CHAPTER 2: THE HUNT BEGINS

There was tension in the Blackwood camp as Ronan declared that I had to be protected. I could sense the heat of protest from the glances of the pack members.

As I passed, I heard one of the pack members mutter under his breath, "she isn't supposed to be here, she is something else, no normal wolf survives such a fatal bite".

"She is not a wolf, she is trouble". Another said.

I managed to ignore them as I kept walking, but still their words rang in my head. How could they trust an outsider like me, a mere human who survived a fatal attack? They could sense there was something different and dangerous about me.

That evening, around the fire, some members of the pack demanded answers from Ronan as to what I was.

"Alpha, you owe us answers, you command we trust and accept this stray but she is a mystery to us." One of them said with determination in his eyes.

"It is obvious she is not like us, we all saw what happened when she changed, it was very abnormal". A female warrior added.

Ronan tightened his jaw and spoke. "It doesn't matter what she is, she is under my protection".

"Yes, the pack has to be cautious about her because of her mysterious powers". Elder Markus, an elderly man in the pack, said slowly as he settled a sharp but calm gaze on me. He walked towards me as if to take a closer and deeper look at me. He had a lean but strong stature, his demeanor commanding but calm. His silver hair shone in the night and his amber eyes reflected something that seemed like hope for a moment.

Deep down I wanted to challenge them but I couldn't disagree with them. I was a mystery to myself. Who could blame them?

I looked at Ronan from across the fire, his expression was dark and unsettled, even he knew that protecting me wasn't going to be an easy task.

With my fists clenched in determination, I vowed to prove myself to the pack, I wasn't going to back down.

The thick scent of the forest filled the air, damp earth, pine, and something that felt darker and more indefinable. Above the tall trees, the moon hung heavy as I followed Ronan through the winding trails that led deeper into the wild. I felt different with each step I took; my body was adjusting to new instincts and to a new sense of consciousness that was both thrilling and terrifying, even for me. Ever since I woke up, I had been feeling a rush in my entire body. I can't find the right words for this strange feeling, but it was like something inside of me was fighting hard to be let loose, and I was seriously holding back. It felt like a hunger, not for food but something absurd. I was able to hear everything, the scurrying of tiny creatures in the underbrush, the throbbing heartbeat of something bigger in the distance, and the steady unshaken beat of Ronan's pulse as he walked beside me. The awkward silence between us stretched further as we made our way deeper into the woods. I was becoming tired, I needed to rest, but I was hell bent on showing bravery because Ronan seemed like the type who didn't give room for weakness.

"Where are you taking me? I managed to ask, my voice still hoarse from the night.

"To help you learn how to survive and master your abilities." He replied without turning to face me.

"What if I do not want to"? I questioned.

"Then you will die." This time, he paused and turned to face me. I tried to read his expression, but he seemed deep and mysterious. He showed no fear; all I could get was a hint of worry in his tone.

My breath ceased, but I showed no fear. "Who is hunting me?"

Ronan tightened his jaw. "The one who turned you. And he will not rest until he finds you".

It made me scared to my bones because he sounded like he was a hundred percent sure of what he was saying and I got the feeling that he had encountered something like this before. I swallowed hard as I remembered the bite and those eyes that glowed in the dark. The memory of pain was so sharp it nearly cut me in two and I drowned in the scary realization that whoever had done this was still out there and wasn't finished with me yet.

Ronan wasted no time. The training was harsh. He forced me to keep up, leading me through the dense forest, rocky terrain, and streams that sent a rushing shiver through my bare feet. I was pushed beyond exhaustion. I cried inside as my muscles burned, but I didn't complain because I knew he was right.

If I don't learn to master and control the strengths and abilities of this new body, I won't stand a chance at survival.

"You are fighting it, stop fighting it, stop thinking like a human!" Ronan shouted as he watched me from across a clearing. He had a relaxed stance, but his silver eyes were piercing and unreadable.

"That is exactly what I am!". I shouted back, clenching my fists.

His lips formed into something that wasn't a smile. "No, not anymore."

I felt like challenging him, but in my heart, I knew he was telling the truth. The truth was obvious, I am smarter now and my senses are more developed. I can feel energy like nothing I have ever felt before.

But it was still hard for me to accept this reality.

Ronan suddenly sprang at me; he was way too fast for my human reflexes to register. My new sharp Instincts took over. I dodged, swiveling on my feet, but he already got me and knocked me off balance. I fell hard to the ground as the air rushed from my lungs. I stayed down for a while, panting and gasping for breath. Ronan was relentless, he didn't seem to understand that I was new to this, he was pushing me as though our enemy was already upon us.

"Again!". He ordered, taking a step back.

I managed to push myself up, gritting my teeth. I wasn't going to let him win easily. I wasn't going to give him the feeling that I was weak. I wanted him to know I was able to control the beast within me.

We went at it for hours unending. I got faster, and stronger each time, and the instincts embedded in me surfaced a little more. My movements flowed more easily, and my reactions were quicker. For the first time, I could feel it, that untamed power thrumming underneath my skin, waiting to be released.

But I wasn't quite ready to surrender to it just yet, it scared me more than it amazed me.

We sat outside the cabin by the fire that night. I felt so sore, and yet my body was still vibrating with restless energy. Ronan sat across from me, with his gaze distant, he stared into the flames. For a moment, I wondered what kind of life he lived, if he had always been this lonely and deep.

Suddenly, he said. "You were a fighter before now."

I slowly blinked at him. "Why do you say that?".

He smirked. "Your perseverance".

I looked away and hesitated for a moment before answering. "I had to be brave."

He didn't push further and didn't ask more questions. I was thankful for that because I wasn't ready to share my past life. No, not yet.

Instead, I let out the question that had been weighing me down since the moment I woke up in these woods. "Who turned me?".

"I have no idea." He answered as his expression darkened.

I wasn't satisfied with the answer, I frowned. "But you told me they're hunting me."

"Yes, they are, and that is what worries me". His silver eyes caught mine and a shiver ran through me.

If Ronan, unshakable and strong, was worried, then I was in more danger than I'd realized.

In the next few days that followed, I trained harder, ran faster, fought longer, and pushed myself beyond the limits I had once thought were unreachable. And gradually, I changed.

My senses became sharpened. My instincts took over. And the fear that had once gripped me faded away.

But it was never completely gone, because, in my mind, I knew the truth, this wasn't over. Not yet.

And whoever it was who had done this to me was not finished yet.