Cercei’s POV


    “What about Asia?” I overheard my mother and Aunt Mnie discussing, their eyes fixed on a map spread across the dinner table.


    “Asia? That’s situated on a different continent, Emilia,” Aunt Mnie remarked, her gaze lingering on the map. I put down my bag, announcing my arrival.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    “Hey,” I greeted them, their attention finally turning towards me.


    “Oh, sweetie, your dinner is in the fridge,” Mamà pointed towards the refrigerator.


    “That’s precisely the point, Mnie. If we must flee, we should go far,” Mamà asserted. I opened the fridge and retrieved my meal, cing it in the microwave.


    “Asia is quite a distance away; it’s bound to be costly,” Aunt Mnie voiced, settling into her chair.


    “I’m confident we can secure the necessary funds,” Mamà replied with relentless decision.


    “Are we running away once again?” I interjected. Both of them turned their gazes on me simultaneously.


    “We are indeed on the run,” Aunt Mnie responded bluntly.


    “Have we been discovered?” I asked, a tinge of anxiety creeping into my voice.


    “Not yet, and it must remain that way. We must continue evading capture. We’ve lingered here for far too long; I suspect it won’t be long before they find us,” she exhaled a cloud of smoke from her cigarette.


    She was right. Our stay here had been extended, surpassing even the duration we spent in Dinan. Mamà nced at me as the microwave emitted a beep, signaling that my dinner was ready. I retrieved my meal and returned to the conversation.


    “We must go hunting,” Mamà suddenly suggested.


    “It’s been too long. We require sustenance to maintain our strength,” she added. We had been masking ourselves as ordinary individuals for far too long now, solely relying on store-bought meat. It had been ages since we’ve transformed.


    “Countless moons have passed already. Tomorrow night, under the full moon, I know a suitable location,” Aunt Mnie suggested.


    “Wouldn’t we attract attention?” I voiced my concern. This city is teeming with people, and I haven’t encountered any forests or untamednds. We live by a vast sea.


    “It’s on a separate ind,” Aunt Mnie casually exined while my mother’s brow furrowed.


    “Another ind?” Mamà nced at my aunt.


    “It’s abundant in prey and empty of civilians,” Aunt Mnie responded briefly.


    “How will we reach there?” Mamà pressed on, seeking further rification.


    “A boat?” She sarcastically retorted, causing Mamà to shake her head. Well, we have no other choice. We have remained strong; connecting into our wolf form grants us strength. Sometimes, we have to unleash our inner beast.


    ****


    “Syngnómi pou árgisa  [ Sorry I’mte ],” I attempted to pronounce it as clearly as possible. I asked my aunt how to say “I’m sorry I’mte” in Greek because I was indeed veryte.


    We stayed up all night nning our next destination and discussing the hunt.


    “I akríveia edó ektimátai idiaítera, tin epómeni forá kánte kalytera  [ Punctuality is highly valued here, do better next time ],” Anastasia responded with a smug expression. I looked at her, perplexed.


    “Xekoúrase tin anastasía tis [ Go easy on her, Anastasia ],” Nichs suddenly appeared, casting a gentle gaze on me. Anastasia rolled her eyes and walked away.


    “Sorry about her,” he apologizes.


    “It’s okay, it’s my fault,” I smiled at him. It was irresponsible of me to arrivete for work while my colleagues arrived early.


    “Nah, we all get a little dyed sometimes,” he chuckled. I didn’t want to take advantage of Nichs’ kindness towards me. I didn’t want others to perceive it as unfair. He treated everyone kindly, but he showed me some extra kindness. I didn’t want to read too much into it, but I sincerely appreciated those withpassionate hearts. Such individuals are rare these days.


    “I’ll let you get to work,” he said, heading towards his office. I could sense the envious res from some of my female coworkers as he departed, but I chose to ignore them.


    Nichs is kind and handsome, so it’s only natural for these women to be attracted to him. Even the customers have a crush on him. Don’t worry,dies, my heart already belongs to someone else.


    Anastasia’s malicious treatment towards me had escted throughout the day, with other girls joining her in their quest to make my life miserable. I didn’t bother toin; instead, I kept my mouth shut and epted every task they assigned me. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life, it’s that silence is often the wiser choice.


    They can’t harm me, at least not any more than I have already endured. I have witnessed worse and experienced worse. Vienna had ensured that. All these mean-spirited games they yed meant nothing to me.


    The day ended with the familiar ache in my back. Nichs kindly offered to drive me home again, but I politely declined, exining that I had important things to do.


    And that was the truth. After my shift, I went straight to the port, where my mother and Aunt had rented a boat.


    “Do you know how to manoeuvre a boat?” I asked Aunt Mnie, taken aback by her response; she flicked her cigarette away and winked.


    “I know many things,” she replied with a mischievous grin. Mamà yfully rolled her eyes.


    “Except riding a bike,” Mamà added. Aunt Mnie pulled a face, and we allughed at their yful banter. Despite being in their forties, they still squabble like children.


    “Buckle up,” Aunt Mnie instructed. The boat ridested a mere twenty minutes and was rtively short.


    We arrived on an uninhabited ind surrounded by untamed wilderness. I deeply inhaled the refreshing air and smiled, revealing my fangs. Finally, I could indulge in hunting, something I had missed dearly.


    When the clouds parted, revealing the radiant full moon, we fully transformed into our wolf forms. The sound of bones shifting and low growls brought me satisfaction, a feeling I had yearned for. After the transformation, we raised our muzzles to the sky and howled in unison. The sound signified our connection with our inner beasts, a howl of hope, strength, and power.


    Swiftly, we sprinted deep into the ind’s heart, feeling the gentle, salty breeze brushing against every strand of our fur. Aunt Mnie had been right; the ind teemed with prey.


    Moving stealthily and with caution, I concealed myself among the bushes, fixated on a wild pig feasting on something. Without hesitation, I pounced, seizing its neck and devouring its flesh while it cried out in agony.


    I let out a triumphant howl, crimson blood dripping from my mouth, staining my fur. Flesh and blood, the beast within me had emerged. I channelled all my pain into strength and agility, bing a superior hunter. I had never hunted with such wild abandon, hunger, and mercilessness. Every cry of my prey resonated like a symphony in my ears. It was the only time I felt truly powerful. No longer was I the one running, scared and desperate for survival. I was the one in control, the one who decided, who lived, and who perished.