Valerie's POV
"Lizzie."
I called out to my wolf, but only silence echoed in my mind where I would usually get a response.
"Lizzie, are you okay?"
I called out again in worry.
This was the first time I hadn't received a reply from my wolf since I was thirteen.
Unlike other werewolves who awakened their wolves at the age of sixteen, mine had awakened at thirteen.
I remembered the burning pain in my body and the tearing feeling of bones shifting and taking shape on my first shift.
I had no one to guide me or give me comfort.
I had shifted alone in my dark room with only silence and a musky smell as my companions.
A strange, unfamiliar discomfort spread through my body, making it impossible to sleep.
Something was wrong.
I was also afraid of going to the hospital as the doctors there were the same as everyone else in the pack.
At most, they would give a few painkillers and let me return no matter what problem I had.
Sometimes going to the hospital would only make things worse instead of getting better.
Over the years, I have learned one thing; endure or die.
So, I have long gotten used to constant pain.
However, today I was feeling completely different.
It was not the pain of an old injury acting up or the new wounds that had been inflicted on me by some pack member aching.
It wasn't the feeling of a normal illness setting in.
In fact, I couldn't explain what I was feeling at all, but it was too uncomfortable.
I thought that if I went to sleep, when I woke up in the morning, everything would be all better.
That was how it had been for the last eight years in the pack.
My room at the back of the building was dark and damp and it didn't have any supply of electricity like the rest of the pack house.
If I didn't have some leftover candles to use, I would live in darkness, just like my life, and my existence.
I blew out the candle burning with an amber flame beside my worn out mattress on the damp floor.
'Tonight would be no different. I had to endure the discomfort'.
That was my thought as I closed my eyes and curled myself in a fetal position for whatever bit of security it gave me and started to count sheep to force myself to sleep.
The only problem was, no matter how many sheep I counted, I couldn't fall asleep.
The discomfort in my body was getting worse by the minute and for some unknown reason, my wolf, who had accompanied me during the tough times, was silent today.
I panicked when I tried to call my wolf once more but got no response.
Was I going to lose my wolf even without knowing what she looked like?
I remember the day I first shifted.
I hadn't even seen what color my wolf was in the darkness before I shifted back into my human form almost immediately after.
I had thought that if our alpha and pack members found out that I was so talented and had awakened my wolf so early, they would see me in a new light and stop the bullying and the torture.
However, Lizzie stopped me before that thought could even completely form in my head.
That was the first time I had heard my wolf's voice. It sounded sweet and childish, but it was real and it wasn't scolding or humiliating me.
However, it was warning me.
"Valerie, you should never, ever let anyone know about my existence, otherwise you and I would face the same fate as your father."
That one statement had made my blood turn colder than ice.
I found my thoughts wandering to many years ago when I was just ten years old.
All thoughts of falling asleep forgotten due to the worry of my silent wolf.
I knew that I couldn't tell anyone about my wolf.
Not even Karl.
But I thought that Lizzie's disappearance might have something to do with the discomfort I was experiencing.
Also, remembering that I had to wake up early at four to prepare breakfast for everyone, I thought that if I woke up feeling worse than I already did at that moment instead of better, then I would be in a whole lot of trouble.
If I couldn't fulfill my daily duties because I am sick, that would earn me a visit to the dungeon and a round of torture.
I finally decided against going to sleep and decided to go ask Karl for help.
Maybe he would know what was wrong with me and give me a solution that wouldn't result in facing punishment.
Anyway, all I had to do was make sure I didn't mention Lizzie.
I thought that Karl was quite knowledgeable since he had taught me most of the things I know.
He was my only friend.
The only person who had ever treated me like a human.
Having come to a decision, I didn't linger in bed any longer and got up.
I picked up the only warm and dark cloak I own from the floor in the corner of the room and put it on.
The cloak had been washed so many times it couldn't be called thick anymore.
The fur on it had shed so much it was literally non-existent.
But I had long since learned to be content with what I have.
The dark color would allow me to blend into the darkness of the night and prevent anyone from discovering my wandering around at night.
If I was discovered, I might be accused of stealing something again.
With that thought, I climbed out the small window of my dark room and blended into the darkness.
Luckily for me, everyone thought I was a nuisance and was arranged to live in a storage room at the back of the pack house so my residence could be forgotten whenever convenient.
That had made it easy for me to sneak in and out of my room at night without anyone ever finding out.
I very rarely sneaked around anyway as I was indeed too afraid of being caught.
Today was different, however, as I had to see Karl.
Because I had to run errands for practically everyone in the pack whenever anyone needed something dirty or tiring done, I knew every inch of the pack grounds better than the alpha.
I knew where every blade of grass grew and where every cricket hid.
This way, I was able to make my way to Karl's room on the other side of the pack house without alerting a single soul.
I have visited Karl's room both during the day and at night several times. When I came in during the day, it was always in the pretext of helping him clean up.
That was the only time I got to be alone with him peacefully without anyone else making life difficult for me.
However, during the times I sneaked in at night, I had to climb through the window because I was afraid of being found out and accused of immoral behavior or being a thief.
Today, I followed the same tradition and went to the back of his room, ready to climb in through the window.
I was very quiet with my movements, my steps as light as a feather, not daring to make a sound before I entered the room.
I moved quietly and gracefully to the bottom of the window and prepared to scale it when the voices inside froze me in place.
I recognized them immediately.
And as the words reached my ears…
My blood turned cold.
And I wished that I never came that night.
Coming here tonight… was the biggest mistake of my life.