Amara’s POVDarius and I ran in the chilly night while the wind howled through the trees. With each step I took, I got further away from the only home I had ever known, and my heart continued to race in my chest. However, I was no longer safe there. The pack was no longer on my side.We ran through the thick forest, Darius holding my hand tightly as we breathed in ragged gasps. "We must continue to move," he stated. "They will be looking for you."I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. "Where are we going exactly?"Without hesitation, he said, "To the ruins." "Someone there can assist you if what the elders said is accurate."I paused. However, it is hostile territory. Should we be apprehended—“I won’t let that happen,” Darius interrupted, his tone fierce. “You’re not alone in this, Amara.”His words sent warmth through me, but doubt still lingered. Was I making a mistake? Was I as dangerous as everyone believed?Branches snapped behind us, and Darius yanked me to the side, pr
Amara’s POVThe temperature dropped sharply. When the assassin moved forward, I gasped. She walked like a shadow, was tall, and wore black. Her voice was as keen as a dagger, yet her face was concealed by a dark mask.She responded, "You ought to have remained hidden, little wolf."I felt a chill go through me. She had an odd quality about her. Her movements were too fluid and too quiet. Then I noticed it: a pitch-black fog encircling her hands like living shadows.Dark magic.I backed off a little unsteadily. There was urgency in my grandmother's voice. "You have to flee, Amara."However, I was immovable. Running wouldn't help, I knew. The assassin wasn't playing around. Her purpose was to kill."Who sent you?" To buy time, I asked.Her head was cocked. "The answer is already known to you."Viktor.I balled my hands into fists. "I refuse to be taken by you."She chuckled. "Oh, you don't have to go with me." She was on the move in a flash.She was on me before I could even respond.Th
Amara’s POVI sat looking at my hands by the fire. Still clinging to my fingers, the dark mist shifted and curled like smoke. Despite my best efforts to make it go away, it persisted.I was no longer the same.Darius, still weak from his wounds, sat a few feet away. Since I had unleashed my might, he had remained silent. And I understood why.I frightened him.My grandmother eventually broke the dense quiet between us.She added, "You need to understand what you are, Amara," in a firm voice that was perhaps tinged with fear.I balled my fists up. "I don’t even know what I am anymore."As though anticipating my response, she nodded. "That's because no one ever gave you the truth. Regarding you. Concerning Viktor.I looked up. "What do you mean?"She sighed and peered into the flames. "This wasn't always how Victor was. He was with us a long time ago.I gasped. "What?"He was a descendant of the First Alpha and, hence, a member of our bloodline. He was never content with his authority,
Pain.It was all over. Burning through my veins, writhing through my body like a wildfire I couldn’t contain.My grandma was standing above me, her hands up, and I was kneeling in the middle of a luminous circle. Her voice was forceful but urgent as she said phrases I didn't comprehend.The rite of purification had started.My black magic retaliated, causing my body to quiver fiercely. It was reluctant to go. It desired to remain and devour me.With perspiration streaming down my cheeks, I gritted my teeth. Gasping, "It’s not working,"I heard my grandmother say, "Hold on, Amara!" "You must fight it!"The blackness surged and I let out a scream. Curling over my flesh, shadows attempted to drag me down. I experienced visions of Viktor's ruthless grin, the devastation he had wrought, and his strength.Then his voice."You can’t get rid of me, little wolf.""No!" I shook my head and sobbed. "You’re not real!""Now you are me. And you'll embrace it shortly."The darkness encircled me more
Amara’s POVAs I fled, the ground shook beneath my feet.As I arrived at the battlefield's edge, the air was heavy with choking smoke. The image before me made my heart tighten.The army of Viktor had come.The pack's territory was overrun by enormous monsters with twisted, grotesque bodies and red eyes that glowed. Their roars shook the darkness as their claws tore through fighters. Houses were on fire, with flames licking the sky like ravenous animals.The pack's warriors gave it their all in battle. Swords clashed. The claws tore into the flesh. The ground was marred by blood.However, we were outnumbered.Close to me, a fighter fell, his chest ripped open. As a hideous creature snatched him off the ground and tossed him aside like a rag doll, another screamed."Remain on the line!" Through the confusion, Darius's voice could be heard. With unwavering resolve, he sliced through Viktor's soldiers as he stood in the middle of the conflict. But he was having trouble, too.A wave of pa
Amara’s POVMy whole body was shaking as I stood in front of Viktor. My inside energy throbbed wildly and uncontrollably, like a live creature. My veins felt like they were on fire with every breath I took.Viktor smiled, dark enjoyment shining in his crimson eyes. He taunted, "What's wrong, little wolf?" "You have so much power... but you're hesitant.I tried to steady my trembling body by clenching my fists. I could put a stop to this. Now. Viktor would be reduced to dust with one last blow.But at what price?My body was already being eroded by the power within, shattering me from the inside out. My skin was scorching, my bones were splitting.I wouldn't make it if I continued.Even worse, I wasn't sure if I would still be myself.Viktor tilted his head and took a hesitant step forward. "Amara, I sense it," he said. "The darkness within you." It is identical to mine. It was always intended for you to become me, not to fight me."No," I said, but my tone faltered.He grinned more br
