Eclipsed by Fate

CHAPTER 3

It was the sound of footsteps getting louder and louder, even the beat of the sound seemed to echo off the stone walls. Selene felt her heart raced with the echo in her chest. It was now unavoidable, only the battle lay ahead. She stiffened and looked around the cavern as a fighter, looking for any opportunity they could turn to their benefit. The cave was narrow, while it would slow their attackers it would also keep them pinned.

“We cannot save them all,” Ronan snarled, his hands into fists, eyes burning in the darkness. “There are too many.”

Selene’s instincts also whispered the same, but there was no time to be afraid now. It was either to fight or die and none of them would be alive to tell the story. Her eyes shifted towards Marcus, who stood quietly and firmly just close to the door, his narrow face revealing the determination.

“If we block the door, we can take them in a one on one basis,” Marcus spoke in a low tone, but his confidence shone through. “They’ll have to come through here.”

“It’s a death trap,” Ronan said his fingers turning into sharp claws. “They’ll overwhelm us.”

“I’ll make sure they don’t,” Selene said, moving closer to him. She did not let this fear show in her voice, even though her stomach churned. This was the time when fate would take her or she would resist it.

Ronan shot her a glare. “You’re not going to be the hero here, Ashford.”

“I’m not,” she said, staring into his eyes. “But I won’t let them take us without a fight.”

Lyra was still speaking, and Ronan could not argue with her at the moment when she moved closer to him. “Selene, I have not told you this before – the visions have revealed this to me.”

Selene’s heart tightened. Another vision. “Well, now isn’t exactly the best time, Lyra.”

“I know, but it’s about you,” Lyra said with such entreaty in her pale eyes that Will was forced to look away. ”I’m not talking about the ability the council wants—there is a relationship between the two that I can find no words for.” But if you can get at it, maybe you can put a halt to them.”

Selene frowned. “What power? It doesn’t seem that I have any special abilities.”

“You do,” Lyra said and moved toward her. “You’ve just never known how to use it.”

They were interrupted again by the sound of footsteps, this time the sound seemed to be getting louder. There was no time to go over mysteries and half remembered prophecies. The council’s enforcers were closing in and it was time for a fight.

“Whatever you think I can do,” Selene said, holding Lyra’s hand, “I’ll do that later.” Right now, we survive.”

Marcus looked in their direction, the usually bright sheen of his eyes clouded over in this serious a situation. “They’re here.”

Precisely as if by a script, the first figure in the shadow came out of the cave and started to move quickly through the darkness. The enforcers were giant wolves in human appearance, and they had the audacity to growl at them. Selene’s pulse quickened. There were more behind them, and their eyes were burning like coals in the darkness.

“We fight,” Selene said aloud, her tone firm despite the feeling of cold sweat running up and down her back.

Ronan moved first, the musculature of his human form thickening and growing fur as he turned into a full were. He stood with his muscular body, which was ready to charge out against the incoming enemies. Marcus did the same, his shift a little less rugged but still quite threatening. Selene could sense the atmosphere—the pre-arc before the fight.

It was about to turn when Lyra caught her by the elbow. “Selene wait,” She said as she grab her arm firmly, almost whispering. You have to sense it – the energy within you. It is still there, hidden just below the skin. Let it guide you.”

For the space of a second, Selene wavered. It was the notion of unfulfilled potential, something she barely comprehended, which any thing that is related to the belief in power, Lyra’s idea scared her. But she didn’t have time to doubt.

She shut her eyes for a moment and indeed, she sensed the throbbing that Lyra mentioned. It was weak, like a voice that could barely be heard in the next room. But it was there, hidden by layers and layers of other information.

Taking a deep breath, Selene opened her eyes, and a switch was turned in her head. A feeling charged through her body, and she knew that she would die rather than allow this man to escape: there was no such thing as getting out of his net once one had been caught; she had never in her life experienced anything like this before. She changed into her wolf but this time it felt so different; powerful and less ragged.

The first enforcer attacked her and she had to defend herself with a kick to the man’s stomach. Selene was not given time to think, she just acted and for the first time in her life she found herself running as fast as she could. She raked her claws at the man and he recoiled back, falling onto the cold stone floor. The cook inside her boiled, and she suddenly knew with great and blinding certainty that Lyra was not completely wrong – there was something inside her that had now woken up.

Ronan and Marcus were already in the middle of the fight and slashing through the attackers like made men. Bodily fluids flew each time they clashed, the-growls and sounds of-jaws snapping filling the whole of the-cavern. However, it was still not enough because more enforcers continued to approach them.

And as for Selene there was no arguing, she jumped and moved like a force of nature with her newfound power. She was feeling so powerful, but even such a powerful woman realized that they could not continue like this indefinitely. There were too many.

“Selene!” Lyra spoke above the noise. “Behind you!”

Selene whirled around just in time to witness an enforcer flying at her with his fangs drawn for her neck. But before he could attack, Marcus rushed at him and knocked him off his feet on the floor. Marcus was barely able to stand back up before another enforcer rushed him and cut him across his side.

“Marcus!” Selene shouted, her panic increasing in her chest. Before she could get to him, more enforcers came running into the cave.

Ronan was now dazed and injured yet he stood firmly in front of Selene and glared at her. “Get out of here! Now!”

Selene hesitated, torn between fighting and fleeing. But the cave was collapsing into chaos and more enforcers were entering the scene every few seconds.

“Go!” Marcus shouted, the sound of his voice was pained.

Selene felt painful fear in her heart, but she could not do otherwise with him. If she stayed, they would all die.

Looking back one last time at Marcus and Ronan, Selene took off towards the other passage in the cave further in with Lyra on her heels.

Still running Selene could not help but feel that this was just the warm up. They wouldn’t rest until they had her—or the potential that resided in her womb.