Chapter Sixteen

The forest stretched before us, its trees dark and twisted, their branches clawing at the pale morning sky. The air was cold, sharp with the scent of pine and damp earth, and my breath fogged as I stood at the manor’s gates, Rex beside me, his hand a steady warmth in mine. The pack gathered behind us, their faces set, their weapons glinting in the early light. My hand rested on my stomach, the flutter of my child stronger now, a quiet strength that anchored me. I was Lycan, a mother, a warrior, and I was walking into the unknown—not for the prophecy, but for the Ironclaw Pack, for the chance to end a curse I didn’t fully understand.

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‎Rex’s red eyes met mine, fierce but soft, carrying the weight of his promise: *We go together.* The bond between us pulsed, steady and warm, not just blood, not just duty, but something deeper, something I was learning to trust. The Ironclaw scout’s words echoed in my mind: *Your blood can heal our land.* I didn’t know if I believed him, but I couldn’t turn away, not when my power, my Lycan heritage, might save lives instead of taking them.

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‎Sage Elara stood nearby, her silver hair glinting, her robe still stained from the blood moon’s battle. “The path you choose is perilous,” she said, her voice low, cutting through the pack’s murmurs. “Your blood is power, Talia, but power draws enemies. Be wary.”

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‎I nodded, my throat tight. “I will,” I said, my voice steady despite the fear curling in my chest. The prophecy was supposed to be fulfilled, but her words, her eyes, told me it wasn’t over. I was the cursed wolf, and every choice I made carried weight—salvation or ruin.

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‎Rex squeezed my hand, his jaw set. “We’re ready,” he said, his voice firm, addressing the pack as much as me. “We move as one. No one gets left behind.”

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‎A low cheer rose, the pack’s voices steady, their eyes on me, not with fear now, but trust. I felt it, their belief, and it made me stand taller, my wolf stirring, ready, its silver-grey strength humming in my veins. We moved forward, into the forest, the trees closing around us like a cage, their shadows long and cold.

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‎The journey was quiet at first, the pack’s steps soft on the moss, the only sound the rustle of leaves and the distant call of a bird. Rex stayed close, his shoulder brushing mine, his red eyes scanning the trees. I felt the bond, warm and steady, but my thoughts kept drifting to the Ironclaw Pack, to the curse, to the child I carried. What did it mean to heal a land? Was my blood enough, or was this another trap, like Cassian’s smile, like Nyla’s dagger?

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‎Hours passed, the forest growing darker, the air heavier, like it was warning us. My shoulder ached where the rival wolf had struck, but my Lycan blood was healing it, the pain fading with every step. My hand stayed on my stomach, the flutter a reminder of why I was here, why I couldn’t stop. This child, mine despite Cassian’s betrayal, deserved a world without curses, without war.

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‎A snap in the trees made us freeze. Rex’s growl was low, primal, his body shifting to shield me. The pack tightened their formation, weapons raised, eyes glowing in the dim light. Shadows moved, too fast, too many, and my heart raced, my wolf clawing to the surface.

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‎“Ambush,” Rex snarled, his voice sharp, and he shifted, his black wolf massive, his red eyes blazing. I shifted too, my silver-grey fur shimmering, my claws digging into the earth. The bond flared, tying us together, and I felt him, his strength, his will, as we faced the shadows.

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‎Wolves burst from the trees, not Ironclaw but another pack, their fur ragged, their eyes mad with hunger. They weren’t like the others—these were rogues, driven by desperation, not loyalty. I lunged, my claws slashing, my teeth snapping, my wolf moving with a power that still surprised me. Rex fought beside me, his snarls echoing, his claws tearing through fur and flesh.

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‎The pack fought as one, their howls rising, their blades flashing. A rogue wolf charged me, its jaws wide, but I was faster, my claws ripping through its side, blood hot on my fur. Another came, and I met it, my teeth sinking into its neck, my wolf fierce, unstoppable. But there were too many, their numbers pressing in, and I saw a pack member fall, blood pooling beneath him.

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‎My heart twisted, fear and anger mixing. I wasn’t losing anyone else. The warmth in my chest roared, not just my wolf, but something deeper, something ancient. I howled, loud and primal, and the rogues faltered, their eyes wide, like they felt it too. My blood, my power—it was more than claws and teeth. It was life, healing, strength.

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‎I shifted back, my human form trembling, and raised my hands, not knowing what I was doing, only that I had to try. “Stop!” I shouted, my voice raw, carrying through the trees. The warmth surged, hot and bright, and I felt it flow out of me, a wave of light, faint but real, spreading through the forest.

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‎The rogues froze, their snarls fading, their eyes clearing, like they were waking from a dream. Some dropped, whimpering, others backed away, their tails low. The pack stared, their weapons still, their faces awed. Rex shifted back, his red eyes wide, blood streaking his face as he stepped toward me.

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‎“What was that?” he asked, his voice low, almost reverent.

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‎I shook my head, my breath ragged, my hands trembling. “I don’t know,” I said, my voice shaking. “It just… came out. My blood, the Lycan power—it’s more than fighting.”

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‎Sage Elara appeared, her steps quick, her eyes bright. “You’re a healer,” she said, her voice steady, proud. “The cursed wolf, born to mend what’s broken. You’re not just salvation for us, Talia. You’re salvation for them all.”

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‎I stared at her, my heart pounding. A healer. Not a destroyer, not a curse, but something more. My hand pressed to my stomach, the flutter strong, and I felt it—the child, my child, carrying this power too. I looked at Rex, his eyes soft, proud, and I knew he saw it, saw me, not just the prophecy, but the woman I’d become.

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‎The rogues retreated, their forms melting into the trees, and the pack cheered, their voices rising, a howl of triumph. Rex’s hand found mine, his grip warm, steady, and he pulled me close, his forehead touching mine. “You’re incredible,” he said, his voice rough, full of love. “I don’t deserve you, but I’m never letting you go.”

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‎I smiled, tears stinging my eyes, the bond pulsing, not just blood, but love, trust, home. “You don’t have to,” I said, my voice steady. “I’m here. For you, for the pack, for our future.”

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‎The forest was quiet now, the threat gone, the dawn brightening. We moved on, toward the Ironclaw lands, the pack behind us, their steps lighter, their faith in me a strength I carried. I was Talia, Lycan, mother, healer, and with Rex beside me, my child growing inside me, I was ready to face whatever came next, to heal what was broken, to build a world worth fighting for.