*
Wounded, she returns to her pack, A human's kindness calls her back. Her wolf demands, her heart agrees. She must find him, her soul at peace.
*
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The forest was cloaked in shadows, the moonlight barely piercing the thick canopy overhead. The air smelled of damp earth and pine, mingled with the faint metallic tang of her own blood. Sophia pushed through the undergrowth, her paws sinking into the soft, rain-soaked ground. The steady throb of pain radiated from her wounds, but she ignored it. She had no choice. She needed to get back. To report what had happened. To release the weight of the attack from her chest.
Ahead, the compound’s gates loomed in the dark, tall and imposing. The iron bars glistened faintly with dew, and the faint flicker of torchlight danced across the perimeter walls. The scent of her pack grew stronger, familiar and grounding, though it did little to soothe the storm raging inside her.
The guards caught her scent before she came into view. Their voices were low, murmured, as they scrambled into position. The gates creaked open just enough for her to slip through.
Sophia didn’t acknowledge them as she passed. Her claws clicked against the cobblestone courtyard, the faint sound swallowed by the oppressive silence of the night. Whispers followed her like a shadow her packmates’ voices hushed but heavy with concern and curiosity.
She kept her head high, her stride steady, though every step sent a fresh jolt of pain through her body. Let them wonder, she thought bitterly. Right now, she needed only one person, her mother.
The alpha’s house loomed at the heart of the compound, its dark wooden beams weathered but sturdy, the windows glowing with soft, amber light. The familiar scent of pinewood and leather wafted out as Sophia nudged the heavy oak door open with her muzzle.
Her mother was there, standing behind her desk in the study. The soft, golden glow of a single lamp illuminated the room, casting long shadows over the cluttered desk strewn with maps and papers. The alpha’s sharp golden eyes were already fixed on the door, her expression one of practiced calm. But the moment she saw Sophia step into the light, her composure shattered.
“Sophia.”
Her mother’s voice was sharp, a mix of relief and alarm. The word hung heavy in the air as her gaze traveled over Sophia’s battered body, taking in the blood-matted fur, the shallow cuts, the deeper gashes that had yet to heal.
Sophia didn’t answer. Instead, she let the transformation begin.
The change was agonizing, the pain sharper than usual, as if her injured body rebelled against the shift. Her fur receded in waves, claws retracting as her limbs twisted and reshaped. Bones popped, muscles coiled and uncoiled, her spine arching as she forced herself upright. When it was done, she stood naked, her legs trembling slightly from the strain.
Her mother moved quickly, grabbing a folded cloth from a nearby chair and wrapping it around Sophia’s shoulders. The fabric was rough against her skin, but its warmth was welcome.
“What happened?” her mother demanded, her voice tight with barely restrained fury. Her hands lingered for a moment, brushing against Sophia’s shoulder, before dropping to her sides.
Sophia took a deep breath. “Kael.”
The name was a growl, low and venomous.
Her mother stiffened, her lips curling back slightly to reveal a flash of teeth. “Kael?” she repeated, her tone sharp. “That bastard son of the Nighthawk Alpha? What did he do?”
Sophia clenched her jaw. “He ambushed me. Couldn’t accept my rejection. So he brought backup. Four others. Thought he could make me regret it.”
Her mother’s growl deepened, vibrating through the air like a distant rumble of thunder. “That arrogant whelp,” she spat, pacing away from Sophia to contain her fury. “His father will regret this.”
“He said I’d regret humiliating him,” Sophia continued, her voice steady but sharp. “And he made good on his promise.”
Her mother turned back to face her, golden eyes blazing. “You were alone,” she said, her voice low and dangerous. “They knew you wouldn’t stand a chance against five of them.”
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Sophia lifted her chin. “I killed one. Injured two more. But the odds weren’t in my favor. I had to run.”
The silence that followed was heavy, the tension in the room thick enough to choke on.
“You did what you had to,” her mother said finally, though her voice was tight. “But this isn’t over. Kael has crossed a line, and I won’t stand for it.”
“I’ll deal with him,” Sophia said, her tone like steel. “He challenged me, not you. This is my fight.”
Her mother’s gaze bore into her, unyielding. After a long moment, she gave a reluctant nod. “Fine. But his father will know that the alliance between our packs is over.”
Sophia nodded curtly, her mind racing with thoughts of revenge. But there was more to say more her mother needed to know.
“I was injured worse than I thought,” she admitted, her voice quieter now. “I couldn’t make it back immediately. I collapsed near the forest’s edge.”
Her mother’s sharp gaze snapped back to her. “You should have called for the pack,” she said, her voice laced with frustration.
“I couldn’t,” Sophia replied evenly. “But someone found me.”
Her mother’s expression shifted, her brows furrowing in confusion. “Who?”
“A human.”
The disbelief in her mother’s eyes was almost comical. “A human?”
Sophia nodded. “He didn’t know what I was. To him, I was just a wounded wolfen. He cleaned my wounds, dressed them, and gave me shelter.”
