Chapter 14: Blood and Bonds
1094 Words
The forest surrounding the Roselake estate was quiet that morning, wrapped in a hush that felt almost sacred. Mist hovered low over the mossy ground, curling between the roots of towering evergreens and fallen leaves. Sunlight filtered weakly through the branches, dappled and golden. It was beautiful—peaceful—but Avery couldn’t stop looking over her shoulder.
Ben walked beside her, hands in his jacket pockets, his steps deliberately unhurried. But she could tell he was on edge too. His shoulders were stiff, his nostrils flared as if constantly testing the air.
“You keep scanning the trees like we’re being hunted,” Avery said, trying to lighten the mood.
He didn’t laugh. “We might be.”
She sighed and kicked a pinecone off the path. “Well, that’s comforting.”
They followed a narrow trail until they reached the edge of a small lake. The water was still and black, like a mirror stretched too thin.
Ben finally stopped, letting out a long breath. “I thought this place might help you feel more grounded.”
Avery glanced around. “It’s nice. Creepy, but nice.”
He cracked a small smile. “That’s about as good as it gets out here.”
She sat down on a smooth rock near the edge of the lake, hugging her knees to her chest. “Everything’s changed so fast, Ben. A week ago, I was just... me. Nobody special. Now I’m supposed to be the spiritual link of a wolf pack and stop some ancient darkness from devouring the world.”
Ben sat beside her, close enough that their shoulders brushed. “You’re still you, Aves. You’ve just... awakened.”
She looked at him, eyes narrowed. “Do you even believe in fate?”
“I believe in instincts. In bonds. And in what I feel when I’m near you.”
That made her heart stutter. “What do you feel?”
He looked away, jaw working like he was chewing on something bitter. “Like I’d burn the world down to keep you safe.”
She swallowed hard, throat tight. “Even if I become something else? Something you don’t recognize?”
Ben’s gaze met hers again, sharp and unwavering. “Especially then.”
The silence that followed wasn’t awkward—it was charged. Heavy with things unsaid. Finally, Avery looked back toward the water. “When I touched the Luna Stone, I saw a version of myself I didn’t recognize. She was powerful. Unafraid. Leading wolves into war.”
“And did that scare you?”
“I think what scared me most was how right it felt. Like that version of me had always been there, buried deep. Just waiting to be unleashed.”
Ben nodded. “That’s the part no one tells you about power. It doesn’t just show you who you can be. It reminds you of who you’ve always been.”
Avery tilted her head. “Where did you learn that?”
He chuckled softly. “A few too many beatdowns from my brother. And... from losing people. You start to learn fast what’s real and what’s fluff.”
There was a pause before she asked, “Did you lose someone close?”
Ben’s face went still. “My mother.”
“I’m sorry,” she said gently.
“She was a healer,” he said quietly. “Taught me that strength doesn’t always roar. Sometimes it whispers.”
Avery hesitated, then reached out and placed her hand over his. “She’d be proud of you.”
Ben smiled—small, sad, but real. “Thanks.”
Just then, a rustling in the trees caught both their attention. Avery tensed, standing. Ben was already shifting his weight forward, eyes scanning the woods.
A figure stepped into view—a young wolf in human form, dark hair falling into his eyes. “Alpha Leonidas wants you both back at the estate. Now.”
Ben stood. “Why?”
The boy looked shaken. “Council’s called an emergency session. Someone found blood near the northern border.”
Avery stiffened. “Blood?”
The boy nodded. “Fresh. And not from an animal.”
Ben didn’t wait for more. “Come on.” He grabbed Avery’s hand, pulling her back toward the path.
They ran most of the way, the trees blurring past. Avery’s heart pounded—not just from exertion, but from fear. Something was happening. Something that felt connected to the vision she’d seen.
Back at the estate, the atmosphere was electric. Council members, dressed in ceremonial robes, gathered in a circle near the bonfire pit in the courtyard. The air reeked of magic and worry.
Leonidas was already speaking when they arrived. “—which is why we must investigate. We cannot allow shadows to creep past our wards undetected.”
Avery stepped forward. “What kind of blood was it?”
Everyone turned toward her. Leonidas’ expression was unreadable. “A mix. Human... and wolf.”
Murmurs broke out. Ben swore under his breath.
Avery glanced at him. “What does that mean?”
“It means a hybrid,” Leonidas said. “A creature not born of any pack. Possibly corrupted.”
Avery’s stomach twisted. “The shadow I saw... it was something like that.”
Leonidas stepped toward her. “Tell them.”
She hesitated, then nodded and described the vision she’d seen when she touched the Luna Stone: the burning forest, the dying wolves, the shadow with no face.
When she finished, the council fell silent.
“It’s a prophecy,” one elder finally whispered. “She’s seen what’s coming.”
Ben looked at her like he wanted to deny it—but he couldn’t.
Leonidas gave a grave nod. “Then we have no time to waste. Avery, your training begins now. You must learn to wield your gifts. And the rest of us—prepare for war.”
“But what if I can’t control it?” Avery asked, her voice shaking. “What if the power turns me into that... other thing?”
Ben stepped beside her. “Then I’ll be there to pull you back.”
She looked at him, searching his face. “Promise?”
His answer was immediate. “With everything I am.”
And in that moment, despite the fear and uncertainty, something shifted inside Avery. A thread of courage wound tight in her chest. Maybe she didn’t know what tomorrow would bring—but she wasn’t facing it alone.
And maybe... that made all the difference.
- Writer
