QUEEN OF THE LYCANS

The reckoning

The Reckoning*

The creature's charge was like a freight train, its massive body hurtling towards Lucas with unstoppable force. He leapt to the side, his knife flashing in the moonlight as he sliced at the creature's flank. The blade bit deep, but the creature didn't seem to feel it, its claws swiping at Lucas with reckless abandon.

He dodged and weaved, his heart pounding in his chest. This thing was relentless, driven by a primal fury that was almost unstoppable. Lucas's back hit the windmill's wall, and he knew he was in trouble – he couldn't keep dodging forever.

Just as the creature was about to strike, a grey blur hurtled out of the darkness, crashing into the creature with a fierce growl. Nina, back in her wolf form, had returned to the fight.

The two wolves clashed, their snarling and snapping filling the air as they tore into each other. Lucas watched in awe, his heart in his throat, as Nina fought with a ferocity he had never seen before. She was a whirlwind of fur and claw, her jaws closing around the creature's throat with a deadly precision.

The creature let out a pained yelp, its body going limp as Nina's jaws crushed its windpipe. Lucas stood frozen, his eyes fixed on the scene before him, as Nina stood over the creature's lifeless body, her chest heaving with exertion.

Slowly, she turned to face him, her eyes gleaming with a feral intensity. Lucas felt a shiver run down his spine – this was Nina, but it wasn't. She was something more, something primal and powerful.

"Nina?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

The wolf's ears perked up, and for a moment, Lucas thought he saw a flicker of recognition. But it was quickly replaced by a cold, calculating gaze.

And then, in a flash of movement, Nina was gone, leaving Lucas standing alone in the darkness.

He took a deep breath, his heart still pounding from the fight. What had just happened? What had he unleashed?

As he turned to leave, he felt a presence behind him. He spun around, his knife at the ready, but it was just Sophia.

Her eyes were fixed on the creature's lifeless body, a look of horror on her face. "What...what happened here?"

Lucas shook his head, feeling a sense of unease. "I don't know. The rogue...it transformed. And Nina...she's not herself."

Sophia's eyes met his, a look of understanding passing between them. "She's changing, Lucas. The power...it's taking over."

Lucas's heart sank, a sense of dread settling in his stomach. What had he done...