THE AWAKENING

3.something odd

Penelopes

I was on the paved road heading home. I loved how the houses weren't too far from each other. It was very dark, but I didn't have any trouble seeing where I was going.

I took a turn and headed for the woods. My wolf was itching to be let out. I couldn't always deny her what she wanted. I found a spot to get undressed at the back of a large old oak tree.

I quickly got naked and changed into my wolf. My wolf was white with little patches of brown across its whole body. It looked as though something had splashed some brown paint on its white fur.

It wasn't large, just medium like most of the other female wolves in the pack.

I watched in the back of my mind as I let my wolf loose. She was surely happy jumping over logs and running around just stretching her muscles.

When she was in control, it was all about her. I could only watch. She relied on her instincts to lead her. Even if we couldn't talk, we still trusted each other. We worked in sync. She could rely on me, while I could rely on her too.

I watched her quietly. I rarely let her out, and when I did, she always got extra.

After she had run enough, it was time for us to finally go back home.

My wolf reached the oak tree, and I shifted back. I quickly got dressed and ran home.

Finally home, the house was dark, with all the lights off except for the porch light. Everyone must have been sleeping.

After having such a long evening, I was very tired. I headed up the stairs straight to my room. The moment I stepped outside, a breeze blew through my window, making my skin shiver. The force of the wind made my brunette waist-length hair levitate before falling back over my shoulders. I found everything to be odd because I left the window closed and no one ever entered my room when I wasn't around. I walked towards the window. I gazed down, sticking out my head in the process, but nothing seemed to be out of place.

Maybe it's nothing I shouldn't be worried about,

I thought to myself. My

wolf was chilled about it too. Which didn't phase me much. If something was wrong, she would have felt it or even smelt the foreign scent.

I went and took a quick shower and was off to bed.

I slept like a baby.

''''''''''''

The next morning was a drag. I practically had to force myself out of bed. I can be a lazy bum at times. As I unfolded the blinds to my window, the sunlight blinded me before I could adjust to the light and look out again. This time I was more attentive, observing to see if something was bizarre, but everything seemed to be okay. I don't know why I wasn't convinced. I just had this feeling that something was on, and my heart raced involuntarily. I felt like something bad would happen and I was just there waiting to get caught in a mystery web.

I did my morning routine and prepared myself. I stood by my wall mirror to take a look at myself. I stared at my reflection briefly. I had similar features to Mum; the same ashen flawless skin, heart-shaped face, small nose, big doe eyes, and average pink lips. I got my eyes from mum too, ocean blue. I had a petite figure; my hips weren't as wide. Pack members would usually tease me for how tiny I looked. I was the definition of a slim person. I wasn't very tall either, just the average height of every lady.

I was adorned in a yellow floral sundress that reached a few inches above my knees. which I paired with black pumps.

The dress fit the weather; it was quite sunny despite being early morning.

I looked around my room to see if everything else was in order. I was always a tidy person who never liked seeing things out of order.

My room was small and simple, with walls painted in purple. My bed was placed near the wall in the middle of the room. I had a small study table placed a few inches away from the window.

I kept a small bookshelf near the study table. It had a few of my classic novel collections, from Withering Heights to Pride and Prejudice, and a few others.

My room only had two doors, one of which led to my bathroom and the other out of my room.

I walked out and headed to the kitchen. I was starving after all.

"Good morning mum," I voiced, giving her a beaming smile.

"Morning Pen."

She looked to be busy in thought. She had a frown plastered on her face. She looked to be bothered about something, but knowing mum, she wouldn't share with me what it was. She was always evasive.

But luckily, she had already made breakfast and was having some. I grabbed some toast and took some of the coffee she brewed. I joined her at the island table, sitting there.

"Is Dad still in?" I asked, breaking the silence.

With her elbows on the island, she raised her cup.

"No, he's not in." She finally took a sip and continued. "He didn't even come in last night. Something about the alpha was keeping him busy." It is typical

of the alpha to do that.

But it didn't come as a surprise to me that dad was rarely home.

"I see, and what about Jason?"

As if on cue, Jason walked into the kitchen, joining us.

He seemed to be in a good mood. He was even humming a song that should be from one of the boy bands he listened to. He, too, grabbed some toast and coffee, sat down and began to eat.

Jason was my elder brother. He was three years older than me. And he, too, had not found his mate yet. We were the only two children of Mr and Mrs Cruz.

"Jason, how is training going?" his mum asked him, seemingly looking interested in starting a conversation. Her eyes even sparked, as though she hadn't been down a few minutes ago. Her whole mood had taken a 360° shift.

"I have been training hard. I want to be part of the pack of elite worriers." He even grinned as he spoke.

He was passionate about being a warrior, and so was I. "That's good. If it's going fine, I am sure you will make the team this time around."

I gave him an evil glint. He knew I envied him all too well.

"Yeah sure." His reply was short and passive, but his expression told a different story. He shot me a glare as if to warn me not to drag the conversation too far.

Mum just observed, not wanting to say much, I figured.

"But I want to be part of the team too," I whined.

"Why don't you go ask your father, Pen?" My mum knew I hated that nickname; they all knew. I never liked it all, but even so, most people would still use it, just to get me irritated.

I stared down at my toast, finding the burnt edge interesting.

It was so unfair.

I took a bite of toast and a sip of my coffee. I chewed slowly before I swallowed.

She had deadpanned. She knew how Dad would react. It was said to be taboo in the pack for a lady to be a fighter.

"But mum," I whined, even more, pouting my lips.

Jason smirked, then put his folded palm to his mouth, faking a cough. He was hiding his laughter, rejoicing inside, while I whined like a baby and hoped things would change for once.

That bastard is revelling in my despair.

"Even if you joined, you wouldn't make it to the team. You are very weak and barely know anything." At that point, he put up a full smirk; he couldn't even hide more. He knew he rubbed in more salt to my already wounded soul, crushing me like a bug under his boot.

"That's why there is something called training!" I screamed, pissed as f**k.

He snickered.

"Oh, Mama."

cut Jason off. She knew if she had let him finish, we would have fought. She saved my ass from being handed on a silver platter, more like on a kitchen floor. As much as it hurt me when Jason spoke up, there was some truth in what he said.

"But Pen, you know it's frowned upon for a woman to be on the team." Ladies...."

"Ladies aren't supposed to be warriors, just pup bearers."

I couldn't let the conversation drag out any longer. I got up, rinsed my dishes from the sink, and left.

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Thanks for reading.