C15 Cinderella among the wolves

“The Celtic alpha said the ritual would kill you,” Phina continued, her voice quiet but heavy with the weight of the words. “He said you should’ve been banished instead. The Norse alpha’s son agreed with him.”

A sharp, sudden pain lanced through my chest. The thought of Dolph—he had stood up for me. Even after his father humiliated him in front of everyone, even when he must’ve known it would cost him, Dolph had still protected me. He had never turned his back on me, not even when the world seemed to crumble around us.

I put a hand over my heart, feeling that emptiness that only reminded me my wolf was gone.

“Beowulf let me die,” I whispered, more to myself than to Phina.

Phina reached into her jacket pocket, pulling out a small bundle of bright blue flowers, their petals soft and delicate. “I found these,” she said, her voice soft. “I spent all night looking for them. They say these can guide your soul to Heaven.”

I took the flowers from her hands, the sweet, peppery scent of them grounding me for a moment. “Thank you,” I murmured, holding them to my chest before tucking them gently into the folds of my cloak. I needed to keep moving, but the scent of the flowers, so innocent and pure, made me feel like I was standing on the edge of something I couldn't reach. “Don’t tell anyone you saw me. Please.”

Her eyes widened with concern. “Where are you going?”

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. “Home, I guess.”

Phina stayed at my side, her gaze fixed on me. “How are you even alive again?”

I sighed, my shoulders slumping slightly. “It’s a long story,” I muttered.

She kicked at the dirt beneath her feet, small clouds of dust rising with each step. “Won’t people see you? They all think you’re dead.”

I pulled the hood of the reaper’s cloak over my head, the weight of it strangely comforting as I tried to keep my presence as hidden as possible. Dirt from the grave slid down my neck, a constant reminder of where I’d just come from. I shuddered at the thought of lying there for so long, with the earth pressing down on me, suffocating me. “Things are about to get dangerous,” I said, my voice low. “You should stay away.”

Phina sucked in a breath, and I could see the hurt in her eyes before she quickly masked it. “Because I’m just a useless Neutral?”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, harder than I expected. I didn’t see Neutrals as less than anyone else, despite the way most shifters looked down on them. Magic was magic, and it didn’t matter how it worked. But still, I knew what the world would do to someone like Phina, someone who didn’t have the power to defend herself against the chaos that was about to come. I didn’t want her dragged into this mess.

“No,” I said softly, my voice tight. “You need to stay away because I don’t want you to get hurt.”

She stood a little straighter, a fire lighting in her eyes. “Maybe I’m willing to take the risk.”

Her words hit me harder than I’d expected. The defiance in her eyes reminded me of how much I had wanted to fight back, even when I was so afraid. She wasn’t backing down, not even in the face of danger. I admired that about her.

I shook my head and began to walk faster, my strides lengthening as I tried to distance myself. I couldn’t risk dragging her into the dark mess I was walking through. But Phina, determined as always, broke into a jog, matching my pace.

I couldn’t outrun her.

Finally, I turned to face her, the weight of everything pressing on me. “Do you really want to help me?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, as if the question alone carried too much weight.

She nodded, her eyes wide with determination, but I could see the uncertainty in her posture, the way her shoulders hunched slightly as though she was preparing for something much bigger than she was ready for.

“Find out everything you can about Fenrir,” I said, my voice steady despite the weight of what I was about to ask. “Pocket dimensions. Anything about people escaping from Hell.”

Phina’s hand flew to her mouth, her fingers trembling. “Is that where your soul went?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

I nodded, though the idea still felt surreal. “According to what I’ve heard, only about ten percent of people end up in Heaven,” I muttered, a bitter edge creeping into my tone.

She didn’t say anything at first, her eyes wide and glassy. She seemed lost in the weight of the realization, but then she nodded slowly, gathering herself. “Alright…”

I stopped, placing a firm hand on her shoulder, my gaze locking with hers. Her face flushed pink, and her lip quivered, but there was a spark of something—something more than just fear. She was scared, yes, but there was something else in her eyes, something that said she wasn’t about to back down.

I could tell she thought I was just like the others. That I would dismiss her, like everyone did because her parents couldn’t shift, because she wasn’t one of us. It wasn’t true, but I needed to say it anyway, needed to let her know that I saw her for more than just a "neutral."

