Branches snapped under my sneakers as Vincent and I stopped in an open clearing in between the trees. I tilted my head back, squinting at the partial light beaming over us. It poked through the clouds that hadn't yet allowed the sun to finish rising. There wasn't much wind blowing this morning but it still felt cold.

My black leather jacket and my thick black pull-over hoodie were keeping me warm for the time being. I didn't know how long that'd last. But I hoped it'd have been for however long he planned on keeping us busy outside. The cool air was going to get to me soon. I could already feel it prickling through the hairs on my skin.

"Are we going to have to keep sneaking around like this every morning to avoid all the other pack members?" I yawned and looked over at him.

"This is only temporary," answered Vincent.

"Right." I nodded.

If it hadn't been for what I saw at the crowning ceremony, and what Vincent had told me himself, I would have questioned why we had to sneak around in the first place. Trust was a fragile thing that not all of Vincent's people seemed to have in him. If anyone caught us training together, it'd only have soured Vincent's reputation further. Their alpha training someone who'd been introduced as a threat didn't exactly leave a good impression.

I hadn't been aware of the underground tunnels within the mountains. They were dark and narrow, resembling catacombs. He referred to them as emergency escape routes. There was an entire map (he wouldn't show me) that could direct people down the correct paths. One of those paths started directly from and to the alpha's home.

Only a few members of the pack knew of the tunnels—the members who had high rankings above everyone else. If there were to be a threat, an attack, or if someone uninvited were to cross their grounds, one of those members would guide everyone through the tunnels to safety.

I assumed the knowledge was limited from the whole pack to keep people from roaming the tunnels whenever they pleased. It was also an easier way for someone to commit treason and murder the alpha. Both valid and logical reasons not to inform every member of the tunnels for now. I guess they never had a reason to use them yet. Otherwise, people would have known about them already.

"So, why'd you bring me here?" Another yawn left my mouth as I turned to face Vincent.

It wasn't fair. There wasn't a trace of sleep on his face. Meanwhile, I had been woken up at the ass crack of dawn—six in the morning, to be exact—and dragged out to the middle of the woods. The heavy bags weighing down the skin under my eyes felt like bruises.

"To clear your head," he said.

"Come again?" My nose scrunched up.

Vincent walked forward at a steady pace with his arms crossed. He towered over me, his intense stare digging into my soul. "Chin up, eyes closed."

"Okay. . ." I did as he told me. He used his hands to straighten my arms at my sides. I tensed under his grip. His hands were smoother than usual. I was used to the rough layer of skin along his bulky hands.

"You need to be able to better connect with your wolf. The outdoors is one of the best ways to do that. We are not only one with the moon but one with nature. First, you'll learn discipline and control. Don't let your wolf control you. You control it. Second, you need to be able to adjust to your surroundings."

All I could feel was his breath raising the hairs on my skin. I assumed he leaned in closer because his body heat was morphing into mine. While I'd always liked to think I had a sense of control and discipline, I knew in some ways I lacked it at times.

"That sounds super difficult. . ." I mumbled.

"It doesn't have to be if you follow my directions."

"Yes, sir," I said, clearing my throat, "you know, I just noticed something too."

"What is it?"

I shrugged. "Well, it's just, I thought werewolves . . . or, well, wolf shifters were supposed to look a certain kind of way. Maybe standing on two feet. Or something else. I don't know."

"What you're thinking of is lycanthrope. You've probably seen them a lot in the media." Vincent sighed. "However, they don't exist. At least . . . not anymore."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Lycanthropes were one of the two werewolf species alongside shifters to walk among humans. The last of the lycanthropes were wiped out over hundreds of centuries ago when mankind learned of their existence. Sadly, they were never able to live in harmony.

"Humans targeted Lycanthropes. And vice-versa. Until the lycanthropes were eventually hunted and exterminated, then showcased like trophies. Even if there was one survivor remaining among the lycanthrope clans, one wasn't enough to repopulate."

"Oh, wow, um. . . So, what happened after that? Was revenge taken? Was there a war between werewolves and humans? Is that why all of you are in hiding?"

I hadn't realized how much I'd been prying until I heard a click. He had flicked his tongue against the root of his mouth and sucked his teeth. Then, there was a pause. The pause gave me enough time to understand his hesitation. This was a touchy subject, I presumed. I wasn't sure if asking these questions was the right move then.

"Revenge is such a bittersweet thing that some wolves do crave. . . Not all of us have acted upon that temptation though. We simply avoid your kind. It was the best thing we could do to protect our own. It was either that or fight. But our history is already full of bloodshed."

"Bloodshed. . . That sounds horrible." I frowned, my eyes cracking open the slightest bit.

"It's always horrible." I noticed his chest rising and falling, the calm breaths easing out of him. Then, he barked, "Anyways, no more questions. Focus!"

I closed my eyes again, my lips pursing shut.

It was strange hearing a different version of my history. Werewolves weren't something taught to us due to the denial of their existence. They were presented to us as fiction. Yet here I was, living amongst them. Learning their history. Living with a wolf inside me.

