{ Ace }
I rushed towards Mia my body trembling.
" Mia, are you alright?" I whispered looking at the trembling she-wolf in front of me.
She just glared at me scolding. " Stay back," she groaned " get some rest I've got this!!"
" But Mia—"
" Ace, look out!!!" She screamed throwing up her hands wrapping me with her golden sheild.
" Tsk... Sweetheart, always fighting." The man shook his head.
Mia's eyes widened and I could see the hesitation in her eyes.
...
{ Mia }
My heart pounded against my ribs, my body torn between exhaustion and the fire burning inside me. Ace was standing barely but he was still too weak. He shouldn't be here. He shouldn't be fighting.
But when the man spoke "Sweetheart, always fighting " I froze.
That voice.
The way he said it.
Like he knew me.
Like he had always known me.
Something inside me twisted. My pulse faltered for half a second, just long enough for his shadow to lunge toward me.
"Move!" Ash roared in my head, snapping me out of it.
Too late.
A force like pure darkness slammed into my side, sending me skidding across the dirt. Pain exploded through me, my ribs screaming in protest. I gasped, struggling to breathe, to focus.
Ace was saying something, but I couldn't hear him.
Not over the ringing in my ears.
Not over the memories clawing at the edges of my mind.
I growled low, forcing myself back to my feet. The hesitation was gone. I wasn't going to let him get in my head.
Not again.
"You're going to regret that," I spat, my golden aura flaring around me.
The man just smirked. "We'll see about that, sweetheart."
" Let me in control Mia, don't fight it, embrace it, feel the power coursing through your veins. It's the only way you'll beat him, I promise I'll try my best not to kill him."
I sighed. My energy was drained completely, I couldn't afford not to do this. " Fine"
I groaned letting Ash take control.
" That's it Mia!" She encouraged.
As Ash gradually took full control of my body I heaved a sigh of relief . ' this is going to work '
I thought relaxing my mind and body.
" You just don't get it, do you sweetheart..." The man smirked.
" No! " I growled. " You don't get it." I smiled sinisterly.
" You think you can just do whatever you want and get away with it ?"
" No..." I smiled as Ash took the lead.
The moment Ash fully took control, power surged through me no, through us. My muscles coiled like a predator ready to strike, my vision sharpening to inhuman precision. The world around me slowed, every movement crystal clear. The scent of blood, the crackling fire, the smug smirk on the man's face it was all fuel to the storm raging inside me.
No more hesitation.
With a snarl, I lunged, faster than before. My claws slashed through the air like golden blades, aiming straight for his chest.
He barely dodged, shadows curling around him, forming a shield. My claws scraped against the darkness, sparks of golden energy sizzling where they touched.
"Tsk," he muttered, his voice calm but wary. "So, you've finally let go. About time."
I didn't answer. Ash was in full control, instincts taking over. We didn't waste words we attacked.
I twisted mid-air, using the momentum to land a brutal kick to his ribs. The impact sent him skidding back, his boots digging into the dirt. Before he could recover, I was already there, slashing at his defenses again and again, forcing him to retreat.
"You're stronger like this," he admitted, his smirk faltering.
Damn right we are.
Ash laughed darkly in my mind." Keep pushing, Mia. Don't stop. He's struggling."
I struck again, feinting left before pivoting and raking my claws across his side. Blood splattered onto the dirt. He hissed, shadows writhing around him like living things.
"Enough."
The shadows exploded outward, forcing me to leap back. He straightened, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off the pain. His smirk returned, more dangerous than before.
"You think raw power will be enough to stop me?"
I growled low, muscles tensing.
"Then let me show you what real power looks like."
The ground beneath us trembled. The fire flickered wildly, snuffed out by an unseen force. Darkness bled from his fingertips, stretching outward like hungry tendrils.
Ash's grip on my mind tightened." Stay focused. He's going all out now."
"Let him," I muttered, baring my fangs.
And then, we charged.
Golden light clashed against pure shadow, the battle turning into a storm of raw power and savage strikes. Claws met darkness, fists met flesh. Every impact sent shockwaves through the air, shaking the trees, cracking the earth beneath us.
I was faster, stronger, relentless.
But he wasn't breaking.
Not yet.
And something about his smirk told me this fight was far from over.
{ Ace }
Pain still clung to my body, but I forced myself upright, my breath coming in ragged gasps. My limbs were heavy, sluggish, but my mind was clear enough to register the chaos unfolding in front of me.
Something about her was different now. Wilder. Sharper. Like she had become something more.
Mia was a blur of golden light, moving with terrifying speed. Her claws slashed through the air, striking against the man's shadows with enough force to shake the ground. Every impact sent shockwaves through the clearing, kicking up dirt and debris.
This wasn't the Mia I knew.
This was something else.
Something unstoppable.
I could barely keep up with her movements, but I could feel it the sheer, raw power radiating from her. She wasn't holding back anymore. She was fighting with everything she had, and for the first time since we were captured, I saw something on the man's face.
Not amusement. Not mockery.
Concern.
She was pushing him back.
She might actually win this.
But then the air shifted.
Darkness seeped from his fingertips, curling and twisting into the air like living things. The fire flickered once then died, swallowed whole by the shadows. A heavy silence followed, pressing down on my chest like a weight.
Mia didn't hesitate. She lunged, golden energy flaring around her, her claws aimed straight for his heart.
But before she could strike, the shadows exploded.
A shockwave of pure darkness erupted from him, swallowing everything in its path.
I barely had time to react before the force hit me, sending me crashing backward. My vision blurred as I skidded against the ground, pain sparking through every nerve in my body.
Through the haze, I saw Mia get flung back as well, her form crashing into a tree with a sickening crack.
My stomach twisted. "Mia!"
For a second, everything was still.
Then, she moved.
She staggered to her feet, golden energy flickering around her like fire. Her breathing was heavy, her stance unsteady. But her eyes her eyes were still blazing.
The man chuckled, rolling his shoulders. "Impressive. You're stronger like this, I'll give you that." He tilted his head, shadows writhing around him. "But you're still not enough."
Mia , her claws digging into the earth. I could feel the power surging inside her, feel the tension crackling in the air.
But something was wrong.
She was strong. But the way her body swayed slightly, the way her breathing came ragged she was reaching her limit.
And he knew it.
I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to stand. My body screamed in protest, but I ignored it.
Mia was fighting with everything she had.
But if we were going to get out of this—
She wouldn't be fighting alone.
I took a shaky step forward. "Mia I'm not letting you do this alone."
Her golden eyes flickered toward me for the briefest second, and in them, I saw something that terrified me more than the fight itself.
Doubt.
Not in herself. Not in her wolf.
But in whether she'd walk away from this.
And that was something I refused to accept.
Not today.
Not ever.