Chapter Ten

‎The room felt smaller now, the walls pressing in, the air thick with the echo of Rex’s promise. *You’re safe now.* His words lingered, heavy, like a weight I couldn’t shake. But I wasn’t safe—not from Nyla, not from Cassian, not from the chaos outside that made the manor tremble. The shouts from the courtyard grew louder, sharp with panic, and the warmth in my chest pulsed, restless, like a beast clawing to break free. I pressed a hand to my heart, my breath shaky, trying to hold it together.

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‎I moved to the window, the glass cold against my fingers. Below, the courtyard was a storm of movement—wolves darting through torchlight, their eyes glowing yellow and green, their snarls cutting the air. Something was wrong, something bigger than Nyla’s threats. My heart raced, the warmth flaring hotter, like it knew what was coming before I did. I wanted to run, to hide, but there was nowhere to go. Not anymore.

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‎The door creaked behind me, and I spun, my hands clenching the cloak around me. It was the servant from before, her face pale, her eyes wide with fear. “You need to come,” she said, her voice trembling. “It’s not safe here. They’re attacking.”

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‎“Who?” I asked, my voice sharp, but I already knew. The rival pack. The ones the sage had mentioned, growing bold under the blood moon. My stomach twisted, the warmth in my chest surging, almost painful now.

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‎She didn’t answer, just grabbed my arm, pulling me into the hallway. The manor was alive with noise—boots pounding, voices shouting, the distant howl of wolves. The portraits on the walls seemed to watch, their eyes cruel in the flickering candlelight. We ran, my bare feet slipping on the rug, my heart pounding so loud I thought it would burst.

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‎We reached a staircase, narrow and spiraling, leading down to the main hall. The servant stopped, her hand shaking as she pointed. “Go to the Alpha,” she said, her voice barely a whisper. “He’ll protect you.”

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‎I nodded, my throat tight, and ran down the stairs. The hall was chaos—pack members rushing, weapons glinting, blood already staining the floor. At the center stood Rex, his red eyes blazing, his voice barking orders. He was a force, unyielding, his broad frame cutting through the crowd like a blade. I froze, my breath catching, that warmth in my chest flaring so hot it burned.

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‎He saw me, his eyes locking onto mine, and for a moment, the chaos faded. “Talia,” he said, his voice rough but steady, “stay close.”

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‎I moved toward him, my legs weak, the warmth pulsing with every step. But before I could reach him, a crash shook the hall, the massive doors splintering as wolves burst through—huge, snarling, their fur dark and matted, their eyes glowing with hunger. The rival pack. Screams erupted, the air thick with the scent of blood and fear.

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‎Rex grabbed my arm, pulling me behind him, his body a shield. “Stay down,” he growled, his voice low, primal. He shifted, his form rippling into a massive black wolf, his red eyes glowing like fire. He lunged, tearing into the nearest enemy, his claws ripping through fur and flesh.

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‎I crouched, my heart pounding, the warmth in my chest roaring now, like a storm trapped inside me. I wanted to help, to fight, but I was nothing—just a girl, wolf-less, useless. The book’s words flashed in my mind: *The unawakened will rise.* My hands shook, my breath shallow, as the warmth turned to pain, sharp and searing, like something breaking free.

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‎A wolf broke through the chaos, its eyes locked on me, its teeth bared. I scrambled back, my back hitting the wall, nowhere to run. Rex was too far, fighting two others, his snarls echoing. The wolf lunged, and I screamed, my hands flying up, as if they could stop it.

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‎Then it happened. The warmth exploded, a fire ripping through me, my vision blurring white. My body shook, bones cracking, pain and power surging together. I felt it—my wolf, awake, alive, roaring inside me. My hands weren’t hands anymore, but claws, sharp and deadly. My scream turned to a growl, deep and primal, as I shifted, my body becoming something new, something fierce.

