Chapter.5:unleashed
929 Words
Theme: Zara's power starts to unleash as does the danger.
Silence filled the room, though the air crackled with electricity-from the tension alone. Zara was frozen, her back to cold stone, her heart pounding, while the three intruders continued further into the room, eyes aglow yellow with their gaze hooked on her.
The tall, careless leader grinned, dark hair mussed, scar across his cheek curling as he spoke. "Hand her over, Forestborn. You can't protect her forever."
Liam didn't budge. Firm of body, squared of shoulder, chill of voice. "You're trespassing, Julian. Leave, or this won't end well for you.
Julian laughed, the low sound mocking. "I have heard tales regarding the great Liam Forestborn. Pray tell, do you still fancy yourself able to take all of us on alone?"
"I don't think," Liam repeated, his voice lowering to a low growl. "I know.
She could barely even blink before Liam was contorting. His hands flexed to razor-sharp talons; his shoulders hunched, and down his skin rippled fur in strange, dark waves. Agog, wonder-struck, she watched the burn of green brighter in his eyes as his face started stretching into a wolfish muzzle.
He stood taller now, his wolf form massive and commanding. Zara’s breath caught in her throat. This wasn’t just a boy from her school—this was something far more powerful, far more dangerous.
Julian smirked, unbothered by Liam’s transformation. “Impressive, but you’re not the only one with tricks.”
Julian changed, too, in an open-mouthed snarl, lean and compact now and no less fearsome. He, too-the three of them eyes fixed on Liam-bone-chilling tangle.
"Stay there," Liam rasped over his shoulder, still short, coarse words-a sound all but feral.
She didn't argue. Zara leaned farther back against the wall, her heart racing, as the wolves flung themselves at one another in a whirlwind of teeth and claw; all movement hazy in speed and violence.
Liam was fighting with precision, his movements sharp and deliberate; the odds were just against him. One wolf sprang for his side, and as Liam dodged, another used that opening to strike.
"Liam!" Zara exclaimed despite herself.
He sprang up in an instant, but even from the distance she was away from them, Zara could see the strain in his movements-he was strong, just outnumbered.
Something stirred in Zara, spread like warmth down from her chest and out to her fingertips. It wasn't fear-it was deeper, more something she couldn't explain. Her hands were shaking, but this time, it wasn't from terror.
The wolves closed in on Liam, circling around him in a ring. Zara was hyperventilating, her fists balled into her sides. She wasn't going to just stand there and do nothing.
"Leave him be!" she shrieked; her voice reverberated around the room.
To her surprise, the wolves hung back. Even Liam turned to her, his eyes glowing green in the dark.
"What are you doing?" he growled. There was an underlining urgency in his voice.
But Zara said nothing. The burning in her chest was hot, near intolerable, and in that instant, it seemed the whole world around her came sliding.
Julian's gaze narrowed, snapping him back to the furred shape. "Well, well," he said softly, curiosity taint evident in his tone. "It appears the little wolf is waking."
"I am n-," Zara began, and suddenly a flare of energy deeper in her body coursed through. Pain shot, heat coiled, and she fell forward, crying, to her knees.
"Zara!" Liam screamed.
The room blurred; the edges of her vision darkened as the warmth burst out in her chest. Bright, silvery light poured into the room. Zara felt the shift happen in her body.
With the dying light, she was no longer on her knees, standing, hard of breathing, the hands now no longer hands but hooked claws, an aura of white fur, eyes glowing like hot blue embers, and in a form terribly beautifully lit from that dusty mirror hanging on the wall.
There was complete dead silence in that room: Julian and his wolves statue-still, smugness turned to shock.
"It cannot be," he whispered, "it cannot be.the prophecy."
Liam's wolfish face showed not an inch of fear, only pride. "I told you," he growled; his voice still hoarse from shifting so many times. "You don't stand a chance."
Julian's lips twisted in a snarl. "This isn't over."
With a shrill whistle, he and his wolves wheeled and disappeared into the shadows as fast as they had come.
Zara lay statue-still, her chest rising and falling, the adrenaline riotously running in her system. She turned to Liam, her eyes wide and shining. "What just happened with me?"
Liam changed back into his human form, leaned on his elbows, and breathed hard. "You shifted," he said so matter-of-factly.
"But how?" Her voice shook. "I didn't even know."
"It was always inside you," Liam said. "Your bloodline. Your power. Tonight, you found it."
Zara's knees buckled, and Liam caught her before she fell. His arms were strong and steady, anchoring her while reality set in.
"Am I. like you?" she asked softly.
"You're more," he said, his voice full of awe and certainty alike.
Liam helped her to her feet, but before he could say more, the sound of distant howls echoed through the night.
“They’ll be back,” Liam said, his expression serious. “And next time, they won’t stop until they have you.”
Zara’s heart pounded, but this time, she didn’t feel fear. She felt something stronger determination.
“Then we’ll be ready,” she said.
- Writer
