1
The invitations were like ancient scrolls, written in a cryptic language that seemed to shift and writhe like a serpent. The ink was as dark as a moonless night. My name seemed as if it was etched by some eldritch hand.
The parchment pulsed with strange energy when I touched the invitation, sending shivers down my spine.
My life had been one of isolation and secrets long before the invitation to Wildheart Academy arrived. I was born into a small, reclusive shifter community deep within the tangled woods.
We lived on the outskirts of society, shunned the influence of other shifters, and fiercely guarded our forest home.
My parents, skilled wolf shifters, raised me with a strict code of secrecy. I was taught to hide my abilities, blend in with the human world, and avoid contact with other shifters whom my parents believed were tainted by darkness.
My life was a fragile balance between the pack's strict teachings and my insatiable desire for knowledge and power. When the invitation to Wildheart Academy arrived, it was as if fate had intervened, offering me a chance at freedom.
At a tender age, I found myself irresistibly pulled towards the dense forest, often sneaking away to spend entire days wandering amidst the towering, age-old trees. There, I felt a profound connection to the untamed, a bond that went beyond the teachings of my pack.
My fascination with the darker aspects of shifter lore grew. I delved into forbidden books hidden within the family cabin, learning about ancient rituals, curses, and the evil forces lurking in the shadows. I was obsessed with forbidden knowledge. I would practice my shifter abilities in solitude, honing control over my wolf form and experimenting with connection to the forest's spirits. If my father ever found out, I would be punished, maybe even banished from the pack.
But I didn't let that stop me. Every morning, I always woke up early, even before the first light of dawn. My father, who was also our Alpha, believed that the early hours were the most sacred and filled with the primal energy of the forest. To begin my day, I would always meditate in a quiet corner of the forest and connect with the spirit of my wolf.
The pack was small, with only fifteen members, which helped us blend in with the humans. We even made human identities for ourselves. We interacted with the local villages and went to the market to buy and sell goods. I loved the few times I was allowed to socialize with the humans; I found them fascinating. I found their short lives and fragile bodies enduring.
When I showed my parents the invitation, Mother gasped and began to cry while Father looked at the floor, his head hung in shame.
Mother begged Father not to let me go, but it was useless. The punishment for not attending was death. If you were summoned, you went, or the council would show up and make an example out of you and your pack.
Father summoned the pack to our home, telling them the grim news. Many wonder how they found out about our small pack living among humans. We made great efforts to stay off the council's radar.
But I knew how. My secret dance with the dark knowledge put me on their radar. All magic leaves a trance. I knew this, but I never thought they would bother with me. Now, the whole pack is in danger. Their way of life is in jeopardy.
I stayed silent as the elders discussed the implication of the council discovering the pack. My heart was full of shame but also excitement for my future. I loved my pack and would never want anything to happen to them, but their ways didn't suit me. I longed for more.
