Chapter 33
Challenge Accepted
***
Leila swallowed hard as she entered the huge and dark hall.
The only thing that was giving light to the entire place was the fire on the torches hanging on the wall. However, it wasn’t enough for her to see whoever was inside. The silence of the place wasn’t helping her at all. She was just too nervous.
Not to mention that Hunter was also too serious and silent.
If we were in different circumstances, perhaps she could simply tease him about it but it wasn’t the case.
She couldn’t even breath properly.
It was as if everything was just too calculated.
Maybe if Myrtle was here she could at least have something that she could ask to.
However, she wasn’t allowed to come here.
Only Hunter was allowed to and she didn’t know why.
“Do you know why you are here?” A loud booming sound of an old man resonated in the entire place the very moment they stopped walking.
Her eyes widened in shock.
“Oh, my goodness! What the-”
Leila instantly covered her mouth as Hutner gave her a deadly glare.
‘Damn it!’ She murmured inside her head.
This was supposed to be an awkward and very stiff situation but she couldn’t stop herself from being too shocked.
“I am sorry…” She apologized embarrassment was visibly written in her voice.
Then, slow footsteps echoed in the four corners of the room.
“You are really interesting…” It came from the old man standing in front of them causing her eyes to widen in surprise again.
‘What does he say?’ She inquired at herself mentally.
Leila didn’t know but something came into her mind causing her to slowly walk behind Hunter.
‘Hunter won’t think that he would leave me with this old man or something, right?’ She asked inside her head.
Her anxiousness grew especially when she remembered Myrtle saying about the challenge, that it could be something like initiation and such.
She covered her body with her hands.
Then, she shook her head as she was trying to stop those thoughts inside her head.
“What the heck are you doing?” Hunter suddenly blurted out causing her to almost jump in shock.
He was already glaring at her with annoyance visibly seen in his face.
“This is Elder Howard, my grandfather and the elder of our pack. He would be the one giving you the challenge to be able to accept in the pack. You should prove yourself.” Hunter explained trying to be patient with her.
But then, she looked at him weirdly as she moved a bit nearer to him.
Hunter looked at her like she had grown some head or something. But she didn’t stop. She had to make sure that what she was thinking wouldn’t happen to her.
Or else, she would immediately run from the place.
“You… You are not going to leave me with him, right? I am not a sacrifice or something, right?” Leila tried to make sure that everything was clear.
But Hunter gave her a deadly glare.
“What are you thinking, you… little…” Hunter gritted his teeth as if his patience was already growing thin.
However, Leila looked at him innocently like she didn’t do anything bad to him.
Besides, she was just asking making sure that she wasn’t an offering or something.
“Damn it!” Hunter murmured, irritated.
“Is everything okay?” Elder Howard inquired amusement was written in his voice.
“Nothing, Grandpa…” Hunter replied but courtesy was dripping in every word.
Leila lips slightly parted at that.
“Listen… And listen very carefully… Stop thinking nonsense, Leila. Be serious. Elder Howard is the one who will give the challenge. After that, you will be left here… alone to complete the task given to you.” Hunter explained patiently.
Leila didn’t know whether leaving her there alone would be better than leaving her with this old man in front of them.
But no matter what she had no choice but to take whatever ‘challenge’ they asked her.
She let out a deep sigh and nodded her head.
“Now, show some respect…” Hunter whispered under his breath.
Leila let out a deep sigh and slightly bowed her head.
“I am sorry about that, E-Elder Howard. I am Leila, and I am here for the… the challenge for the pack to accept me.” She stated carefully.
Elder Howard let out a deep sigh.
“Stand up…” He said seriously.
She thought that the elder was someone who was light and too playful a while ago. But right now, she couldn’t believe that he could be this serious and strict if he wanted to.
“You are here because you want to be accepted by the pack, right?” Elder Howard clarified seriously.
Leila nodded her head.
“Yes, Elder Howard.” She replied politely.
The elder let out a deep sigh.
“Very well, then… The challenge that is up to you for today… Is to be able to hold your wolf and be able to connect with it.” Elder Howard explained smoothly.
But her forehead creased.
“Do you mean… I should talk to my inner wolf?” She simplified curiously.
Elder Howard nodded his head.
“But… I can already connect to her. Her name is Silver. I met her when I was in the process of being cured by Hunter’s bite… for me to become a werewolf.” She explained as her cheeks blushed because of the words she used.
She couldn’t believe that this was the time to be embarrassed.
However, she saw how Elder Howard dropped his jaw at her answer.
“You, what?” Hunter inquired his voice was laced with amazement and shock.
But she stared at him innocently.
The two men shared a meaningful look but she couldn’t decipher what it was.
Then, Elder Howard cleared his throat.
“Well, then, if that’s the case… I will give you this challenge instead, then.” He seriously stated causing her jaw to drop this time.
She was about to disagree when Hunter gave her a waring glare.
Leila pouted as she couldn’t say anything.
Besides, she was the one asking for a favor. And she needed to obey whatever they would ask her to do.
She bit her lower lip.
“You have to make sure that you become one with your wolf and discover its abilities. If you can do that it would be easier for you to shift. You have three days to do that. If not, you will fail to be accepted in the pack.” Elder Howard seriously explained.
Leila swallowed hard.
“B-But how can I do t-that?” She asked confused.
She didn’t know how she would do that.
And Silver… She had been trying to call her a while ago but the moment they entered the place, she couldn’t hear her in her mind anymore.
‘Is she insane already? Is it just a pigment of her imagination? Perhaps, she had a high fever and got some of her brain cells dried up or something?’ She mentally thought.
But if she was just hallucinating, Hunter would have corrected her a while ago when she told them about Silver, right?
Hunter let out a deep sigh.
“Since you have opened your connection with your inner wolf already, you have to work with her and be able to shift properly.” Hunter explained seriously.
Her lips slightly parted apart.
“B-But… the moment we entered here, I can’t hear Silver’s voice anymore.” She truthfully stated causing the two men shared a meaningful look once again.
Elder Howard cleared his throat.
“That is not a surprising thing anymore. You see, this room is filled with energy used only for the members of the Moon Howlers Pack. If you can’t be one with your wolf and failed to shift within three days, that only mean one thing… That you don’t deserve to be part of our pack.” Elder Howard strictly explained.
Pain immediately rushed through her as she heard those words.
She looked at Hunter who was looking at her blankly.
However, her determination was more than the pain that suddenly interrupted her positive thoughts.
She nodded her head in agreement.
“Okay, Elder Howard. I understand.” She replied with pure resolve.
For now, she would make sure that she would do everything to succeed.
For herself.
For Hunter.
For everyone who was rooting for her.
“Challenge accepted.” She added seriously.
She is Leila Mendoza and failing just like that is not part of her vocabulary. She would make sure to do her best for her to be able to surpass this challenge.