THE SILENT REBELLION

Chapter 9

Grandmother thinks I’m slow at sewing. She has no idea it took so long to label my clothes because I was doing something entirely different. Silver, my wolf, leant me her sharp ears and strong sense of smell. Any time someone approached, we quickly hid the underwear we were working on. It felt like we were spies, but it was worth it.

The thing is, I’ve realized I’m unique in our pack in more ways than one. Only those with a close bond with their wolves seem to have access to extra abilities like heightened senses and speed. Apart from strength, of course. All of us are stronger than humans, but whether I'm stronger than the other women, I have no idea. We aren’t allowed to spar or test our strength in combat. But deep down, I suspect I might be.

I’ve been using every opportunity to watch the men train on the field, observing their techniques and hoping to learn something. My role as a healer gave me a perfect excuse. I set up a medical tent by the sidelines, providing aid to the warriors when they got injured. It allowed me to be close to the action, under the guise of helping.

Grandmother hated it, naturally. When she found me there, her face twisted in fury. She raised her hand, ready to strike, but Grandfather intervened.

"Leave her be," he commanded. "She’s tending to our warriors, like a true Luna would. She even consulted me first."

"She spoke to you?" Grandmother’s shrill voice made me flinch.

"Are you questioning me?" Grandfather’s tone was ice-cold. "How dare you question your mate and Alpha. Go write it and put it in the Sin box."

I felt a pang of pity for Grandmother. After all these years of being mated, she still faced punishments for the smallest transgressions. But that didn’t stop me from doing a little celebratory dance in my mind. Grandfather had defended me, and for once, she got scolded instead of me.

The truth was, I hadn’t spoken to him. I had simply shown him the medical supplies and gestured to the area where I wanted to set up the tent. He understood, nodded, and even had two men help me put it up.

Since then, I’ve made a habit of visiting the training field a few times a week. I stand there, tending to the wounded, while stealing glances at the strong, shirtless men fighting in the sun. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it! Secretly, I enjoy watching them, though I justify it by telling myself I’m studying their combat moves.

Silver, my wolf, finds the fur-to-fur wrestling matches thrilling. She’s a bit of a troublemaker, which is one of the many reasons I love her.

Despite the eye candy, none of the men have tempted me romantically. They lack qualities I admire. The higher-ranking males are selfish, thinking only of themselves and those above them. I’ve had little interaction with the lower ranks, as they live in a separate, more modest house. But from what I’ve seen, there’s no one I’m drawn to.

Except for Creepy Jeremy. He’s a nightmare. He watches me with a disgusting smirk, making my skin crawl. I dread the idea of being forced into a union with him. It’s a constant fear, and I wouldn’t put it past Grandfather to arrange it. If that day ever comes, I know I’ll have to run.

Jeremy is a bully, cruel and arrogant. I can’t imagine being tied to someone like that. I’d rather face the unknown than spend my life with him.

When I’m on the field, I’m always chaperoned. My loyals rotate the duty, keeping an eye on me and keeping me company. I’m grateful they tolerate the sight of sweaty men battling because of me.

This past month has been strange. Grandfather has treated me differently, almost... softer. He’s taken me running in the forest every few days, just the two of us. We haven’t hunted again, much to my relief, especially since some of the loyals hadn’t eaten after that night.

I keep expecting him to send a chaperone with me instead, but it’s always him. He watches me closely when I’m in wolf form, and I think it’s because Silver resembles my mother’s wolf. They have the same ear shape and muzzle, though Mumma’s fur was a darker steel grey.

Part of me is glad things are easier between us, but I know it’s fragile. One wrong word could shatter the peace.

I long for his approval, both as my Alpha and as my family. Yet, I despise his outdated ways, the misogyny ingrained in our pack’s traditions. It’s a constant struggle inside me, and I don’t know how to resolve it.

As I lay in bed that night, I pulled the blanket to my chin and whispered a prayer to Ori for wisdom. Sleep claimed me, and when I woke, I had a feeling, almost a nudge, that I needed to understand Grandfather. To learn what shaped him into the man he is today.

It wasn’t a desire I came up with on my own. It felt like an answer from Ori, but I sighed in frustration. Understanding him felt like a step toward accepting his oppressive ways, and that scared me. I know myself. I’m a people-pleaser, easily influenced, and I don’t want to be sucked into something I hate.

Silver growled, nudging at the collar around my neck. She’s right. I’ll never be okay with being treated as property.

After breakfast, I made my way to Grandfather’s study, nervous energy making my hands tremble. I drank plenty of water, hoping it would help me speak when needed. I knocked on the door.

"Come in, Greta."

I entered, my heart pounding. I stood before his desk, clasping my hands to hide the trembling. My teeth chattered from the adrenaline, so I clenched my jaw to keep them still.

"I must say, Greta," Grandfather began, though his frown made it hard to feel good about his words. "You’ve surprised me this past month. After that disgraceful scene on your first day, I expected more rebellion."

I fought back the instinctive pleasure I always felt at compliments, reminding myself to stay strong. His last comment stung, though. I wished I had been more defiant, like the warrior women in the stories I admired.

Rebellion takes many forms. Be quietly strong. He won’t listen to your shouts.

The words weren’t mine, but they filled my mind like a whisper from Ori. I pressed my lips together.

"You may speak freely," he continued. "Unless your behavior proves otherwise, I see no need to continue your punishment."

A flash of guilt hit me. I had been secretly defiant, but Silver let out a disapproving bark, reminding me to stay focused.

"Thank you, Grandfather," I croaked, my voice rough.

He leaned forward, fingers steepled. "Let’s get to the point. What have you learned this month?"

This was it. The moment of truth.