As Waverly trailed behind Sawyer, she took in the splendour of areas of the mansion she had never seen before. He led her across the entry way into a large sitting room, donning a white sectional and coffee table that faced out a glass wall, looking out towards Trinity Mountains. It was the most beautiful view Waverly had ever seen. All along the opposite walls were large paintings of past generation Alpha's. Waverly stopped in front of one, studying the portrait. It was of a man, who had the same unique eye colour as Sawyer, and who held his same sharp jawline. "Who's this?" Sawyer turned and met Waverly at the photo. "My Grandfather," he answered. "He built up the Crimson Shadow's, making us the most represented pack in the state." Waverly's gaze fell over the painting, taking it in. "My Grandfather was the same. He brought our pack down from San Francisco after the Great Wolverian War. He was a great Alpha, but I didn't know any of this until he had already died." There wa
As Waverly exited the office, she felt a tear fall from her eye as she blinked. Her mind was exhausted. The fate of so many lives were in her hands and it was becoming too much to bear. She rested her body against a wall by the door and wiped away any existing tears, with her eyes narrowed in on the hardwood floors. Her thoughts were disturbed by a voice coming from the doors that led in from the library."Miss, are you alright?" Waverly raised her head and saw Felicity beside her holding a pair of bedsheets. She sniffed and wearily grinned. "Not really. You wouldn't happen to have a key with you for the room downstairs, would you?" Felicity tucked the bedsheets under her arm and touched the pocket of her apron. "Each of us staff members do." Waverly sniffed once more and quickly wiped under her eyes. "Would you be able to take me there?" she asked.Felicity furrowed her eyebrows while she looked up and down both ends of the hall. "Is—"Waverly shook her head and with the so
Christopher shook his head, the black ringlets on his head bouncing mildly. "I can't."Waverly huffed and stood up, throwing her arms in the air. "Is that all anyone ever says around here?" "It wouldn't be ideal," Christopher stated, crossing his one leg over the other and placing his arm along the back of the couch. "Sawyer is completely focused on the Lunar Eclipse and his duties. He doesn't even answer my calls, let alone –" "If you want an answer, I need to see him," Waverly said defiantly, emphasizing the 'need'. Christopher observed her briefly, calculating his next move. Then, he grinned. "You drive a hard bargain," he replied, waving his pointer finger in her direction. Despite his proud and elated countenance, Waverly remained composed and straightforward in her approach. Christopher snickered while he rose up from the seat. "Okay, I'll try my best. Just please, stop looking at me like you want to murder me." Waverly let go of her tension and laughed as her body r
As with every morning, Waverly awoke to the sunshine entering through the open window. She sat up in her bed and covered her eyes to see Felicity pulling back the curtains. "Hello, miss," she greeted, addressing Waverly in her usual formalities. "Feeling ready for the day?" Waverly stretched and gave Felicity a smile. "As ready as I can ever be."Felicity puttered around the room, fixing the space and tiding the attached bathroom. Upon her completion, she stood in front of Waverly's bed. "Anything else I can do for you today, miss?" she asked, casually. "No, Felicity," Waverly answered. Her face softened. "Thank you." Felicity bowed her head and exited the room. Once she left, Waverly immediately jumped out of bed and raced towards the door, placing her hand on the doorknob. Her pulse quickened at the thought of the door opening and she wondered if this all could actually work. She turned the handle, half expecting it to stop, but when the door creaked opened, Waverly's eyes w
As soon as Waverly entered her room, she threw her bag on the ground and sat at the couch cross-legged; the box of jewels still on the coffee table. She leaned forward and reached for the box, holding it in her lap. Even after having it in her room for almost a week, she still couldn't grasp the delicate detailing of the carvings on the exterior. Becoming more entrenched in the history of Trinity Mountains and the Crimson Shadow's, Waverly began to wonder about the story behind the box and how many hands it had passed through before reaching her own. She glided her hands across the surface, appreciating both the artistry and memories that must've been attached to it, and then she opened the lid. Still inside were the jewels and gold that Sawyer had left for her. Although the box had remained in Waverly's room all of this time, she had not opened nor seen the contents since the day they were brought to her. She picked up the ruby necklace that was on the top of the pile, placing the
The shadowed man appeared. His figure the same shade of grey as before. He called to Waverly, but she remained unable to move; her feet stuck to the ground below. Then it began to rain and as the droplets hit the ground, green smoke formed around him, encapsulating him. When it dissipated, he was gone. Waverly awoke the next morning in her new bedroom, seeing the fairy-like canopy over her head, cascading down the bed frame. She stretched and rolled out of bed, heading first towards the dresser. Literally overnight, Sawyer had her items brought up from the basement and now added to the décor were her paint set, furniture, her sketchpad and the box full of jewels, which sat on the vanity. Freedom. The word kept ringing through her mind and she couldn't believe it. She felt that as soon as she placed her hand on the doorknob, it would be locked once again and that the room would fade, and she'd be back in the basement. But when she turned the door handle, it clicked open. Waverly s
"Get. Out.""Sawyer, I—" Sawyer's eyes narrowed and his body was tense. "Freedom does not mean you can enter any room you please." "I didn't mean—""I don't care what you meant!" he yelled; his voice booming off of the walls. "Do you think just because I let you out of the basement, you can just go wherever?!"Sawyer's eyes were staring directly at her, their colours protruding more than they ever had. His body was tight, the veins popping out from his arms. Waverly's body shrunk inwards, and she lost all ability to move. "I—" His fists let go and his face relaxed once he witnessed the terror in Waverly's eyes. He placed his head into his hand. "Look...just go." Waverly's mind reverted into itself and she felt as if she was having an out of body experience. She had never experienced anger like this. What was he hiding that could cause him to become this way? She felt so close to the real truth, it was almost tangible, and as usual she was being pulled back into oblivion. I
As they sat still, for the first time in a while, Waverly felt at utter peace. Her body was undisturbed and her mind was completely clear of any questions or thoughts. She could hear her own heartbeat moving through her ears as Sawyer remained quiet. Every so often, she thought she heard him sniffle. Just then, a commotion could be heard from downstairs. Waverly and Sawyer both lifted their heads while footsteps made their way up quickly up the staircase, becoming louder the closer they got to the landing. Once they stopped, Christopher appeared and he made his way to them. "Sawyer, we need you downstairs," Christopher said. Sawyer looked at him, his grief-ridden expression now full of concern. "What's wrong?" Christopher ran a hand through his hair. "They've sent more sacrifices." Waverly froze. More sacrifices? The Sacrifice was annual and every pack understood those conditions. Why would they send Sawyer more when she had only been sent two weeks prior? She turned to