Chapter 14.

Caden

War cries cascade my ears as claws clash against each other. Howls of pain follow.

Blood spills on every inch of the once green pasture.

Bones cracking.

Women crying.

Children crying.

More blood.

More howling.

I find myself in the midst of the dark.

I'm in a burning room.

“Run Caden!” A woman screams before she's consumed by fire

“Mother!”

I jerk and my eyes move slowly around my room.

This is the tenth time I've had this dream, each one being more horrific than the last.

I close my eyes and slowly regulate my breathing.

Beads of sweat roll down my forehead,down my neck.

These dreams are a reminder of our massacre. A reminder of how I failed my pack.

I let them down.

I let my mother down.

I open my eyes and step down from my bed and land on the cold floor.

I balance myself above the ground with my palms rooted on the ground.

With each push and pull motion I make I exhale slowly.

“Hey maybe you should stop now” Von says

“No”

I'm not just exercising. I'm preparing myself for the