Rune.I woke up to the sun shining directly into my face. I shut my eyes tight immediately, and for a few seconds, I just lay there, preparing myself for the brightness that I was about to face. I spread my arms on the bed and opened my eyes immediately when I found it empty and cold.“You're awake,” a honey-like voice pointed out, and I smiled as a wave of relief washed over me.I sat upright, lifting a brow as I took the scene before me.“Are you going somewhere?” My brows creased. Kane nodded, working the buttons of his navy blue button-down. I’d never seen him wear a button-down shirt, even for festivals and events.“Where are you off to so early?” I asked with a tiny yawn.“There is an alpha meeting I must attend,” he said, his eyes focused on the shirt.I was no alpha, but I knew that those meetings lasted days, sometimes weeks, and if Kane were to attend such, he would be away for a while. The idea left a bitter taste in my mouth. We had just gotten together and expressed our

Rune.I had gone to bed with a huge smile on my face that night at having done something for myself; I stood my ground and defended myself against bullies.Even though Black kept telling me to stop, I felt good knowing I had done something I've always wanted to do. I put Rachael in her place, and it felt so good.When I woke up the next morning, I heard whispers of my name outside my window, but I didn’t think of it as anything since it wasn't the first time wolves had spoken about me in the pack. It was almost normal for them to talk about me. I got out of bed and took my time preparing myself to go downstairs to meet with my friends.As I made my way downstairs, I noticed I was getting weird stares from the omegas present. They were looking at me and hiding their faces whenever I met their eyes as though they had something to hide. It gave me flashbacks from the last time where they spoke about my inability to conceive a child, how it was all everyone could talk about. I didn't think

Rune.“This is why I told you we should have cut off her tongue that day,” Zarah yelled, “if we had, we wouldn't be in this mess.”It had been four days. Four days of complete torture and staying locked up in my room, on my bed, regretting some of my decisions, a lot of my decisions. I only had access to Soph, Marian, Kimi, and the head guard wolf, James. He’d been really helpful in keeping angry wolves away from the pack house.In those four days, wolves dedicatedly slept outside the Pack house, taking turns praying to the goddess for my demise. Soph refused the elders who tried to meet with me, telling them that no decision or anything would be made until Kane and Jett returned.The stress of not being able to go out, mixed with the knowledge that almost every wolf in the Pack wanted me dead, added to the tiredness I'd been feeling in the past few days. I felt sicker; I threw up more often, had no appetite, my entire body hurt, and I could barely sleep.A soft knock resounded on my

Rune.I walked into the festival grounds. It was a cold and chilly night in the woods, and all you could hear from a long range was the loud chuckle of wolf juveniles chatting over country music and the continual stench of burning rubber. Decorations, crests, and pictures of some past alpha were placed all over the festival grounds, with people wearing all sorts of colorful attire that caused me to feel a little nauseous. It was just nerves, I told myself, understanding that with a drink in my hand and a little chat, I would be able to clear off a little jitters. In the middle of the clearing was a large bonfire, constantly fueled by two wolves; one with a black shirt and an extremely dark goatee, and the other was a younger looking wolf wearing a look on his face almost as ugly as the scarf on his neck. I stood at the end of the clearing searching for something to drink or at least someone to talk to. My eyes caught Soph laughing in a group. She had her wild dark hair in a red tie, a

Rune.In the bustling atmosphere of the pack's medical facility, Rune, still processing the revelation of her pregnancy, sought medical confirmation from Chris, the pack's doctor. The scent of antiseptic and the low hum of conversations surrounded them as Rune navigated the unfamiliar territory, her steps echoing with a mix of determination and trepidation.Entering Chris's office, Rune greeted her nervously. Chris, accustomed to the diverse range of emotions accompanying pack members seeking medical advice, offered a reassuring smile amidst the clinical surroundings."What brings you here, Rune?" Chris inquired, her attention shifting between Rune and the papers on her desk."I need to confirm something," Rune replied, her eyes momentarily glancing around the medical facility.As Chris conducted the examination, Rune's thoughts swirled with uncertainty. The ambient sounds of medical equipment and the distant murmur of conversations created a backdrop to the profound moment unfolding.