Kaida's POV Luckily, all seemed to have calmed down since that encounter, and I was careful not to get into any trouble again.

I even made sure to avoid the clinic so as not to get pressurized to leave.

The only person I met there was Dr. or Alpha Kairos.

He'd hand me my drugs, and I'd disappear.

One evening, after he had given me the drugs, he decided to have a conversation with me.

The scent of disinfectant wafted through the air, and the soft hum of the clinic's machinery provided a gentle background noise.

"Which pack did you say you're from again?" He asked, his eyes locked onto mine.

"My home pack is the Starlight Runners pack, but I currently reside in the Shadows Runners pack; my parents work there," I explained.

He nodded before speaking.

"You know, I was there a few years back. I started schooling there before I left for another province," he said.

"Oh really?" I asked, surprised.

"Who knows, maybe we might have met there and didn't know," I pointed out.

"Possibly," he replied, a hint of a smile playing on his lips, making me feel at ease.

Then, out of the blue, he asked a weird question.

"Do I look like someone who has a mate for you?" He asks, his voice low and smooth.

I felt awkward but still gave him an answer.

"I can't tell really; maybe when I meet my mate, I would be able to tell of others."

Such a stupid answer.

A hint of amusement danced in his eyes, and he smiled.

"I actually don't have a mate, but a lot say I do," he replied.

The idea of a powerful Alpha like him being mateless seemed almost...impossible.

I couldn't help but wonder what his story was.

Before we could continue with the conversation, he was called away.

But even as he left, I was still pondering why he asked that question and why he was mateless.

Seeing that I wasn't going to find the answer, I shrugged it off.

***

Today, we woke with a very bad mood, and Amala, my confidant, was also sick.

I was so worried about her and told her to rest, but she insisted on going to the field with me.

Just an hour into the training, the poor girl fainted, and I had to take her to the clinic.

The smell of disinfectant and the sound of beeping machines filled the air as I rushed her to the examination room.

It turned out she was suffering from low blood pressure. I felt so guilty for letting her stay hungry and doing rigorous activities.

But one of the doctors around told me that it was not like that; all have their own resistance, and hers seemed to be low.

Turns out that there was someone with lower body tolerance than mine. I decided to hang around the clinic to wait for her.

We kept chatting with some of the doctors about my own health condition, and they were giving me advice.

Just then, an older man came. He seemed to be in his late seventies, with a wise gaze that commanded respect.

"He's rumored to possess ancient knowledge and a deep understanding of the pack's history," someone whispered.

The man stood before me and gave me a smile, which I returned awkwardly.

"My dear child, you have made a huge sacrifice by taking on this course of your life. It sure isn't going to be easy, but you will do the right thing in the end," he said, his voice low and soothing.

A shiver ran down my spine as I wondered what he meant by those ominous words.

All were confused by his words, and I, for one, was terrified.

What did he mean I made a huge sacrifice by choosing this course of my life?

Was I in any sorts of danger?

The others saw the worries in my face and told me to chill because it was probably a joke by him, and he usually says things like that.

"Didn't you say he's considered to be the wisest?" I asked.

"Well, not most of the time. He's somewhat funny and scares people."

"He told me yesterday that my journey would be ending soon in life, which means death, but here I am still," a guy commented.

Hearing their words, I decided to shrug it off. But something deep inside me kept on ticking by his words like a bomb about to explode.

***

Four days left to leave the camp, and I was looking forward to it.

Today, a competition was to be taking place, and I was urged to compete by one of the instructors, seeing how good I was in the craft.

Although I was uncertain, the hope she showed convinced me to come along.

From very early that morning, I felt unsettled and my stomach was full of nervousness.

I was told by Amala that my anxiety would fade after things got underway.

Even so, I was still uncomfortable because I dislike crowds and I was facing a big crowd today.

The organizers invited us up on stage and I did my best to walk steadily, although I was very nervous inside. listening to the music allowed me to forget the sounds and voices around me and I let it calm my nerves.

All seemed to be going well as I went to work, focusing on finishing in 45 minutes.

The smell of paint and turpentine filled the air, and the sound of brushes scratching against canvas created a soothing background noise.

Towards the end, I saw others finishing before me, and I panicked.

What if I didn't make it at all and disappointed my instructor?

And so, I made a mistake of looking up to her, and I saw all eyes on me.

Luckily, I was done, and so, I decided to just rush and submit.

I got up to do just that, but my whole body felt heavy, like lead weights were attached to my limbs.

Within seconds, I crashed to the ground, hitting my head with such a huge impact.

Everything went dark, and I felt like I was floating away.