I could hear Vincent sigh for what felt like the millionth time this morning. His voice was gentler than before when he spoke, "Genesis, you really need to focus. . . If you allow your wolf to control you, that could lead to emotional instability within your human form."

"What does that mean?" I frowned again.

"It means you'll shift whenever your emotions get the best of you. It's not pretty, I promise. There's also your lack of control regarding your strength and senses." My ears twitched when I heard a crack in front of me. It sounded as though a twig snapped. It was probably just Vincent moving around.

The number of times Vincent emphasized how much our wolves were a part of us reminded me of Amaury. I hadn't stopped thinking about Amaury and I's encounter. Our wolves were supposed to be counterparts with their own emotions who relied on us for a connection to the outside world. But I didn't have my own wolf who grew and harbored within me as I grew.

Amaury was my wolf. Well, it seemed that way, at least. I still had no clear idea how this worked. Had that meant I would hear Amaury's voice whenever I shifted? Would he be in control of our wolf? The symptoms weren't as much of a problem as they'd been during my first shift. I had a feeling Amaury was to thank for that.

When I allowed him to take control, the pain was suppressed. The chances of me surviving were slim to none. But he knew exactly what he was doing and how to keep me alive. For the most part, I felt normal. However, I did feel other things too. New things. Almost as if Amaury and I's emotions were intertwined because of our shared wolf.

Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if Amaury took the reins then.

"Now, imagine yourself running freely out in the open. It's dark. Your wolf is out. The air is brushing through your fur. The moonlight is shining. You're in full control." Vincent's whispers were the softest music notes in my ear that made me shiver. I tried to ignore it but to no avail.

"Okay," I complied.

"What do you see? Feel? Hear?"

"I see myself running through trees and fireflies in the distance. . . I can hear wind all around me. And I have this strange tingly feeling. Like my wolf is happy or something. Maybe. I don't know. The sound of water is nearby too." The images were clear in my head and I could imagine all the noises seeping into my ears.

"Good, keep going," Vincent encouraged.

"But I feel . . . I feel nothing."

"Come on Genesis, think harder. Put that imagination to use. I know you've got a wild one," he pointed out. I didn't bother touching on the double meaning behind his words. More than likely something meant to be an insult or a backhanded compliment.

"What am I supposed to feel?"

"Emotions," he stated, deadpan. "Focus on what you're feeling at that moment."

"Fear." It was the clearest in my beating heart that felt more like a painful throb.

"Fear?" he questioned.

"Yes, I believe so. . ." I inhaled a shaky breath. "Wait, no. T-this is. . ." It was more than just fear. It was an anxious, skin crawling heaviness sucking me into its presence. As much as I tried to pinpoint the cause of it, I couldn't.

"Genesis?"

"Fear. . . I feel it." It lingered. Like a silent killer, awaiting its moment to strike.

My breathing was heavy. My eyelids tightened shut. The air thickened.

Fear.

It all clicked. I wasn't running freely. I was running away. What I was feeling made sense now. Shit, this wasn't what I was supposed to imagine. Could someone have a nightmare while they were awake? This was exactly how that felt. I wanted to open my eyes but something kept me stranded. The darkness was nearby. It was closing in on us. No, on me.

"Genesis?" Vincent tried to intervene.

He received no answer again.

"Fuck." I heard him hiss.

"Ow!" My eyes sprung open. It was just in time for me to catch Vincent removing his fingers from my forehead after flicking me. Had I not been in pain, I would have brought up the concern on his face. I thought I'd imagined it at first because it was gone in a flash.

"What was that?" he asked, bewildered.

"I-I don't know. I was doing what you said! Then everything just . . . okay, you know what? I give up!" I blew out a loud puff of air, tossing my hands above my head. I could feel his eyes roaming over my figure. But he didn't say anything.

"What?" I snapped.

"It's just—it kind of blows my mind that you can't do the simplest thing young wolves are taught to do." He folded his arms, staring at me as if I was the hardest science project he'd ever had to pick apart.

"Whoa, hey. I'm trying my best here!" I protested. "Maybe you just suck as a teacher."

"I'm sure my teachings are not the problem." He snorted.

"Well, maybe they are. Think about it, you're teaching a girl who was once human. Not a wolf-born shifter who grew up in this environment. I'm new to this. Would it kill you to have a little more patience with me? Or to let your guard down just a smidge?"

He cocked his head to the side.

"Oh come on, don't give me that look. I'm helping you now. Trust me, I know I'm not exactly liked among everyone here. But you don't have to treat me like an enemy. Think of it as a partnership. You know, we're like partners in crime now. Right?"

I frowned at the laughter tumbling from his mouth. Why the hell was he laughing? What I said wasn't supposed to be funny. I didn't think it was funny at all. I was serious. Suddenly, Vincent sobered up, the sarcastic smile falling from his face.

"And what? I'm supposed to trust you now? That's not how this works, Genesis."

"Why can't it work like that? We'd only have to tolerate each other until I get out of this mess. Then, I'll be out of your hair. Isn't that what you want?" Vincent looked as if he was going to say something but a strange noise made him pause. I heard it too.

