Aria
The rogue leader staggered, blood trickling down the corner of his lips, but his eyes burned brighter than ever. The air around him shimmered with dark energy, twisting reality like smoke.
I could feel my wolf coiling inside me, alert and ready, responding to the danger like a living, breathing weapon. My chest heaved, lungs burning, but my hands glowed faintly with residual energy. The bond pulsed violently, thrumming like a drum in my veins.
"Aria…" Kael's voice cut through my panic. His silver eyes were sharp, commanding, but there was something else now—fear. Concern. Desire. All tangled into one. "Focus. Don't let him manipulate you. Your wolf listens to you. Not him."
I swallowed hard. His presence anchored me, but the bond pulsed violently, tugging me toward him instinctively. My wolf growled at the rogue leader.
He laughed, low and cruel. "So, this is the child of the traitors," he hissed, voice like gravel. "Do you even know what your parents did? Do you understand the blood you carry?"
My stomach twisted. "What… what do you mean?" I demanded.
The rogue smirked, stepping closer, dark aura radiating like a storm. "They betrayed our kind… they defied the Alpha Council. And their daughter—she carries their power, their sin, their curse. That's why I've come for you."
My wolf surged, violent and furious. Anger flared in me, raw and unfiltered. You won't touch me. You won't take what's mine.
Kael stepped closer, silver eyes blazing, wolf coiling protectively around me. "You will not lay a hand on her," he growled. His energy collided with the rogue's aura, a shockwave rippling through the room.
Kael
The rogue leader's words cut deep, sharper than any blade. Betrayal. Sin. Curse. He was testing her mind, trying to destabilize the bond. I could feel the rogue probing the edges, twisting the energy, trying to feed on our fear and anger.
I gritted my teeth, suppressing the surge of emotion inside me. The bond was alive, hungry, protective… and dangerous. I could feel Aria's fear, her anger, her hesitation, all coiling around me. My wolf growled, coiling around her, warning the intruder.
"Aria," I growled, voice low and steady. "Listen to me. Trust the bond. Trust yourself. Strike together."
Her eyes met mine, wide, trembling, but there was fire in them now. Determination. Fear mixed with raw courage. I could feel her wolf responding, coiling, hungry for action but under her control.
The rogue leader sneered, sensing our coordination. "Ah… the Alpha and his little pet are stronger than I anticipated. But power without understanding is dangerous."
He struck, dark energy whipping toward us. I leapt, energy surging, wolf coiling around Aria like a shield. She mirrored me, hands glowing, energy coiling outward. Together, we repelled him—but only barely.
Aria
The impact threw me to my knees, chest heaving, sweat stinging my eyes. My wolf growled inside me, furious and impatient, but I forced it to obey. I clenched my fists, feeling the residual energy, coiling, humming, alive.
"You… you're stronger than I expected," the rogue hissed, blood dripping from a split lip. "But do you know why your parents died? Do you know what they hid from you?"
My pulse quickened. I shook my head, fear and curiosity colliding. "No… tell me. What did they hide?"
His eyes glinted red. "Your mother… she was the last Keeper of the Starborn Blood. Your father… he betrayed the Council to protect her secret. They hid it for you. But their enemies always knew. And now… their daughter will pay."
A chill ran down my spine. The bond pulsed violently, warning me, screaming. My wolf coiled tighter inside me, sensing danger, feeding off my fear and rage.
Kael's hand brushed mine instinctively, energy intertwining. "Ignore him," he said, voice low but commanding. "Focus on the bond. Use it. Trust yourself."
I closed my eyes, centering myself. My wolf responded, coiling around me, listening to me, not him. My hands glowed brightly, energy humming, alive and dangerous.
The rogue lunged, dark energy clawing at me, but I struck instinctively. My power collided with his, shockwave rippling through the room. He staggered back, surprised by the strength I wielded—and the precision.
Kael
I moved forward, wolf coiling around her like living steel. The bond flared violently, thrumming, alive. Every strike, every surge of energy, I mirrored and amplified.
Her wolf moved with precision now, listening, obeying. My wolf mirrored her movement, protective, lethal, synchronized. Together, we were unstoppable. But the rogue leader wasn't finished.
He raised his hand, dark energy forming like a storm. "Your parents' blood is powerful… but raw power will kill her if she doesn't understand it. And I'll see her break before I die."
I growled, coiling around her, blocking the strike, energy colliding in a massive explosion. The shockwave threw me to the floor. My wolf snarled, coiling, ready to strike again.
I could feel Aria trembling—but not from fear. From power. From the bond. From understanding her potential.
Aria
I staggered to my feet, hands glowing, energy coiling like fire around me. The rogue leader's dark aura pressed against mine, trying to invade, trying to twist my wolf, my power, my mind.
My wolf roared, leaping forward, claws and teeth of pure energy slicing through his defenses. Kael mirrored me, wolf coiling around us, protective and lethal.
I felt the bond surge violently, hunger, protection, desire, and instinct all colliding. I had never felt such raw power before—but I could control it now. I could control it.
The rogue leader stumbled back, eyes wide. "Impossible… she… she's controlling it!"
I felt rage, fury, determination all surging through me. "You will not touch me," I growled, voice trembling but strong. My wolf surged outward, energy wrapping around the rogue like chains of fire, pinning him to the floor.
Kael's wolf circled around me, protective, lethal. The bond pulsed violently, alive, screaming victory, screaming survival.
Cliffhanger
The rogue leader struggled beneath the combined assault, dark energy flickering, his eyes burning with hatred. "You may have survived this… but the Starborn Blood will destroy you both," he hissed.
The bond pulsed violently between Kael and me, warning, demanding, alive. My wolf coiled, claws sharp, fangs bared. Kael's wolf mirrored mine, energy and instinct coiling around us both.
We stood, bloodied, exhausted, but unbroken. And I realized: the first trial of true power wasn't just survival—it was awakening.
The rogue leader's last words echoed in my mind, chilling and dangerous:
"The Starborn Blood is only the beginning… and your parents' secrets will consume you."