Amara’s POVDarkness, silence, and pain.I had no feelings.Was someone killed?I attempted to move, but my body refused to cooperate. It was all numb. Chilly. I yelled in my head, but I made no sound. I was stuck, lost, weightless, drifting in a void.Then there were voices. Muffled, distant, yet familiar."Amara!"Darius? His voice was raw with emotion and harsh. I wanted to call him, but I couldn't."She's not breathing—""Help her!""No pulse—""Amara, don’t you dare leave me!"I wanted to respond, to let them know I was here, but the shadows drew me in.It was oddly silent on the battlefield. The battle was over. The adversary was vanquished. But it felt like a hollow win. Warriors watched my body sprawled on the blood-stained ground in disbelief.Someone broke down in tears. Others prayed in whispers.Darius knelt next to me and stroked my face with trembling hands. "No. "No, no, no." His voice broke. "Amara, open your eyes. Please.No answer.In a desperate attempt to find a pu
Amara’s POVMy initial reaction was one of coldness.It was a deep, empty cold, not the kind that made you shudder, but one that wasn't mine.Slowly, I opened my eyes. The environment was hazy, and the conversations were muffled. I felt as though I wasn't within my body. As if something was... absent.With trepidation, I inhaled. It didn't feel like mine, even yet my chest rose and sank.What was going on with me?I tried to collect my thoughts by blinking up at the ceiling. Where had I gone?Candlelight flickered softly. The air was heavy with the aroma of herbs. The room of the healer.I was struck with memories: the fight, the darkness, and Viktor. Dying.I wasn't dead, though.I gave it a little turn. There was a person seated next to me, his fingers encircling mine.Darius.His face was buried in his free hand, and his head was bent. He held my hand tightly, as though he was afraid I would vanish if he let go.I took a swallow. I had a dry throat. "Darius…?"Suddenly his head spr
Amara’s POVCold and silent, the moonlight streamed through my room's window.I sat on my bed and took calm breaths. I had my hands on my lap. Even though they were no longer glowing, I could still sense it. The shadows. Concealed deep within my blood.I said to myself, "Get out."It did not, however, depart. I heard a quiet voice in my head.I was called for. I replied."No," I said more loudly while holding my head tightly. "Power was what I needed, not this."It said quietly again, more smoothly, You needed strength. You pleaded for it. You got more than strength from me. I released you."I don't desire your level of liberty!" I yelled.The door was knocked on. "Amara?" Mira was the one. "Are you alright?""I'm all right!" I lost my temper.There was silence, then the sound of footsteps leaving. I looked down at my hands and bit my lip.They shuddered.I told the voice inside, "I won't let you control me."You've done so already.For a time, the room whirled. I shut my eyes. I need
Amara’s POVI had regained my inner strength, but something about it felt... off.It felt heavier and colder than before, like a shadow around my spirit. It was whispering at the back of my mind, pulsing beneath my skin.I clenched my hands and looked at the raw magic tingling my fingers. The beautiful golden color of the flames I had called forth had been replaced with a deeper, black-edged color.I had no time to think about it. I was required by my people. The conflict had not ended.I decided to ignore my uneasiness and head for the training grounds.The warriors were waiting already. Some seemed relieved to see me back on my feet. Not so much for others.With his arms folded and his eyes intently observing me, Darius stood at the front. Since last night, he hadn't said much since I performed the ceremony.I moved ahead, ignoring his eyes. "Let's get started."The fighters nodded, getting ready for battle. I held up my hands, prepared to show off a move—something to protect agains
Amara’s POVI stared at my shaking hands while sitting by the dwindling fire by myself. I was aware that we couldn't destroy Lilith in this manner, regardless of how many plans we formed or how many warriors stood behind me. Not without the use of magic.I wasn't strong without it. Powerless. And more people would perish if I continued in this manner.I heard someone say, "You know what you have to do."I took a deep breath. There was just one path. I could regain my power through a forbidden ceremony. However, the cost...I had no idea how much it would cost.But there was nothing I could do.I looked at the outlaw. "Explain the ritual to me."Something inscrutable flared in his golden eyes. "That's not the route you want to take.""Yes, I do." I balled my fists up. "Whatever it takes, I don't care. I must regain my magic.He let out a sigh. "The ceremony is risky. It requires a sacrifice. Something significant. Something... intimate.Darius took a step forward. "No, Amara." His tone
