Chapter Three
820 Words
The Shadow Awakens
The cabin exploded into chaos.
The front door burst inward with a deafening crash as the first rogue wolf lunged through the opening. It was twice the size of an ordinary wolf, its matted black fur streaked with scars, its crimson eyes burning with bloodlust. Saliva dripped from its razor-sharp fangs as it fixed its gaze on Lyra.
"Run!" Lucien shouted.
Instead of fleeing, Lyra froze.
The wolf sprang toward her.
Just before its jaws could clamp onto her throat, Lucien flashed between them. His silver sword sliced through the air with breathtaking speed.
Slash!
The rogue wolf yelped before collapsing to the floor.
But there wasn't just one.
Another smashed through the broken window.
Then another.
Within seconds, six massive rogue wolves had surrounded them.
Lucien's expression hardened.
"This isn't a random attack," he said. "Someone sent them."
The wolves circled slowly, waiting for the perfect opportunity.
Then they attacked all at once.
Lucien moved like lightning, his sword flashing in graceful arcs. One wolf fell after another, but more kept pouring into the cabin.
Lyra stumbled backward until her back hit the stone fireplace.
"I can't just stand here," she whispered.
Her heart pounded so violently she could hear it in her ears.
The black crescent mark on her shoulder began to burn again.
A strange voice echoed inside her mind.
"Stop running."
Lyra looked around.
No one had spoken.
"Stand and fight."
The voice was calm... ancient... powerful.
"I don't know how," she whispered.
The mark glowed brighter.
Suddenly, a rogue wolf slipped past Lucien's defense and leaped straight at her.
Lyra screamed.
Instinctively, she threw her hands forward.
A burst of dark silver light exploded from her body.
Boom!
The wolf was hurled across the cabin, crashing through the wall before disappearing into the night.
Silence followed.
Even the remaining wolves stopped moving.
Lucien stared at Lyra in disbelief.
"You've awakened..."
Lyra looked at her trembling hands.
"I-I didn't do that."
The energy surrounding her slowly faded.
Before anyone could speak again, an enormous howl echoed from the forest.
The rogue wolves lowered their heads.
They were making way for someone.
Heavy footsteps approached.
A towering man stepped into the moonlight.
He was nearly seven feet tall, dressed in dark leather armor trimmed with wolf fur. A silver scar ran across one eye, and a cruel smile spread across his face.
"Well," he said, his deep voice dripping with amusement, "after eighteen years... I've finally found you."
Lucien tightened his grip on his sword.
"Varek."
"So you remember me."
"You murdered her parents."
Varek laughed.
"They fought harder than I expected."
Lyra felt the world tilt beneath her feet.
"You..." she whispered, tears filling her eyes. "You killed them?"
"I did."
His smile widened.
"They refused to hand you over."
Rage unlike anything Lyra had ever felt surged through her body.
Her shoulder mark blazed with dark light.
The cabin trembled.
The floor cracked.
The remaining wolves whimpered uneasily.
Lucien glanced at her.
"Lyra! Control yourself!"
But she couldn't.
Every painful memory crashed over her at once.
Her parents.
Her lonely childhood.
Her uncle's cruelty.
Alpha Kael's rejection.
Now this man stood before her, proudly admitting he had stolen her family from her.
A violent gust of wind burst from her body.
The windows shattered.
The flames in the fireplace roared to life.
Dark silver energy spiraled around her like a living storm.
Varek's confident smile slowly disappeared.
"So the prophecy was true..."
Lucien stepped protectively in front of Lyra.
"You should leave while you still can."
Varek chuckled.
"No."
He raised one hand.
Dozens more rogue wolves emerged from the trees, their glowing eyes surrounding the ruined cabin.
"I've waited too long for this."
He pointed directly at Lyra.
"Bring me the Shadow Heir."
The wolves charged.
Lucien met them head-on, his silver blade flashing under the moonlight.
But there were simply too many.
One rogue wolf knocked him to the ground.
Another pinned his sword beneath its claws.
"Lucien!" Lyra cried.
Varek walked calmly toward her.
"You belong to me."
"No!"
He reached for her shoulder.
The instant his fingers touched the Shadow Mark—
A deafening blast erupted from Lyra's body.
The ground split apart.
A wave of black and silver energy shot into the sky, illuminating the entire forest beneath the Blood Moon.
Miles away, inside Blackthorn Castle, Alpha Kael stopped in his tracks.
His wolf roared inside his mind.
"Our mate is in danger!"
Kael's golden eyes widened.
Without another thought, he shifted into his massive black wolf and raced into the forest at full speed.
Meanwhile, the mysterious power surrounding Lyra continued to grow.
The earth shook beneath everyone's feet.
The rogue wolves retreated in fear.
Even Varek took a step backward.
For the first time in years...
He looked afraid.
"The Shadow Queen..." he whispered.
"No..."
His eyes widened.
"She's awakening already."
End of Chapter Three
- Writer