“You don’t have to believe everything they say about Neutrals,” I said, my voice softer now. “I know how they treat you, but that’s not how I see you. And this... this new pack we’re dealing with? They're dangerous. They won’t think twice about coming after me. The moment they realize I’m alive, they’ll hunt me down like an animal. And anyone who’s helped me? They’ll suffer too.”

Phina opened her mouth, but I raised a hand, cutting her off. “I’m not worried about you being afraid. I’m worried about your parents.” I tightened my grip on her shoulders, leaning in just a little closer. “They don’t deserve to lose you just because you got caught up with someone who shouldn’t have come back.”

Her breath hitched, her eyes lowering. “I’ll do the research,” she said, her voice small but steady.

I pulled her into a quick hug, squeezing her tightly. “Thank you,” I murmured into her hair before letting go and giving her a few soft pats on the back. It felt good to know someone was willing to help, but I couldn’t shake the fear that I was dragging her into something far darker than either of us could understand.

“But you’ve got to tell me what’s happening,” she said, pulling away and looking up at me, her voice insistent.

I hesitated, already planning how little I could tell her without risking her safety. “Of course. But I’ll only tell you what you need to know. I don’t want you mixed up in this any more than you already are.”

Before I could say anything else, the rumble of a truck engine broke through the air, pulling my attention toward the street. I stepped back, a reminder that time was running out. “We need to go. Now.”

She tugged on the arm of my cloak, pulling me to a stop. “Wait,” she said, her eyes shining with something I couldn’t quite place. “I’m glad you’re not dead.”

A small, bitter laugh escaped my lips. “Me too.”

Phina then insisted that I wear her sneakers, urging me to slip them on so I wouldn’t stand out too much running through the alleyways in bare feet. I didn’t argue. At least this way, I wouldn’t attract as much attention. The news of my so-called sacrifice hadn’t reached most of the other shifters yet, and the ones that had were probably too busy with their own problems. The people in the rodent district had either just returned from their night shifts or were too drunk to care.

We made our way through the narrow alleyways, and as Phina fired up her phone, she quickly started digging for any useful information. “Fenrir’s been telling the truth,” she said, her voice distracted as she scanned through the results. “He really is the son of Loki—the Norse god of mischief.”

I didn’t respond right away, my mind swirling with everything I still had to figure out. Fenrir, Loki... gods. All of it felt too much, too big for someone like me.

We reached the front door of our small home, the familiar scent of dust and old wood filling my lungs, though it felt muted. Like everything was shifting around me, but the world inside the walls of this place hadn't changed. I placed my hand on the door, feeling the wards pulse under my touch. With a creak, the door swung open, the magic giving way as it had always done.

The quiet of home enveloped me, but I knew that peace wouldn’t last long.

I reached the door of our hovel, the familiar scents of home greeting me like a muted hug. There was something oddly comforting about the worn wood, the creaky hinges, the way the air felt just slightly too thick, like it had absorbed every emotion that had ever passed through this space. I placed my hand on the door, feeling the magic hum beneath my touch, its wards recognizing me, though something felt off—like the house wasn’t entirely sure what to make of me anymore.

The door creaked open, and I glanced back at Phina, giving her a small, tired smile. “Keep up the good work,” I said, my voice lighter than I felt. “Let me know what you find.”

She looked up at me, a frown pulling at the corners of her lips. “But… you’ll tell me more later, right?”

I nodded firmly, though the weight of uncertainty pressed heavily on me. “As soon as I figure out a plan.” With that, I stepped across the threshold, the door clicking shut behind me, the soft echo of it reminding me that I was back, but still not truly home.

Inside, the air was heavier, thicker—like it was waiting for something to change. Maybe it was me. Maybe it was just the house, uncertain about why its occupant felt so different. I didn’t know. What I did know was that the magic wrapped around me, hesitant but obedient. I could feel it, as if the very walls could sense that I was no longer the same person who had left.

My heart sank at the thought of Wolfette, alone in the woods, lost without me. Her other half—the soul she was meant to have—was still out there, calling to me. And I couldn’t reach her. Not yet.

Before I could process more of the feelings that swirled inside me, a sharp, urgent knock rattled the door. My head snapped around, confusion spreading through me. Who could be here? Who even knew where I was?

But before I could ask, before I could even make a move, something heavy and sharp slammed into the back of my head. Everything went black.

The last thing I felt was the cold, unforgiving ground beneath me. Then, nothing.