19. Shya

Chapter nineteen

Shya

T ristan studied my face and must have liked what he saw. He stood, holding out his hand. "Come. It's time you saw the camp."

My heart raced with excitement as I took his hand and stepped out of the tent. The world outside was so bright, expansive, so huge after my confinement. I blinked, trying to take it all in as my eyes adjusted to the light. The sun beat down on my skin, its rays warm despite it being late fall. I tilted my face upwards, savoring the sensation, and took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the forest air. It was invigorating. I felt alive, my body thrumming with energy.

I looked around and saw the outside of the tent for the first time. It had been pitched in a small clearing, a pocket of open space amidst the dense forest. The ground was covered in a thick layer of fallen leaves and twigs, the earthy scent of the forest floor rising up from underneath them. Pine trees towered overhead, their canopy filtering the sunlight into dappled patterns on the ground.

At the edge of the clearing, a narrow trail snaked into the trees, disappearing into the shadows of the forest. It was a well-trodden path, the ground packed down by the passage of many feet using it over time. The trail seemed to beckon me, promising a journey into my future with Tristan.

Tristan tugged on my hand, pulling me toward the trail. "Come on. The camp is this way."

I followed him, my feet sinking into the soft earth of the trail, and my energy soon dissipated. We walked for what felt like an eternity but must have been only ten minutes or so. Yet my legs ached from disuse, and my breathing got heavier and heavier. I briefly wondered why I'd stopped exercising, but that thought flittered away as quickly as it came. The ground was uneven, rocks and twigs digging into my soles. I stumbled more than once, Tristan's grip on my hand the only thing keeping me upright.

By the time the camp came into view, I was exhausted, my breath coming in short gasps. But the sight before me drove the fatigue from my mind.

The camp was a bustling hive of activity. Werewolves moved about, some in human form, others in their wolf skins. The air was filled with the sounds of growls, yips and laughter, and the scents—there were so many scents: sweat, smoke, roasting meat, the musky odor of different wolves.

Tents and makeshift shelters were scattered in an orderly pattern. In the center of it all was a large bonfire with people gathered around it.

I pressed closer to Tristan, my senses overwhelmed. It was so much to take in, so much noise and activity after the solitude of my confinement. Part of me wanted to run, to hide from this onslaught of stimulation.

"It's okay," Tristan whispered. "I know you'll do fine."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. This was my world now. I had to make Tristan proud.

He led me forward, his hand firm on the small of my back.

As we approached the bonfire, my eyes widened in recognition. Among the unfamiliar faces, I spotted some I knew all too well. Members of my own Pack, people I had grown up with, trained with, people who left when Tristan did.

There was Kai, his dark hair pulled back into a messy bun, his eyes glinting with mischief as he caught sight of me. And Asha, her blonde hair braided down her back, her face split into a wide grin.

"Well, well, well," Kai drawled, sauntering over to us. "Look who finally decided to join the party."

"Shya!" Asha exclaimed, rushing forward to pull me into a hug. "I can't believe you're here! Tristan said you'd joined us; I'm so happy to see you!"

I returned the hug, my emotions a jumble of confusion, relief, and unease. Kai and Asha had been my friends in the Bridgetown Pack school. We'd grown apart after that, my parents training me for Alphahood and keeping a close eye on me while Kai and Asha had started jobs in town. But they were different now, their postures straighter, their eyes fiercer. They carried themselves with a new confidence, a sense of purpose that I didn't quite understand.

"Shya's one of us now," Tristan said, his voice carrying across the camp. "She's seen the truth of our cause, and she's ready to fight for it."

I shifted uncomfortably, Tristan's words sitting strangely in my gut.

"About time," Kai said, punching me lightly on the shoulder. "We always knew you were special, Shya. Destined for great things."

I smiled, Kai's words warming me from the inside out. Tristan had been telling me the same thing for weeks now, but hearing it from Kai, from someone who had known me before, made it feel more real.

"Tristan's been telling us all about you," Asha said, her eyes shining with admiration as she looked at Tristan. "About how you're going to help us change everything. With you on our side, the old guard will fall into place. We can get our Pack back and then show the humans who they've been messing with."

I glanced at Tristan. He believed in me, in my ability to make a difference. And if he believed it, then it must be true.

"Shya's a key part of our plan," Tristan said, his hand resting possessively on my shoulder. "With her by our side, we'll be unstoppable."

I nodded. Tristan's vision of the future, of a world where werewolves could live freely and openly, where humans knew their place and we ruled over them all, was a beautiful one. And I was so lucky that I was going to help make it a reality.

