Chapter Nine: BLOOD IN THE FOREST
919 Words
Amara's POV
The Blue Moon Pack disappeared behind us until it was nothing more than a distant memory.
No chains.
No orders.
No Emily shouting my name every five minutes.
I should have felt relieved.
Instead...
My chest felt heavier than ever.
I rested my head against the carriage window, watching endless forests stretch across the horizon.
Somewhere beyond those trees...
The Red Crescent Moon Pack still stood.
So did Uncle Darius.
Still sitting on my father's throne.
Still breathing.
My hands clenched into fists.
I haven't forgotten.
I never will.
The carriage rolled steadily over the dirt road while dozens of Lycan soldiers surrounded us.
They barely spoke.
Every rider kept scanning the forest as if expecting something.
Even Kaelith, riding at the front of the procession, looked unusually alert.
A strange feeling settled in my stomach.
Something wasn't right.
The birds had stopped singing.
The wind had gone still.
Even the horses had become restless.
One of them suddenly neighed loudly.
Kaelith immediately raised a hand.
"Stop."
The entire convoy halted.
Every soldier reached for their weapon.
Tristan rode beside the King.
"My King?"
Kael's silver eyes swept across the forest.
"They're here."
Before I could wonder what he meant—
Whoosh!
An arrow burst from the trees.
It struck one of the royal guards square in the shoulder.
"AMBUSH!"
The forest exploded.
Masked figures rushed from every direction.
Some wielded swords.
Others carried axes.
Several shifted into wolves before reaching the road.
Rogues.
"There she is!"
One of them pointed directly at my carriage.
"Take the girl!"
My blood ran cold.
Me?
They were after me?
The carriage door flew open.
"Stay inside!" Tristan ordered.
As if on cue, three rogues charged toward us.
The Lycan guards intercepted them, steel clashing against steel.
The air filled with screams.
Growls.
The smell of blood.
One rogue slipped past the guards and lunged toward the carriage.
His filthy grin made my skin crawl.
"Found you."
He grabbed my arm.
Instinct took over.
I drove my elbow into his jaw.
He cursed.
I shoved him away and jumped from the carriage.
The ground was already stained with blood.
A fallen guard's sword lay only a few steps away.
I snatched it up without thinking.
The rogue laughed.
"A little human girl thinks she can fight?"
"I've survived worse than you."
He attacked.
I blocked.
The impact sent pain shooting through my arms.
I was weaker.
Slower.
No wolf.
No enhanced strength.
Only years of secret training.
Another rogue joined him.
Then another.
Three against one.
I backed away, breathing hard.
One mistake...
And I was dead.
A rogue swung his axe.
I barely ducked.
The blade sliced through a strand of my hair.
Another came from my left.
I twisted aside just in time.
My body was already tiring.
Move.
Think.
Survive.
One rogue managed to knock the sword from my hands.
It landed several feet away.
My heart dropped.
The nearest rogue smiled cruelly.
"It's over."
He raised his blade.
A deafening roar shook the entire forest.
The earth trembled beneath my feet.
Every single fighter froze.
Even the rogues.
No one moved.
No one breathed.
Another roar echoed through the trees.
Louder.
Deeper.
Ancient.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up.
I turned toward the sound.
Kaelith stood in the middle of the battlefield.
His silver eyes glowed unnaturally bright.
An overwhelming pressure swept across the forest.
It was so powerful that several rogues stumbled backward.
One whispered in terror.
"No..."
"He's shifting..."
Moonlight seemed to wrap around Kael's body.
His muscles expanded.
Bones cracked.
His armor tore apart as his body grew larger and larger.
I had seen werewolves shift before.
This...
Was nothing like that.
It was faster.
More violent.
More powerful.
Within seconds, the man was gone.
Standing before us was a gigantic Lycan.
I forgot how to breathe.
He was enormous.
At least twice the size of the largest Alpha wolf I'd ever seen.
His thick fur was a deep navy blue that shimmered beneath the sunlight.
Silver eyes glowed like molten moonlight.
Every muscle beneath his fur radiated terrifying strength.
His claws dug into the earth, leaving deep trenches in the road.
He wasn't simply a wolf.
He was a king.
The rogues broke.
"Retreat!"
"It's the Lycan King!"
"Run!"
Kael's Lycan lunged.
He moved so fast he became a blur.
One swipe of his massive paw sent two rogues flying into the trees.
Another tried to attack from behind.
Kael caught him in his jaws and threw him across the battlefield as if he weighed nothing.
The remaining attackers scattered in every direction.
None escaped far.
Within minutes...
The forest fell silent once more.
Only the smell of blood remained.
The massive navy-blue Lycan slowly turned toward me.
Those glowing silver eyes met mine.
For a heartbeat...
Everything else disappeared.
He walked toward me.
Each heavy step shook the ground beneath my feet.
I should have been afraid.
Instead...
I couldn't look away.
He stopped only a few feet from me.
His enormous head lowered slightly.
His silver eyes slowly searched me from head to toe.
Checking.
Making sure I wasn't hurt.
Concern.
That's what I saw.
Not rage.
Not bloodlust.
Concern.
My heart began beating strangely.
Moon Goddess...
He's beautiful.
Behind us, hidden deep within the forest, a hooded figure watched the scene unfold.
"So..."
A cold smile spread beneath the hood.
"The Lycan King has found her."
The figure disappeared into the shadows before anyone noticed.
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