Chapter 269. I Knew Pain

I groaned and flopped back onto the thin mattress, pressing my palms to my eyes. “You can’t just drop cryptic stuff like that and expect me to jump at the chance to risk my neck again. You may be my wolf, Aria, but you’re not my life coach.”

Aria chuckled, her voice was soft but insistent. “Rue, you’ve felt it, haven’t you? Something’s shifting in the pack, in the prison, in you. This isn’t just about survival anymore. It’s about preparation.” 

I hated that she was right. There was an undercurrent of change in the air, and it was unsettling. Still, I was not ready to dive headfirst into something that had nearly killed me once before. Or maybe I was, but I was just too scared. 

She was right, I did not have all the time in the world. I was not a baby anymore. I needed to grow up. I needed to stand up for myself. I needed to do this even if it meant that I could actually die. 

It was better to prepare than to let whatever was coming catch up with me un