CHAPTER 13. Meeting Old Time Friends.

>>>>Meeting old time friends.

Akira heaved a deep sigh as she stepped outside. The cold air outside the slave quarters hit her skin, and a chill ran down her spine,a stark contrast to the cramped room she had just left a few seconds ago.

Akira squinted her eyes to see afar. Since she got her wolf, Aya, she had helped her strengthen her abilities, even though she didn't train or let her out.

She couldn't remember the last time she let her wolf out ..that was years ago when she was still in school.

But since Dominus captured her that day, she hadn't been given the privilege to let out her wolf. Letting her out would not only implicate Akira, but Aya might also run wild and overindulge in the moment. She had always been a wolf that struggled to come out, but Akira didn't let her. Apparently, she's one of a unique kind— an Emberfold wolf…… Fiery,mainly orange and red-furred wolf that would raise questions when seen.

Rumors have it that if you leave your wolf for over five years without letting it out, they would cut communication with you, and you might not get the opportunity to force them to speak anymore. But that wasn't the case for Akira… Aya had been loyal to her throughout her days of slavery and the freedom taken away from her.

Akira's eyes narrowed as she blinked a couple of times, her ears vibrating on high alert, trying to sense if anyone was coming or if anyone was nearby before she let Aya out for once a year. She suddenly paused, squinting her eyes at the crumbling balcony hallway that led to the lonely fortress of the Northern pack. It was said that no one goes there most of the time, it feels like an abandoned place for young royal pups to hunt.

Akira hastened her steps, making her way to the door where the noises were coming from. She couldn't really tell what was going on, the noises sounded like screams for help, and she could hear tiny voices echoing from the room. Her heart raced as she continued to approach the door, each shaky step echoing in the dark. She felt her pulse quicken, the whispers of Aya stirring within her, urging her to leave, but Akira wasn't listening.

The sounds from the room grew louder—a mix of shouted pleas and frantic cries for help and it sent shivers down her spine. She concluded that some slave might be getting hurt or being forced. Reaching the door, her brows furrowed, and she hesitated, holding onto the doorknob. The screaming felt desperate. With a deep breath, Akira steadied herself and pulled the doorknob backward. The wood felt rough against her palms, and she could feel her heartbeat echoing in her ears. Finally, she yanked the door open.

Pushing it open, she froze at the horrifying sight in front of her. Her breath hitched at once as her eyes darted across the men and women, stark naked, some were placed on the oak table in the middle of the room, while others were plastered on the floor as the men dug into them, screaming in pleasure. For the next minute, Akira stood there in shock. She couldn't believe there was an orgy going on just a few steps away from the palace.

Disgusting! She wrinkled her nose and quickly closed the door again. She couldn't bear to take another look before she threw up.

Letting out a deep sigh, she turned and continued her journey. She needed to get there on time and let Aya have a small run before the people inside the orgy room were done and came out.

After a few minutes of jogging, she arrived. She stood alone in the open field, looking at the sea from there. The usual roar of the waters filled her ears. Taking another look around, Akira lunged forward slowly without making any noise. No one must see her or know she left the slave quarters at midnight. If it reached Madam Estelle's ears, then she'd be whipped. She was already in her bad books because Madam Estelle thought Akira had slept with Prince Dominus. Now, hearing she had left at midnight? Only Prince Dominus could convince her otherwise that he hadn't been with Akira all through the night.

Akira slowly took off her dress. She wasn't a pro yet, she was still learning how to control Aya to prevent the wolf transformation that destroyed her clothes, which always required her to get new ones after transforming. Unfortunately, the Iron Wolves cut that short.

She folded her clothes and placed them beneath the big stone. Her eyes locked on the horizon, where anyone could be hiding. She had to be very cautious. Akira took one last breath as she stood naked under the moonlight.

Aya stirred again, gently this time, not with urgency, but with longing. It was time.

Akira’s eyes fluttered shut. She let the air fill her lungs, slow and deep, until the cold didn’t bite anymore. Her fingers clenched at her sides, and she whispered softly, “Aya… we’re alone. Come.”

For a moment, there was nothing. Then it started—slow, very slow. It felt so new again, like Aya was coming out for the first time ever.

Her breath hitched, and a very low hum vibrated in her bones while her legs trembled, but she managed to keep her stance firm. Slowly, her bones began to crack and shift gracefully, not violently, but gradually. Next, her body elongated, her fur breaking through her skin. Her cries were silent, through gritted teeth.

Within a few moments, the transformation was complete. Where once stood a girl, now stood a magnificent she-wolf.

Tall and elegant, her chest and paws were coated in pure snow-white fur, soft and mixed with silver. A quiet growl followed, and next came a small howl of freedom. After that, she broke into a graceful sprint.

However, a few minutes later, Akira forced Aya to pause, she could sense another presence nearby. The wound increased, and her heart started to race. Her sense of smell was incredible, and she knew if she could smell it, then the person was closer than expected. With that, Akira urged Aya to race back to the place where their clothes were.

Even freedom had a time limit… She knew she couldn’t stay long.

Once she got back to where her clothes were, she quickly transformed, her eyes darting around in search of whoever it was. Akira's heart raced as she stood by the stone, her chest rising and falling, edged with exhaustion from the race with Aya. The scent that had invaded her senses was growing stronger and nearer with each passing second.

She hastily adjusted her clothes to fit her properly so no one would notice anything.

The footsteps were heavy, deliberate, and human-like,the person wasn't in wolf form.Akira’s pulse quickened as she wanted to crouch behind the stone and hide, but that wasn't a rock, it couldn't shield her. Her eyes narrowed toward the source of the footsteps as she counted a few seconds in her head, waiting to see who it was.