Lisa's POVThe tall figure remained still, its bright eyes scanning us like a predator evaluating its victim. The air seemed heavy and stifling from the oppressive force it projected. "What is that?" Chelsea's voice was barely heard as she said. Marcus said, his blade quivering in his hand, "A mistake." As soon as the figure's eyes met mine, a rich, rich voice filled the room. "You've set me free." I took a tentative step back and said, "No." "This was not expected to occur." “Lisa,” Dominick snarled, stepping defensively in front of me. "Remain behind me." With a glimmer of laughter on its otherwise expressionless face, the creature cocked its head. "You don't even realize what you've let loose, do you?" Dominick's POV With my claws growing longer, I said, "I don't care who or what you are." "You're returning to whatever abyss you escaped." The apparition laughed, and the room echoed with the sound. "A mortal wolf's brave words." However, your strength pales in comparison to
Lisa's POV Echoing around the wrecked hall like a phantom taunt, the chilling laugh seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once. "Has anybody heard that?" Chelsea questioned, her eyes darting across the room as she hold her blade firmly. Dominick snarled, stretching his claws, "It's her." "She's not finished yet." Marcus mumbled, looking at the broken altar, "Obviously." However, where is she? And now, how can we stop her? "You can't," Anabella said in a mockingly silky voice. No one was there, yet we all twisted toward the sound. "Coward!" Dominick's voice echoed around the room as he yelled. "Exhibit yourself!" A whirling shadow materialized close to the remnants of the altar as Anabella's laughing became louder. Slowly, her shape appeared, her face as arrogant as ever. With a tone full of contempt, she said, "You've been so entertaining." However, the beast was never the focus of this. "So what is the matter here?" Despite Dominick's cautionary glance, I stepped fo
Lisa's POVAs we went away, all of us stiff and quiet, the dust from the collapsing room still clung to the air. Anabella's cryptic comments kept coming back to me, and my head was whirling. "The legacy of your family, Lisa." "What lineage?" I grumbled to myself as my annoyance mounted. "What were you saying?" Dominick went next to me and inquired in a tense voice. I lied and shook my head, saying, "Nothing." Dominick came to a halt and met my eyes. It's not insignificant. Since she said that, you have remained silent. I threw up my hands in response and shot back, "Because it doesn't make any sense." "What she's talking about is beyond me!" Ahead of us, Chelsea snorted. "Oh, Lisa, hurry up. You must acknowledge that it's strange that you continue to survive seemingly insurmountable situations. There could be some truth to it. "Reality?" I turned to her and snapped. She lies. She is manipulative in every way! Marcus stepped between us and said, "Perhaps." However, what if she
Lisa put her back against the cavern's icy, angular wall, breathing in harsh gasps. The faint blue illumination of the runes carved into the stone created frightening dancing shadows. The enormous, ghostly, moving, and flickering thing in front of her was inky black. Its red eyes, brimming with rage, fixed on her without averting.She tightened her hold on the sharp fragment of metal she had found, a shoddy alternative to a real weapon. Her chest vibrated when the beast hissed, the sound echoing across the cavern."Remember, Lisa," she said to herself. It's not just about physical strength here. Something is holding it here. Something.She glanced at the luminous runes. As if giving it energy, they pulsed subtly in time with the creature's motions.With its claws tearing through the air, the beast rushed. A strike that created deep gouges in the stone floor was barely avoided by Lisa as she rolled to the side. Her heart thumping, she sprang to her feet."Aren't you connected to this p
Dominick's teeth were gritted hard as the unwavering energy scorched into his hands, and his claws scraped on the magical barrier's shimmering surface. His wolf snarled in exasperation, demanding that he make a breakthrough, but all of his previous attempts had failed.With a growing pain in his chest, he said, "Lisa." Their relationship allowed him to sense her terror, weak and flickering but unquestionably genuine.Marcus came up behind, blood spilling from his blade. We can't keep these creatures at bay indefinitely, Alpha. Whatever Anabella has put in place is depleting our strength and resources."Then protect the line and stop wasting time!" With a harsh, desperate voice, Dominick let out a bark. "I need more time."Chelsea came up behind Marcus, breathing hard. Her eyes were burning with resolve, yet her garments were ripped and her face was stained with blood. Although the western flank has been cleared, reinforcements are on the way. Dominick, you have to accomplish whatever
Like a leaf caught in a fierce storm, Lisa was spun about by the nothingness as her cries reverberated through the darkness. She was drawn more into an unending dark abyss as the whirling shadows became tighter about her. Her voice hoarse from yelling, she grabbed at the void."Dominick! Are you able to hear me? Her voice was lost in the emptiness as she sobbed.No answer, just the ominous laugh of a voice she was all too familiar with."Didn't you think he would save you?" Anabella's disembodied, all-pervading voice purred. "So cliched, Lisa. Always relying on other people for support."Where are you?" With a furious turn, Lisa spit. She still had a ragged bit of metal, but she didn't know where to aim it, so she tightened her grasp.Anabella answered in a mocking tone, "I'm everywhere." "And you're nowhere, poor little omega."The emptiness changed shortly. The darkness was penetrated by a dazzling light, and Lisa staggered back, covering her eyes. She was standing on a rock with th
