Insight

It took several hours for the creeping sedum tea’s effects to wear off. Eve had been drinking it for weeks and at noon everyday, she was able to shift into her animal form. She ran and hunted through the forest surrounding Bastian’s cabin.

The tea did well to keep her beast from bursting free without effort. However, it did nothing for the building power within her. Eve’s daily runs seemed to give her control over it, as well as help it to grow stronger. The creeping sedum couldn’t stop this, it only seemed to contain her inner beast.

Eve was running through the woods that day as evening approached. Onyx ran beside her, enjoying her time in the sun. The teenager’s fur was brown and streaked with caramel coloring. She had an intelligent, hazel gaze which turned playful as she ran.

Eve’s wolf was small and black, with white speckles down her spine. She was once able to leap over tall obstacles and spring under fallen trees. Now, she was nearly in the ninth month of her pregnancy. The bump of her stomach prevented her from being as agile as she once was.

Lycans are pregnant for around eleven months. This gave Eve hope that she would be back with her pack before she gave birth. Really, more than anything, she just wanted Flint to be there. The ache in her chest was constant. Reminding her of her mate and their shared loss.

A large, gray wolf approached from the side. His dark eyes were now familiar to the StarLight Luna; as was his scent. It was Bastian. As always, he had been watching Eve. He saw her running with his foster sister. Without hesitation, he’d gone to join them.

Bastian bumped into Onyx, playfully pushing her off the trail. She growled at him as she rushed to catch up with Eve once more. In her wolf form, Eve felt nearly as strong as she was before she shared Flint’s strength. This meant, it was substantially less than it should have been and less than she had grown accustomed to.

Still, Eve was fast. Bastian, being the strongest rogue and Alpha of the Shadow pack, easily matched her speed. Only Onyx pushed herself to catch up with the Luna. Bastian caught Eve’s eyes from beside her, they held a mischievous glint. Eve knew he was up to something, she just didn’t know what.

Don’t you dare. The she-beast reached into his mind.

Bastian laughed internally before bumping into Eve, pushing her off the trail. Onyx caught up with her and they met gazes. Something had to be done, and they would have to work together.

Eve nodded to her and she ran to the left. The Luna ran up to the gray wolf. His ever-constant smirk seemed to be there. Even if he was in wolven form. She shook the dirt from her fur and narrowed her gaze at him.

What’s that look for? His wolf chuckled in her mind.

You think you’re so smart? Figure it out. She rolled her eyes and began running ahead.

Bastian laughed as he rushed to catch up with her.

Come on, Sunshine. You know we can keep up with you. He teased her.

Oh, yeah? Prove it then. She darted ahead.

As Eve turned the familiar corner on the trail, Onyx lept down from a nearby ledge. She and Bastian went tumbling down the small slope. Their laughter made Eve happy for a moment. It was nearly as if she wasn’t a hostage in a place far from her home. Even if that was the reality in front of her.

Bastian stood up and shook the dirt from his fur. Onyx pounced at him again, lowering her chin to the ground playfully. Bastian returned the gesture for an instant before the pair collided. It took only a few seconds before the large, gray wolf knocked his sister away from him. She giggled as she shook herself off.

They made their way to a clearing nearby. Onyx and Eve laid together, enjoying the fresh air. Bastian watched them from a couple feet away. After some time passed, Bastian looked at the sky.

It’s getting dark. Go back. His wolf instructed Onyx.

We want to stay. Do we have to? The teenager replied.

Yes. You haven’t eaten. Go, eat, rest. Bastian was steadfast.

Onyx reluctantly stood. She nodded goodbye to Eve and rolled her eyes at her brother, before running back toward the cabin.

You sent her away. Eve looked at him skeptically.

She needs to eat and sleep. He shrugged casually.

So do you. Want to head back? She answered.

There was no response. Only the static feeling of his gaze on her. Eve looked at him curiously. He seemed to be perfectly content exactly where he was.

Not yet. Are you hungry? We can go for a quick hunt. Bastian eventually replied.

Quick, huh? How? She scoffed internally.

We know where some rabbits are. We saw their burrows yesterday. He stood and stretched.

Alright. Show us. Eve stood as well.

Bastian seemed to beam happily before leading her back into the woods. After several minutes of walking, the pair came upon a grassy hill. It had holes scatted across it where rabbits had obviously been digging.

It took only a glance for the pair to narrow down their strategy. Bastian listened to the ground intently for a moment before rushing over to one of the burrows. Eve stood at the other end of the tunnel, waiting. A few silent moments passed.

The feeling of movement in the ground moved under Eve’s paws, stepping away from her. Bastian held an excited light in his eyes just before he dove his head into the burrow. Snarling growls and snapping jaws scared the rabbit. It ran toward Eve.

She spread her feet, giving the entrance a clear view of the darkening sky. The frantic animal came scurrying out of the hole, hoping for freedom. Eve clamped down on it’s spine and shook it in her jaws.

The satisfying crunch of it’s bones was accompanied by a shrill screech. She tossed the rabbit to the side, happy with the catch. However, her prey wasn’t dead. It was panting and twitching. Eve froze in the sight of it. The blood on it’s brown fur smelled sweet and the fear in it’s eyes was palpable.

Bastian watched the black wolf curiously. She seemed deep in thought, though he couldn’t tell what was on her mind. There was a time when the smell of fear in the blood of her food turned Eve’s stomach. Now was different. She didn’t understand why. The human half of her didn’t like this change.

Kill it. It’s suffering. The inner voice immerged in the she-beast’s mind.

It smells so good... Why? The Luna inhaled the air deeply.

Just kill it. Eve replied.

The gray wolf slowly approached her. He was examining her closely. Unlike the electricity of Flint’s gaze and touch, static creeped over her. She turned her glowing, cyan blue eyes to him sharply. It no longer mattered what was right.

The Luna turned back to the rabbit and tore into it without hesitation. It screeched again as she devoured it. Bastian admired her with a happy gaze. She ignored the disgruntled voice in her mind as she raised her gaze back to the gray wolf beside her.

More? The gray wolf’s voice breached her mind.

You haven’t even eaten yet. It was one rabbit. The black wolf seemed more at ease. Of course we need to find more.

Bastian seemed to be smiling as he nodded to another burrow. The she-beast seemed to push these changes out of her thinking. She simply followed what her instincts were telling her. Her human side, the side that had always been control, didn’t ignore these things.

Eve realized her wolf was occasionally slipping into an aggressive state. She never had issues calming the beast within, except recently. This had nothing to do with her pup’s Alpha power. Eve knew that much. The power didn’t rise up when these things happened. No. This was something else.

This had only been happening for a little while. It had to be the tea. Being contained by the creeping sedum seemed to be making her beast more wild. Eve remembered a conversation she’d had with Bastian weeks ago.

When my wolf starts chanting and raving ‘kill it, kill it, kill it, kill it’, eventually I kill something. So, which part does that. The human or the wolf? He once asked her.

Your wolf chants and raves until you kill things? She probed, hiding her concern.

Everyday. Yours doesn’t? Bastian replied curiously.

No, Bas. Definitely not. Eve answered worriedly.