The Human In The Wolf Pack
Chapter 32

Tristan’s POV (A Year Before Returning)

The sun was glinting off of her, flashing those secret, bronze highlights. Her bright, doe-like, blue eyes were closed in concentration, as she sat before me, cross-legged in the sand. The sound of the waves crashing against our Island filled the silence between us as I waited. I had been training with her for eight months, and now, there wasn’t much more to teach. I could only copy so much of her power, before my body gives out. Vera was the strongest of the Gifted by far, in both the magnitude of her power, and the number of abilities she possessed. Honestly, she could do anything she set her mind on.

She can applify her body, fly, use telepathy and telekinesis, she had affinity with the element Earth, she can see auras, along with some impressive mental abilities. Looking at the girl in front of me, I had to remind myself of who she was the first time we met. She was disappointing at first. Appearance wise, she was just slightly above average, just a normal, slightly pretty girl. She didn’t look like someone who would save the world, but her attitude wasn’t impressive either. She was terrified, and constantly second guessed herself while trying to leave her pack. Vera was supposed to be this amazing being, specifically chosen at birth to lead a new species, and to save billions of people. How was this unsure, doubtful, weak girl supposed to do any of the things the Goddess promised?

But she was our Queen, the only one we would get, so I had to remain optimistic. She did change when we got to the island. Maybe getting away from her mate was enough to clear her head, or meeting with the Gifted might have made it all seem more real, but the sight of her flying above our heads, the way her eyes shone as she claimed her title as Queen and united the Gifted in a single purpose. She didn’t look ordinary anymore, and I wondered how I could ever miss it. Vera was beautiful. She was strong, and determined, and kind.

I began training her, and she soaked up everything like a sponge. There was a fire in her now, something that captivated all of the Gifted, including myself. She had changed. She treated everyone as if we were all one big family, and I knew that everytime she trained until she passed out, or when she wouldn’t sleep for days on end preparing for the battle, she was doing it for all of us. Though she had became close with many of the Gifted, things between us were different. Vera and I had a bond, an unbreakable trust. Ranks were given to the first five, and I became her second in command.

She confided in me about her past, how it was to live amongst werewolves as a human. She was either bullied, or ignored by almost everyone she has ever met, including her now mate, Rider. I couldn’t forgive him, and I couldn’t understand how she could speak of him with such a soft, tender expression. He treated her as if she was less than him, as if being a werewolf made him somehow superior, but in all honesty, he was just a stepping stone to Vera’s fate. She also told me about Reviera, and the memories that were coming back from before she was taken into the werewolf pack. She relied on me, more than anyone else. I knew that I was important to her, and that made my heart beat a little faster.

“Tristan,” Vera called, her big, blue eyes looking at me with excitement.

“Tristan,” Vera called, her big, blue eyes looking at me with excitement.

“Did you do it?” I asked, my tone eager.

She nodded, and her hand reached into the air. A bright light burst forward where she touched, and within that light, she grasped onto something and pulled it forward.

“What is that?” I asked, amazed as she held out the long sword.

The blade looked like it was made of glass, but the hilt was golden, and carving were etched into the gold, telling the story of a fierce battle amongst winged beings.

“A gift from the Goddess, along with a message. Reveira has tied her life force with Ragnarok’s, so that when he destroyed this world, she wouldn’t be killed along with everyone else. In the battle, I will be transported into the nether realms with this sword, and I will plunge it into Ragnarok’s heart, thus killing them both. The demons she has summoned will be forced to leave this world, once their tether has been destroyed. The Hunters should retreat once Reviera has been taken care of,” She explained, eyeing the strange sword carefully, her fingers stroking the blade gently.

“What happens if you can’t kill him?” I asked, a foreboding feeling rising in my chest.

She gave me a sad smile, as if that fate was one we couldn’t live through.

“Then the world will end.”

“And you only have one chance to do this? Isn’t that impossible? Why only one chance?” I couldn’t believe it, after all her hard work only one moment could decide the fate of the world.

“This sword is special. It is a weapon forged by Gods, and the only thing that can kill a God, but there is a price.”

“A price..?” I repeated, unsure what she could mean.

The smile she wore was slightly melancholy, but there was an acceptance there. Whatever the price was, she had already resigned herself to paying it. She leaned forward, so that her lips were only a breath away from my ear and whispered the words to my ears. They hit me like a ton of bricks as I gripped onto her, pulling her away so that I could look in her eyes.

“How long have you known this?” I demanded, my heart clenching in my chest as my stomach rolled.

“I had a second dream, where I spoke to the Goddess, the day I came here. She told me the words of the prophecy. I knew then.”

“And what about your dream? You told me that after the War, you wanted the Gifted to join your pack. You said that you wanted to see them all live peaceful lives, and to watch them all become old, and happy. Didn’t you say that you wanted to see Rider again? How will you be able to look at him, knowing that you are betraying him?”

She brushed my hands away, and the breeze blew past us, lifting her hair off her shoulders. I caught a glimpse of her mark, the slightly scarred, discolored skin from a bite mark. I bit my l*p, angry and overwhelmed by what she told me and the words I had to keep locked inside.

“I don’t have a choice with this, Tristan. Before I was even conceived, I was meant to be Rider’s mate, I had no choice in that. When I was born, it was decided that I would lead the Gifted, I didn’t chose that either. Just like those times, the way this world will be saved, there is only one path where we can be successful. I don’t have an option,” She sighed, but even though she seemed to have accepted it, I could see the sorrow hidden just under the surface.

I felt like screaming, like crying and cursing the world. I wanted to destroy everything around me, to say f**k the world, and let it all go to hell, but I couldn’t. I wanted to convince her not to do it. Afterall, if she went through with this, no one would ever be able to forgive her, but she was the Queen I had sworn allegiance to. She had trusted me enough to tell me, and I knew this had to be hard on her already. I had to accept her decision, even when I knew that the price she had to pay would destroy the world in a completely different way.

“I…understand,” I finally told her.

It was quiet for a moment before Vera reached over, and placed her hand on my arm.

“I’m glad I have you here, Tristan. I don’t think I would be able to do this without you. I’m sorry I’m putting you through all of this, but I just needed to tell someone.”

I nodded, my heart beating in my chest as her touch. She smiled at me, a bright and sincere expression that was contagious. I beamed back at her reluctantly, but there was still a dark feeling in my chest. We only had a year before we would return to her pack, and only until then, could Vera be mine, because once we returned to her Pack, I will have to see her with Rider.

My smile faded, as I averted my gaze from her. That’s right, I loved her, but she would never see me as anything other than her most trusted ally, her friend, and she would never choose me over him, so I’ll never tell her, because I cannot be selfish with her, a girl that has already been through so much.

So, I’ll be the first person to put her first. Her thoughts, hopes, and wishes. I will do whatever she asks, even if the aftermath will destroy everything.