Chapter 88: The Ancient Forest Anna POV

I gasped and looked over my shoulder, saying, "Lucas. Are you even aware of our destination?"

"No," he said in a harsh tone. "Anywhere is preferable to back there, though."

I couldn’t dispute that. I could still hear Oliver’s trumpet, a constant reminder that our trail was hot and our pursuers were unrelenting.

Underfoot, the roots twisted like serpents as the terrain became uneven. Despite the pain in my legs, I forced myself to move ahead out of sheer resolve.

I trembled as I said, "We must stop soon."

“Not yet,” Lucas said, his keen eyes sweeping the area. "There's something around us. I sense it."

"what?"

He didn’t respond.

Suddenly, the air became thicker, almost electric. Something older, something inexplicable, took the place of the earthy and piney smell. I slowed out of instinct when my flesh prickled.

"Lucas," I whispered. "Do you sense that?"

His shoulders stiffened as he came to a standstill. "Yes."

The ground underneath us moved before I could react. With a startled yelp, I fell forward after my foot hooked on a root.

"Anna!" Just as the ground gave way beneath me, Lucas sprang, grabbed my arm, and pulled me back.

A ragged scar in the woodland floor, a small gap, opened up. My heart was racing as I gazed into the blackness below.

Lucas’s voice was tense as he whispered, "Watch your step."

"Thanks for the warning," I said in a tremulous voice.

A rumbling growl reverberated through the trees as we cautiously crossed the fissure. Lucas froze, reaching for me out of reflex.

His voice was barely audible when he said, "Did you hear that?"

I glanced around the forest as I nodded. This time, the roar was closer.

Lucas said, "Run," in a forceful voice.

As we ran off, the sound of paws beating the ground joined the rising snarl. Fear kept me going even when my legs screamed in protest and my lungs burned.

Our path was abruptly interrupted by a figure that appeared out of the darkness. It was a wolf, bigger than any I had ever seen, with eyes that glowed an unearthly gold, and fur as dark as midnight.

Lucas took a stiff stride in front of me. "Remain behind me."

When the wolf bared its teeth and roared, I knew it wasn’t alone. More wolves sprang out of the trees and formed a close circle around us.

"Lucas," I said in a tremulous tone.

"Remain composed," he replied, keeping his gaze fixed on the wolves.

The tense silence was broken by a low, gravelly voice. "You are trespassing on holy property."

I noticed a man moving ahead as I turned to face the voice’s origin. With his silver hair cascading like a river of light, he exuded authority. I felt a chill go down my spine as his sharp eyes met mine.

With a controlled tone, Lucas stated, "We didn’t mean to trespass. We are only traveling through."

The man’s enigmatic look changed as his eyes traveled to Lucas. "No one walks by here by mistake."

The same golden light glowed in the eyes of the wolves as they all roared simultaneously. My pulse pounding, I stepped closer to Lucas.

Lucas declared, "We’re not here to cause trouble. We’re going to leave now."

The wolves were silenced when the man held up a hand. "You won’t get anywhere."

The wolves lunged before I could respond. With his body preparing for battle, Lucas pushed me behind him, but the wolves refrained from attacking. Rather, they forced us to move farther into the jungle by herding us ahead.

"Where are we going?" I demanded with a trembling voice.

"To see Thalion," the man said in a tone that allowed no argument.

As we proceeded, the wolves stood on either side of us, their bright eyes observing everything we did. Lucas remained beside me, his hand lightly touching mine in quiet affirmation.

The air was heavy with an old energy that made my skin crawl as the jungle grew darker. I gasped when we came out into a clearing.

In front of us, tucked away in the middle of the forest, was a settlement. The buildings’ elaborate and unearthly designs were made of wood and stone. Every surface was covered in symbols that glowed dimly in the low light.

"Where are we?" I muttered.

The man led us to the biggest building in the middle of the town and described it as "the heart of the Ancient Pack."

The wolves that surrounded us changed, morphing into human-like creatures. Like the mark on my arm, each of them had a mark on their flesh, a swirling pattern that burned dimly.

Lucas also took note. His gaze narrowed as his hand closed around mine.

"It’s not good," he whispered.

The man escorted us into the main building, a stately hall adorned with other illuminating symbols. An old man sat on a chair that seemed like a throne at the far end of the room. His silver eyes were calculating and piercing, and his presence was authoritative.

The man bowed slightly and murmured, "Thalion. These two were discovered to be trespassing."

I had the impression that Thalion could see right through me when his eyes locked on mine.

"Come forward," he ordered.

Lucas nodded slightly, but I paused. With my heart racing, I took a step forward.

Thalion’s gaze lingered on the symbol on my arm as he examined me. A glimmer of awareness passed across his face as his countenance changed.

"It isn’t possible," he whispered.

"What?" My voice was hardly heard as I asked.

He stood, moving slowly but purposefully. "You bear the Ancient Bloodline’s mark."

My thoughts were racing as I gazed at him. "What are you talking about?"

With his eyes fixed on mine, Thalion took a step closer. "You are the Primordial Line’s final descendant. The one predicted to bring about devastation."

I staggered back as the weight of his words struck me like a blow. Lucas grabbed me and held me steady.

Lucas declared, "This is a mistake. Our only goal is to survive."

Thalion turned to look at Lucas. "Destiny will keep you here, but survival brought you here."

The wolves surrounded us, their luminous gaze unblinking.

"You can’t leave," Thalion stated firmly. "Not until you know who you are and what your purpose is."

I had the impression that the walls were closing in on me as the tension in the air increased.

"Lucas," I muttered as my heart began to race.

His face was hard as he gazed at me. "Anna, we’ll work things out. I swear."