The night exploded into chaos.
The moment the enemy wolves began to shift, the forest filled with the terrifying sounds of cracking bones and ripping fabric.
Massive wolves emerged from the darkness.
Growls rumbled through the trees like distant thunder.
Ava's heart pounded violently in her chest.
Dozens of glowing eyes locked onto her.
Predators.
Hunters.
All of them here for one reason.
Her.
Kael stepped forward slowly, placing himself directly between Ava and the approaching wolves.
The air around him seemed to darken.
His wolf was close to the surface now.
"Last warning," he said coldly. "Leave my territory."
The first alpha laughed.
"You still think you're in control of this situation?"
Behind him, more wolves shifted and spread out, forming a loose circle.
They were surrounding them.
Ava's chest tightened.
This wasn't just a confrontation.
This was an ambush.
Kael noticed it too.
His eyes flickered briefly toward Ava.
"Stay behind me."
"I'm not hiding while you fight alone," she whispered.
"You're not ready."
"I threw a rogue wolf across the forest earlier," she reminded him.
Kael almost smiled.
"True."
Then his expression hardened again.
"But what's coming next will be worse."
The second alpha stepped forward.
He was taller than the others, with cold grey eyes that studied Ava like she was a rare prize.
"You don't understand what you're protecting," he said to Kael.
"I understand perfectly," Kael replied.
"Do you?" the alpha said calmly.
His gaze shifted to Ava.
"Girl… do you know what your bloodline means?"
Ava swallowed but forced herself to stand straight.
"I'm starting to."
The man nodded slowly.
"Good. Then you should know something else."
His lips curved slightly.
"Power like yours belongs to the strongest."
Kael's voice dropped to a dangerous growl.
"She's not an object to be claimed."
"She's the future of the werewolf world," the alpha replied.
"And whoever controls her… controls everything."
Ava felt anger ignite inside her chest.
"I'm standing right here," she snapped.
"Stop talking about me like I'm not human."
The alpha chuckled.
"That fire," he said softly.
"Yes… the rumors were right."
Kael's patience snapped.
He stepped forward again, his aura flaring violently.
"Enough talking."
The ground beneath their feet seemed to vibrate slightly as his wolf pushed closer to the surface.
"Leave," Kael repeated.
But the first alpha only smiled wider.
"Kill him."
The command was simple.
Instant.
And deadly.
Five wolves lunged forward at once.
Kael shifted mid-air.
His massive black wolf slammed into the first attacker like a living storm.
The impact sent the wolf crashing into a tree.
A second wolf tried to bite his flank.
Kael twisted violently, throwing the attacker across the clearing.
The third wolf charged straight toward Ava.
She barely had time to react.
Fear surged through her veins.
But something else came with it.
Power.
Her wolf growled loudly inside her mind.
Not fear.
Rage.
The attacking wolf leaped.
But before it could reach her—
A wave of silver energy burst outward from Ava's body.
The wolf was thrown backwards as if struck by an invisible wall.
It hit the ground hard and rolled several times before scrambling away.
The three alphas froze.
Their eyes widened.
They had felt it.
That power.
The second alpha whispered under his breath.
"Moon energy…"
The first alpha's smile returned.
"Perfect."
Kael ripped another wolf away from his shoulder, his black fur stained with small streaks of blood.
But he was winning.
Every wolf that attacked him ended up thrown aside or pinned to the ground.
Still, there were too many.
More wolves kept circling.
Waiting.
Studying Ava.
Kael realized what they were doing.
They weren't trying to kill him.
They were trying to distract him.
His head snapped toward Ava.
"Ava! Run!"
Too late.
The third alpha moved with terrifying speed.
Before Ava could react, he grabbed her arm and pulled her backward.
She gasped in shock.
"Let go!"
She struggled, but his grip was iron.
Up close his scent was cold and metallic.
"You're coming with me," he said calmly.
Ava's wolf exploded with fury.
Silver light flashed again around her hands.
The alpha's eyes widened.
She slammed her palm against his chest.
Energy surged outward.
The alpha staggered back two steps, clearly shocked.
But he didn't fall.
Instead he laughed.
"Incredible."
Kael saw everything.
Rage consumed him instantly.
His wolf roared as he tore through two attackers at once and charged toward the alpha holding Ava.
The ground shook under his massive paws.
The alpha released Ava and shifted instantly.
A huge grey wolf met Kael head-on.
Their bodies collided with a deafening crash.
The two alphas rolled across the forest floor, claws tearing at fur and flesh.
Ava stumbled backward, breathing hard.
Her heart raced wildly.
She could feel the strange energy building inside her again.
Her wolf was awake now.
Fully awake.
And it didn't want to hide.
Another wolf charged toward her.
This time Ava didn't panic.
Instead she raised her hand instinctively.
The silver glow appeared again.
Stronger.
The wolf froze mid-attack.
As if something invisible was holding it back.
The wolf whined and lowered its head.
Ava blinked in shock.
"What…?"
She hadn't pushed it back.
She had controlled it.
The other wolves noticed too.
Several of them hesitated now.
The second alpha stepped forward slowly.
His expression was no longer calm.
Now it was hungry.
"Remarkable," he said quietly.
"You're already influencing weaker wolves."
Ava's chest rose and fell rapidly.