As Tristan led me further into the camp, introducing me to more of his followers, we approached a group of unfamiliar faces. A tall, muscular man with close-cropped blond hair stepped out of the group, his eyes narrowing as he looked me up and down. I recognized him immediately—Cliff. Some part of me had a sudden urge to punch him, and I had to clench my fists to stop myself. What was wrong with me? Cliff had always been a good friend to Tris. Any friend of Tristan's must be okay.

"Glad to see the pampered princess has finally come to her senses," Cliff said, his voice gruff and hostile. "It's a sight to see, isn't it, boys? The Alpha's daughter, here to beg our forgiveness."

I bristled at his tone and glanced at Tristan. "Forgiveness? For what?"

"Are you kidding? For your fucki—"

"Careful, Cliff," Tristan warned, his voice low and dangerous. "Shya is going to be your Alpha. She deserves your respect."

Cliff raised his eyebrows. "A female? As joint Alpha? I thought we were going back to the traditional roles; that's what you promised us."

"And I keep my promises. Shya is vital to our plans. She will bring in the rest of the Bridgetown Pack, those who need an Alpha pair, one from the ruling family, to lead them. But Shya knows her place." Tristan swept my hair from my shoulder. "She'll make an excellent Alpha's mate. She knows who is in charge and will do what I say, won't you?"

I nodded eagerly. "Of course, Tris."

Cliff crossed his arms over his broad chest, and I felt his appraising eyes on me as he looked me fully up and down. It was icky and creepy, and I had that urge again, to go for his throat, but then a petite female with long, dark hair stepped forward, her head bowed slightly. Her hair cascaded down her back in loose waves, the color a rich mahogany that caught the light with hints of auburn. She was slender, almost delicate in build, standing at least a head shorter than most of the others around her. Her features were delicate—high cheekbones, a small, straight nose, and full lips that curved into a tentative smile.

"Welcome, Shya," she said softly, her voice melodious and gentle. There was a hint of an accent I couldn't quite place, adding an intriguing lilt to her words. "It's an honor to have you join us. I'm Lena."

I returned her smile, grateful for the friendly gesture. "Thank you, Lena," I said. "I'm excited to be here, to be a part of this movement."

Lena's smile widened, and she took a step closer to me. "I've heard so much about you," she said, her voice warm with admiration. "Tristan talks about you all the time. You're so lucky to have a mate like him."

Before I could respond, Cliff turned to Lena, his eyes flashing with annoyance. "Did anyone ask for your opinion, Lena?" he snapped.

Lena flinched, her eyes downcast. "I'm sorry," she murmured, shrinking back. "I didn't mean to overstep."

Cliff sneered, his lip curling in disdain. "You never mean to, do you?" he said, his voice laced with sarcasm. "But somehow, you always manage to stick your nose where it doesn't belong."

The urge to tell Cliff to back off was almost overwhelming, but I knew Tristan wouldn't approve. I swallowed it down. "Lena, how long have you been in Tristan's Pack?" I turned to look at Tristan, "You know, I don't know the name of your Pack?"

He smiled at me. "Your Pack, Shya. It's your Pack, too, now. We call it New Bridgetown. We'll keep that name when we take over from your parents and merge the two Packs under my control."

My wolf growled in my head, a sound so sudden after her silence that I almost jumped. Then the chanting rose again, and she slipped away.

I frowned. Why had she growled? Didn't she like the name of our Pack? I loved it. Loved how it acknowledged where we came from but also showed that we were different now, better, with proper ideas, a proper strategy for our people to take back control.

"I joined six months ago. Cliff has been here since the beginning, but you probably already know that." Lena smiled shyly at me.

"Did I ask you to answer for me, Lena? I don't need you sticking that nose in again, do I? Do I, Lena?"

Lena shook her head, her eyes on the ground. "No, of course not. Silly me. I'm so sorry, Cliff. It won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't," Cliff growled, his eyes narrowing.

I watched the exchange with a growing sense of anger and discomfort. The chanting in my head was getting louder; it was almost all I could hear. I reached up and rubbed my fingers on my temples.

"You must be getting tired, Shya," Tristan said, his voice full of concern. "It's a lot to take in. You must go and lie down. I've had Lena make up a tent for you right next to my cabin. After our mating ceremony, you'll move into the cabin, of course, but until then, you'll be right next to me."

I beamed up at him. It was the first time he'd talked about our mating ceremony. I must have pleased him today. I heard the echo of my wolf snarling again, but only for a moment.

"I'll show you the way," Lena said, holding out her hand.

I glanced at Tristan, and when he nodded that it was okay, I took Lena's hand.