After having dropped off the bags in my room we both started to head out towards the kitchen.

"Hey, Shadow?"

"Yeah?"

"I noticed that there are a lot more people moving about than there were in the morning?" I asked looking at her questioningly.

"Oh, that's because the people who do wake up early in the morning are mostly warriors that immediately head out to train. Whereas the other common members also head out to work out or run errands around the pack but since it's lunchtime now everyone is returning."

I made an O shape with my mouth and went back to admiring the amazing architecture.

Soon I realized why we were heading towards the kitchen. It was probably because we were going to have lunch too now. Duh, I shook my head in embarrassment.

"So everyone in the packhouse has lunch together?" I continued with my questioning.

"Yeah, it is sort of an unspoken rule that everyone who lives in the packhouse has to have lunch together, always. Whereas other times they can have breakfast and dinner whenever they want. But we have lunch together to remind ourselves that we are part of a pack and as such are required to do things together once in a while." She smiled fondly, still walking at a slow pace.

I smiled too thinking about how different my old pack is compared to this one. Yes, they have lunch and other meals together but that's just among the higher-ups. The common pack members aren't even allowed to live in the packhouse so having dinner together is impossible.

To be honest, I think it was illogical, there is so much space in the packhouse, it's practically a mansion but only around 10 people lived in a 50 bedroom house.

*+=*+=*

We reached the kitchen area where I saw many people bustling about. It was obvious they were omegas.

But I saw a noticeable difference in their appearance. They didn't look malnourished or have any scars whatsoever. Whereas in my old pack, omegas looked terrible compared to these people, they practically looked dead.

"Shadow! You know you don't have to help out right?" Suddenly said one of the ladies standing near the counter while adding the delicious smelling food to the plates to be served.

She looked up exasperatedly at Shadow who continued to help out, ignoring her. I looked around not sure if I was allowed to help or not.

"Of course you are! Go on." Encouraged Rowena.

I took a deep breath and went towards the back and started helping around giving them a hand. They didn't say anything and just smiled at me warmly. I happily returned the smile.

"I knew you would help around." Shadow chuckled suddenly from somewhere behind me.

Startled I almost dropped the plate I was holding. "Jeez Shadow I'm holding something fragile here, don't scare me like that," I grumbled and started putting fried chicken on the plate.

I heard her chuckle in return.

Then I smiled, "I saw you helping around and thought that I could help out too."

"Well, I will let you finish, you know where the dining table is so just come there whenever you finish but come quick. I will save you a seat beside me!" Her voice got lighter by the end, probably because she must have started walking towards the dining room.

I quickly finished up by adding the last of the fried chicken on the massive plate and soon another omega picked it up and started heading in the direction of the dining room.

And I followed suit.

Many people grinned at me or gave me gentle smiles on the way and I returned the smiles as best as I could.

A few minutes later I stood at the large doorway and looked around to see where Shadow was.

"You just have to remember her scent and then you can easily track her. Try and distinguish her scent from the others." Instructed Rowena like a teacher.

I gave a single nod and took a deep breath. Closing my eyes I tried my best to distinguish her scent from the various scents that were in the massive room.

It was difficult at first but my instincts kicked in and soon enough I could clearly smell the direction that her scent went to and once I opened my eyes I could even see a translucent, dark blue and black ribbon-like thing floating in the air, heading in the same direction as her scent.

My mouth hung open in disbelief.

"Go on, follow it."

Without any more delay, I followed the translucent ribbon which leads me to Shadow.

Like she said would, she saved a seat on her right so I moved forward and sat down.

I turned and looked at Shadow who smiled in return. I grinned back and looked around at the people in wonder.

There were chatters all around, people were having a casual conversation with each other and laughing, which was a sight to behold for me.

I felt the familiar powerful aura first and soon enough Alpha Taylor entered the room through another entrance opposite of where we all had come from, followed by Beta Selena and another man who I didn't recognize. He looked to be in his early 20s with a strong yet slightly lanky build around the height of 6'3 with short copper brown hair and bright....red glowing eyes? Though they didn't glow as much as the Beta or Alpha, they still glowed a lot brighter than Shadow's.

As I stared longer my vision suddenly grew sharper and focused like a camera and I could see specks of orange and yellow along with small flames in them, just like Alpha Taylor.

