s the boundary that I cross every day. This time, crossing the boundary felt really different. I do not know why crossing

presence long before I had decided to step down. The air cooled instantly, carrying the scent of earth and pine from the forest. Every sou

hind me. It faded

l there. I felt it in my heart. It was like a

nd. The Alpha was really grounding. The Alpha was steady, in a way that words just cannot be. I followed

he forest changed. The for

They were not even. They looked heavy. I got down low. Put m

ot mine, I

oving. The Alpha's

eem

through it on purpose. It walked through here because it was hungry. My chest felt tight as I started to f

ot belong to either side

me. I saw Alpha's eyes sh

do not either. It was not being

ng in my chest changed. It was not telling me to hurry. It was telling me what to do. I understood then that my instinct was

. I was liste

like metal. It was not right. I stopped walking

oo

h. But

when I put my hand on his shoulder. When I touched him, it was like we

pered. Not

and then he let it ou

the middle of this space we saw a fence post that was broken, and the earth was all churned up. It looked like the trail had been disturbed b

out. It was somethi

my knees. Cl

at was closed and now it is open. The world is a big place,

r mind. The pain that hurts a lot. Under all of these feelings there is a very strong sense of loneliness that feels so real it makes my thro

The thing is really. It does not know where

ing threatening. Because he recognized something. The Alpha was showing that he k

unt," I said. "I

d me. The branch was from a tree. The tree was ancient.

acing really fast, but it was

Elder

d not have followed me

music was not the issue. The music was not what he was talking ab

ng. His face was really ser

es

eeting is already running behin

n stronger now. What was

hoice about you. It is about one thing. Are you a bridge to the village or are you a threat to the village? Th

far away. It was not a howl. It was not a growl. The sound

cr

got really tense. The Alpha was ready, for something. I

t. The thing is

. "What if the people who live in the villag

te. Then they wi

t moment. The silence was pretty uncomfortab

th for the people who were waiting. Corvin m

go. He said that he

as I looked back and forth

he things I sa

agreed with that. Th

ake. I was not scared anymore. The forest was, like my guide now. It was m

me, I was not reacti

s, I was choosing between things. What I mea

he darkness, I was going to face it. The thing that was waiting for me was the wounded and forgotten thing that was crying out in the dark. That

lance will be the key to everything that is going to happen from now on. The balance is what will bring things

ith c

with

h under