Elaina sat by the crackling fire, wrapped in a thick cloak, her mind a whirlwind of emotions.
The events of the day still replayed in her head — the rogue attack, the blinding light erupting from her hands, the way Lucien had held her like she was his entire world.
But underneath the comfort... lurked a chilling confusion.
What had she become?
What was awakening inside her?
Lucien sat nearby, quietly sharpening his blade, but his eyes flicked toward her every few seconds, like he couldn't stop himself.
"You should rest," he said softly, his voice unusually tender.
Elaina hugged the cloak tighter around herself. "I'm not sure if I can," she whispered, staring into the flames. "Every time I close my eyes... I feel it again. That power. It's like a storm under my skin."
Lucien set the blade aside and moved closer, the firelight catching the worry etched across his face.
"You're changing," he murmured. "I can feel it. Your wolf... it's different. Stronger. Wilder."
Elaina let out a shaky laugh, trying to lighten the suffocating atmosphere. "Great. Maybe next I'll start howling at the moon and chasing my tail."
Lucien smirked despite himself. "I'd pay to see that."
She cracked a small smile, grateful for the tiny thread of humor weaving through the tension. But it faded quickly, replaced by the heavy thud of reality in her chest.
"Lucien," she said, her voice trembling, "what if I'm becoming something... monstrous?"
Without hesitation, Lucien leaned forward, cupping her face in his calloused hands.
His touch was warm, grounding.
"You could never be monstrous, Elaina," he said fiercely. "Not to me. Not even if the whole world turned against you."
Her throat tightened painfully at his words.
She wished she could believe it as easily as he did.
The night grew colder, the woods whispering with unseen dangers. Wolves howled in the distance, a haunting symphony that raised the hairs on the back of her neck.
And far, far beyond the reach of the firelight...
a pair of golden eyes gleamed from the darkness, watching.
---
Meanwhile, deep in the forest…
Valen paced near the riverbank, his coat flaring with every agitated turn.
His emotions, once tightly leashed, now snapped and crackled like a live wire.
He had seen her powers with his own eyes.
Felt her heartbeat even from a distance.
Watched Lucien touch her — hold her — as if she belonged to him.
It was unbearable.
"No more," Valen growled to the cold night. His voice was low, dangerous. "She will know who truly understands her. Who truly deserves her."
A shadow shifted behind him. A man cloaked in black — one of Valen's most loyal spies — stepped forward.
"Orders, sir?"
Valen turned, his golden eyes alight with a feverish gleam.
"Follow them. Find out where they're taking her next. And when the time is right…"
A cruel smile curved his lips.
"She will come to me. Willingly or not."
The spy bowed low and vanished into the mist.
Valen stood there a moment longer, gazing up at the moon — a pale, unblinking witness to the darkness growing inside him.
"This is fate," he whispered to the night.
"And no one — not even an Alpha King — will stand in my way."
The morning sun barely touched the horizon when Elaina woke with a start, gasping for breath.
Her dreams had been a twisted mess of fire, blood, and haunting golden eyes that refused to leave her mind.
Lucien, ever watchful, was already awake, sitting at the edge of the clearing. His silver hair shimmered faintly in the early light, and his posture was tense, alert — like he expected an attack at any moment.
"Bad dreams?" he asked without turning around.
Elaina rubbed her face, trying to shake the heavy feeling pressing down on her chest. "You could say that."
Lucien finally turned, his gaze softening when he saw her drawn expression. "We're close to the Crescent Sanctuary. A day, maybe less. You'll be safe there."
"Safe," Elaina repeated bitterly. "What does that even mean anymore?"
Before Lucien could answer, a sudden sharp crack of a branch made them both jump to their feet.
Instinctively, Lucien shoved her behind him, growling low in his throat.
A few heartbeats later, Kade stumbled into the clearing, his hair a wild mess and his clothes covered in leaves and twigs.
"Bloody hell," Kade wheezed, slapping dust off his shirt. "You two look like you're about to kill me."
Lucien narrowed his eyes. "Why were you sneaking around?"
Kade grinned, completely unbothered. "Wasn't sneaking. I tripped. There's a very aggressive squirrel out there. Nearly lost my life."
Elaina couldn't help it — a snort of laughter escaped her lips.
The tension in the clearing lifted slightly, just for a moment.
Lucien shook his head, but even he looked a little less grim. "Next time, try walking like a normal person."
Kade winked at Elaina. "Where's the fun in that?"
But just as the laughter faded, a gust of wind carried a scent into Lucien's nose that made his muscles lock.
Faint... but unmistakable.
Valen.
Lucien's eyes darkened. "We need to move. Now."
Kade immediately sobered, sensing the shift in the air.
He threw a playful salute. "Right behind you, boss."
Elaina grabbed her things quickly, her heart thudding against her ribs. She didn't know what was coming, but every instinct inside her screamed that it wasn't going to be good.
They moved swiftly through the forest, the world blurring into shades of green and gold.
But no matter how fast they ran, Elaina couldn't shake the feeling that something was stalking them.
Following.
Waiting.
Suddenly, the trees thinned — revealing a massive cliff overlooking the valley below.
Lucien halted, scanning the area, his senses on high alert.
It was too quiet.
Before anyone could react, a figure stepped from the shadows — tall, powerful, and terrifyingly familiar.
Valen.
His golden eyes locked onto Elaina, and for a moment, time seemed to freeze.
The way he looked at her — fierce, desperate, possessive — made her breath hitch painfully.
"Elaina," he said, voice rough, like her name physically hurt to speak.
"I came for you."