The next two days dragged by but before I knew it, darkness had fallen over the valley and it was time for the Alignment. The Blood Moon. My choice would be finalized and my link with Raydir severed forever.

“Are you nervous?” Caesaria asked that evening.

“Extremely.” My fingers floated over the praesidium necklace that Raydir had given me, and I wondered if I should wear it tonight. We were no longer together, but I felt that it still connected us even if only in a small way. “I’m worried about the rogue. My sister’s wolf spirit had already been released when she was attacked but my father hasn’t had that chance.”

“He’ll have your mother beside him,” Cae tried to reassure me.

I shook my head. “That’s what I’m worried about. We can’t control what our wolf does. What if he hurts her?”

Caesaria bit her lip. “We can’t predict what’s going to happen. We just have to focus on what we can control, okay? Let’s just focus on getting ourselves through this Alignment.”

I sighed. My father didn’t deserve this, but there was nothing we could do except hope that it would all turn out ok.

“C’mon, we need to go.” She tugged at my arm and we hurried out of the cabin to join the others.

Everyone was already outside waiting for the Alignment to begin. Raydir and Darius were standing a few feet apart.

“Hey,” I greeted them.

Darius nodded at me but stayed silent. His blue eyes refused to meet mine.

“How are you feeling?” Raydir asked. His gaze scanned over my face then quickly dropped away.

“I’m doing ok. Still not used to these Alignments.” I tucked my hair behind my ears. So this is what awkward small talk feels like. Hm.

“It’ll take time.” He scratched the back of his head. “You should know, Arwyn, after the Alignment I’m leaving the valley.”

My eyes snapped up to his. “What? Why? Is it because of me?”

Raydir scoffed and shook his head. “Not everything is about you, Arwyn.” A pause, then, “It’s my father. There’s a lot of tension right now in the dukedoms and I need to be there to support him. I don’t really have a reason to be here anymore, do I?”

I stumbled backwards, unable to form words. Luckily, Bennett took that opportunity to walk over to us.

“Good, Arwyn, you’re here,” Bennett said. “We need you for this part.”

“Part of what?” I asked.

“Your decision,” Raydir explained. His gaze flickered to me and a wave of sadness washed over his face. Despite the darkness that fell over the valley, I noticed Raydir’s eyes seemed bloodshot. “Bennett said that basically the three of us have to make some sort of verbal statement regarding your choice.”

I raised my eyebrows and turned to Bennett. “What?”

Bennett glanced at the sky then back to the three of us. “The Alignment is going to happen any second. Arwyn, put your left hand on Raydir’s and Darius put yours on Arwyn’s.”

We followed his instructions.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

“Now what?”

“Arwyn, what is your choice?” Bennett asked.

“Are you prepared to make your choice?” the announcer had asked.

I looked between Raydir and Darius. This was it. “I-I choose…” My gaze scanned the crowd of people who had gathered around us. Izel and Caesaria stood next to each other, waiting in anticipation.

“Do it!” Cae mouthed to me, sending a nod in my direction.

I turned back to the expectant stares of the men in front of me. “I choose my wolf spirit.”

Thunder rumbled above us.

“Gah!” I stumbled backwards as something struck my vision. Flashes of blue and green mixed with the grey fur of my wolf as I shifted.

The Alignment had begun.

“You can’t fight it,” a voice lulled in my head. “If you truly want to choose your wolf spirit, you have to let her be one with you.”

My breaths came out in short pants as fur started to obstruct my vision. Soon, my entire body was covered in it, just like on the last Alignment. I pawed at the ground.

Caesaria let out a howl then she nudged me. The look in her eyes told me everything I needed to know.

I pushed off against the ground and bounded off. The wind whipped through my fur. I had to keep going. There was no time to stop. No destination. Is this what wolves felt like? My tongue lolled to the side and the scents of the forest hit my nose at a million miles an hour. My stomach grumbled. I needed food. What was I going to eat? Maybe a rabbit? Oh, yeah, a rabbit sounded good. And man, was I thirsty. I sniffed the air, the scent of the watergrasses hitting my nose. My feet bounded against the ground, carrying me over to the rushing water in the lake.

The moment my reflection appeared on the mirrored surface, I jumped back baring my teeth. That was me? Gosh, that was a lot of fur.

My tongue lapped up the water, the coolness lingering on my tongue. That should hold me for a while. Now, north was to my right. I needed to go southeast. I turned around, stumbling over my paws and took off again.

As I approached Runswick a day and half later—stopping occasionally to refuel with berries and smaller animals—familiar buildings came into view and voices of the townspeople filled the air. Gwyniar seemed darker and less welcoming. Tension hung in the air as people passing by glared at one another.

I stalked forward, hoping to remain unseen for as long as possible. Judging by the number of kids who were out and about—some skipping alongside a parent, others screaming and running around with their friends—I would guess that classes just let out. Which meant it had to be a school day. Four days in school, three days to engage in work around the dukedoms. It wasn’t uncommon for the younger members of a family to help out their parents in their various shops. That could mean the older sibling watching the younger ones while the adults who were part of the Royal League attended their private meetings, which always happened to be at our palace. It was why I used to hide out in the library a lot as a kid.

“Mama, we learned about wolfies today!” a small voice, attached to a little girl in identical braids on either side of her head, said. She skipped along the path, tugging on her mother’s arm.

“That’s nice, sweetie.”

“Have you ever met a wolfie, mama?” the girl asked.

“No, darling.” The woman’s gaze bounced around nervously in front of her.

I cocked my head to the side, my ears perking to attention. Was I really that young when I learned about Darqua? How much did people know now that my father was recovering from the attack?

Crack. A twig snapped underfoot, and the woman froze, clutching her daughter’s hand. Her eyes scanned the view in front of her, widening only when she saw me.

I snorted and stepped forward.

The woman tightened her grip on her daughter’s hand.

I won’t hurt you! I wanted to say, but the only vocalizations I could make were small non-intimidating barks. Well, at least I got the non-intimidation part down.

“Stay away from us!” she shrieked.

Okay, maybe I needed to work on the non-intimidation.

I stepped forward. The woman stepped backwards, shielding her daughter who’s lower lip was now stuck out in a pout.

“Mama—”

“Not now!”

I let out a small whimper, hoping to show a friendlier side. But it didn’t work.

Within seconds, guards had surrounded us. Or, more accurately, they had surrounded me.

“It’s that thing!” the woman pointed an accusatory thing in my direction. “It-it tried to attack my daughter.”

Wha—

And then it all went dark.