Page 26 of Blood, Shadow & Claw

By the time our laughter began to fade, the sun was setting, settling into a comfortable lull that felt like the gentle ebb of a waveafter it crashed onto the shore. I plucked at the grass beneath me, my fingers tracing patterns on the earth as if they could draw out my thoughts and lay them bare for all to see.

"Can we just talk about how twisted it is?"Eva suddenly blurted out, her green eyes flashing with a familiar fire. "The way society expects us to be chaste and pure until some magic moment, then suddenly we're supposed to flip a switch and be...experienced.It's like walking a tightrope. I’ve heard my whole like how our people are sexually charged, and yet as a virgin, I am not supposed to do anything about it."

"Preach,"Hope chimed in, rolling her eyes. "It's a rigged game. You're either a whore or a prude."

I nodded, feeling the weight of those expectations like a heavy cloak I'd been forced to wear for far too long. "I grew up with my foster moms always yelling at me too, 'Keep your dress down. Don't wear tight clothing.'Like my worth was tied up in whether or not I'd been touched,"I said, my voice carrying a bitterness I didn't often let surface.

"Ugh, that's awful,"Faith muttered, plucking at a blade of grass and shredding it between her fingers.

"Before Ajax, I was always the 'good girl,'terrified of stepping wrong. And when I did step... well, you know."I shrugged, the memory of last night's vulnerability creeping back in. "I felt like I was breaking some sacred rule, but also like I was finally taking control. It's confusing as hell."

"Girl, you're telling my life story,"Eva piped up, leaning back on her hands. "Speaking of control, there's something I've meant to get off my chest."Her cheeks flushed a shade that rivaled her hair, and she looked away toward the denseness of the forest.

"Spill it. This is a safe space, right?"Hope encouraged, nudging Eva gently with her shoulder.

"Okay, so... I'm kind of, sort of, really into Devon."Eva's words tumbled out in a rush, her gaze darting around our circle before it landed on me. "And I can't stop thinking about him, but he's so out of my league, and I don't even know if he likes redheads?—"

"First off, you are an absolute catch, and if Devon doesn't see that, he's blind,"I interjected, the protector within me rising to the forefront. "And second, who cares about leagues? If there's one thing being here has taught me, we make our own rules. Do you like him? Go for it."

"Really? You think I should?"Eva asked, her green eyes wide and hopeful.

"Absolutely,"I affirmed with a smile that felt as warm as the sun on our faces. "What's life without a little risk?"

"Look at you, all full of wisdom after that epic claiming last night with Ajax,"Hope teased, but her smirk couldn't hide the glint of approval in her eyes.

"Hey, love might make you do crazy things, but it also makes you brave,"Faith said.

"Yeah,"I added with a grin, "what she said."feeling the bond between us all grow stronger with every shared secret and burst of laughter.

"Brave, huh?"Eva mused, a small smile playing on her lips as she gazed into the distance. It's time I start taking some risks of my own.

"Damn right,"Hope agreed, and we all nodded, a pact forming without words.

"Besides,"I added, "if we're going to face the weirdness of this world, we might as well do it with hearts wide open and claws ready."

"Here's to being brave and to hell with societal expectations,"Eva declared, lifting an imaginary glass.

"To bravery and breaking the mold,"we echoed in unison, our voices weaving together in a chorus of newfound courage.

Our laughter still hung in the air, a fading echo of our shared rebellion against the world's harsh judgments, when I felt the shiver of unease snake its way down my spine. It clawed at our created warmth, a chilling reminder that nothing was right in our little sanctuary. I drew my phone from the pocket of my jeans, the screen lighting up with the message that had been haunting me.

"Hey, so... this is weird,"I began, my voice betraying the tremorof anxiety as I held out the device for them to see. "I got this text this morning, and it freaked me out."

"Let's have a look,"Hope said, her brow furrowing as she read the words on the screen. The others peered over her shoulder, their expressions shifting from curiosity to concern.

"Who is this from?"asked Eva, her voice laced with worry. "Do you know?"

I shook my head, feeling the vulnerability of the unknown. "I have no clue. But it feels... ominous, you know?"

"Have you shown Ajax?"Hope inquired, her protective instincts surfacing like a mama umbra sensing danger to her cub.

"Yeah, this morning. He said he'd take care of it. But I can't help but worry that maybe this is from my old life…"As I thought about Dr. Baker saying I wasn't of sound mind, my words trailed off. Was I making too much of this?

"Not to add fuel to the fire. But Raylene seemed pretty keyed up yesterday,"Hope added quietly, almost to herself, but loud enough for us all to catch the hint of suspicion in her tone.

"Raylene?"I repeated that churning in my gut, making me squirm with unease.

Hope nodded slowly, her gaze distant as if piecing together a puzzle only she could see. "She has always valued the purity of the pack, the inner circle. An outsider coming in, especially one connected to the Alpha... Well, I know she wasn't happy about you being here. What happened last night, that flash of light? That doesn't normally happen. I've read about it, you know, the moon goddess blessing a union.It'sjust wild, is all. I just wouldn't put it past her to stir the pot."

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