CHAPTER NINE B
622 Words
She bolted to the door, throwing it open just as Kieran ran past.
“Elena, stay inside!” he ordered.
But Elena had never been good at following orders.
She grabbed a cloak and ran after him.
The clearing was chaos. The pack was assembled, tense and ready for battle.
And on the other side—standing just beyond the tree line—was Marcus Graves.
Elena’s blood ran cold.
Kieran stepped forward, growling low in his throat. “You have no right to be here.”
Marcus smirked, tilting his head. “Oh, but I do.” His icy blue eyes slid to Elena. “I’ve come for what’s mine.”
Elena clenched her fists.
“I’m not yours.”
Marcus tsked. “That’s not up to you.”
A ripple of unease spread through the pack. Elias stepped forward, voice firm. “You are trespassing, Graves.”
Marcus smiled, all teeth. “And what are you going to do about it, old man?”
Kieran lunged.
Marcus was ready.
They clashed with brutal force, shifting mid-air. Claws met flesh. Fangs tore through fur.
The fight had begun.
The pack erupted into action, defending their land, their family.
Elena stood frozen, watching as Kieran and Marcus fought like animals.
Because that’s exactly what they were.
She had been running from this world for so long, refusing to accept it, refusing to be part of it.
But now, standing in the middle of a war, she realized something terrifying.
This wasn’t just their world anymore.
It was hers too.
And whether she liked it or not—
She had to choose.
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The Decision
The battle lasted minutes—but it felt like hours.
Marcus was strong. Ruthless. He had been an alpha for years, and it showed.
Kieran was younger. Faster. But he was fighting with rage instead of strategy.
And it was costing him.
Marcus slammed Kieran into a tree with a sickening crack.
Kieran collapsed.
“Elena,” he choked out.
Marcus turned to her, blood staining his teeth.
“Come now, little wolf,” he cooed. “It’s time to go.”
Elena’s heart pounded.
For weeks, she had fought against the truth.
For weeks, she had told herself she wasn’t one of them.
But as she looked at Kieran—broken, bleeding—something inside her snapped.
She was one of them.
And she wouldn’t let anyone take away what was hers.
With a snarl, she shifted.
It wasn’t graceful. It wasn’t controlled.
It was instinct.
Her bones cracked. Her skin burned. And then—
She was running.
Before Marcus could react, Elena slammed into him, knocking him back.
She wasn’t strong.
She wasn’t trained.
But she had something Marcus didn’t.
She had rage.
She bit down, hard, her fangs sinking into his shoulder.
Marcus howled, throwing her off.
But it was too late.
The pack had seen.
The alpha had risen.
Elias stepped forward, eyes gleaming. “You lost, Graves.”
Marcus staggered back, clutching his wound. His icy blue eyes locked onto Elena.
Then, he did something she didn’t expect.
He laughed.
“Well, well,” he mused. “Didn’t see that coming.”
Then he turned and disappeared into the trees.
Just like that—
It was over.
Elena collapsed, her body trembling.
Hands touched her—gentle, careful. Kieran.
She looked up at him, her vision swimming.
“You shifted,” he breathed.
Elena gave a weak smile. “Took me long enough.”
Kieran let out a choked laugh, pressing his forehead against hers. “You’re amazing.”
Elena’s chest ached—but this time, it wasn’t from pain.
For the first time in her life, she wasn’t running.
She was home.
- Writer
