CHAPTER 8: Shadows Awaken

Kyara's POV

The word whispered through me like a pulse, filling every fiber of my being. "Fight."

Victor was only a few steps away, his outstretched hand mocking the guy I thought I loved. Behind him, tyranny reigned—the village was on fire, and screams of pain echoed through the night air. But just now, all I could see was him. His smug grin. His audacity. And Eric, lying broken at my feet, his breath shallow and weak.  

My fingers clenched into fists, and the shadows within surged, sending a cold wave of power through my veins. I wasn't just an abandoned girl, Neither was I a mere pawn in someone else's game. I was *something more*.  

“You’re right about one thing, Victor,” I said, my voice steady despite the tremor of power inside me. “I do have a choice. And I choose to end this—my way.”  

Victor tilted his head, his golden hair catching the flickering firelight. “You’re bold, Kyara. But boldness won’t save you—or him.”  

The shadows coiled at my feet, responding to my anger like a living thing. “You always underestimated me,” I said, stepping over Eric’s unconscious form. My fingers twitched, and the shadows shot forward, swirling around Victor like a storm.  

He raised his blade, the dark energy on its edge clashing with the shadows. The collision sent shockwaves through the air, knocking debris from burning rooftops. Victor smirked as he pushed back against my power. “You think you can control this, don’t you?”  

I wasn't sure I could. The shadows inside me felt wild, as if they had their mind, whispering dark promises that I didn't want to hear. But I didn't have time to pause.  

“I don’t have to control it to stop you,” I retorted, pouring everything into the attack.  

Victor stumbled back, his smirk faltering for the first time. “Impressive,” he admitted. “But let’s see how far you’re willing to go, Kyara.”  

Before I could react, Victor lunged, faster than I’d ever seen him move. His blade sliced through the air, aimed directly at Eric.  

“No!” I screamed, throwing myself between them.  

Shadows formed a protective barrier around me, swallowing Victor's blade. The impact sent a shockwave through the clearing, and I was thrown to the ground. My vision blurred, but I forced myself to focus as I crawled toward Eric.  

His eyes opened just as my trembling hand brushed against his cheek. "Kyara," he whispered, his voice thin but alive.  

Relief washed over me, but it was fleeting. Victor's laugh echoed throughout the clearing. "Touching," he said mockingly. "But your precious Alpha won't save you now."  

Eric pushed himself up, his jaw set as he stared at Victor. "You're wrong," he stated, his voice low and dangerous. "She does not require saving. "She never did.  

The warmth of his words surrounded me like a shield, making me feel impenetrable for a short while. Eric's palm came into touch with mine, and an electric charge went between us. It wasn't the shadows this time, but something more powerful.  

Together, we stood, facing Victor.  

“You’re making a mistake,” Victor said, his golden eyes narrowing. “This isn’t over, Kyara. You are mine, accept it or not. "You must remain who you are." 

"I'm not yours," I responded calmly and firmly. "And I never will be." 

Victor hissed, sparking his blade with malicious energy once more. "Then you leave me no choice." 

A piercing cry cut through the darkness before he could strike. The roar was so strong that it disrupted Victor in his tracks. My heart leaped as a massive wolf emerged from the forest, its silver fur gleaming in the firelight.  

It wasn’t just any wolf—it was Beta Darius, Eric’s most trusted second-in-command, followed by a dozen Crescent Moon warriors.  

Victor’s confident smirk wavered as he assessed the odds. “This isn’t over, Kyara,” he said, his voice a low growl. “You’ll come to me. They always do.”  

With that, he vanished into the darkness, leaving the flaming village and chaotic events behind. 

The Crescent Moon warriors went rapidly to extinguish the fires and care for the injured. But I was focused on Eric, who appeared to be regaining strength. 

"You shouldn't have done that," he replied, his voice tough but his gaze kind. 

“Done what?” I asked a hint of defiance in my voice.  

“Put yourself in danger for me.”  

I crossed my arms, raising an eyebrow. “And what was I supposed to do? Let him kill you?”  

Eric’s lips twitched into the faintest smile. “I’m not used to someone putting me first.”  

“Well, get used to it,” I said, surprising even myself with my boldness.  

He reached out, his fingers brushing agaiured, his voice laced with something I couldn’t quite place.  

“And yet, here I am,” I replied, echoing the words I had spoken earlier.  

Eric's countenance softened, and not my cheek. The touch was light, but it sent a shiver down my spine. “You’re impossible,” he murmured for a brief time, and the turmoil around us subsided. It was only him and me standing in the ruins of the war, united by something neither of us quite understood.  

But the moment was brief. A sudden yell from the community brought us back to reality.  

"We need to move," Eric replied, his voice active again.  

The weight of what had just transpired weighed heavily on me as we returned to the village. The darkness within me had risen, bringing with it a horrible realization: Victor was correct in one thing—I couldn't escape who I was.  

But what was I?  

That question haunted me as we reached the village square. The fires were out, but the air was thick with smoke and sorrow. Eric began organizing the warriors, his commanding presence a stark contrast to the vulnerability he had shown earlier.  

I turned to leave, needing a moment alone when a voice stopped me in my tracks.  

“Kyara.”  

I spun around, my heart sinking as I saw Rena standing in the shadows. Her eyes gleamed with a knowing light, and a faint smile played on her lips.  

“You’ve only just begun to scratch the surface of your power,” she said, her voice soft but filled with an unsettling certainty. “But be careful, child. The line between savior and destroyer is thinner than you think.”  

Before I could respond, she disappeared, leaving me alone with her ominous words.  

I turned back toward the village, but something caught my eye—a glint of silver on the ground where Victor had stood. I bent down to pick it up, my breath hitching as I recognized the object.  

It was a ring—one I had seen before.  

Victor’s mate Mark.  

And etched inside was a single word that sent a chill down my spine: "Silverblood."

The shadows inside me stirred again, and for the first time, I felt the weight of what they truly meant.  

This wasn’t over.  

And it was far from the end.