Okay, so picture this: outta nowhere, the council just shows up. No heads-up, no official "we're coming, brace yourselves" nonsense. They're not about that. One second, it's just wind in the branches, the next—bam—six wolves materialize at the edge of the trees like they own the damn place. Honestly? Maybe they do.
These aren't your run-of-the-mill elders either. The Flameborn Council is a straight-up legend. Old as dirt, wise as hell, and kinda terrifying. They've seen wars the pups only hear about in bedtime horror stories. The forest itself goes quiet, like even the birds don't wanna mess with this. The trees actually seem to dip, like, "Yeah, okay, you're in charge." Shifting to human? Please. They don't have to prove anything.
They don't need words, either—just that heavy, wordless pressure in your skull, like the whole world's holding its breath. And, lucky Lina, they're here for her.
She's standing out there in the village circle, acting all tough with her shoulders back. Heart's pounding, though. No chains, but it sorta feels like it. The weight of all those eyes—yikes. Rafe's got her back, jaw set, staring daggers at the council. Wolves crowd around, whispering and waiting for something to explode.
Then—oh, of course—the Alpha steps in. Rafe's dad. Guy's built like a brick wall and his stare could freeze fire. Lina's only seen him once before, from a distance, and he didn't even bother to notice her. Now? You can practically see him wishing her off the planet.
"She's unstable," he spits, voice like gravel. "Untrained. Yeah, she's got the mark, but she's got rogue blood too. We can't trust her."
One of the council wolves chimes in, "She's stronger than any of us. The mark picked her."
"Stronger doesn't mean safe," the Alpha snaps back. "It means she's dangerous."
Rafe's had enough. "She's not some weapon."
His dad's glare could melt steel. "You're her spokesman now?"
"I've always been," Rafe fires back.
That gets some whispers from the peanut gallery.
The Alpha's eyes flick to Lina's shoulder, where the mark's just barely glowing through her sleeve. "That bond right there? That's why she has to be tested. If she can't control what's in her, she'll destroy us."
Lina's voice is steady, which is wild, considering. "Then test me."
Rafe tenses, but she doesn't look at him. Can't. Something in her just... stops shaking. Stops hiding. She's over it.
So, time for the big test. They drag her out to the edge of the sacred grove, this ancient spot ringed by stones older than dirt. Magic's so thick in the air you could choke on it. Council's posted up around the edge, eyes glowing, sky getting all dramatic overhead.
"You'll enter the circle," one elder booms, voice echoing straight into her skull. "Show us what you are."
"What if I don't know?" she asks. Real talk.
"You do," another says. "You've just been scared."
Rafe tries to grab her arm. "You realize you don't have to handle this solo, right?"
She barely nodded, voice a thread. "Yeah. I know." "But I think I need to."
She goes in.
The second her foot crosses that line, her mark flares up. The air gets heavy. Trees lean in like they're eavesdropping. The ground's literally buzzing.
Then the elders hit her—not with a ceremony or anything, just raw, crushing pressure. It's like an avalanche straight to the chest. Thoughts? Gone. Breath? Where'd it go? Suddenly her brain's flooded—her mother screaming, fire tearing through a cabin, running, always running, wolves howling somewhere far away.
And underneath it, there's this voice. Not hers, not Rafe's, not the council's. It's old, enormous, like if the moon and a wildfire had a baby.
"You're not a mistake. You're storm-born."
Lina hits her knees, clutching at her head. Her mark's blazing—white-hot, wild—and then something inside her just snaps.
Wait, not snaps. Breaks out.
The scream that comes out of her mouth? Not a wolf. Not human, either. Something else entirely.
Oh, this was deeper—ancient, even. Something raw and wild blasted out of her, not some gentle psychic nudge, but a full-on explosion that ripped through the grove. Silence? Yeah, forget it. That was gone in a heartbeat. Wolves just dropped left and right, like someone snipped their strings. Rafe too. His dad. Hell, even the stiff-necked council.
And there's Lina, right in the middle, hair flying every which way, eyes lit up with this eerie gold glow. Veins glowing under her skin, breathing like she's just run a marathon. The whole place went dead quiet again. Every wolf—out cold.
Except her.
She didn't even know how long she stood there. Minutes? Hours? Time felt weird. Eventually, one of the elders groaned awake, dragging themselves up. The others followed, slow-motion, blinking like they'd just been clocked in the head. Rafe jolted upright, wild-eyed, scanning the grove until he found her.
He rushed over, voice all rough and shaky. "Lina—what the hell was that?"
She just stood there, shaking like a leaf. "I dunno." Her voice barely made it out. "I didn't mean—"
"You didn't hurt them," he cut in, quick. "They're just… out of it."
Now the Alpha, he got up last, slower than the rest, staring at her like he'd seen a ghost on his doorstep.
"She's not just marked," he croaked. "She's awakened."
One of the council bowed their head. "That scream was a flare. A warning. Her power's tied straight to the moon."
Another wolf piped up, "And the bond. It made her stronger."
The Alpha's voice snapped like a dry branch. "She can't stay. She can't be one of us."
Rafe squared up between them, stubborn as ever. "So what, toss her out? Kill her?"
"If she's fated, enemies will come for her. Rogues, our own, doesn't matter—they'll all turn."
"She's not a threat," Rafe shot back. "She's the future."
The Alpha turned away, but let's be real—the damage was already done.
Everyone saw what Lina could do. Now, even the trees seemed to tense up, as if the whole forest was holding its breath—and not because of awe or respect this time. Straight-up fear.
Later, back at the cabin, Lina hugged herself by the fire. Cleaned up, changed clothes, did all the normal stuff. Heart still banging in her chest like it wanted out. That scream was still rattling around inside her.
Rafe leaned in the doorway, quiet for ages. Finally, he spoke. "I felt it, you know. Your fear. The pain. When it hit, it was like the bond just screamed with you."
She nodded. "It wasn't just pain. It was like… like I was being seen. Like something opened a door inside me."
He moved closer. "What'd you hear?"
She hesitated, chewing on the memory. "A voice. Not human. It called me storm-born."
That landed. Rafe's breath hitched.
"That's old," he said. "A word I've only ever heard in one place."
"Where?" she asked.
His look turned heavy. "With the rogues."