Page 4 of Wolf Revealed

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Morning light filtered through the forest canopy, splintering into shards of gold that illuminated my makeshift camp. I woke from a fitful slumber, the lingering specter of Kadence's evil eyes still imprinted on my mind.

I stood, muscles aching from the previous days’ journey, and stretched, feeling the call of the wild resonate in my bones. Without another thought, I allowed the change to overtake me. It was as it always had been—a wave of intense sensation followed by a calm that stilled my turbulent thoughts.

My senses as a wolf were sharper, the forest a symphony of sounds and smells. I could feel the earth's vibration beneath my paws and hear the rustle of leaves as critters scurried through the underbrush. The world was a masterpiece painted in a thousand different scents, each one telling a story.

I spied a squirrel, its fur glossy in the morning sun, unaware of my presence. With the stealth that came naturally to my kind, I lunged, my jaws closing around the creature with a swiftness that allowed it no suffering. With my breakfast secured, I returned to my human form and camp, preparing the small creature over the fire.

As I watched the flames lick the squirrel's fur, I remembered Artemis. It was a painful recollection, a wound that refused to heal.

The memory of leaving her in the wilderness still gnawed at me. As I explained my plan, I remembered her terrified eyes and the raw disbelief that marked her features. She had been wounded and vulnerable, and I had abandoned her. I had left her to fend for herself, an offering to the cold, unforgiving wilderness.

My choice had been a desperate one. Kadence's wrath was insatiable, her desire to eliminate Artemis all-consuming. By leaving Artemis behind, I had hoped to draw Kadence's attention away to lead my former pack on a wild chase while Artemis healed and disappeared.

It had been a gamble, one that had haunted me every day since. I had abandoned Artemis, knowing she might not survive her injuries or the wilderness. But what choice did I have? Kadence would have killed her, of that I had no doubt.

As I gnawed on the roasted meat, my heart ached with a deep-seated yearning to find Artemis again, explain my actions, apologize, and affirm my undying love. Yet, a bitter fear nestled within me. I knew that I had hurt her deeply, that my actions had likely bred a resentment that would not quickly fade.

Would she even listen to me? Would she see the pain in my eyes and understand my decision all those years ago? Or would she turn me away, the sight of me too much a reminder of the pain I had caused?

As these thoughts plagued me, I finished my meal and prepared to resume my journey, the towering peak of Magic Mountain a constant reminder of the reckoning that awaited me.

The sprawling wilderness seemed to mirror my inner turmoil as I continued along the forest path. Each rustling leaf, each chirping bird, felt like a sad echo of the joy that had once swelled in my heart when I thought of Artemis. That joy was replaced with an overwhelming dread, a gnawing concern that wouldn't subside.

The news had reached me through the whispers of the wind, the murmurs in the undergrowth, and the hushed conversations between passing shifters. Artemis’ sisters had separated, and their once unified front now fractured into various diverging paths. Their separation resulted in a world on the cusp of anarchy as alliances shifted and powers were realigned.

Within this chaos, a dangerous ambition took root. Kadence, my former alpha, had set her sights on the Magic Mountain Range. I heard tales of her relentless pursuit of power and her coercion of unaffiliated shifters to join her forces. Her vision was clear, her goal defined: she sought to reign over the sprawling expanse of the mountain range, its strategic importance apparent to any seasoned leader.

Yet, it wasn't the strategic significance that struck fear in my heart. The name was whispered in the same breath as Magic Mountain Range. Artemis.

Artemis, the girl I had loved, the woman I had left behind, was said to reside at the mountain's peak. The same mountain that Kadence sought to conquer. I knew all too well of Kadence's penchant for revenge, of her violent disposition when confronted with a threat. Artemis had once been perceived as such a threat.

The fear that gripped me was as cold as the mountain's peak, as stark as the threat that loomed over Artemis's head. The memory of our past encounter, of Artemis's near-death experience at Kadence's hands, haunted me. I couldn't stand idly by, not when Artemis's life was at stake.

Every step I took, every beat of my heart, was driven by a desperate need to protect her. To warn her of the impending danger. To ensure that history didn't repeat itself. I couldn't fail her again. I wouldn't. My resolve hardened, and I trudged on, the path ahead filled with uncertainty and the ghosts of the past.

In the early evening, a dense fog was already cloaking the mountaintop as I reached the outskirts of Artemis's territory. My heart pounded like a war drum in my chest, echoing the rhythm of my anxiety. I stared at the path that wound up towards the peak, every inch of it seeming to be a testament to my journey—not just the physical journey, but the emotional one.

With each step, I was moving closer to a confrontation I both yearned for and dreaded. Artemis. My mind raced with the possible outcomes of our reunion. Would she even recognize me after all these years? Would she listen to my warnings or dismiss me outright?

Up ahead, through the thickening fog, I saw a silhouette. A woman, her stance regal, commanding. For a moment, I didn't recognize her. But then the fog shifted, and the sunlight streamed down, casting her in a harsh and revealing glow. My heart clenched as recognition dawned. Artemis.

"Artemis," I called, my voice raw and strained.

She turned, her features hardening as she recognized me. Her gaze was as cold as the mountain winds, her body stiff with tension.

"Ronan," she called out, her voice devoid of any warmth it once held for me.

The greeting—or the dismissal—felt like a punch to the gut. But I had expected it and prepared myself for it. Even so, the reality of her cold reception was a bitter pill to swallow.

"I didn't come here to fight," I said quickly, raising my hands non-threateningly. I could see the distrust in her eyes, the remnants of the pain I had caused. "I came to warn you."

She scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "And why should I trust anything you say, Ronan?"

"Because of Kadence," I said, hoping the mention of our common enemy would sway her. "She plans to conquer Magic Mountain. I fear you might be in danger."

Her gaze flickered briefly, and I knew I had her attention. There was so much I wanted to say and needed to explain, but time was not on my side.

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