Chapter 64: Running in wolf form

Sophia tugged at the laces of her training clothes, the worn fabric snug against her skin as she prepared for her morning run. The dawn light filtered through the small window of her modest home, its stone walls bare except for a single shelf holding a mug and a tattered book about their kind that she’d borrowed from the library.

The air smelled of frost and cedar, the compound quiet save for the distant chirp of birds and the early wakers. She’d been running at first light these past few days, along with Dren and aspiring warriors and hunters and now that she was working at the library, she had to work harder. She’d wake up earlier to run before her shifts in the library.

Her boots scuffed the floor as she grabbed a waterskin, her torn dress from yesterday folded in a corner, a reminder of her chaos. She had gone back to each place later after her shift at the library as Eldric had so named it, and made sure she apologised to them but they waved her off like her apology didn’t matter and they cared less for the money she offered to give them to repair what she had destroyed.

But she wasn’t going to be a burden to them and if they didn’t want the money, she was going to look for another way to repay them.

She took a deep breath and opened the door, expecting the crisp morning air, but froze. Orion stood outside, his broad frame filling the doorway, his brown hair damp and tousled, his brown eyes glinting with purpose. He wore a simple tunic and leather pants, a dagger at his belt, his presence commanding even in the soft dawn light.

Sophia frowned, clutching the waterskin. "What are you doing here?"

Orion’s lips twitched, a half-smile breaking through. "I came for you."

Her frown deepened, her brow creasing as she stepped onto the threshold. "What do you mean, ’came for me’? It’s barely dawn. And I know you don’t like me that much to show up at my doorstep by this time."

Orion laughed. "I don’t hate you." He told her.

His laugh did things to her she couldn’t explain. It was carefree and it was all him. It suited him so well that the realisation sent a jolt through her. She shook her head. This was Orion she was seeing. He was annoying and would forever be an oaf or an ogre depending on her mood.

"What are you doing here?" She asked him, her eyes narrowed.

Maybe this was about what happened yesterday...

"Wait, is this about..."

He crossed his arms, as he interrupted her. "You’re running with me this morning. I’m showing you a trick to build up your stamina faster."

Sophia blinked, her curiosity sparking despite her confusion. "Wait what? That’s it?"

"Um...were you expecting something else?" He asked her.

"Yes? I thought you were here because of what happened yesterday." She told him.

"About you wrecking havoc like it’s a part of you?" He asked her and she blushed.

"I didn’t mean it."

"You never do. But that’s the past, I’m here for something else and that’s showing you a truck to build your stamina, your issue yesterday has been resolved."

"I...you know what? I don’t..." she shook her head. "Since you came here for something else, let’s focus on that. What truck do you want to show me?"

Orion gestured toward the path leading out of the compound. "Come with me."

She hesitated, then followed, her boots crunching on the frosted ground. The compound stirred as they walked, pack members emerging from their homes. A blacksmith with purple beads nodded, "Morning, Alpha," and Orion returned a warm smile.

A group of children, clutching books for school, ran past, giggling as Orion ruffled their hair.

Sophia watched quietly as they walked. His ease, the respect in every glance, the warmth in his greetings, it was clear the pack members loved him, trusted him. She’d noticed it before, but seeing it now, in the soft morning light, made her chest tighten.

They passed the last houses, leaving the compound through the gates as Orion waves the guards stationed there a goodbye, for a clearing beyond, where frost-dusted pines ringed a wide, grassy expanse.

The air was sharp, the sky pale with the promise of sunrise. Sophia stopped, turning to Orion, her curiosity bubbling over. "Okay, we’re here. How’s this supposed to help my stamina?"

Orion faced her, his hands on his hips. "The trick is running in wolf form. It doubles your stamina, and also strengthens your bond with your wolf spirit."

Sophia nodded, a smile tugging at her lips, "Really?" She asked him and he nodded.

"I’ve always wanted to shift after seeing you and the others fight the trihydra but I don’t know how." She told him.

Orion frowned, his dark eyes narrowing. "What do you mean, you don’t know how? You just do it."

Her brow furrowed, her hands gesturing wildly. "Do it? Orion, how? I don’t know how to shift! What does that even mean?"

He stared, his mouth opening slightly, his confusion mirroring hers. "You think about it. You feel your wolf spirit, call it up. It’s instinct, Sophia. You’re bonded to your wolf, same as the rest of us."

She blinked, her voice rising with a mix of curiosity and exasperation. "Bonded? How?"

"The same way the rest of us are. You speak with your wolf, you connect with them. While they are a different personality, you are them and they are you." He told her.

"But I don’t speak with anyone? How do I speak with them?"

"You don’t hear a voice in your head? You can’t interact with your wolf?" He asked her with a frown.

"No." She shook her head. "I don’t have a wolf. How will I be able to interact with one if I don’t have it?"

Orion’s frown deepened, his hands dropping to his sides. "That’s impossible. Everyone except you are a demon or a witch or something else, has a wolf spirit. You’re telling me you don’t feel anything? No presence, no pull?"

Sophia shook her head, her dark hair bouncing. "No! I don’t feel anything."

"But that’s impossible, Sophia because when I found you, you were in wolf form, you shifted to human right in front of me so I know you have a spirit wolf. You have one." He told her. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Sophia’s jaw dropped, her waterskin slipping from her hand to the frosted grass. "I... what? Wolf form? Me?" Her voice cracked, her hands gesturing wildly. "Why didn’t anyone tell me? How was I a wolf? I don’t remember that! What does that mean?"

Orion stepped closer, his voice softening but still baffled. "I thought you knew. It’s already a part of you and I suspect you got to the shrine in your wolf form so I don’t understand what you mean by you can’t shift."

"I’m not lying."

"I know you’re not lying, Sophia!" He told her then took a minute to calm himself down.

"Can you close your eyes for me? Try to feel if there is another presence within you. Try to reach out to her." Orion told her softly.

Sophia nodded and did as told. She closed her eyes and rid herself of the noises around them which were nonexistent in the first place but there was nothing except darkness. She couldn’t feel anything even after ten minutes.

"It’s not there." She sat with a sniffle.

Orion paused and turned to her as she opened her eyes. "Are you crying?" He asked in shock.

She shook her head. "I’m almost there but I’m not crying, not yet. It’s just...how am I the only one without one? At what age do people get theirs? Maybe I missed it?"

"People get theirs at around sixteen to eighteen but you didn’t miss yours Sophia. You have one. A brilliant white Wolf with your stunning eyes. I know what I saw that day and I’m not mistaken." He told her.

Sophia stared at him with a frown. He just called her eyes stunning and that jolt she felt earlier this morning was back again. She couldn’t explain it. She did not understand why it was there but it was. She searched to see if Orion would notice what he just said but he was paving the floor and muttering to himself. She was sure he didn’t realise.

"Perhaps this has something to do with my amnesia?" She asked him, fear in her voice as she spoke the thought out loud.

Orion paused and turned to her but his focus was on Noctis.

"Do you think that’s possible?" He asked his wolf.

Noctis stirred as if waking up from a slumber but Orion knew he’d been paying attention all along and he was not sleeping.

*It could be possible. Although I’m not one to ask. I don’t know of this condition called amnesia.*

"Perhaps we need to go back to Lysander and Eldric." Orion told her with a sigh.