6.

The soft light of dawn filtered through the thin curtains of my room, casting a pale glow over the furniture. I groaned, rubbing my eyes as I blinked awake. It was too early—way too early for my liking. My stomach grumbled, reminding me of why I was up in the first place.

I rolled out of bed and threw on an oversized hoodie before padding quietly down the hallway. The house was still silent, which meant I was probably the only one awake. Good. I could sneak something to eat before anyone else got up and tried to talk me into something ridiculous—like a morning workout. No, thank you.

Reaching the kitchen, I rummaged through the cabinets, looking for anything that required zero effort. Cereal? No milk. Toast? No bread. Ugh.

“Where’s all the food?” I muttered to myself, slamming a cabinet shut a little too loudly.

“Looking for breakfast, are we?”

I yelped and spun around, clutching my chest as Jenna stood in the doorway, grinning at me. She was already dressed in leggings and a sports bra, her hair pulled into a messy bun. Typical Jenna—always ready to be annoyingly active.

“Jenna! You scared the crap out of me!” I hissed, leaning against the counter to steady my racing heart.

Jenna chuckled and walked over, peering into the fridge as if she hadn’t just given me a mini heart attack. “Early riser today, huh? Thought you weren’t a morning person.”

“I’m not,” I grumbled, watching her pull out a carton of eggs. “I was hungry.”

Jenna raised an eyebrow, tossing the eggs from hand to hand. “Hungry enough to make breakfast?”

I rolled my eyes. “No. Just hungry enough to complain about it.”

She laughed again, but before she could reply, a long, eerie howl echoed from outside, freezing both of us in place. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and I exchanged a glance with Jenna, who looked far too excited for my liking.

“Did you hear that?” she asked, her voice full of curiosity.

“Obviously,” I said, my stomach twisting with a mix of fear and excitement. “What was that?”

Without waiting for my response, Jenna grabbed my hand and started pulling me towards the stairs.

“Come on!” she said, practically bouncing with excitement. “Let’s check it out! It’s coming from the forest!”

I dug my heels in, trying to resist. “Jenna, seriously? Can’t we just pretend we didn’t hear it and go back to bed?”

She didn’t even pause, her grip tightening as she dragged me along. “Lyra, you know what that howl means! It’s them!”

My heart skipped a beat. The Alpha and Beta.

I’d heard stories of them running at night, their power and speed unrivaled by anyone else in the pack. But seeing them? That was rare, and only a few had caught a glimpse. The thrill of the idea started to seep into my chest, despite my reluctance.

We reached the roof door, and Jenna pushed it open, the cool morning air rushing in as we stepped out. The horizon was painted with soft hues of pink and gold, the forest stretching out beneath us like a dark, endless sea.

“There!” Jenna pointed, her voice breathless with excitement.

I followed her gaze, my eyes locking onto two figures running at full speed through the trees. Even from this distance, their sheer power was obvious. The Alpha moved like a shadow, his muscles rippling with every step. The Beta wasn’t far behind, equally impressive as they maneuvered through the dense woods with effortless grace.

“Wow,” I whispered, feeling a sudden rush of adrenaline that sent shivers down my spine. I couldn’t take my eyes off them. “They’re... incredible.”

Jenna nodded, a grin splitting her face. “Right? Imagine being able to move like that. The strength, the speed...”

I swallowed, my pulse quickening as I watched them disappear and reappear between the trees. There was something about seeing them like this—so free, so powerful—that made my blood hum with excitement.

“We need to start training more,” Jenna said suddenly, turning to me with a determined glint in her eyes.

I blinked, snapping out of my daze. “Wait, what?”

“You heard me.” She crossed her arms, her expression serious now. “If they’re pushing themselves like this, we need to step up too. There’s no way we can stay lazy while they’re out there becoming untouchable.”

I groaned, my shoulders slumping. “Jenna, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I’m way too lazy for that.”

She narrowed her eyes, planting her hands on her hips. “You’re not lazy—you’re just unmotivated. Big difference.”

“Whatever you call it,” I said, waving her off, “it still means I’m not running through the woods like a maniac at six in the morning.”

Jenna rolled her eyes. “You’re impossible, Lyra. Do you really want to be the only one who can’t keep up when something happens?”

I raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by ‘when something happens’? Are we expecting a war or something?”

“No, but we should always be ready,” she said, her voice firm. “You never know what’s coming.”

I sighed, knowing she wasn’t going to let this go easily. “Fine. I’ll... think about it.”

“Think about it?” Jenna scoffed. “No, you’re coming with me tomorrow morning for a workout.”

“Tomorrow?” I groaned, already regretting everything. “Jenna, I can barely keep my eyes open right now. How am I supposed to survive your crazy workout?”

She grinned, unfazed. “You’ll survive. I’ll make sure of it.”

I shook my head, leaning against the roof’s railing as I glanced back at the forest. The Alpha and Beta were out of sight now, but the image of them running stuck with me, that primal energy still buzzing in the air.

Maybe Jenna had a point. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to train. Just a little. But still... I wasn’t about to let her know that.

“Okay,” I said after a long pause, giving her a playful smirk. “But only if you make me breakfast tomorrow.”

Jenna laughed, nudging my shoulder. “Deal. But I’m making you work for it.”