Lisa's breath came in sharp spurts as she stabilized herself, the icy surface of the shard digging into her hand. Distorted reflections of herself appeared in the mirrors all around her, their red eyes blazing with ill intent. They circled her with jerky movements, their twisted limbs clicking strangely."You believe you can prevail?" One snarled, a distorted echo of Lisa's own voice. "You've always been weak, helpless, and unwelcome."Lisa said, "Stop," as she gripped the shard more tightly.Another moved forward, a hideous satire of her own face on its damaged features. You know that he doesn't really love you. He feels sorry for you. He wouldn't bother with someone like you otherwise, why?Lisa shook her head as her chest constricted. "That is untrue. Stop talking.The animals laughed, and the room echoed with their laughter. One stepped closer and said, "Admit it." "You've considered it. I sensed it. You understand our point.Dominick's JourneyWith his body damaged and beaten fro
Dark energy flowed about Anabella as she stood in the middle of the room, her hands held high. A sinister grin curled her lips as her eyes sparkled with malignant amusement. Around her, the space buzzed with power, the walls adorned with sigils that pulsed with an old, terrible magic.Before her, Lisa was on her knees, blood streaming from the black tendrils that had tied her at the wrists. Her eyes were burning with defiance, yet her complexion was pale and her breath was shallow. She sensed that she had Anabella's triumph at her fingertips, and Lisa was the reason for it. The secret to Anabella's ambitious plan lay in their relationship, the lineage that linked her to the Moon Goddess.With a voice full of hate, Anabella murmured, "You should feel honored, Lisa." "I only need your blood and your heritage to subdue the wolf packs." I'll take control of every Alpha and every pack with your strength. They will all bow down to me.Despite her heart thumping in her chest, Lisa remained s
Lisa felt it again the ever-present pull of darkness, thrumming under her skin like a beating of its own. The mirror had shown her a truth she hadn’t been ready to face, and now it felt as if the very shadows of the Moon Goddess were wrapping themselves around her, smothering her. Every breath was harder than the last, and the fight to keep herself in control was becoming unbearable.She stood by the edge of their camp, looking into the forest’s darkness, trying to calm the chaos whirling inside her. Dominick had insisted on staying close, despite her protests. He hovered behind her now, but she didn’t turn to face him. She couldn’t."I can feel it," she whispered, though she wasn’t sure whether she was speaking to him, or to the darkness that clawed at her thoughts. "It’s like it’s alive in me, Dominick. It’s getting stronger with every passing moment. I don’t know how much longer I can fight it."Dominick stepped forward, his movements light but filled with haste. He reached for her
Lisa stood at the edge of the old ruins, her heart pounding as the weight of their task pushed down on her. Dominick was by her side, his presence a steadying force, but even he couldn’t deny the unease that had settled over their pack.They had come here to find answers, but the ruins were steeped in silence, their old stones worn by centuries of neglect. The air was thick with an eerie energy, and Lisa could feel it in the pit of her stomach something dark, something old, was waiting."Are you sure this is the right place?" Lisa asked, her voice low, almost respectful.Dominick glanced at her, his eyes filled with purpose. "It’s the only place left, Lisa. The old books... they all point here. The answers are hidden in these ruins. We just have to find them."She nodded, but doubts remained in her mind. The pack’s trust in her was weakening. They didn’t say it, but Lisa could feel the strain. She had once been their center, their guide, their link to the Moon Goddess. Now, without th
The first thing Lisa felt was warmth. It wasn’t the kind of warmth that could be mistaken for sunlight or the heat of a fire, but the kind of warmth that pulsed deep within her chest, spreading through her limbs, wrapping around her like a protective embrace.She blinked, slowly opening her eyes. The world around her was blurry at first, fading in and out of focus. But as her senses began to sharpen, she could feel it—the weight of Dominick’s arms around her, holding her close. The familiar scent of him, of the pack, surrounded her, grounding her. And yet, something was wrong.Something was very wrong.Lisa sat up with a sharp gasp, her body trembling from the sheer effort it took to move. She looked around, eyes wide, searching for an answer. The pack was gathered around them, silent, watchful, and… worried. They looked as though they were waiting for something waiting for her."Lisa?" Dominick’s voice was scratchy, filled with a quiet desperation she hadn’t heard before. "Are you ok
