Chapter 7 Him

After Rose pointed out that Ava's wolf was asleep, she excused herself from the hut and went in search of her son to inform him that their guest had awoken. The moment Rose stepped out of the door, Ava immediately tried to connect with her wolf, Vera, only to find the unsettling truth: her wolf really had been asleep. This realization sent a shiver down Ava's spine, as nothing like this had ever happened before. Being the daughter of an alpha, she had alpha blood running through her veins, which meant that she and Vera were always in sync.

It was an ability unique to those born into royal bloodlines-whatever she did, her wolf did too. If Ava was awake, so was Vera. If she slept, Vera slept as well. This perfect harmony was a special privilege granted to the alpha bloodline, a bond that made them different from others in the pack.

For the rest of the pack, the connection with their wolves required constant communication and negotiation. If they failed to reach an agreement, they could be in a constant internal battle with their wolf. And if things went terribly wrong, the wolf might take over the human's subconscious completely, leading to disastrous consequences. Ava had heard of cases where wolves took control, and the result was always terrifying-people who lost control would often go mad. But for someone with alpha blood, the situation was entirely different. They had more authority over their wolf, making their bond not just deeper, but more controlled.

Now, this balance was shaken. Ava had never felt this level of disconnection before. She panicked, desperately trying to wake Vera through their bond. The mental link they shared hummed weakly, as if stretching across a great distance. Vera eventually stirred but sluggishly, groaning through their shared connection.

"Ava... I don't feel so good," Vera said weakly. Ava's heart sank. She could feel Vera's exhaustion, a kind of weariness that wasn't natural. Her wolf was usually strong, vibrant, full of energy. But now? Now she felt frail, vulnerable, and that frightened Ava. How could this be? Ava herself felt fine-better than fine, actually. She had never experienced such a drastic difference between her own state and her wolf's. Could Rose, the mysterious woman who had brought her here, have done something while she was asleep?

The thought made Ava's blood boil with anger. Her hands clenched into fists, the heat of her fury rising with every second. She had heard stories about werewolves who had lost their wolves, and the idea of losing Vera was too horrifying to contemplate. Losing your wolf was like losing half of your soul, your identity. Ava couldn't even imagine surviving something like that. Her mind raced with wild thoughts. What if Rose had somehow tampered with her bond?

Just as her emotions were spiraling, Rose walked back into the hut. "I can feel your anger from a mile away," Rose said calmly, her voice neutral but knowing. "There's no need to worry. Your wolf will recover in a few hours. She just needs rest."

Ava's tension didn't dissipate entirely, but Rose's words held a strange sense of assurance, as if she truly knew what she was talking about. Still, Ava wasn't entirely convinced. There was something about this place, something about Rose, that kept her on edge. Just then, a young man stepped into the hut, and his presence immediately drew Ava's attention.

He was striking, to say the least. His piercing blue eyes stood out vividly against his caramel skin, and his hair, styled in long dreadlocks, cascaded down his back. He wore a leather jacket that looked both practical and stylish, fitting him like a second skin. Though his appearance screamed rogue, there was something undeniably regal about him. His confidence, his beauty-it was magnetic. Ava found herself staring longer than she intended, caught off guard by how effortlessly he commanded attention.

As soon as Rose had subtly informed her son Kaden that their guest had woken up, he had wrapped up the meeting he was in and made his way to the hut. As he entered, he heard the last of his mother's words, but his focus shifted quickly to Ava. She was staring at him with an intensity that made him uncomfortable-not because he wasn't used to being looked at, but because this felt different. Like she was trying to figure him out, dissect him. He had been called handsome many times, but there was something in Ava's gaze that made him uneasy.

After a few awkward seconds, Kaden cleared his throat to break the silence. "Hi, I'm Kaden," he said, extending a hand. "Nice to meet you."

Ava blinked, snapping out of her trance. "Oh, hi, I'm A-" She caught herself just in time. She had almost given her real name. "Sorry, I mean, Claire. Thank you for everything. I'm really sorry about the staring. You've got a... well, a very striking face."

Kaden chuckled, shaking her hand. "No offense taken. And I'd say the same about you. You're not bad yourself, Claire."

Ava smiled sheepishly. "Well, I just woke up from a very long nap, so I've definitely had better days, but I'll take the compliment."

Kaden smiled widely. "Feeling well enough for a walk?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with a playful challenge. Ava hesitated, but something about his demeanor made her curious. "Sure, why not?" she agreed.

As they walked through the small village, Ava couldn't help but compare it to her home. This place was tiny, far smaller than her pack's territory. The huts scattered around the area were modest, much smaller than the one she had woken up in. Children played in groups, and Ava could sense some of them were wolves. Yet, none of them belonged to her pack. There were others as well, creatures she couldn't quite identify, and some who didn't seem to have any scent at all, as if they were invisible to her senses. It was unnerving.

One building stood out-a pristine white structure in the center of the village, unlike the humble huts surrounding it. It was the only thing here that reminded Ava of home, of the grandeur and authority that came with being part of a powerful pack.

Suddenly, Vera's voice echoed in her mind, snapping her back to reality. "I've been awake for a while now, going through your memories. I don't trust these people, Ava," Vera warned. "Especially not that witch, Rose. She can read our minds, and I've had to put up a mental wall to protect us. It's draining my energy, but it's necessary. And one more thing, you didn't notice, but Kaden doesn't have an essence. Be careful."

Ava's heart skipped a beat. No essence? She hadn't even realized it. Now more than ever, she knew she had to tread carefully.