The forest clearing buzzed with noise. Crackling fire, stomping paws, and howling laughter surrounded Alex and the others as they sat near a massive wooden table made from a fallen tree.
They had made it through training… somehow.
Alex rubbed the back of his neck. "So… this is werewolf hospitality?"
Zack, poking the fire with a long stick, shrugged. "I expected more bones. Maybe a throne made of teeth."
Liana sat cross-legged nearby, wiping dried blood from her mouth with a leaf. "Yeah. Charming. I drank human blood, awakened a monster inside me, and now I'm stuck in a forest full of sweaty dogs."
"It's not that bad," Mia said, jogging in place. "At least the air's fresh."
"Speak for yourself," Lily muttered, holding a flickering flame in her palm. "The last wolf I passed winked at me and asked if I wanted to 'run together.' If one more creep comes near me, I'm burning this whole place."
Jack appeared beside them, grinning like he owned the place, which he did.
"Welcome to my kingdom," he said with a dramatic bow. "I am Jack, Alpha King of the werewolves, ruler of the Wildpacks, defender of the fang—"
Ciara grabbed his ear and tugged. Hard.
He yelped.
"Enough theatrics," she said. "You kids are meeting the werewolf council tonight. Don't say anything stupid."
Mia raised her hand. "Define 'stupid.'"
Jack rubbed his ear. "Anything Zack might say."
Zack blinked. "That's offensive. Accurate. But offensive."
Alex looked around. The settlement was huge—dozens of wooden huts, towering trees carved into homes, wolves running in and out like it was a summer camp for scary people.
"Wait," Alex said slowly. "You said we're meeting a council? Like... actual leaders?"
Jack nodded. "Betas, Alphas, and me. They need to know what you are. What you've become."
"And if they don't like us?" Liana asked.
Ciara answered flatly, "Then we run."
They were led into a hollowed-out tree the size of a cathedral. Carved into the bark were murals—wolves mid-transformation, humans wielding glowing relics, and beasts with too many eyes.
Alex whistled. "This place is insane."
"Insane?" Zack said, pacing behind him. "This is, like, fantasy book insanity. I half expect a sword to start whispering to me."
They were expecting a council, but instead, a lone Beta stood waiting beside a table covered in weapons. Swords. Axes. Shock gauntlets. Even a bow made of bone and wrapped in silver wire.
"Pick one," she said without blinking. "You've been assigned your first mission."
Everyone stared.
"Wait, what?" Mia said, stepping back. "We were told we'd be meeting some wise, crusty elders who would judge our worth or something."
The Beta rolled her eyes. "They judged. You're reckless. But alive. So they've sent you out instead of wasting breath."
Ciara stepped forward, arms crossed. "You heard her. Choose. No one's babysitting you anymore."
Zack picked up the gauntlets, and they sparked in his hands. "Do these come with a warranty?"
Liana grabbed twin daggers. "They don't need one if you don't miss."
Alex eyed a blade that shimmered like obsidian. It pulsed once in his grip.
"Where are we going?" Lily asked, already cradling a fiery whip like it was a pet snake.
"To the Wastes," Ciara said. "Your target is not a beast… but something worse."
They all looked at each other.
Zack broke the silence. "Worse than mutated, magic-fueled super monsters?"
The Beta nodded.
Zack clapped his hands. "Oh, great. Can't wait."