As Dominick's hands hovered above Lisa's motionless body, they shook. Even though the combat was done, it seemed like the conflict had only just started. He stared at her chest, looking for some indication that she was still alive. His anguish made every breath feel heavy and shallow. Her face had turned pale and lifeless. Everything he didn't want to know was revealed to him by the blood stains on her clothing."You can't leave. In a ragged echo of the man, he once was, Dominick muttered to her, "You just can't." Leaning down, he brushed a lock of hair away from her face, allowing the tears he had been suppressing to finally fall."Please, Lisa. Get your eyes open. Return to me.Around them, the pack had gathered in stillness. Even though they had prevailed in the fight, it felt meaningless. His evil power had been broken, and Eryndor's citadel had collapsed, but at what price? With her heart as frigid as the stone under her, Lisa, their ray of hope, lay still.Marcus's face was unre
There was a lot of darkness in the room, and the shadows were thick and moving around them like living things. The stone floor beneath Dominick was stained with blood as he lay unconscious, his body broken and battered. With tears in her eyes and her heart racing, Lisa knelt next to him, but there was no time for sorrow. She was thinking of only one thing.They all needed to be saved by her.In front of them, tall and victorious, Eryndor's eyes were full of vile laughter. "Lisa, you believe you have won, but the game is far from over." The air felt oppressive, and his voice was like ice. "There is no force or power in this world that can defeat me."Lisa's heart ached as she felt the warmth of Dominick's pulse wane with every second that went by, and her hands shook as she reached out to touch him. Even though she still had a close bond with him and the pack, it wasn't sufficient. Not quite yet.Then something changed within her.Her inner wolf spirit awoke with a roil, its restless e
The pack was positioned before the imposing gates of Eryndor's stronghold, which appeared to have impenetrable walls and a dense, oppressive, and dark aura. The weight of the approaching conflict made the air motionless. With the resolve that had brought them this far, Dominick's eyes were hard and his mind was keen. They would put an end to this now.“All units, move out!” he ordered, his voice like a razor slicing through the quiet.With ferocious determination, the pack charged ahead, their warriors trailing behind. Standing by Dominick's side, Lisa felt the strength of the black magic emanating from the fortress walls, her heart pounding and her thoughts turning into its own battlefield.They were nearly instantly struck by the first wave of rogue wolves, their eyes blazing with the strange light of Eryndor's might. The pack was more than ready, but they were swift, vicious, and unrelenting.With her claws cutting through the air and tearing through the rogue wolves that approache
The vista in front of them was a never-ending length of rocky land and forest that led to the impending fortress of Eryndor. With the burden of the trip bearing down on him, Dominick led the way. The strain in the air was evident, and each step felt like it may be his last. The odds were stacked against them in the impending last fight.Lisa followed closely behind him, her steps steady but her thoughts focused on the future. They both understood the seriousness of the situation, and their closeness was strong despite their inability to express it verbally. Although they all had a part to play, nobody could foresee the cost of winning.Marcus kept up with the others despite the emotional and physical strain of saving Chelsea. Even while his expression was fixed on stern determination, his eyes would occasionally flicker with the wounds from the ambush, both the ones on his body and the ones still present in his heart. Chelsea was almost lost to him. He would not permit such to occur o
Dominick stood at the edge of the camp, surveying his warriors' faces while the wind howled all around him. He felt as though the entire universe was resting on his shoulders. The moment had arrived. They were at their breaking point. Eryndor was too near his objective, too risky. In his bones, Dominick knew that the last battle was coming.The tension in the air was broken by Dominick's voice as she said, "We can't wait for more signs, more opportunities." "Now we fight. We battle together.Though there was a hesitancy and a sense of trepidation, the pack stirred and whispers of agreement rippled through them. They had suffered a great loss. They were still grieving over the loss of their siblings in the previous conflict.Chelsea stepped forward from the crowd and said, "Dominick." Her voice was steady, but her eyes were rimmed in red. You want us to put everything on the line. After everything we've lost... after everything we've endured...Dominick responded, his eyes hardening, "
The tension in the camp was high due to the weight of Chelsea's capture. Marcus paced, anger and hopelessness swirling in his head. His fists were clinched at his sides, and his eyes were bloodshot. He was being tormented by the idea of losing her and failing her.Lisa murmured softly, "Marcus," moving into his direct line of sight.He halted his pacing and looked at her, his jaw clenched. "I'm pursuing her." I can't just sit here doing nothing.The unadulterated agony in his voice made Lisa's heart hurt. She was aware of Chelsea's importance to him. "I get it, but we can't just show up without a strategy, Marcus. We shall be met by Eryndor.Marcus shot back, his voice strained and low, "I don't care." There's Chelsea inside. She cannot be left to rot in that hellhole by me.Lisa paused, fully aware of the dangers. After that, we'll travel together. However, we must consider this. Dark magic guards Eryndor's stronghold, and he won't make things simple.For a minute, Marcus's eyes soft