The next morning, I woke up as the first rays of light entered the room. The cot was less than comfortable, but my exhaustion helped me sleep through the night.
"I need to begin getting ready for today's event," I mumbled as I got out of bed.
Adjacent to the sleeping area was a large bathroom and shower area. I pulled out a small bag of toiletries and walked over to take my late but much-needed shower.
The hot water helped melt the stress out of my muscles. I had always heard doctors say that our bodies hold on to stress and strong emotions, so having a bit of that melt away made me feel lighter.
I reached into my small shower bag and pulled out my bottle of shampoo. It was my absolute favorite brand, and the only one on the market that still used somewhat natural ingredients for the scent.
As soon as I opened the bottle, the pleasant, herbal scent filled the shower room. I immediately relaxed as I breathed in the refreshing scent that lingered in the steam.
The next few minutes, I spent washing my hair and scrubbing my body. Today was an important event, and I knew that I needed to be received well by the werewolf delegation.
After getting out of the shower, I walked over to my clothing bag and pulled out a clean uniform. Since it was the start of autumn, I chose the long-sleeve option. The black jumpsuit hugged my curves, thanks to the stretch fabric it was made out of.
It only took me a few minutes to get ready, but I decided to spend a few extra on my hair, weaving it into a neat braid.
When I finished, I glanced at the cot. A small leather bag and a silver knife. These were all of the possessions I had with me, and would be the only things I would bring with me to my mission.
I should have snagged a few sets of clothing when I left the apartment.
There was no way I was going back to that cursed place. Not when I knew that Anna and Mason were most likely still having their fun.
My stomach turned. I took a deep breath to try fighting the nausea that was creeping up. Thinking about them wouldn't help me in any possible way, so I turned my attention to today's meeting.
I glanced up at the large clock on the wall. It's almost eleven. I only have an hour before I'm expected at the briefing room. I should go eat some food. Who knows what those savage werewolves eat? Maybe I can ask for some non-perishable food to take with me.
Zipping up all of my belongings into my bag, I walked out of the temporary lodgings and made my way to the cafeteria. Hunter HQ was the tallest building in the city with over a hundred floors, but luckily, the cafeteria was on the floor above me.
The entire floor was packed with people, mostly hunters and recruits. It was close to lunch time, so everyone was here, getting in line for the food they wanted. I scanned the hall, looking for the place with the shortest line.
I liked good food, but I didn't have time to spare.
The moment I spotted the shortest line, I frowned. Of course, it's the salad bar.
There was nothing wrong with salads except the fact that they tasted like solid water— flavorless. It was the least popular option of all of the offerings, but for the sake of time, I went over anyway.
"Hunter Esther!" The young woman behind the counter looked at me with admiration. "I'm so lucky! It's not every day that one of the top Hunters visits your stall!"
I flashed her a weak smile. Usually, I'd be a lot more outgoing and engaging, but after yesterday's events, I simply wanted to exist.
"Thank you. I'll just take a premade salad and two waters," I said, pointing at the prepackaged salad that I wanted.
"Of course! I'll pack it for you right away!" she replied enthusiastically.
It only took her a few moments to do her job, and before I knew it, I was walking away with a bag of salad.
"Hunter Esther is eating salad? Maybe I should, too. They do say that they're very nutrient-dense."
"But they taste so bland!"
"This is why you'll never be a top hunter! You can't think like that!"
Word spread fast, and before I made it out of the cafeteria, the line for the salad bar was longer than any of the others.
Shaking my head, I walked on. If only they knew the truth.
I found a quiet spot and sat down to eat. The salad was as tasteless as I had imagined it to be, but I continued eating it to fill my stomach.
After finishing most of it, I slipped both water bottles into my bag and made my way to the briefing room.
"Esther. Good, you're here right on time." The director nodded as I walked in.
I greeted him respectfully, bowing slightly. "I'm ready for today's mission, sir."
"Good. The future of humanity is in your hands, Esther. Take as long as you need, but get the job done!"
"Yes, sir!" I saluted.
"Good, it's almost time. Let's head over to the meeting place and see what kind of lies those beasts can spew."
I followed the other leaders out of the briefing room, walking behind them. We all piled into the extra-large executive elevator, making it down to the ground floor before getting into the stretch limousine.
Everyone in the car remained silent for the entire ride. I watched as the scenery changed from the imposing city to a desolate wasteland. No skyscrapers, no concrete roads, or neon lights, just a forest of burnt trees that looked like it was locked in time.
The deadlands served as a barrier between our territories, though I imagined that most of the werewolf territory looked like this.
I pictured huts and dirt caves filled with grime-covered werewolves. Do they even bathe? Maybe they just jump into puddles when it rains...
Before I knew it, a deep frown had formed on my face. This mission was going to be a lot more annoying than I had originally thought.