Blood Moon Rising
1119 Words
The trio sprinted through the forest, every branch and shadow now holding a threat. Bernice’s heart thudded in her chest, not from the run—but from the weight of everything unraveling inside her.
Liam led the way, his muscles tensed and his senses sharpened. He could smell them—the Dreadfangs were close.
Helena kept pace beside Bernice. “The ruins activated your power. That’s why they’re here. You’re emitting energy now, and they can track it.”
Bernice swallowed hard. “So I’ve become a beacon?”
“A very glowing one,” Helena muttered.
Suddenly, Liam raised a hand. “Stop.”
They froze. The woods were eerily still.
“Shift your eyes,” Liam whispered to Bernice.
She blinked, and her vision shifted—blues became silver, shadows flickered like embers. And then she saw them—dozens of figures creeping through the underbrush, their eyes glowing red like dying coals.
“They’ve surrounded us,” she breathed.
Helena smirked. “Good. I was getting bored.”
The first wolf lunged from the shadows—but Liam was faster. With a swift shift, he tackled the beast mid-air, jaws snapping. The clearing erupted in chaos.Bernice backed into a tree, her hands glowing uncontrollably. Every part of her screamed to fight, but she didn’t know how.
“Use your aura!” Helena yelled, throwing a dagger into the neck of a charging rogue.
“How?!”
“Focus on what you want to protect.”
Bernice closed her eyes—and the memory of Liam shielding her, of Helena standing firm despite betrayal, flooded her mind.
A pulse exploded from her chest.
Wolves flew back like ragdolls. The forest itself bent around the force. For a moment, silence fell—until a deeper growl shook the ground.
A figure emerged—twice the size of any wolf there. Dark fur, scarred eyes, and a jagged collar made of bones.
“The Alpha of Dreadfang,” Liam whispered, shifting back to human form, blood on his arms.
The beast stood tall on two legs. “So the Moonfire Princess awakens.”
Bernice’s blood chilled.
Helena hissed. “Garron. You shouldn’t be here.”
Garron smirked. “And yet, here I am. Ready to finish what I started eighteen years ago.”
“Don’t listen to him,” Liam warned Bernice.
But she wasn’t looking at Garron. Her eyes were fixed on his collar. One of the bones… shimmered.
It wasn’t just any bone. It was her mother’s pendant—twisted into the grotesque trophy around his neck.Her power surged again—but this time, it wasn’t unstable. It was focused. Fierce.
She stepped forward, palms glowing like stars.
“You’ll regret ever touching my family.”
The Blood Moon broke through the clouds above, casting everything in red.
And with a roar that shook the trees—Bernice attacked.The forest was alive with the clash of powers. Bernice’s hands burned as she launched waves of energy toward Garron, the sinister Alpha who had stolen her mother’s pendant and scarred her family’s legacy. The glowing pendant pulsed darkly on his bone collar, a twisted symbol of his cruelty.
Liam moved like a shadow beside her, every muscle coiled, ready to leap into the fray. He growled low, “Stay close. He’s stronger than he looks.”
Helena circled, daggers flashing, her eyes cold and calculating. “We can’t let him isolate Bernice. He’s baiting her.”
Bernice clenched her fists, the memory of her childhood flooding back. The day Garron attacked their village, ripping apart everything she held dear—the screams, the flames, the cold betrayal of those who turned their backs. But also, the promise her mother whispered before disappearing: *You are stronger than the darkness. You will rise.*
With renewed focus, Bernice summoned the light within her. The air shimmered as golden threads wrapped around her like armor. Her breath steadied. “I’m not that scared little girl anymore.”Garron snarled and lunged, claws slashing, but Bernice dodged, her aura bursting with fierce energy. Sparks crackled where his claws met her shield. The fight was brutal—each strike echoed with the weight of their history.
Suddenly, Garron slammed her against a tree. The pendant’s glow flared, and Bernice felt a surge of pain shoot through her chest.
Liam’s voice broke through the chaos, desperate and commanding, “Bernice, focus on me! Trust me!”
Their eyes locked, and she felt his calm strength fill her, anchoring her fear. With a roar, she broke free, her aura exploding outward in a blinding wave that sent Garron stumbling back.
Helena rushed forward, throwing a dagger that pierced the pendant, shattering it into shards that rained like cursed rain.
Garron screamed, fury twisting his features. “This isn’t over, Princess!”
Bernice stood tall, chest heaving, her power steadier, stronger.
“We’ll see about that.”
The forest slowly quieted, the night sky bleeding red from the broken Blood Moon.
As Liam helped Bernice to her feet, she whispered, “This was only the beginning.”
Helena nodded grimly. “The war’s coming. And now, they know who you are.”
Bernice’s eyes burned with determination. The greatest Alpha and the hidden princess—they were ready.Garron snarled and lunged, claws slashing, but Bernice dodged, her aura bursting with fierce energy. Sparks crackled where his claws met her shield. The fight was brutal—each strike echoed with the weight of their history.
Suddenly, Garron slammed her against a tree. The pendant’s glow flared, and Bernice felt a surge of pain shoot through her chest.
Liam’s voice broke through the chaos, desperate and commanding, “Bernice, focus on me! Trust me!”
Their eyes locked, and she felt his calm strength fill her, anchoring her fear. With a roar, she broke free, her aura exploding outward in a blinding wave that sent Garron stumbling back.
Helena rushed forward, throwing a dagger that pierced the pendant, shattering it into shards that rained like cursed rain.
Garron screamed, fury twisting his features. “This isn’t over, Princess!”
Bernice stood tall, chest heaving, her power steadier, stronger.
“We’ll see about that.”
The forest slowly quieted, the night sky bleeding red from the broken Blood Moon.
As Liam helped Bernice to her feet, she whispered, “This was only the beginning.”
Helena nodded grimly. “The war’s coming. And now, they know who you are.”
Bernice’s eyes burned with determination. The greatest Alpha and the hidden princess—they were ready.But as they disappeared into the shadows, a pair of glowing eyes watched from the treetops.
A new player had entered the game.
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- Writer
