Dawn’s POV 1
Sleep refused to come to me that night. I twisted restlessly between the thin sheets, my body aching from the day’s events while my mind raced with unwelcome thoughts. The small dormitory room felt suffocating, the silence pressing against my ears like a weight.
Hours seemed to drag by before I finally heard the distinctive creak of the main building’s door closing. The sound cut through the quiet like a blade, instantly putting me on high alert. My muscles tensed as I slipped from the bed, bare feet silent against the cold floor.
Moving carefully to my door, I pressed my ear against the rough wood and listened. My heart hammered against my ribs as footsteps echoed faintly down the corridor. Fear crawled up my spine at the thought that it might be Fletcher making one of his unwelcome late–night visits. He had done it before, appearing at my door with that predatory smile that made my skin crawl.
But as the footsteps grew closer, I recognized something different about the rhythm. When I cracked the door open just enough to peer outside, relief flooded through me. Liam stood in the dim hallway, his dark hair disheveled and his clothes wrinkled.
“Are you completely insane?” I hissed, pulling the door wider. “If anyone catches you sneaking around at this hour, they’ll tear you apart.”
Liam’s shoulders lifted in a casual shrug that didn’t match the tension in his jaw. “The worst they’ll do is throw me in solitary for a few days. I’ve survived
worse.”
The casual way he dismissed the danger sent irritation flaring through me. “Where the hell have you been? You disappeared for hours.”
“I needed space to think. Couldn’t do that trapped in here.” His eyes searched
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face in the dim light. “Why aren’t you sleeping? You look exhausted.”
I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly aware of how vulnerable I felt standing there in just my thin nightclothes. “Sleep isn’t exactly cooperative tonight.”
“Have you seen the doctor about those injuries?”
A bitter laugh escaped before I could stop it. “What’s the point? He’ll just tell me to rest and take it easy for a few days. We both know Fletcher will never allow that to happen.”
Liam’s expression darkened at the mention of Fletcher, something dangerous flickering in his usually gentle eyes. “You need proper medical attention, Dawn. This isn’t something you can just ignore.”
“I’ll be fine. I always am.” The lie tasted bitter on my tongue, but I’d become an expert at pretending everything was manageable. “Just promise me you won’t sneak out again tonight. I can’t handle worrying about you on top of everything else.”
A ghost of his familiar grin appeared, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’ll behave myself for the rest of the night. Scout’s honor.”
“You were never a scout,” I pointed out, but some of the tension eased from my shoulders.
“Details.” He winked before continuing down the hallway toward his own room, his footsteps deliberately quiet on the worn floorboards.
I retreated back into my room, closing the door with a soft click. The bed beckoned, but I found myself drawn to the window instead. Outside, the moon hung like a silver coin against the velvet sky, its light spilling across the grounds in ethereal streams.
Something about that celestial orb captivated me tonight. I’d never been one to pay much attention to lunar cycles or astronomical phenomena, but there was an inexplicable pull that kept my gaze fixed upward. The moon seemed larger than usual, more luminous, as if it were trying to communicate
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something important.
The peaceful sight gradually worked its magic on my frayed nerves. My eyelids grew heavy as I continued to stare at that brilliant circle of light, and eventually, sleep claimed me right there by the window.
Dawn brought chaos that shattered any lingering tranquility. Harsh voices and the thunder of boots on gravel jerked me from unconsciousness. My neck protested as I lifted my head from where it had been resting against the windowsill, muscles stiff from the awkward position.
Outside, soldiers moved with urgent precision, forming ranks and checking weapons with the efficiency of a well–oiled machine. The sight sent adrenaline coursing through my system as I scrambled to get dressed, pulling on whatever clothes I could find in my haste to discover what was happening.
I burst from the building to find Liam and Sophie already gathered near the entrance, their faces grim as they watched the military preparations unfold around us.
“What’s going on?” I demanded, slightly breathless from my rushed exit.
Sophie’s usually bright expression had turned serious. “Word is there’s going to be an attack on the base. They got intelligence about it sometime during the night.”
“What kind of intelligence? From who?” The questions tumbled out as my mind raced through possibilities.
Liam’s voice carried a new edge of cynicism that surprised me. “They’re not sharing details with the junior members. We’re just supposed to stand ready to defend this place when they decide we’re useful enough to fight.”
The bitter tone was so unlike him that I found myself staring. Liam had always spoken about the base with pride, even affection. This morning, however, something fundamental had shifted in his perspective.
Catching my concerned gaze, he managed to summon his trademark smile,
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though it felt forced. His arm came around my shoulders in a gesture that was both protective and reassuring.
“Everything will work out fine,” he said, but the words lacked their usual
conviction.
Sophie moved closer, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “I overheard some of the senior officers talking. Apparently, it’s the Solstice pack that’s planning to attack us.”
Recognition sparked in my memory. “I know that pack. They control the territory closest to our location. It makes perfect strategic sense that they’d be the ones to make a move against us.”
We watched as several scouts received their orders and disappeared into the dense forest surrounding the base, their mission clearly to gather
reconnaissance on enemy movements.
Across the courtyard, Fletcher stood barking commands with his usual authoritarian demeanor. When his gaze swept across the assembled personnel, it lingered on our small group for a moment too long. His eyes met mine briefly, and I saw something calculating in that stare before he turned his attention back to the military preparations.
“Come on,” Sophie said, breaking the uncomfortable moment. “Let’s get some breakfast while we still can. Something tells me this is going to be a very long day.”