Her mother’s lips pressed into a tight line. “You trusted a human?”
Sophia met her mother’s gaze steadily. “I didn’t have a choice. And he didn’t give me a reason not to. He could have left me to die. He didn’t.”
Her mother’s shoulders eased slightly, though her concern was still evident. “And now you want to repay him,” she said, the words more a statement than a question.
“Yes,” Sophia said simply. “I owe him that much.”
Her mother sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You’re too much like your father sometimes. Always finding reason to care for the undeserving.”
“This one deserves it,” Sophia replied firmly.
Her mother shook her head, but her lips twitched with the ghost of a smile. “Fine. But you’re going to the infirmary first. Those wounds of yours need to be treated. I won’t allow you to be reckless with your life.”
Sophia wanted to argue, but the pain in her side and the lightheadedness from blood loss made her relent. Her mother’s hand on her back was steady as they walked to the pack’s infirmary.
…
As the healer tended to her wounds, Sophia’s mind drifted. She thought of the human of the kindness in his touch and the strange pull she felt toward him. She couldn’t explain it, but her wolf instinctively told her one thing with absolute certainty.
She needed to see him again.
The healer finished her work, her hands moving with practiced ease, her fingers deft and steady as she pressed gauze over the final wound on Sophia’s side. The faint sting of various herbs seeped into Sophia’s skin, a sharp contrast to the dull ache of her other injuries. The sterile scent of alcohol mixed with the coppery tang of blood, lingering in the cool air of the infirmary.
“You’re lucky,” the healer muttered, her voice low but tinged with relief. She discarded the soiled cloth into a metal basin with a clang. “Your healing is rapid, and most of the wounds have already closed. But don’t mistake that for invincibility. You’ll still need rest.”
Sophia sat up slowly, her muscles protesting the movement. Every fiber of her body felt taut, raw, as if the battle had branded itself into her very bones. She flexed her fingers, testing her strength, then shifted her shoulders gingerly. The discomfort was sharp but bearable she had endured worse. Her gaze flicked to her mother, who stood a few feet away, her arms crossed and her face as unreadable as stone. Yet, the way her golden eyes lingered on Sophia’s every movement betrayed her concern.
“I have to go to him,” Sophia said abruptly, her voice breaking the heavy silence as she swung her legs off the bed and stood, unsteady but determined.
Her mother’s head snapped up, her expression shifting instantly into one of shock and disapproval. “What?” she demanded, her voice taut with authority. “No, you’re staying here. You’re in no condition to—”
“I’m fine,” Sophia interrupted, her tone clipped and resolute. Her bare feet pressed against the cold tile floor, grounding her as she squared her shoulders. “My wolf is telling me to find him. She's never been this insistent before, I need to see him now. ”
Her mother opened her mouth to argue, but for a moment, no words came. Her lips pressed into a thin line, her frustration palpable in the tense silence that followed. Finally, with a sigh that carried the weight of her unwilling surrender, she said, “I’m going with you.”
Sophia turned sharply to her mother, startled by the unexpected declaration. “What? Why?”
Her mother’s eyes narrowed, sharp as a blade. “You’re not going alone,” she said, her voice low and firm, brooking no argument. “If this human is a threat or if anything else happens I’ll deal with it.”
Sophia clenched her jaw, biting back the instinct to protest. She could see the fire in her mother’s gaze, the same fire she’d grown up respecting and fearing. There was no point in arguing when her mother’s mind was made up. “Fine,” she muttered, her tone begrudging. “But I’ll be the one to talk to him.”
Her mother gave her a pointed look, her golden eyes glinting with both approval and caution. “I’m not worried about you talking to him,” she said, her words slow and deliberate. “I’m worried about what else might happen.”
Sophia said nothing, her lips pressed into a thin line as she strode toward the infirmary door, her movements still a touch too stiff to be natural. Her mother followed close behind, her steps echoing against the tiled floor with a quiet authority.
As they stepped out into the cool night air, the scent of the forest hit Sophia like a balm. The damp earth, mingled with the faint aroma of pine and decaying leaves, was a grounding force, soothing her racing heart. Yet, despite the crisp air filling her lungs, a different kind of tension began to build within her. Her wolf stirred, a restless energy thrumming beneath her skin, urging her forward.
Her mother’s steady presence at her side only added to the weight pressing down on her. The older woman said nothing as they walked, but Sophia could feel her scrutiny, her concern a tangible force in the silence between them. She wasn’t used to this, needing someone, feeling a pull she couldn’t fully explain. And yet, that pull was undeniable, a thread tugging her closer to the human who had saved her.
Sophia’s steps quickened, her resolve hardening with each stride. She didn’t know what she would say to him, what she even wanted from him. All she knew was that she had to see him. To understand why he had risked himself to save her, why his kindness lingered in her thoughts like a stubborn echo.
Nothing, not even her mother’s watchful gaze, was going to stop her.