Chapter 9 – The Enemy Approaches
POV: Seren Thorne
The air was thick with tension, and the weight of Kael's words pressed heavily on my chest. The Ancients, their enemies… all of it swirled in my mind like a storm I had no control over. I had no idea who or what was coming for me, but I could feel it. Like an itch beneath my skin, a low hum that promised destruction.
I could sense the bond between Kael and me flickering, uncertain and raw. The pull was still there, but it felt more like a chain than a connection. A chain I wasn't sure I could break, or wanted to.
"I don't know how to prepare for something like this," I said, my voice breaking as I turned to Kael. "How do we even fight something we don't understand?"
"We don't have a choice." Kael's voice was hard, the weight of responsibility pressing down on him. He was trying to keep it together, but I could see the cracks. His eyes were shadowed with something deeper than just the threat of our enemies. "We find them before they find us. We learn everything we can about who's hunting you. We prepare for the worst."
I clenched my fists, fighting the anxiety that clawed at me. My body burned with restless energy. The power inside me was more than I could manage. It surged beneath my skin, making me feel like I might explode at any moment.
"Kael, I can't control it. I feel it… changing me."
He stepped closer, his hand gently resting on my shoulder, grounding me for a moment. "We'll figure it out. Together."
I wanted to believe him. I wanted to trust that we could make it through whatever was coming. But the truth was, I didn't know if we could. I didn't know if I was strong enough to control what was awakening inside me.
POV: Kael Draven
I watched Seren carefully, her gaze distant, lost in thoughts I couldn't reach. The bond between us was a constant pull, a weight that I couldn't shake off. I hated seeing her like this. She was scared. And if I was being honest with myself, so was I.
We didn't know what we were up against. The power inside her, the enemies after it… the stakes were higher than either of us could imagine.
But there was one thing I did know for certain: I couldn't let them take her from me. Not without a fight.
"We're not alone in this," I said, trying to reassure both her and myself. "There are others who will help us. The Nightfangs… they'll protect you."
"I don't want to be protected," Seren replied, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes. "I want to control this power. I want to understand it."
I nodded, but deep down, I knew it wouldn't be that easy. The power that stirred inside her wasn't something to be controlled. It wasn't something we could just manage.
It was a force that would consume us if we weren't careful.
The next few days passed in a blur. We spent our time preparing, searching for any clues about the enemies hunting Seren. But each lead we followed only led us deeper into shadows, further into the unknown. Whoever these enemies were, they were careful, elusive.
And they were getting closer.
Chapter 10 – The Mark of the Fallen
POV: Seren Thorne
The moment I woke, I knew something had changed. It was as if the entire world had shifted just out of reach, as though I was standing on the edge of a precipice, waiting to fall.
I could feel it in my veins — the power, raw and uncontained. It pulsed beneath my skin, thrumming like a second heartbeat. My wolf was restless, pacing inside me, but the other… the darker force, the one I couldn't name, was louder today. Stronger.
It wasn't just my wolf anymore. It was something ancient. Something deadly.
I couldn't stay in the safety of the cabin any longer. I needed to move. To do something. Anything.
Kael was already up when I stepped into the clearing. He looked tired, his gaze shadowed, but when he saw me, he straightened. "You're awake early."
"I couldn't sleep," I replied. My voice felt strained, even to my own ears.
"I thought we agreed to take it slow," Kael said, his brow furrowing with concern. "We need a plan before we move forward. We can't just rush into danger without knowing what we're facing."
"I'm not running from this, Kael." I took a step toward him, my breath sharp. "I can feel it. The power inside me is growing stronger every day, and I can't ignore it. I need to face it."
Kael's eyes darkened, and for a moment, I thought he might argue with me. But then, he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're right. We can't keep waiting."
"Then let's go," I said, my voice steady despite the storm inside me.
Kael gave me a long, searching look, as though trying to decide whether to stop me. But then he nodded, his expression hardening with resolve. "Fine. But we do this my way. We get the information we need, and then we strike."
I nodded, but I knew something that Kael didn't. The longer we waited, the more dangerous it would become. The power inside me wasn't something we could control by mere force of will. It was too old. Too wild.
And I had a feeling it would awaken in ways we hadn't even begun to understand.
POV: Kael Draven
We set out early, our steps light but purposeful as we moved through the dense forest. The Nightfangs' territory was vast, and the forest here was thick with shadows, but I didn't mind. It felt like home.
But the air was different now. Every step we took felt charged, like the world was waiting for something to happen.
I kept a careful eye on Seren as we moved. She was quieter than usual, her movements more controlled, but there was an edge to her now. The power inside her had started to manifest in strange ways. Sometimes, I would catch her eyes glowing faintly, a telltale sign that the bond between us — and whatever was awakening in her — was stronger than before.
We reached the ancient ruins by mid-afternoon, a place I knew well. It was said to be a site of power, where the Ancients had once gathered. I wasn't sure how much truth there was to the stories, but it was a good place to start. And with every passing moment, I felt the pull of the dark energy, almost like a warning.
"We're here," I said, my voice tense. "Stay close."
Seren nodded, but I could see the uncertainty in her eyes. Whatever was going on inside her, I knew she was struggling to keep control.
But we couldn't afford to lose control now.
Not when the enemy was already closing in.