43 | SHAKY GROUND

The next day is so horribly normal I feel like I’ve stepped back in time a few days. If it weren’t for the new material being taught in each class, I’d think the last few days were nothing but a really weird dream. Darine and Yuri are acting like nothing happened yesterday. Whatever ‘agreement’ Darine signed - probably not literally - seems to include a ‘normalcy’ policy when it comes to school. Every time I try to broach the subject with my human friend she clams up. Stuttering some excuse about Azure policies, or muttering she’ll ‘tell me later’. The false tone in her voice gives away her lie if her near-green skin tone didn’t.

I try not to push. She is human after all and, unlike Wolven, I know the threat to her life is probably literal if she tells me stuff I’m not cleared to know. Not that I think Blue’s father would kill my friend if she did talk - he’s never struck me as that kind of man. But I can’t help but glare at her when she makes the same excuse for the *nth* time a few minutes before the end of the school day. She avoids eye contact as we pack our things up and make plans for Monday’s free period. As usual, Blue and Yuri opted to go home earlier instead of sticking around campus for the free period like Darine and I do to study.

It’s the last normal thing I really do each day ever since the business with the Ancient and impending apocalypse. These days I’m having a hard time balancing it all, but managing to do it for the most part. Living at the Coven’s HQ makes the evening part of keeping up easier, even if I normally just find myself alone in my office for hours on end, sorting through reports. I’ve gotten Elliot and Zoe to read their reports in another room because of their constant bickering. That aside, today I’m having even more trouble focusing on the mind-numbing reports pilled on my desk.

Since hanging up with Ry and Craven last night, there’s a stronger sense of anticipation in my gut. I can’t sit still, pacing most of the afternoon until the scheduled time for Ry and Craven to report in. Still three hours away, the waiting’s only making things worse. With a growl of frustration, I push past the door of my office and dash out of the compound.

My wolf is tearing at my restraints as I jog into the woods between the Coven and Azure territories, sensing something I’m not picking up in my human form. I’m just about to extend my senses when I catch movement in the corner of my eye. My jogging pace turns into a full-out sprint.

Last year, before Paris became Pack Leader, Grandmother had sent a siren after me - the supernatural creature attacked me in this same part of the woods. My body tenses at the terrifying memory of being choked by water out here, and it had only been thanks to Mikyle - who was traveling with me at the time - that the siren didn’t finish me off. Paris hasn’t mentioned how ties with the old allies are and I don’t want to get corner out here by something I know practically nothing about.

My pace has me just yards away from the invisible border between the Coven and the Azure territory, but just as I’m running towards it, I catch sight of something streaking towards me. I stop a few feet away, my paws all but skidding into the ground and sending chunks of greenery and dirt scattering out around me. The thing stops too - almost mirroring my hunched position - ready for anything. The crazed fog of fear clears from my mind and I let out a chuff of relief when I see it’s not the supernatural creature I was afraid it would be.

It’s a wolf. Not just a normal animal either - but a Wolven. I frown at the grey-eyed wolf and scent the air. Sure enough, the scent of Wolven and pine tickle my nose - along with a note of the smell before a heavy rain. Familiar. I feel myself relax and I shift back, slowly getting to my feet as my human form settles back over my skin. When I try to take a step closer to Azure territory, however, the she-wolf growls at me. My frown deepens and I freeze.

“Valeria, right?” I ask, holding the Wolven’s eyes as the she-wolf stares back at me. I can’t help but wonder why Blue’s youngest sister is stopping me from crossing into Azure territory. No one’s stopped me from crossing before - in fact it seemed like most of the Azures couldn’t care less where I’m concerned. I get the feeling most don’t particularly *like* me, but most of them ignore me - Blue’s closest cousins and siblings aside. “Look, I’m just trying to get to Port Greene-”

“It’s rather rude to just cross into another Pack’s territory without permission.” Valeria shifts into her own human form, her sour expression a mix of annoyance and anger. I purse my lips, holding back the urge to sigh or scoff at her.

“None of you seemed to care before. And I’m cleared to come and go as I please. Your father gave me the green light last year-”

“Things have changed.” Valeria snaps at me, her grey eyes narrowing as she crosses her arms over her chest.

I frown, wondering if the Alpha had taken back the all-access pass he’d given me, and why if he had. It’s not like I’ve seen much of the Alpha since last December when we fought the Reiniers, and maybe that’s my fault. He did offer to induct me into the Pack last year, leaving the invitation open. And here I am, not even bothering to pay my respects from time to time to him. Of course, it’d be rude of me just running through the territory after all the things the man’s done for me and my family. Hell, he was okay with becoming the Reinier’s allies after all and not just wiping the Pack out the way many other Alphas would have.

I also can’t help but wonder why now of all times the man would have revoked my pass. He did give Darine the green light to know about the Azures, after all - but maybe that’s part of it? I frown back at the younger Wolven, unable to stop the curious track of my thoughts as I also ponder why she’s here to stop me - of all people. She hates me.

“Okay, then can I request an audience with the Alpha to talk it over with him?” I ask her, narrowing my own eyes back at her. Maybe the girl is only stopping me because she doesn’t like me and my pass really hasn’t been revoked. Valeria’s frown becomes a snarl of annoyance.

“He’s busy at the moment. Come back in an hour.” She all but barks at me. I roll my eyes, not at all intimidated by the girl as she bares her teeth. I take a step forward, testing the bounds between the Coven and Azure territories. Something presses back against my skin, very faintly, but just enough that I can sense something’s different in the Pack. I backpedal before my foot can hit the ground.

“I’ll just…go around.” I mutter under my breath, staring at the invisible spot where Coven land meets Azure territory. It wasn’t a malicious feeling, the light push-back from the air, but I now know Valeria’s comment wasn’t wrong either. *What the hell’s going on? And does this have something to do with the weird way the Azures have been acting lately?*

I give myself a mental shake to clear the thoughts. One way or another, I suspect I’ll have my answers when I get back from Port Greene.

“Let the Alpha know I’ll be stopping by to talk later.” I tell Valeria. I could also just send the Alpha a message via phone, but a verbal call or word from his own daughter would seem more official and formal.

Valeria nods to me once before turning on her heel and shifting back into her wolf form, running back the way she’d come. I stare after her for a long moment, still unable to shake the weird feeling in the back of my head that tells me something’s off. I take a step away from the invisible Azure territory line and begin my way east, towards the coast, to go the long way around. If I were to go the other way - into Kiwina - it would be harder to reach the Reinier Pack on the other side of Port Greene.

Besides, the scenic route alongside the ocean is prettier than that of human land this time of night. I stay in human form as I skirt around the Azure territory and run along the sandy shore all the way to Reinier lands.