Chapter 4... Run
982 Words
“Run.”
Kael's voice was barely above a whisper.
Aria stared at him.
“What?”
“Run!”
This time, he shouted.
The ground beneath them shook.
Mara grabbed Aria's hand.
“Move!”
They ran.
Behind them, the forest erupted with howls.
Branches snapped.
The wolves scattered through the trees, disappearing into the darkness.
Aria stumbled over a root, but Mara pulled her upright.
“Keep going!”
“Where are we going?”
“Home!”
Kael followed close behind.
Aria glanced over her shoulder.
“What about you?”
“Don't worry about me.”
A howl sounded directly behind them.
Kael stopped.
“Go!”
Aria froze.
“What are you doing?”
“I'll slow them down.”
Mara shook her head.
“Kael, no.”
He looked at her.
“You know what happens if they reach her.”
Mara's face tightened.
“Yes.”
“Then go.”
Aria didn't understand.
“Who is coming?”
Kael looked toward the trees.
“The hunters.”
A dark shape moved between the trunks.
Then another.
Kael's eyes flashed gold.
“Now!”
Mara pulled Aria away.
They ran deeper into the woods.
Aria's heart pounded.
She could hear footsteps behind them.
Not human footsteps.
Something heavy was following.
“Faster!” Mara shouted.
“I can't!”
“You have to!”
Aria pushed herself harder.
Then she saw something ahead.
A narrow path between two enormous trees.
Mara pulled her toward it.
“Through there!”
They squeezed between the trees.
Kael appeared seconds later.
He looked back.
Nothing followed.
The forest had gone silent.
Too silent.
Aria bent over, trying to catch her breath.
“What were those things?”
Kael didn't answer.
“Kael.”
He looked at her.
“Hunters.”
“Hunters from where?”
“The Bloodmoon Pack.”
Mara's expression changed.
“No.”
Kael nodded.
“They shouldn't have found her this quickly.”
Aria straightened.
“Who are the Bloodmoon Pack?”
“One of the oldest packs,” Kael said. “They believe the Forgotten bloodline belongs to them.”
“Why?”
“Because they believe your ancestors stole something from them.”
“What?”
Kael hesitated.
“Power.”
Aria looked at the silver mark beneath her collarbone.
“This?”
“Partly.”
A strange feeling moved through Aria.
The forest seemed to be watching her.
Then she heard it.
*Aria.*
She turned.
The silver wolf stood between the trees.
Blue eyes glowing beneath the moonlight.
Mara gasped.
“You followed us.”
The wolf looked at Aria.
*They are close.*
Aria swallowed.
“Who?”
*The ones who remember.*
Kael stared at the wolf.
“What is it saying?”
Aria looked at him.
“It says they're close.”
Kael immediately turned.
“We need to move.”
Suddenly, an arrow struck the tree beside his head.
Everyone froze.
Kael pulled Aria behind him.
Another arrow flew through the darkness.
This one struck the ground.
Mara whispered,
“They're here.”
A voice echoed from the trees.
“Give us the girl.”
Kael stepped forward.
“You're trespassing on Blackthorn territory.”
A figure emerged from the darkness.
Then another.
Then another.
They wore dark clothing marked with a red crescent.
Bloodmoon.
The leader stepped forward.
His eyes were deep red.
“Blackthorn territory means nothing tonight.”
Kael's eyes turned gold.
“You won't touch her.”
The hunter smiled.
“That isn't your decision.”
Aria felt the mark beneath her collarbone growing warmer.
The leader noticed.
His expression changed.
“So it's true.”
He looked at Aria.
“The heir lives.”
Mara stepped in front of her.
“You will not take her.”
The hunter raised his hand.
Several wolves emerged from behind the trees.
Kael's voice became low.
“Aria, when I tell you to run, don't stop.”
“But—”
“Promise me.”
Aria looked at him.
“I promise.”
Kael stepped forward.
The hunters moved closer.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then the silver wolf suddenly growled.
The sound shook the forest.
The moonlight brightened.
Every wolf froze.
The silver crescent on Aria's skin began to glow.
The hunters stared.
One whispered,
“Moonbinding.”
Kael looked at Aria.
“What did you do?”
“I don't know.”
The silver wolf raised its head.
*Remember.*
A pulse of light moved through the forest.
The hunters stumbled backward.
The wolves lowered their heads.
Even Kael seemed stunned.
Aria stared at her hands.
“I didn't do anything.”
Mara looked at her.
“You did.”
“What?”
“You called them.”
Aria's eyes widened.
“I called the wolves?”
Mara nodded slowly.
“The Forgotten bloodline could command the ancient wolves.”
Kael looked toward the silver wolf.
“And if she's already awakened the Moonbinding…”
He stopped.
“What?”
Kael looked at Mara.
“How much time do we have?”
Mara's face was pale.
“Not enough.”
A distant howl answered.
Then another.
Then dozens.
Kael turned toward the mountains.
“Blackthorn territory is two hours from here.”
“Then we have two hours,” Mara said.
Kael shook his head.
“No.”
He looked toward the darkness behind them.
“They'll reach us before that.”
Aria felt fear rising in her chest.
“So what do we do?”
Kael looked directly at her.
“We run.”
They disappeared into the forest.
Above them, the moon slipped behind the clouds.
And somewhere far beyond the mountains, a figure opened an ancient book.
On its first page was a drawing of a silver crescent.
Beneath it were six words:
**THE FORGOTTEN HEIR HAS AWAKENED.**
The figure smiled.
“Finally.”
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