"Vincent?" I squealed when we heard the sounds again. Some sort of low, raspy growl. My hands moved on their own accord. Vincent's eyes widened at my hands, grasping his biceps—as if he'd never been touched in such a way before—and the confusion settled into his eyebrows as if he didn't know what the proper reaction should have been. I took advantage of his moment of unclarity, hiding the rest of my body behind his, while peeking around his shoulder.

"Listen, you can fight them off. I can't. They have a better chance of eating me before you. Lend me your strength just this once, yeah?" I whispered, "let me bask in my cowardness."

Two sets of piercing gold eyes glowed in the distance. Brown splotches of fur connected to the eyes. One of them was mixed with black fur, while the other was mixed with white. Clutched tight in both of their jaws was a dark green fabric I couldn't quite make out.

It was hard not to cringe in disgust when their bodies began to make popping and cracking noises. Their fur shrunk into their brown skin and their spines poked at their backs as they transformed. The sight was unbearable to watch. So much so, I turned away. It was such a horrid thing to witness when it wasn't happening to me.

"Dimitri. Dylan. I'm glad you could both make it," Vincent greeted them.

"Dimitri and Dylan?" I questioned.

When I looked again, two naked human bodies stepped forward. The brown and white wolf seemed to have belonged to Dylan. The other belonged to Dimitri. I covered my eyes as they slipped on the fabric that was in their mouths—cloaks as Vincent and I had worn that night.

"Yes. I asked them to join us. . ." he answered slowly, glancing down at my hands. I cleared my throat and quickly released him, mumbling a sorry.

"So, this is the girl who supposedly stabbed Amaury. Huh. Not what I was expecting. . ." Dylan had gotten closer. She circled around me dauntingly. I watched one of her eyebrows raise, while she tilted her head to get a better look at me.

It was disturbing how everyone here looked at me when they first met me. Like they were trying to figure me out, but couldn't do any more than that, because they were under orders not to harm me. If those orders hadn't been in place, who knows what would've happened to me by now? I didn't want to think about it.

"For the last time, I didn't kill Amaury. Your alpha attacked me. I'm helping this stubborn one right here so I can clear my name," I groaned in frustration. Dylan backed away. Her face indicated she was taken aback by what I'd said. Nonetheless, amused. She looked at Vincent.

Vincent pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'll explain later," he muttered.

"Hmm. . ." Dylan's eyes were back on me, a hint of curiosity on her face.

"And why exactly have we been given the task of helping her when we have other matters to attend to?" Dimitri's flat tone sliced right through me. I blinked twice, unable to shake it off. His sister's voice carried a similar tone. The difference was, he did it on purpose.

There was something unsettling about him. Not in the creepy vibe's kind of way, but in a way, I knew he would have said no if anyone but the alpha ordered him to do this. His ice-cold gaze froze the hot waters I was riding on with Vincent. Vincent had a boiling hot temper about him. Dimitri had a freezing cold demeanor about him. They were the scariest of parallels.

"This is only temporary. We can't have her running loose every time she shifts. You don't have to get close to her. Just teach her," Vincent said. Dimitri snarled under his breath.

"I guess that's not too complicated. Why us, though?" Dylan shot Vincent another look. Her hair bounced with her head movements.

"Because sparring is your specialty. I need people whom I can trust to give her lessons about her reflexes. Who better to ask than two of my most trusted wolves with the most efficient fighting skills in this pack?"

"Reflexes? What? Why do I need lessons about reflexes? I know what reflexes are. My reflexes are working perfectly fine, thank you very much." I huffed.

Dylan chuckled and shook her head. "Hon, that's not what he meant. It's the complete opposite, actually." I mouthed an oh.

Hon? Could she have been older than me? She looked younger than me but she referred to me as hon. I didn't know whether to react in awe or surprise.

"Close your eyes," she instructed. I closed my eyes and waited. Nothing in particular happened. The only thing I could hear was an annoying buzz in my ear. Soft, light gushes of wind joined the buzz every few seconds near my face. My jaw ticked.

"We're already aware of how well your reflexes are working. But you need to know when to use them and when they'll come in handy." I jumped and opened my eyes as she reached out and clapped her hands together. The buzzing in my ear hadn't gone off again. That's when I saw the lifeless carcass falling from her palm. The dead fly fell somewhere in the grass.

"Show off." Dimitri scoffed under his breath.

Dylan sent Dimitri a smirk. The tight smile on Vincent's face relaxed as he watched over them. But his guard shot right back up when he caught me looking at him.

"Reflexes are easier when you know how to control them on your own. And with your increased strength . . . well, let's just say, we've got our work cut out for us." She shrugged.

"Are you done?" Vincent raised an eyebrow.

"All yours." She mock-saluted him with a grin. "Rest assured, Genesis. You're in good hands for now. So, enjoy the bittersweet moments while they last."

I breathed out a sigh of relief. She was obviously on the fence about me. But she wasn't going to let that get in the way of teaching me. Neither was Dimitri, apparently. Even if he didn't want to. Because they respected their alpha. For once, I was glad about that. That didn't mean I was in the clear. But that meant I didn't need to worry about them too much, for now either.