My breath caught in my throat as I realized that I thought those eyes looked beautiful.

Never in my life had I thought about a man in such a way.

I blushed and instantly looked away as his eyes made contact with mine. I don't know why I just didn't like having eye contact. Sigh. I will have to get over my insecurities one day.

"And I will be there for you and guide you throughout it all," said Rowena with determination lacing her voice.

I smiled in return.

"I see someone has a crush." nudged Shadow playfully, making me gasp.

"No, I don't! what the hell—"

She ignores me. "That's Gamma Hayden."

"Yeah whatever," I grumbled feigning annoyance though deep down I thought that his name was perfect for him because it meant fire.

Everyone started to stand up and I follow suit.

Alpha Taylor smiled gently at everyone. Her eyes looked around once they locked with mine, she grinned and I return the smile as everyone else had.

Alpha Taylor sat at the center, Beta Selena at her right, and Gamma Damien at her left.

We too sat down as, just as they did, and started eating.

"So Mia, tell me more about yourself. Your likes and dislikes?" Asked Shadow turning towards me with curiosity shining in her eyes.

"Oh...uhm-I love to read books and managed to finish all the books in Blood Moon's library."

She just stared at me with her jaws practically on the floor, making me grin.

"Yeah, and I also like watching movies. When they had movie nights I used to sneak out and watch whenever I could but sometimes I used to get caught and the result was never good." I mumbled the last part.

Her eyes started to glow bright green in anger and I groaned internally. I knew she was going to have that reaction.

Looking down at her clenched fist I noticed Shadows wildly swirling around it and somehow I could tell that hose Shadows were just as angry if not angrier. That was probably her ability, hence the name Shadow.

I knew that words weren't going to help right now so I did the one thing that came to my mind and slowly moved my hands towards her fist.

The Shadows didn't attack me so I assumed it was safe and continued to move my hand, the Shadows surprisingly calmed down a little and moved away, allowing me access to her clenched fist.

I touched a fist lightly hoping it would calm her down.

She snapped her head at my hand and instantly calmed down. I smiled wondering how I could calm her down so easily.

She sighed regretfully. "I'm sorry I—"

I started to giggle as the Shadows gently covered my hardened and scarred hand and started caressing it.

Hearing a gasp I looked up in surprise having been lost in the comforting feeling.

Shadow looked at me with wide eyes that shone with tears, "I— they never— what—"

I started to panic but the comforting feeling emerging from my left hand calmed me.

"What are you—"

"Never in my entire life have my Shadows been so....gentle with someone....they only knew to attack and protect me." She cut me off with a whisper, still looking at me with teary eyes.

I just blinked and looked back at the Shadows that were starting to slide up my hand and were being ticklish.

"I...honestly don't know what to say...." I muttered still looking at them in awe.

"I don't know either..."

"So you don't control them?" I asked looking back up at her.

"No, I do but they also have a mind of their own. They respond to my emotions but also have their own instincts. Suppose if I'm in danger and don't sense it myself, they will appear all around my body and start swirling around looking for the threat. They can be as sharp as a knife and really quick. Because of them, I can become a Shadow. Literally." She finished with a perplexed look in her eyes.

"So you're telling me you can become a Shadow? Like you won't have a physical body?" I asked looking at her in awe and wonder.

"Yep, and with that, I can be fast and manipulate all Shadows around me." She grinned.

"Wow," I said in reply, enjoying the feeling of the Shadows. "You were going to say to say something before....?"

The earlier anger returned in her eyes, "I promise to get rid of those monsters. Even if it costs me my life."

"Don't worry, I will be there with you to get rid of those monsters so that no one else will ever go through what I did." I finished with a sadistic smile.

"Damn Mia, I sure as hell like that twisted smirk." Popped in Rowena with a wolfish chuckle.

"Can't help it," I replied still smirking.

The Shadows somehow seemed more pleased than before and slowly drifted away, disappearing into her skin.

I turned back to eating, grateful that no one had noticed our little scene.

*+=*+=*

We finished up with our lunch soon enough and I got up to help with putting the plates back in the kitchen.

I and Shadow both helped out and decided to head out to the woods.

10 minutes later

We had explored almost all of the pack and this pack was HUGE. Like huge huge.

I was having a lot of fun exploring the pack. The people here so far were very sweet and nice. But I knew that not everyone was going to be kind. Though I have yet to meet the rude people, I do know it's probably going to be soon.

