The Omega Mated To The Four

The Alpha Bond 83

Chapter Eighty Three

The morning air was thick with the scent of damp earth and fresh pine as we stood at the edge of the enchanted forest surrounding the castle. Mist clung to the towering trees, their ancient trunks wrapped in glowing runes that pulsed faintly with magic. The deeper the forest stretched, the darker and more mysterious it became, as if it held secrets waiting to be uncovered.

Eira stood before us, arms crossed, her sharp gaze scanning each of us. "Today's lesson is about perception," she announced. "Power means nothing if you cannot track your enemy. Your task is to find and subdue a magical creature hidden deep within this forest- without harming it."

My wolf stirred at the challenge, a low hum of anticipation running through me. "What exactly are we tracking?" Elijah asked, adjusting the bracers on his wrists.

"A shadow wraith," Eira said simply.

A cold hush fell over the group.

Shadow wraiths were rare creatures-beings made of living darkness, nearly impossible to see with the naked eye. And as far as I knew they were fairytale creatures. They moved like wisps of smoke, slipping through the cracks of reality itself. If we weren't careful, we'd never find it before it found us.

"You'll need to rely on more than just sight,” Eira continued. "A wraith will test all your senses-your hearing, your scent, your instinct. Trust your wolf, Stormi."

I stiffened at the direct mention of my name.

Eira had never singled me out before training even began.

"Why just Stormi?" Alex asked, frowning.

“Because she struggles with distractions,” Eira said bluntly, and heat crept up my neck. "The forest is full of magic. Some of you will be able to push through it, but Stormi has the strongest bond with her wolf. If she learns to filter out what doesn't matter, she'll be the one to lead you to the wraith."

I swallowed hard. I knew she was right. My connection to my wolf was strong-but sometimes, it was too much. The world was always sharper for me, with scents too vivid, and sounds too overwhelming. It could be a strength, but only if I learned to control it.

Eira motioned toward the tree line. "You have until sundown."

Without another word, she vanished-one moment standing before us, the next melting into the forest like she had never been there.

Well, then the hunt had begun.

We moved cautiously beneath the dense canopy, the air growing heavier with magic the deeper we went. Shadows slithered across the ground, shifting in ways they shouldn't, and distant whispers drifted through the trees-words that didn't quite form, but still sent chills down my spine.

My wolf growled in warning.

"It's too quiet," Austin muttered, his breath visible in the cool air.

Elijah nodded. "Wraiths don't leave footprints, but they disturb the energy around them. We need to watch for places where the magic feels... off."

Chapter Eighty Three

"I'll check the air," Alex offered. He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply but after a moment, he frowned. "It's everywhere. The whole

damn forest reeks of magic."

I clenched my fists. The air was thick with enchantment, making it hard to separate scents. My senses were on high alert, too high, every little rustle and

my attention in a different

was right-1 was too

a slow breath, pressing a hand to my

Filter out the

closed my eyes and reached inward,

warm and steady beneath

Trust me, she murmured.

I did.

noise faded into the background, and instead of a chaotic blur, the world sharpened. And that was when

wrong in the

slight ripple in

go east,"

tilted his head. "Are you

"Yes."

They didn't question me.

dense undergrowth. The deeper we went, the colder the air became. Not natural cold- this was

Then-

shadow flickered just beyond the

My heart pounded. "There."

spreading out, cutting off any

melted into the

Damn.

His shadows curled protectively around him, tendrils

in circles," Austin said. "We need

to think. We

Chapter Eighty Three

"The wraith moves

right?" I said. "So what if we force

grinned. "I like the

raised his hand, a spark of fire flickering to life. He tossed the flame

darkness around us

The wraith hissed.

of it—a swirling, shapeless thing,

Isaiah was faster. His shadows lashed

cut off its

twisted, darting in the only

surged forward,

take

Not with claws.

Not with fire.

With energy.

pure lunar power burst from my palms, colliding

creature screeched, its body flickering wildly. But I hadn't hurt it-I had only

the wraith, his energy wrapping around it like a net. With one