Amara’s POVThe remains of our community were sucked into the abyss as the ground underneath me shattered open. The air was filled with screams as fighters frantically tried to flee, their footing shaky. For a minute, my body seemed weightless as I fell, but powerful arms grabbed me."Wait a minute!" Darius yelled, yanking me back before the earth gave way entirely. My heart pounded in my chest as I gasped for air.The ground split even more as it shook furiously. Trees went down. Houses fell apart. The land itself seemed to be rejecting us.Lilith's black eyes shone as she stood on the opposite side of the devastation. Dark tendrils slithered from her fingertips as she raised a hand, reaching out at us like living shadows.“We must relocate!” someone shouted.As the ground collapsed behind us, I pushed my legs to the limit and ran alongside the others. My lungs were burning. It felt like a fight at every stage.The devastation halted just as we reached higher ground. Lilith cocked he
Amara’s POVWithout hesitation, the golden-eyed wolf sprang at Lilith. His attacks were vicious, and his speed was intimidating. Before Lilith could react, he sank his teeth into her arm and tore through her black power as if it were nothing.Lilith's ruby eyes blazed with rage as she yelled and pushed him away. She growled, "Who do you think you are?"The rogue remained silent. She had to defend herself when he leaped again. I had never witnessed a conflict like the one between them. Lilith was having difficulties; she had always been so untouchable.With my body throbbing from fatigue, I seized the opportunity to push myself up. The pack was getting stronger all around me. Now, with new hope in their eyes, the warriors who had been retreating battled harder.Breathing heavily, Darius ran to my side. "Who is that?"I looked at the rogue and said, "I don't know." "But he's with us."Lilith snarled and hurled a surge of evil energy in his direction. The rogue's golden eyes glowed brigh
Amara’s POVThe night was filled with screams. As the attack started, the air was mingled with the smell of burning wood and blood. With their red eyes gleaming in the darkness, Lilith's army charged into the settlement."Keep the pack safe!" I yelled, my voice barely audible above the commotion.The warriors confronted the assailants. Shadows curled about us, growls reverberated through the air, and claws fought. Lilith's wolves were abnormal; their bodies went in and out of the darkness at an odd pace.Darius was already tearing through the opponents in his wolf form. Beside him, Callum swung his teeth in a savage snarl. My people were fighting and dying everywhere I looked.Then I spotted her through the flames.Lilith's ruby eyes glowed with laughter as she stood composedly amid the devastation. She was only observing her monsters tearing up my pack without doing anything yet.A chilly fury blazed within me. I couldn't allow her to prevail.I sprang at the closest foe, avoiding th
Amara’s POVI stood motionless at the edge of the pack's area, staring at the person in front of me while the wind howled through the trees. Lilith.She didn't resemble Viktor at all. She was something far worse than a monster, propelled by darkness that even he had never conquered, but his creation. With a terrifying smile, her piercing red eyes met mine, and her long jet-black hair seemed to float weightlessly.She tilted her head and purred, "Amara, you look weaker than I expected." Not my father's loss to the powerful tiny wolf. You no longer even possess your magic, do you?I balled my fists up. I would not allow her to see how afraid I am. "Lilith, what do you want?"A sneer formed on her lips. "Retaliation."Naturally."But I'm feeling giving today," she added, taking her time walking. "Give yourself one hour. An hour to get ready. Do anything you want: run, hide, or fight. I'll destroy everything you hold dear when I get back.My chest ached sharply from what she said. An hour
Amara’s POVTension, the kind that made my skin prickle, was heavy in the air. After only a brief period of tranquillity, the Moonshine Pack felt uneasy tonight.I couldn't get rid of the uneasiness that was creeping into my bones as I lay in bed and stared at the ceiling. Things had been altered since the ritual. I had lost my magic. I had broken free from Viktor's curse and saved my pack, but at what price?The window was rocked by a sudden burst of wind.With my heart racing, I sat up. There was something out there.Darius woke up next to me. He put his arm around my waist for protection, but as soon as I moved, he awoke, his instincts as keen as ever. "Amara?" he said in a sleepy voice. "What’s wrong?"Not wanting to come out as suspicious, I paused. I said, "I… don’t know," "Something doesn’t feel right."Darius rubbed a hand across his face and sighed. "You're worn out. You must get some rest.However, I was aware of this emotion. Before every strike, before every battle that ha
Amara’s POVI felt uneasy when I opened my eyes. I felt as though there was a void inside of me where my magic formerly was. I sat up, feeling the comforting warmth of my strength deep within myself, my fingers shaking. Nothing. A cold panic took hold of me. My breathing became laboured."Darius," I said, my voice hardly coherent. "Something’s wrong."In a moment, Darius was by my side, his golden eyes full of worry. "What is it?"I forcefully gulped, attempting once more to conjure up even a glimmer of strength. Nothing has changed. My chest constricted. "I can’t feel my magic," I said quietly, my voice cracking.His hands encircled me. He tried to reassure me, saying, "Maybe you're just weak from the ritual." "You were worn down by it. Allow time.I gave a headshake. "Darius, no. It is no longer there. I sense it. As if something had been torn from me." With the dread gnawing at my throat, I raised my voice a little. "Now how can I keep them safe? "How do I fight?"Darius drew me in