Chapter 23: ; Run To The Win

"After all these years, I still don't understand what happened that night. Why did I survive while my father didn't?" Cheska asked her mother, hoping for some closure.

Her mother's eyes filled with sorrow as she replied, "I'm sorry, my dear. I don't have the answers you seek."

Cheska was left with more questions than answers. How had she managed to survive that tragic night? What had happened to her father? These questions plagued her mind, but she knew her mother couldn't provide her with the answers.

As the years passed, Cheska couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. Her mother's words kept echoing in her head - Cheska would wake up screaming in the middle of the night, and there were times when she would disappear without any explanation.

Lost in thought, Cheska paced back and forth under the shade of a tree, trying to make sense of everything. She couldn't help but wonder - why hadn't Uncle Juan helped them that night? Did he know something that they didn't?

Cheska had asked her mother countless times about her father, but her mother had no answers to give. So, she decided to seek out Uncle Juan for answers.

She was about to leave when Matthew, appeared out of nowhere. "Are you ready?" he asked, noticing her visible shock.

Cheska was caught off guard and asked, "Ready for what?"

Matthew smirked and said, "My little Cheska, are you confident that you can pass the test and become a full member of the Thunder pack? Is that why you're sitting under the tree?"

Cheska retorted, "Stop making fun of me! You know my current condition. My wolf has been ignoring me since that night."

Matthew took a deep breath and walked closer to her. "Perhaps I can help you with your insignificant problem," he said, his face just an inch away from hers.

"Here we go again," Cheska muttered to herself as she took a step back, wary of being caught in an awkward situation. She forced a smile and declined their help, saying, "Thanks, but I can handle this on my own," before pivoting on her heel.

But Matthew wasn't taking no for an answer. "Cheska, my precious one, I'm the only one who can assist you at this moment, so I truly must ask you to do as I say," he insisted.

Cheska bristled. "What makes you think I can't handle my problems? My wolf is just sulking, but she'll cooperate soon enough!" she retorted, shaking her head.

"Really? Do you think your wolf will simply fall in line without any effort on your part? To succeed, you need to understand her likes and dislikes," Matthew interjected, gently pushing Cheska down to sit on the ground.

Cheska struggled to sit up straight, feeling dwarfed by Matthew's imposing presence.

"Fine. So what do you think my wolf wants?" she asked, begrudgingly admitting that Matthew had gotten under her skin once again.

"My Chesk, do you need to ask? Your wolf desires me... If you submit to me, you and your wolf will become one," Matthew replied with a straight face, his eyes seemingly twinkling with mischief. As he sat in front of her, Cheska couldn't help but notice the glint in his eyes.

"Stop joking around," Cheska said, disbelieving that the intimidating Matthew had a cheesy side to him.

"I'm not joking," Matthew insisted, seizing both of her hands.

Cheska found herself mesmerized by his intense gaze, feeling a strange excitement that only he could evoke.

"Be careful, Cheska. Don't play with fire that you can't escape," a voice in her head warned.

As Matthew's hand moved gently over her arm, Cheska felt a jolt of electricity course through her body. She closed her eyes, eagerly anticipating Matthew's next move.

However, he didn't make a move, so Cheska slowly opened her eyes, her expression turning to a frown of confusion.

"My dear Cheska, sorry to disappoint you, but I assure you, my thoughts are entirely wholesome at the moment," Matthew teased as soon as Cheska opened her eyes.

Cheska muttered in confusion, feeling her cheeks flush. She couldn't believe that her thoughts were dirtier than Bradley's in this situation.

"Your wolf desires me," Matthew explained, but he went on to say that although they both desired each other, there was another way to satisfy their wolves. As he spoke, he tenderly pinched her nose.

Matthew suggested that they allow their wolves to communicate with each other, giving them a chance to be free.

"Is this for real?" Cheska couldn't help but question, though she was already inclined to agree with Matthew's proposal.

"When was the last time you shifted just to run in the forest? Your wolf needs to feel free once in a while," Matthew probed.

Cheska didn't respond, realizing that she hardly ever shifted forms, especially not just for the sake of running in the woods. She preferred to remain in human form unless it was necessary to shift.

That night, Cheska and Matthew allowed their wolves to run and play in the forest, while Cheska's mother and the others stayed inside the house, keeping an eye on them.

The following day, Cheska muttered a prayer under her breath, feeling the weight of the upcoming test bearing down on her. Time was running out, and there was no room for error if she wanted to succeed.

As she carefully walked down the hallway, the door to Eunice's room suddenly opened, startling her. "Where are you going?" Eunice asked.

"I'm just getting some water," Cheska replied, glancing at the clock on the wall. It was five minutes before ten in the evening.

"Great, I'm thirsty too. Can you bring me some?" Eunice asked, but before Cheska could respond, Matthew appeared.

"Get your drink. Cheska and I need to leave," Matthew interjected, cutting off any further conversation.

My apologies for the mistake. Here's a revised version using Cheska as the protagonist and changing Bradley's name to Matthew:

"What part of 'keep it a secret, especially from Eunice' did Matthew not understand?" Check"s mind was in a state of panic as she turned to face Matthew, who was approaching her.

"Matthew, where are you and Cheska off to at this time of night?" Despite her smile, Eunice's clenched fists revealed her jealousy.

"I'm just helping Cheska prepare for tomorrow's test," Matthew quickly replied, as he grabbed Cheska's hand and led her down the stairs.

"Good luck!" Eunice called, but as they walked away, Cheska noticed her following them.

'It seemed that Matthew had missed the crucial element of our conversation where she explicitly instructed him to keep our plans a secret, especially from Eunice. Cheska's anxiety only grew as they made their escape from Eunice.