Olivia’s POV
The moon was beautiful. The bright white ball hung low and cast its mystical glow on the ground below. It was so low that I almost felt that I could reach out and just touch it if I tried.
I exhaled. I was supposed to go training this evening with Sephora. I was nervous. I had never done this before.
I closed my eyes and felt my skin being bathed by the glow. In the silence of my mind, I could hear Nima howling, calling out for freedom.
There she was. So she was listening when I called her name earlier. She just chose to ignore me. I frowned slightly.
The door opened softly behind me, and I opened my eyes.
“Olivia, it’s time. Are you ready?”
I turned around to see Sephora standing at the door in a shirt and shorts. She looked so casual, and she had a big smile on her face.
I peered closer. A red mark on her neck? What had happened to her?
“I’m ready.”
I slipped my shoes on and followed her out of the room. The moon’s light cast eerie shadows in the hallway. If I didn’t know any better, I would have been terrified.
In the living room, Andre sat waiting. As soon as he locked eyes, he rose and walked up to me.
“It’s chilly. I’ll get you a sweater.”
“You don’t have to. I’ll be in my wolf, remember?”
His green eyes bore into me.
“I want you to be warm, regardless.”
He pulled me close to him and ran his hands through my hair. I closed my eyes at the feel but pulled away shortly with a smile.
“I’m fine. I won’t catch a cold. Sephora and I have to go.”
I frowned slightly but still pinched my cheeks. I knew he wanted to come but I had a feeling that Alvida had kicked against it.
The gaze in his eyes pleaded with me to say I wanted him to come along with us, but I refrained.
If Alvida did ask him to stay behind, she had a good reason for doing so.
Sephora and I stepped out, and the wind whipped up. I hugged myself and rubbed my arms. It was chilly. Very chilly. I regretted not accepting that sweater.
Sephora bathed in the light. Her smile ea beautiful as she relished the moon’s glow.
I did the same and felt my wolf itching to escape, pawing furiously at the walls of my mind. I winced from the headache that it gave me.
“Don’t repel it. All her out. Don’t hold her back. Give in to her desires. It shows that you trust her completely.”
Sephora dashed forward and kept into the air. It happened so fast that if I blinked, I could have missed it.
She transformed, and her brilliant brown wolf stood before me. I was amazed, and she gestured her head for me to do the same.
I closed my eyes and let myself go. It felt like I was falling into a deep chasm and then landing on a soft, fluffy cloud.
I opened my eyes and I was standing on all fours. My brilliant coat of white fur whipped in the wind and beautifully reflected the moonlight.
Sephora dashed ahead in front of me and followed after her.
We weaved through the trees and the wind blustering around us. The air was crisp, and I appreciated how sharper my senses became. I could see the tiniest details and pick up the slightest scents. It was amazing.
I chased after her and tried to catch up. She weaved through the trees as effortlessly as she was different, and I had already bumped into a few.
I nearly bumped into the sixth one and stopped. I had had enough.
“Don’t give up. This is your first training. You need to be in perfect tune with your surroundings. A wolf is in perfect sync with nature. You have to learn to trust your instincts.”
Sephora spoke to me via the mind link. I looked around, but I didn’t see her. I could smell her, but she was nowhere to be found.
“Where are you?” I asked.
“I’m one with nature, Olivia. You must learn the same. Now, begin…”
*****************************************************
“Again. Try to concentrate, Olivia.”
I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to channel my powers.
It was afternoon and Alvida was helping with my powers. I had been trying hard all day, but nothing worked.
“Maybe I could try it on a guard. It might be easier.”
“You are a daughter of Solvan, Olivia. You have the power to control both male and female wolves. You have the power to imprint your will into them. You just have to focus. Again. Make me pick up this pen.”
Her hands were on her lap, and the pen was on the bed between us.
“Pick up the pen,” I said as forcefully but gently as I could.
Nothing. She didn’t even move a muscle.
“It is not a power struggle with your wolf, Olivia. You need to be able to trust her to channel her energy. Try again.”
The door opened, and we were distracted. Doran came into the room with a smile on his face.
“Ah, Olivia. Andre told me that I would find you here.”
He came in and walked up to us. I didn’t miss the disapproving smile on Alvida’s face.
“I hear that you are training your powers. I’d like to be a witness to this awesome power,” he said humorously.
I flushed a deep pink. I wasn’t sure if he was mocking me or not.
“You won’t be able to witness anything if Olivia doesn’t train. She needs to concentrate.”
Doran caught on to Alvida’s disapproval and stepped back a bit.
“Forgive my intrusion. I just thought to tell you that I was leaving. Amelia sent her regards.”
I smiled.
“Tell her I miss her as well.”
Doran gave a single nod and left the room without looking back. Alvida huffed in satisfaction and turned her attention back to me.
“Alright. We continue.”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
“Channel her energy. Put total trust in her,” I thought silently to myself.
I felt a slight tingle in my body. I wasn’t sure what it was, but I was willing to trust the feeling.
“Pick up the pen.”
My voice came out hoarse and breathy, nothing like what I heard in the dungeon, but I was on the right track.
I stared at Alvida. Her hands were shaking, and I could tell that she was trying to fight my directive.
I glared at her harder, pressing my will into her mind as hard as I could. She was a tough one.
I shifted her hand, and she touched the pen and stopped.
She smiled at me.
“You stopped once I touched the pen. You have to push your will till the end. But this was a good start for today. Congratulations, Olivia…”