
now covered with soft, dry grass and animal
pelts. There was even a small, delicate flower
placed on the stone table.
My three mates watched me, their expressions
unreadable.
I dropped the slaughtered animal in front of
them. They swallowed hard, their eyes fixed on
me, full of fear.
“Go on, eat. I’ll have some later.”
I had no taste for raw meat and blood, so I built
a small fire to the side.
I tore off a piece of meat and began to roast it
on a stick.
They stared at me, their eyes wide with shock.
In their old tribe, even if they had managed to
hunt something, they would never have been.
allowed the first bite.
They were given scraps, leftovers, or rotting
meat.
Never something this fresh.
When they still didn’t move, I tilted my head in
confusion and nudged the cooked piece of
meat toward them with my stick.
“Do you want it cooked?”
“No,” the one–eyed wolf said, his voice rough
and complicated. “You are our Matriarch. You
made the kill. We must wait for you to finish
eating before we can have what you grant us.‘
دو
I shook my head. “We don’t do that here.”
“I’ll need your help to hunt from now on.”
“My name is Elara. If you need anything from
me, you can just ask.”
The three shifters stared at me, a strange light
flickering in their eyes.
“I’m Kael,” the one–eyed wolf said. “These two
are Roc and Ash.”
“They can’t speak yet, so if you need anything,
you can just tell me.”
I didn’t know if it was the hunt or just the strain
of a new body, but a wave of exhaustion
suddenly washed over me.
“I’m going to rest. If you’re hungry, eat. And watch the fire, if you can.”
With that, I found a dry spot in the cave, curled
up, and fell into a deep sleep.
I never saw it.
The moment they were sure I was asleep, the
gazes of Roc and Ash turned chillingly cold.
They extended their claws, moving silently toward my throat.
Just as their sharp claws were about to touch
my fur, Kael threw himself in front of me,
blocking their path.
“Kael, what are you doing?” Roc hissed, his
voice no longer silent, but a low, angry growl. “Have you forgotten how she abandoned us in
our last life?”
“Move,” Ash snarled. “I want to tear this
woman to pieces.”
If I had been awake, I would have realized the
truth. They could speak perfectly fine.
The one good eye of the wolf, Kael, glinted in
the firelight, dark and dangerous.
“She isn’t her.”
