Alpha Studo

The moon hung high in the sky, a silvery sentinel illuminating the vast expanse of the forest as Christina finally collapsed onto the damp earth.

Her limbs ached from the relentless drills she'd forced upon herself, the early morning sessions and the late-night practices that blurred into one another. The cool ground was a welcome relief against her fatigued muscles, yet it did little to quell the storm of frustration brewing inside her.

For weeks, she had trained in the cover of darkness, away from prying eyes. She had internalized the movements of the warriors she had watched from a distance, mirroring their strength and agility under the crescent glow of the moon. Each night, she pushed her body to its limits, driven by a fierce determination to become stronger, to prove herself worthy of her father's legacy, and ultimately to earn the respect of the pack.

Her fingers curled into the dirt in a silent plea for grounding. The quiet of the night surrounded her, amplified by the low rustle of leaves and the distant calls of night creatures. It was serene, an illusion that offered little solace to her racing heart.

It still wasn't enough.

She wasn't strong enough.

Not yet.

But she would be.

She had no choice.

Because in this world, the weak were discarded.

And she refused to be thrown away.

As the sun dipped toward the horizon the next day, casting the forest in warm, golden hues, Christina was approached by a group of young warriors.

Their eyes glinted with a mix of challenge and intrigue, and her heart raced at the prospect of their attention. The forest felt alive, vibrant with the colors of late afternoon, but anticipation coursed through her veins, mingling with a sense of impending dread.

"Want to join the hunt?" Callen, one of the most skilled among them, asked, a confident grin splitting his face. His words hung in the air, enticing yet intimidating.

Christina blinked, momentarily taken aback. She hadn't been invited to anything before, not like this.

Her pulse quickened as she glanced toward her father, who sat on their porch, watching her with weary eyes. His expression was a mixture of concern and encouragement, yet she could sense the weight of his expectation pressing down on her.

He wouldn't stop her. He never had. He had always encouraged her to be strong, to find her path, even when that path spiraled into unforeseeable challenges.

"Alright," she said cautiously, her voice barely above a whisper, tinged with equal parts fear and excitement.

Maybe this was a sign.

Maybe things were changing.

Maybe she was finally being accepted.

As they moved deeper into the woods, Christina felt a flicker of hope ignite within her. She was part of the pack, part of something bigger, and for the first time in a long while, she felt a sense of belonging wrap around her like a warm embrace.

Yet, with each stride they took, she could feel the positive energy of the group slipping through her fingers like fine sand. They were sleek and powerful, gliding effortlessly between trees, while Christina strained to keep pace. Her heart pounded in her chest, adrenaline coursing through her veins, mingling with the eerie sensation of being an outsider desperately trying to find her place.

She should have noticed it then, the way their voices dropped to whispers as she approached, the flickering gazes that danced with amusement rather than camaraderie, but she was too hopeful, too desperate to believe that this was real, that she had finally been accepted.

So she didn't question it.

Not until it was too late.

When they finally stopped in a clearing, the atmosphere shifted like a sudden gust of wind. The air around them felt thick with unsaid expectations, and Christina felt a tight knot of unease coil in her stomach. The majestic trees loomed around them, shadows dancing in the fading light.

"Alright," Callen said, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Let's see what you can do."

With an exaggerated hand gesture, they pointed toward a massive elk grazing just beyond the ridge, its regal antlers silhouetted against the backdrop of the setting sun. Christina's heart sank as dread seeped in.

"Take it down," one of them said, a challenge lacing their tone, their eyes sparkling with a mix of intrigue and amusement.

Christina hesitated, her heart racing in her chest. "By myself?"

The reality of her situation crashed down upon her like cold water. She still didn't have her wolf, and it was yet to awaken.

Laughter rippled through the group, harsh and mocking. It stung more than any physical blow, and her jaw clenched, frustration boiling beneath the surface.

"You want to be strong, don't you?" Callen taunted, his voice dripping with sarcasm as if he relished her predicament.

She knew this was wrong. She knew this was a set-up designed to humiliate her, a cruel game where the rules were rigged against her.

But she couldn't walk away. Not without proving herself.

Determination surged through her veins, hot and fierce, as she lunged forward. Her heart pounded as she crept toward the elk, eyes locked on her target. One shot. Just one clean bite to the throat, and she could show them. She could prove that she wasn't weak. That she deserved to be here.

She crouched, tensed...

And then...

The snap of a twig.

The elk's ears flicked up, and in a heartbeat, it bolted.

She spun around...

But the others were gone.

Silence wrapped around her like a noose, oppressive and suffocating.

They had left her.

Alone.

A lump formed in her throat, hot and heavy. Panic clawed at her chest as she realized the truth.

She should have seen this coming.

She should have known.

But knowing didn't make the sting of betrayal any less sharp. Tears clouded eyes at their betrayal.

Her breath came quick and shallow, her mind racing. The sun was already dipping beyond the horizon, shadows stretching like claws across the forest floor.

The pack lands were miles away.

And she was alone in the wild.

The distant howl of a rogue wolf echoed through the trees, sending a chill down her spine. She had to move. Had to survive.

Christina's legs burned, and her lungs ached, but she pushed forward, driven by fear and instinct. Every rustling leaf, every snapped branch sent terror racing through her veins. She wasn't ready for this. Not yet. Not alone.

Reality always struck at unexpected moments.

She has lost her way back home.