The clang of metal echoed through the training pen. Wolves in varying shades of silver, gray, and black sprinted across the field, their muscles taut, teeth bared, claws digging into the dirt. Some practiced hand-to-hand combat, others tested their speed and reflexes with wooden dummies. The air was thick with discipline, the scent of sweat and wolf fur mingling with the crisp morning wind.
This was Silvercrest Pack, far from the opulence and fear of Bloodmoon. Power here was earned, not flaunted. Every wolf trained, even the young, because strength meant survival not just for the pack, but for themselves. The pack's territory stretched over dense forests and jagged cliffs, and the Pen House stood at its heart, a massive structure of stone and iron, designed for both training and gathering.
Clarice Silver stretched in her room, the sunlight creeping through the thin curtains, hitting her bare feet on the cold wooden floor. The morning had begun as usual an early start, the sounds of the pack already stirring. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, then glanced at the small mirror across the room. Her reflection showed a girl full of life, her hair tousled, cheeks flushed with sleep.
The clatter of boots on the wooden stairs announced the maid entering. "Princess Clarice, breakfast is ready," she said, bowing slightly before stepping back to let her pass.
Clarice nodded, pulling on her simple training tunic and fastening her hair into a practical braid. Survival and readiness came first. She grabbed her pack-issued dagger from the side of her bed, the familiar weight comforting.
The dining hall buzzed with quiet activity as she entered. Her father, Alpha Rowan Silver, sat at the head of the table, already sipping a cup of thick, bitter herbal tea. Her mother arranged the last of the plates, while her elder brother, Elias, flicked a glance at her and grinned.
"Morning, Clary," Elias said, nudging her shoulder. "Still planning to outrun everyone at training today?"
Clary smirked, sliding into her seat. "You'll try to stop me?"
Their parents laughed softly. These mornings were simple, but warm. They spoke of the pack's training schedules, patrols, and the small skirmishes along the borders with lesser packs.
As breakfast continued, Clarice's eyes wandered outside the long dining hall windows. Wolves sprinted across the training pen, their shadows stretching across the dirt. The pack was strong, disciplined, and relentless. She loved it...but she also loved the quiet moments, the rare times she could just be herself without the weight of expectation.
The coming-of-age ceremony loomed closer with each passing day. It was something every wolf go through once they turn 18. I'm on that day they're expected to find their destined mate. Clarice had spent hours imagining ways to avoid it. Not out of rebellion, but from instinct. The idea of being chosen by someone she hadn't met, bonded by a silly bond rubbish she couldn't see, made her pulse quicken and her stomach tighten.
She took a slow sip of her tea, watching Elias grin at a joke their father made. Her thoughts drifted to what it would be like if someone tried to force her into a bond. She shook her head slightly, trying to push the fear away.
Her mind, however, was restless. Freedom was her constant companion, even in the walls of the palace. She had grown up loved, protected, and supported by her parents and brother, but she also knew that her choices mattered. If she didn't act carefully, the world would decide for her.
After breakfast, Clary made her way to the training yard. The air was cool, carrying the sharp tang of dirt and sweat. Young wolves sparred under the watchful eyes of their mentors, the sound of blows and grunts filling the air. Clarice joined in without hesitation, weaving through opponents, her movements precise, her body alert.
She liked the challenge, the sense of control that training gave her. Out here, every move was hers...no destiny to dictate, no fated mate to decide her life. Just strength, speed, and the unspoken respect of those around her.
Yet, even as she moved, her thoughts drifted. She wondered about the world beyond Silvercrest. She wondered about the wolves in other packs...how different they were, what bonds they followed. And sometimes, in the quiet moments between drills, she allowed herself the unthinkable thought: What if I could just leave? What if I could make my own fate?.
she had always thought how the outside walls looks like as far she can remember all her life have been within the walls of the Silvercrest do not all through her life she had sometimes snuck out, though she was eventually caught and brought back but just having a peek of what's out there just fascinate her.
she already has a plan on how to escape because she know she won't be able to escape finding a mate I mean that's the whole reason why they were conducting the ceremony.
but she still holding onto a little hope that she will not find her mate during the coming of age ceremony because most at times it happens. during the ceremony lots of wolves from different packs come for the coming of age ceremony in hope of finding their own fated mate. and this time it is been said that a lot of royalty from different packs will be attending the ceremony so the probability of her finding a mate is quite high. that's why she have to think of way to get out from there and doing the ceremony people will be busy that makes it a better chance to run away.
she snapped out on her thoughts,
The sun climbed higher, and the pack's training continued relentlessly. Clary pushed herself harder, her thoughts buried beneath sweat and determination. She would face the coming-of-age ceremony when the time came but until then, she could train, fight, and live as herself.
And for now, that was enough.