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‎The wolf froze, its eyes wide, and I didn’t think—I acted. I lunged, my claws slashing, tearing through its throat. It fell, blood pooling, and I stood over it, my chest heaving, my new form trembling with power. I was a wolf, but not like the others—bigger, stronger, my fur silver-grey, shimmering like moonlight.

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‎The hall went quiet, the pack staring, their eyes wide with shock, fear, even awe. Rex turned, his wolf form pausing, his red eyes locked on me. I felt him, not just his gaze, but something deeper, a pull that tied us together, stronger than ever. The mate bond. It was real, and it burned in me, fierce and undeniable.

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‎Another wolf charged, and I moved without thinking, my body faster, stronger than I’d ever known. I met it mid-air, my jaws closing on its neck, my claws ripping through its side. It fell, lifeless, and I turned, ready for more. The rival pack hesitated, their snarls faltering, as if they sensed what I was.

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‎“Lycan,” someone whispered, a pack member, their voice shaking. “She’s Lycan.”

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‎The word hit me, heavy, tying to the book’s words. *Lycan blood. Bound to the Blackfur line.* I was no ordinary wolf—I was something more, something ancient. The warmth in my chest was power now, raw and wild, and I felt it, the truth of who I was, waking up.

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‎Rex shifted back, his human form bloodied but strong, his eyes never leaving mine. “Talia,” he said, his voice raw, “fall back. I’ve got this.”

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‎I growled, low and fierce, my wolf refusing to obey. I wasn’t the girl who cowered anymore. I stepped forward, my claws scraping the floor, ready to fight. But before I could, a figure moved through the chaos—Nyla, her dark leathers stained with blood, her green eyes glinting with hate.

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‎“You,” she spat, her dagger raised, aimed at me. “You’re nothing but trouble.”

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‎Rex moved faster than I could blink, his arm catching hers, twisting until the dagger fell. “Enough,” he roared, his voice shaking the hall. “You betrayed us, Nyla. You brought them here.”

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‎She laughed, cold and sharp, pulling free. “You think you can stop this? She’ll destroy you, Rex. Just like the prophecy said.”

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‎A wolf lunged at her, one of her own, and she screamed, her body crumpling under its claws. Blood pooled, her eyes wide, lifeless. I stared, my heart pounding, my wolf trembling. She was gone, just like that, but the fight wasn’t over.

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‎The rival pack surged again, their numbers thinning but fierce. I fought beside Rex, my wolf moving with a strength I didn’t know I had, claws and teeth tearing through enemies. The hall was a blur of blood and fur, but we held our ground, the Moonshadow Pack rallying behind us. Rex’s snarls matched mine, his red eyes fierce, protective, like he’d die before letting them reach me.

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‎When the last wolf fell, the hall was quiet, the air heavy with blood and death. I shifted back, my body shaking, my human form weak, my dress torn. Rex was beside me, his hand on my arm, steadying me. His eyes were raw, filled with something I couldn’t name—pride, maybe, or something deeper.

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‎“You’re Lycan,” he said, his voice low, almost reverent. “I should’ve known.”

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‎I looked at him, my breath ragged. “What am I?” I asked, my voice breaking. “The book… it said I’m bound to your line. What does that mean?”

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‎He hesitated, his jaw tight. “You’re my cousin,” he said finally, his voice heavy. “My father’s sister’s daughter. The last of the Lycan bloodline.”

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‎My heart stopped, the world tilting. His cousin? The book’s words made sense now, but they broke something in me. The mate bond, the warmth—it wasn’t love, wasn’t fate. It was blood, family, duty. I stepped back, my eyes burning, my chest aching with a pain I couldn’t name.

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‎“Talia,” he said, his voice soft, reaching for me, but I shook my head, my hands trembling.

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‎“Don’t,” I whispered, turning away. The hall was still, the pack watching, their eyes heavy with awe and fear. I was Lycan, powerful, but I felt smaller than ever. The prophecy, the bond, the fight—it was too much, and I didn’t know who I was anymore.