The rogues surged forward like a tidal wave, their snarls piercing the night as they charged toward Lira and Damon. The forest erupted into chaos, a blur of teeth, claws, and growls that filled the air.
Lira's wolf surged to the forefront, her instincts driving her into battle before she could even think. She lunged at the first rogue that came her way, her teeth sinking into its shoulder. The rogue yelped in pain, but she didn't let go, using her weight to drag it to the ground before slashing her claws across its chest.
Behind her, Damon was a whirlwind of fury. His wolf form towered over the rogues, his movements precise and deadly. Every strike was calculated, every attack meant to kill. But there were too many of them.
For every rogue that fell, two more seemed to take its place.
Lira's golden eyes darted around the clearing as she fought, searching for any sign of a weakness in the rogues' ranks. But it was clear that they had come prepared. This wasn't just an attack-it was an ambush, meticulously planned and perfectly executed.
Her thoughts were interrupted as another rogue barreled into her, its claws raking across her side. Pain exploded through her body, but she gritted her teeth, refusing to let it slow her down. She twisted, using her hind legs to kick the rogue off of her before leaping onto its back. With a vicious snap of her jaws, she ended its fight.
"Lira, watch out!" Damon's voice rang out, and she barely had time to react before another rogue came at her from the side.
She ducked, the rogue's claws narrowly missing her head, and countered with a powerful swipe that sent it stumbling back.
But the brief distraction cost her. A thirdrogue appeared behind her, its teeth sinking into her shoulder and dragging her to the ground. Lira howled in pain, struggling against its grip, but its weight was too much.
Damon was there in an instant. His massive wolf slammed into the rogue, throwing it off of Lira with a ferocity that sent it skidding across the forest floor. Damon stood over her, his growl reverberating through the air as he shielded her from the oncoming attackers.
"Get up," he ordered, his voice strained but steady. "We can't stop moving."
Lira forced herself to her feet, the pain in her shoulder burning like fire. She could feel the blood trickling down her fur, but she pushed it aside. There was no time for weakness.
The two of them fought side by side, their movements perfectly synchronized despite the overwhelming odds. Damon was a force of nature, his strength and skill unmatched, but even he was beginning to tire. Lira could see it in the way his strikes slowed, in the way his breaths came heavier and harsher with each passing moment.
And then she saw him-the rogue leader. He stood at the edge of the clearing, his red eyes gleaming with satisfaction as he watched the chaos unfold. Unlike the other rogues, he hadn't joined the fray. He didn't need to. He was in control, orchestrating the attack like a conductor directing a symphony of violence.
Lira's anger flared, burning hotter than the pain in her body. This was his doing. All of it. And if she didn't stop him, more blood would be spilled.
Without thinking, she broke away from Damon, her focus locked on the rogue leader. She darted through the chaos, dodging claws and teeth as she made her way toward him. Her wolf snarled, her muscles coiling with anticipation. She was going to end this.
But as she closed the distance between them, the rogue leader's grin widened. He raised a hand, and suddenly, the air around her seemed to shift. A strange, suffocating pressure pressed down on her, and her steps faltered.
Lira skidded to a halt, her body trembling as an unfamiliar sensation washed over her. It was as if her wolf was being pulled back, forced into submission by a power she didn't understand. She growled, fighting against it, but it was no use. Whatever the rogue leader was doing, it was stronger than her.
"Did you really think you could win?" the rogue leader taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. "You're nothing but a child playing at being a queen. You don't even know what you are, do you?"
Lira bared her teeth, refusing to show fear.
"I know enough to stop you."
The rogue leader laughed, the sound cold and hollow. "Oh, little princess. You haven't even scratched the surface of your power. But don't worry-I'll help you unlock it."
Before she could respond, the pressure intensified, and a sharp, searing pain shot through her chest. Lira cried out, her body collapsing to the ground as her vision blurred. She could hear Damon's roar in the distance, but it felt far away, like she was sinking into a deep, endless void.
Images flashed through her mind- memories she didn't recognize, faces she didn't know. A man with piercing blue eyesand a crown of silver. A woman with hair like fire and a voice that called her name. A symbol, glowing and ancient, etched into the earth.
And then, a voice.
"Awaken."
The word echoed through her mind, powerful and commanding. Lira's eyes snapped open, and for a moment, everything was still. The pain was gone, replaced by a strange, electric energy that coursed through her veins.
She pushed herself to her feet, her movements slow and deliberate. The rogues around her froze, their eyes wide with fear. Even the rogue leader seemed taken aback, his confident grin faltering for the first time.
Lira didn't know what was happening, but she could feel the power inside her, wild and untamed. Her wolf growled, not in fear, but in triumph.
The rogue leader's eyes narrowed, his voice laced with anger. "So, it's true. The royal bloodline still burns in you."
Lira took a step forward, her golden eyes glowing brighter than ever. The ground beneath her feet seemed to tremble, and the air around her crackled with energy.
"You have no idea what you've started," she said, her voice low but filled with an authority she didn't recognize as her own.
The rogue leader didn't respond. Instead, he raised his hand again, and the rogues around him surged forward, their snarls filling the air.
Lira braced herself, ready to fight, but before she could move, a deafening roar echoed through the forest. It wasn't Damon. It wasn't the rogues. It was something else. Something bigger.
The ground shook violently, trees swaying as the roar grew louder. The rogues hesitated, their eyes darting toward the source of the sound. Even the rogue leader looked uneasy, his confident facade cracking under the weight of whatever was coming.
And then, the trees parted, and a massive figure emerged from the shadows.
It wasn't a wolf.
It wasn't human.
It was a beast unlike anything Lira had ever seen, its eyes glowing with an otherworldly light, its body covered in dark, shimmering scales. It towered over the clearing, its presence overwhelming and impossible to ignore.
The rogue leader's voice was barely a whisper. "It can't be..."
The beast's gaze locked onto Lira, and for a moment, everything else faded away.
She could feel its power, its connection to her, as if it was calling to something deep inside her.
And then, it roared again, its sound shaking the very earth beneath their feet.
Lira's heart pounded as the beast took a step forward, its massive form casting a shadow over the clearing. The rogues scattered, their fear palpable, but the rogue leader stood his ground, his expression a mixture of rage and desperation.
"Lira," Damon's voice broke through the chaos, snapping her out of her trance. He was at her side, his golden eyes filled with worry. "We need to go. Now."
But Lira couldn't move. She was rooted to the spot, her eyes locked on the beast as it stepped closer, its gaze never leaving hers.
And then, it spoke.
"You are not ready."
The words echoed in her mind, powerful and final. Before she could respond, the beast let out one last roar, and the world around her erupted into chaos.