The air was thick with pressure as the night deepened, each star above seeming to be even more brilliant than usual.

The distance between us felt like a tangible thing, charging the air with every wary glance Jacob and Mascot exchanged. I knew we were descending toward disaster, yet I was powerless to stop it.

As the rest of the camp settled in, a strange hush blanketed us, but it was more foreboding than peaceful as if another argument was going to break out.

I could sense each member of our group keeping one eye open, alert for any sudden movement, any sign that the little peace might dissolve at the slightest provocation.

Ethan and Seth stayed close, as if expecting some violence. I could almost hear Clara’s quiet, anxious breathing as she kept her distance from the brewing conflict, busying herself with her charms and protective spells.

My eyes flitted over to Mascot, who was sharpening a blade in slow, deliberate strokes, the metallic scrape piercing the silence. Every stroke of his knife felt like a countdown, each pass an unspoken challenge to Jacob’s barely contained aggression.

Meanwhile, Jacob sat on the edge of the clearing, his back to us, his posture taut and rigid as he stared out into the darkness, lost in thoughts I could only guess at. The quiet stretched, and my frustration rose, but I hesitated.

I wanted to confront them, force them to reconcile, yet I feared doing so would ignite the very flames I was trying to quench. But I couldn’t just sit here, pretending everything was fine. The group was falling apart; every minute that passed without sorting out this thing seemed to only make things worse.

Finally, I couldn’t stand it anymore. “Jacob,” I called out, keeping my voice firm. He turned, eyes narrowing as he saw me approach. Mascot paused, his sharpening stone stilling mid-stroke, his gaze flicking up to meet mine as well. The anger between them felt like hot flames, heating up with every second. “We need to talk.” I kept my tone steady, but a tremor of anger snuck through, enough to let them know I wasn’t asking.

Jacob scoffed, his arms crossing over his chest as he leaned against a tree, lips curling into a sneer. “Talk? Sure, let’s talk about how Mascot here thinks he’s the Alpha, calling all the shots while the rest of us are left picking up the pieces.”

Mascot’s eyes flashed, a cold glint under the faint moonlight. “I thought we already had this conversation, Jacob?” His voice was quiet but carried the deadly calm that made me tense.

I held up a hand, stepping between them. “Enough. We’re here to stop Eden, not each other.”

Jacob’s sneer didn’t fade. “And what makes you think following Mascot’s plan will get us there alive?”

Mascot’s fists clenched, the muscles in his arms tensing with barely restrained fury. “I’ve kept us alive this far, haven’t I? I told you everything you needed to know about my past.”

“Alive? Barely,” Jacob spat, his voice rising. “We’ve lost people because of you! And all for what? Your lies?” Mascot’s jaw tightened, his entire body going rigid. I could almost feel the shift, the way his wolf instincts stirred, his inner beast responding to Jacob’s taunts, just as Jacob’s were.

Their primal natures—the parts of them that craved dominance, demanded respect—flared dangerously, pushing them to the brink. “Both of you, stop,” I said, trying to inject authority into my voice. “This isn’t the time for this. We’re weaker divided, and you know it.”

Mascot scoffed, his gaze sliding over to me, a bitter smile twisting his lips. “You think talking is going to solve this, Tasha? You think Jacob’s going to magically fall in line because you say so?”

Before I could respond, Jacob let out a harsh, bitter laugh. “Fall in line? I’m not a puppet for you to control, Mascot.”

Mascot’s temper snapped. “If you have such a problem with me, maybe you’re the one who should leave. I’ve said this before.” Then he paused before saying, “come to think of it, no one invited you to this party. So you are just an outsider. Stop being a nuisance.”

It happened in an instant—Jacob’s fist flew toward Mascot, catching him across the jaw with a sickening thud. Mascot staggered but didn’t fall. He straightened, his eyes blazing with fury, and lunged, crashing into Jacob with the force of a beast.

They tumbled to the ground, their snarls echoing through the forest as they wrestled for dominance, fists flying and claws unsheathing as they succumbed to the ferocity of their instincts.

This wasn’t just anger; it was festered resentment, jealousy, and pain, spilling out in a clash of teeth and claws.

“Enough!” I shouted, but my voice was drowned out by the sounds of their clash.

Their bodies blurred as they shifted, partial transformations rippling through their forms in the heat of the fight. Mascot’s eyes gleamed blue with intensity, his face contorted into a half-snarl, while Jacob’s canines elongated, his claws digging into Mascot’s shoulder.

Ethan tried to intervene, but was shoved back, narrowly avoiding their thrashing limbs. Clara clutched a charm in her hand, her face pale with worry, and Seth looked on, his expression tense, as though debating whether to use his strength to force them apart.

But before anyone could act, I pushed forward, planting myself between them. I felt the sting of a claw grazing my arm, but I stood firm.

“Enough!” My voice was a roar, powered by the full force of my wolf side. The ground seemed to tremble beneath my feet, and for a moment, they froze, both of them locked in my gaze.

Mascot released his grip on Jacob, stepping back, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Jacob, still bristling, wiped the blood from his lip with the back of his hand, his gaze hard.

“We’re tearing ourselves apart,” I said, my voice softening as I looked between them. “Is this what we want? To destroy each other before we even reach Eden?” Mascot’s shoulders slumped, his gaze flickering to the ground, shame breaking through his anger. But Jacob remained defiant, his chest heaving, his jaw clenched as he refused to meet my eyes.

Always the prideful Alpha. “Do you honestly think we’ll survive like this?” I continued, my tone filled with frustration and desperation. “If we can’t trust each other, if we can’t rely on each other… Eden’s already won.”

Mascot swallowed, his gaze finally meeting mine, an apology lingering in his eyes. But Jacob’s face remained set, the bitterness in his expression remaining. I took a deep breath, turning to Jacob, trying to keep my voice steady.

“What do you want, Jacob? Because if you don’t want to be here, no one’s forcing you to stay.” For a moment, something in his expression softened, but it was gone in an instant, replaced by the steely defiance that had grown like a poison between us.

“I want a say in what we do. I’m not a mindless follower, and I’m done being treated like one.” Mascot’s gaze darkened, but he said nothing, his hands clenched at his sides as he held back whatever retort burned on his tongue. I felt a pang of exhaustion settle over me, the weight of the night pressing down on my shoulders.

“Fine,” I said, my voice laced with annoyance. “You want a say? Then let’s hear it. Because right now, all I see is a pack that’s broken, barely hanging on.” The silence stretched, and for a moment, I thought I’d finally gotten through to them. But Jacob just shook his head, his gaze hard and unrelenting.

“You can pretend all you want, Tasha. But Mascot’s got his own agenda, and it doesn’t include any of us.”

Mascot’s expression twisted, the pain in his eyes mirroring the ache in my chest. “You think I haven’t sacrificed for this?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jacob laughed, a harsh, bitter sound. “We’ve all sacrificed, Mascot. You’re not the only one. I sacrificed being the Alpha to my pack to be here.”

With that, he turned and stalked into the woods, leaving us in silence. Mascot watched him go, his face etched with hurt and regret, and the hollow ache in my chest intensified, the realization that no words could relieve the hurt that had split us apart.

As the night closed in around us, I was more sure than ever that our battle was no longer just against Eden. The true enemy was within, feeding off our mistrust, our fear, our anger.

And if we couldn’t find a way to purge it, to bring ourselves back together, then Eden wouldn’t need to lift a finger. The pain would destroy us from the inside out.