New Wolf novel Chapter 97

"Hanna," Jacob started.

"Don't." I croaked. "Stay, away from me."

"Why would you say that?" I heard him coming up behind but I moved away before he could grab my shoulder.

"Just do it," I commanded. "And as your Luna, that's an order."

"I don't understand."

"Listen to what she says, Jacob. lt's for the best." I feel like Troy has a knack for popping when you least expect him to. But this time, I feel like he's been there for a while.

"Why are you here?" Georgie said, "I thought you said this was a two-day trail."

"It was supposed to be, but someone went and changed it all around." His expression darkened now. "I want you all back to the pack-house, now. No stalling, now idle walking, no larking. The trail is over."

"Why?" Georgie asked again, and I swear I could feel Troy's annoyance.

"Does it matter?"

"I think we all deserve to know since you were going on about how excruciating this was going to be."

"Because," he clenched his teeth. "if you were to stay out here, you'd be a corpse by the morning. That's why."

No one said anything after that, and we all began to move out. I felt so strange walking through the darkness like I belonged to it. Somewhere inside me was elated with the release it gave, the camouflage. The night ironically seemed clearer in my eyes, so translucent. Something fixed felt sitting under my skin, forever and willingly waiting to manifest. Like I was the stubborn host in its sweet malevolent slumber, ignorantly forcing its dormancy.

It was futile.

"Hanna," Troy grabbed onto me as we reached the center of the yard. I knew he was waiting for everyone else to go inside before he continues speaking, and I just wish Jacob could follow in their footsteps and do the same. I knew he was listening to our conversation and I was tempted to spill the lid on my deep dark past in hopes to scare him away, but then it occurred to me that I needed someone to talk to about Jason...

Jason? Or secret?

"What happened out there?"

"You actually know my name?" I feigned surprise. "Whatever happened to Hero?"

"I'm gonna let that go on the account that this might not be you right now, but I'm serious, what happened?"

"Other than the trees coming to life and arrows and that wild animal attacking?"

"The arrow was just a warm up. The lion-wolf and tree were to test your stress levels."

"You did all of that? Then you must have been there! Why didn't you do anything!"

"Because it wasn't necessary."

"The arrow could have hit something important!"

"I've been around a long time and considering I knew your mother, meeting you was expected."

"So why don't I remember you."

"You haven't recovered all your memories yet. You barely scratched the surface."

"So that guy on the beach..."

"You've done worse. But what I don't understand is how that's tied to last night."

"It's when I gave up, it was like that part of me took over."

"I need you to do it again. It'll be better to train you that way so you can control it and do it at will."

"But that was an accident. And I don't think I want to do it either. I feel like an inch of my soul goes translucent when I shift to Warlock Queen, like my humanity was disappearing. That's something I can't afford to do. My father must have known how dangerous I was for him to tell me to preserve my humanity, and I plan to honor those words."

"This is not something that can go away over time." He stressed. "If you leave it untamed, it will destroy you and reign over your bones. Your mother may have mastered hers but there's a complexity and irrationality that comes with yours. And honestly, it's pretty scary." he chuckled.

"Wow? The Great Troy's afraid?"

"I've seen you. That insignia behind your ear was more of a seal than anything. But since your mother died, there is nothing that can keep you from letting lose."

We fell into silence, stiff, buffering silence.