"Let's explore the woods in our wolf form." Suggested Shadow looking at me hopefully.

I nodded knowing I had to shift once in a while.

Rowena howled happily making me chuckle lightly.

We both headed behind separate trees to get rid of our clothes. We didn't want to tear them of course.

I figured since I had to imagine myself as a human to shift back, I will have to do the opposite and imagine myself as a wolf to shift.

I closed my eyes and imagined how it felt when the air was flowing through my fur, how it felt when I was running with the pack, how my paws felt hitting the forest floor.

And soon enough I started shifting. All of my bones cracked and it hurt a lot but it was bearable and not as bad as the first time.

I opened my eyes and noticed a visible change in my vision. Everything was much sharper and I could see farther with more clarity. All of my other senses were just as heightened.

I followed Shadow's scent and saw her heading towards me too.

I admired her midnight black fur and bright green glowing eyes. She stood at around 5ft which was massive for a warrior that too a female one at that, she towered over me.

"I will seriously never get over how beautiful your wolf looks."

I would have blushed if I had been in my human form but I just wolfishly grinned.

"I love how you wolf looks too. She looks magnificent." I replied.

She too grinned wolfishly in return.

We both turned around and started running.

I relished in the feeling of air rushing through my fur. After a while, I gave full control over to Rowena as requested and saw through her eyes.

We kept running until we reached a small waterfall.

I gasped at the beautiful sight.

It looked ethereal. I loved the splashing sounds of water and all the greenery that surrounded this place. Small plants and flowers were growing here and there and the sun of shining through the leaves.

"This is my favorite spot, I always come here when I want to get away from things or just meditate," Shadow mind linked looking at the waterfall.

I smiled internally, "This is beautiful."

Rowena feeling satisfied, have back control.

I went ahead to drink water from the river and Shadow followed after me.

Just as I finished drinking I felt a sudden chill go down my spine as I got a very ominous feeling.

My fur stood on high alert and I looked around, feeling threatened.

"Shadow something is wrong," I warned her, not liking this feeling at all.

"I feel it too." She replied, her eyes darting around just like me.

I felt a presence so evil I wanted to scream. I immediately turned to see something on the other side of the river.

I zoned into the area looking in confusion. I could believe what my eyes were seeing.

"What the fuck is that?!?" Shadow screamed in the mind link with horror lacing her voice.

I growled loudly and stared back stiffly. There right in front of me is something I couldn't even begin to describe.

It looked like it was made out of pure evil. It was a wolfish shadowy figure, it constantly changed the outline of its body but I knew it was something trying to resemble the shape of a wolf. I stared into the white and empty lifeless eyes of this....this thing.

"Alpha send our best warriors to the small waterfall northeast of the packhouse immediately." I mind-linked knowing that whatever this thing was, it was very dangerous.

I felt as if I had seen this monster before and I followed my instincts.

"Tap into your powers Shadow. Whatever this thing is it's made out o-" I stopped mid-sentence and watched in horror as it took a huge leap and jump straight towards Shadow, all in slow motion.

Rowena took over and I felt time slow down as a sudden feeling of raw power built up inside of me.

I held onto it tightly and my wolf imagined lightning striking the thing.

I didn't know if the thing was that fast or if I was just too slow but not even a second had passed and it was mere inches from Shadow.

Using the very same power that had built up inside of me I launched myself into the air and for half a second I felt free like I didn't have a physical body confining me and then appeared right in front of her just as a bolt of lightning struck mere centimeters from my face.

A bright light followed and I didn't feel any pain or shock for a second until I saw a black claw made of pure evil reach out from the light, towards my face.

A painful screech was heard and soon my howl of pure agony joined in as I felt a burning sensation of being clawed in the face.

"NO MIA!!!" I heard someone else scream though this time it seemed from a great distance.

Relief filled me as I saw the shadow monster disperse as the last of its screeches died out.

A sudden flood of agony consumed my body and I collapsed on the ground.

I felt my consciousness slipping and blackness closing in on me but just as I was about to pass out I heard Shadow whisper, "I will not lose you like the others."

And soon enough a welcomed relief of darkness followed.

Hello Shadowlinks!

Well Mia seems to be quite powerful doesn't she?

*whispers* Let's see if she stays that powerful...