The power surged through me again—violent and unrelenting, like a tidal wave crashing against the walls of my mind. I gripped the edges of the stone altar in front of me, my knuckles white as the force of the magic twisted its way through my veins. This wasn’t what I expected. Not from the deal I made with Selene.The room seemed to pulse in sync with the energy coursing through me, the shadows on the walls flickering and writhing like living things. I had come here for strength, for the power to sever Seraphina from her connection to the prophecy. But this... this was something far darker. Something far more dangerous."You're changing, Draven." Selene's voice slithered from the shadows as if the very air around me carried her words. "The ritual is taking root within you, binding you to the artifact. You will grow stronger, yes... but at a price."I could feel her presence before I saw her. Selene, the Crone, stepped out of the dark corner, her ancient eyes gleaming with twisted amu
The world around me began to blur, the colors of the forest blending into one as reality shifted. My heartbeat echoed in my ears, slow and deliberate, as though the very rhythm of my body had fallen under some ancient spell. I didn’t need to guess what was happening.The vision was coming again.I could feel it before it fully gripped me, that familiar tug from deep within my soul, pulling me away from the present and into the unknown. I braced myself, but no amount of preparation could stop the flood of images that hit me.Flames.The forest, once green and alive, was engulfed in a violent blaze. The sky above was black with smoke, the heat of the fire suffocating. I watched as the trees that had stood for centuries collapsed into ash, their mighty forms reduced to nothing. And amidst the destruction, there were wolves—wolves from both packs, Silverclaw and Draven’s, locked in a battle of pure chaos. Their howls pierced through the roar of the flames, cries of pain and anger that chi
The morning air was sharp, cold enough to sting my lungs with each breath. I stood in the clearing, the mist swirling around me like a ghostly veil, obscuring the trees and casting everything in an eerie light. It was early, too early, and the weight of what lay ahead settled heavily on my shoulders. But Kael had insisted, and I knew he was right. If I was going to survive this—if any of us were—I needed to train. To master the power that was awakening inside me. A power I barely understood.Kael watched me from the edge of the clearing, his eyes narrowed, assessing. His usually calm demeanor had a sharp edge today, as if the urgency of our situation had finally pierced his stoic exterior. “Focus, Seraphina,” he called out, his voice cutting through the fog like a whip. “The prophecy isn’t going to wait for you to be ready.”I nodded, though a part of me resented the pressure. Every time I closed my eyes, the vision of the burning forest returned—the image of me standing amidst the c
The wind howled through the trees as if the forest itself was warning us of what was to come. I stood at the edge of the town, looking out into the distance, feeling the weight of the world pressing down on me. The sky was dark, heavy with clouds that threatened a storm, but the real storm was already brewing in Silverclaw. Draven had been busy, and the news had spread faster than I could have imagined. He was rallying packs, twisting their fear and turning it into a weapon. A weapon aimed directly at me.Behind me, the town was bustling with activity. Wolves patrolled the borders, strengthening the barricades, checking the perimeters, and preparing for the inevitable. The tension was palpable—thick enough to cut with a blade. Every face I saw was etched with worry, their eyes betraying the fear that none of them dared to voice aloud. It was as if the entire town was holding its breath, waiting for the storm to break.Kael was by my side, silent as usual, his presence a steady remind
The blood-stained scroll in my hands felt like it was burning through my skin, the weight of Draven’s message settling deep into my bones. The single word, *Surrender*, echoed in my mind like a death knell. The faces around me were tense, a mix of fear and anger rippling through the pack as they realized the gravity of what lay ahead.I stood in the center of the room, surrounded by my most trusted allies—Kael, Ethan, Sophia, and the rest of Silverclaw’s leaders—but even here, amongst my own, there was no denying the shift in the air. Draven had captured several of our members, and the unspoken question lingered in every gaze: Would we give in to his demands to save them, or fight and risk losing everything?Kael paced back and forth, his brow furrowed in concentration. “He’s playing us,” he growled. “We can’t give in to his threats. If we surrender now, we lose everything.”Sophia stood beside him, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. “And if we don’t?” she asked, her voice strai
The air was thick with tension as I slipped through the dense forest, the branches overhead casting jagged shadows in the moonlight. My heart hammered in my chest, but I forced myself to stay calm, my senses alert to every sound around me. Each step felt like a gamble, every rustle of the leaves a remainder of the danger I was walking into.The night was unnervingly quiet, as though the forest itself was holding its breath, waiting for what would come next. I had chosen this place for the meeting because it was secluded, far from Silverclaw, but the isolation now felt suffocating. My mind raced with questions, with doubts, but I couldn’t let them show. Not now.I arrived at the clearing, the towering trees forming a natural barrier around the small space. The moon hung low in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the forest floor. And then, I saw him—Draven. He stood in the center, his posture calm, almost unnervingly so, as though this meeting was nothing more than a formality to him.
I returned to Silverclaw with the weight of Draven’s ultimatum hanging heavy on my shoulders. The forest seemed darker, the air colder, as though the shadows themselves were pressing down on me. Each step felt like a battle, my mind swirling with the vision Draven had forced upon me. I could still see it—the destruction, the death. My death.As I approached the heart of the pack, I could sense the tension in the air. Everyone knew something was coming. It was like a storm on the horizon, inevitable and merciless. I found Morwenna waiting for me in the council chamber, her eyes sharp and unreadable.“Seraphina,” she greeted me, her voice low. “What did Draven say?”I took a deep breath and recounted the meeting—the twisted vision, the ultimatum, and the darkness that clung to Draven like a second skin. As I spoke, Morwenna’s expression grew graver, her frown deepening.When I finished, the room fell into a heavy silence. The fire in the hearth crackled softly, but it did little to ward
The weight of Ethan's words pressed down on me like an iron chain. An ally, captured by Draven. The news twisted in my gut, a knot of dread tightening with every passing second."Who?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper, already fearing the answer.Ethan hesitated for a moment, his eyes meeting mine with a sorrowful intensity. "Kael," he finally said. "It's Kael."The world seemed to tilt on its axis, my vision blurring as my heart pounded in my chest. Kael. The one person who had been by my side, teaching me, pushing me to embrace the power within me. And now he was gone—taken by Draven's forces."How?" I demanded, my voice hoarse with emotion. "How did this happen?""He was betrayed," Ethan explained, his jaw clenched with frustration. "One of the smaller packs that Draven coerced into his service turned on him. They must have known he was vital to our plans."I swallowed hard, trying to keep the flood of emotions at bay. Guilt gnawed at me, its bitter taste flooding my mouth. Kael