Karenina

The morning was still very dark when a rumbling sound was heard in the wind. There was an old cave in a field near a small village. The villagers used to throw the bones of dead demons into the cave so that they would never return to the living world. They called the wooden structure the Demon Witch Graveyard Cave.

Grumbling sounds could be heard from inside the cave. A few seconds later, a black head appeared, followed by a very large and conspicuous yellow backpack strapped to a young girl's back. Eventually, with great difficulty, the young girl managed to shift and lean against the cave wall to gain strength and support on her back.

"Gee, I'm tired. You'd think I'd be used to it by now," she complained.

It was always painful when she had to walk through the old, dark, smelly cave, carrying not only herself but also her heavy bag with only a rope to guide her. When she finally managed to get her feet back on the ground, her backpack fell with a soft thud beside the well at the end of the cave, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

As she looked around the dark and deserted field, she wondered why he had not visited her at home and rudely walked into her room and asked her to return with him to Moonlit Grove to continue their search for the sacred moonstone. He was always trying to make her feel guilty about being the Chosen One, bound by her werewolf heritage, and that she had to accept her fate. He was a little pushy at times, but she still loved him.

Shaking her head from the drifting thoughts, she looked around the field again, neither seeing nor feeling her werewolf friend.

"Huh, maybe he's doing group business or practicing."

Looking at the weight she was carrying, she sighed. She had hoped that he would be there to take the heavy backpack off of his strong shoulders and save her the trouble, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Looks like I'm on my own," she said to herself.

With that, she bent down to pick up her backpack when she felt something. Straightening up, she looked in the opposite direction of Moonlit Grove, into the dense forest. Strange. She felt someone calling her.

Then her gaze drifted to the Silverthorn Forest, just beyond the line of trees. As she approached the edge of the forest, a surge of power crept through her fingertips as she reached for the bark of a majestic oak. A longing smile crossed her lips as her memories carried her away, along with the emotions those thoughts brought. Later, she would return to retrieve her bag and head to the Moonlit Grove to reunite with her group, but for now, she had to explore the depths of the mystical Silverthorn Forest.

As the tall trees of the forest finally came into view, her mind went back in time. Guided by the spirits of her ancestors and the ancient legends etched in her soul, her mind replayed the first time she discovered her werewolf heritage.

Karenina Mason is a hybrid, born to a pureblood human mother who possesses the spiritual powers of her family lineage. Her father, meanwhile, is a werewolf and beta in the Moonlit Grove pack.

She barely noticed the passing minutes or the whispering of the leaves as she walked toward her destination, lost in thought. Then the howling of wolves in the distance broke her reverie.

"Ouch! I'm going to be late! Rylan's going to be so pissed." She tried to turn around and go back to where she came from, but she stopped abruptly when she felt the same sensation as before, as if she was being summoned not by a voice, but by a deep feeling that could not be explained. She raised her hand to her chest and thought, What is this feeling?

She took a few steps away from the oak, heading in a direction that would take her further away from the Moonlit Grove, but she stopped and shook her head sharply. "What should I do? I should go back to him and the others." But instead of heading toward her friends, her feet seemed to have a mind of their own as she was forced to answer an unknown call.

"I'll be gone for a while. If I don't see anyone soon, I'll come back." With her decision made, she slung her bow and arrow on her back and began to move away from Moonlit Grove and Rylan's territory. She was not too worried about getting lost, knowing that the impatient werewolf would find her one day. Then all thoughts of her friend disappeared as she explored the forest, that strange feeling echoing in her mind.

The trees passed by her side as she began to realize that she was starting to run further and further to the west. Almost galloping, the feeling grew stronger, more urgent, urging her to hurry. Run, run. That's what she realized.

The sound of her footsteps hitting the ground, her panting breath and her racing heartbeat were sounds that were constantly ringing in her ears. However, she was getting tired and had to stop and rest before she passed out from exhaustion. Sitting on a fallen oak, she remained restless. She had to wake up. She had to reach out to the One who was relentlessly searching for her. After a few minutes of rest, she got up, ready to continue her journey. Somehow, this brief rest helped her to regain her strength.

She looked around and noticed that the sun was already high in the sky, no longer morning but evening. She was surprised and thought, How long have I been walking? Maybe I should go back and turn around.

But as she looked around, she realized that she didn't know the way back to Moonlit Grove. She was completely confused and became more and more worried. She didn't know how she could run for hours without stopping, and she couldn't remember the time of her wild marathon.

Too lost in her thoughts, she didn't even notice the obstacle in front of her as her feet kept moving forward, following the faint call. Once she passed it, the urgency she felt simply disappeared, and unfortunately for her, so did her friends' chances of finding her, as the barrier hid her scent from Rylan.

"Come to me"

She stopped abruptly and looked around, trying to find the owner of the commanding voice, but found nothing. Maybe it's just my imagination, she thought. She resumed her steps forward and continued her journey through the forest, alert for any danger.

She was confused by the wild running and relentless pulling that led her into the unfamiliar forest. After a few steps, her senses awoke fully, telling her that she was approaching two she-wolves, and from their fiery auras, she knew that they were engaged in battle.

After two years of traveling in the Moonlit Grove with her companions, she had grown stronger and was in control of her spiritual energy as a chosen hybrid she-wolf. Clutching her bow, she moved toward the two she-wolves, hoping to find answers to her many questions, even though she knew how dangerous it was to disturb a she-wolf, or even a normal human, in the midst of their blood hunt.

Ahead, between the trees and bushes, she could see a clearing. Cautiously, she stood behind a tree and looked at the two badly wounded and bloodied wolves.

Not wanting to disturb the two she-wolves and attract their attention, she slowly began to back away, deciding that the answers she was looking for would not be found here. Just as she was about to turn and leave, she suddenly heard a sharp cry and another short scream. Turning, she saw a beautiful she-wolf, her paws dripping with blood, standing over the two werewolves she had just witnessed fighting.

They were clearly dead, as one of their heads was almost severed from its body, while the other was badly injured, its guts spilling freely onto the already blood-soaked ground. Even normal werewolves had a limit to their healing, and they would eventually die, mainly depending on their level of strength.

The newly emerged creature lifted its black head to stare into the cold gray eyes with the brown eyes of its own. A quick glance at the she-wolf in front of her revealed that she was dressed in a robe and clothes that were very expensive. It was dark blue, with black birds on the right and left sleeves, and a black obi. On the left side, there was a slit from the waist down to the ankles, revealing porcelain skin that also allowed for easy movement.

The female werewolf's voice drew her attention from her observations.

"What is this useless little hybrid doing here?" the female werewolf asked sternly.

Unsure, she replied hesitantly, "Huh?"

Raising her bloodied hands in sharp claws, the werewolf spoke again, unfazed by her lack of response. "It doesn't matter. You will soon die at my hands."

"Do you know what you're talking about?" she asked, confused.

"Do not pretend that you do not understand me, you little hybrid. Xavier is mine!"

"Xavier?!"

In her shock at hearing the name of the Alpha of the Westwood Pack, she forgot to concentrate on her barrier, and it wavered. Seeing an opportunity, the female werewolf leapt at the girl. With a dodge to the ground, she managed to avoid the attack and quickly knelt down to aim her arrow at the female werewolf as she lunged at her again. With a bright flash of light, the arrow was released and struck the female werewolf in the chest, killing her instantly.

Slowly, she stood up and looked at the ash that had once been a she-wolf. What was she talking about and what did Xavier have to do with it? she wondered silently. She felt another aura behind her and became tense. Quickly, she drew her arrow. She turned to face her new enemy.

"Xavier!"