Chapter 4

The first light of dawn stretched over the horizon, casting an eerie, pale glow on the dark forest. The air was thick with mist, and the ever-present scent of pine and earth seemed to carry something far darker beneath it—a whisper, a pull, as though the land itself was aware of their presence.

Ava stood at the edge of the clearing, her hand lightly grazing the surface of the stone altar that sat there, weathered by centuries but still humming with latent energy. This place was old—too old for comfort. There were no signs of life in the area, but the weight of the air felt oppressive, like the ground was holding its breath.

She glanced at Ashton, who had been unusually quiet since they’d left the East Pack’s stronghold. His gaze was locked on the horizon, his jaw tight. Tension crackled between them, like the calm before a storm.

Ava couldn’t help but feel a twinge of frustration. She could sense that Ashton was trying to push her away again, his internal walls as high as ever. But today, she wasn’t going to back down. The bond between them—whatever it was—wasn’t just a romantic entanglement. It was destiny, and they couldn’t afford to keep fighting it. Not with everything at stake.

“We should start,” she said, her voice steady, despite the nerves that gnawed at her.

Ashton turned to her then, his eyes softening for just a moment before the cold mask slipped back into place. “Keep your guard up.”

Ava didn’t respond, only nodded, as she let her fingers brush the edges of her spell stones—enchanted artifacts passed down through her bloodline. She was powerful, but she didn’t take this mission lightly. Magic had its own mind, and in places like this—places steeped in dark forces—it could be treacherous.

Kaelin stood a few paces behind them, watching them closely, her arms crossed as she waited for any sign of movement.

“You won’t find anything if you’re only waiting,” Ava muttered, kneeling and pressing her palm to the earth. The connection to the land hummed beneath her touch, and her mind sharpened. She could feel the corruption, the way the earth trembled under an unseen weight. It wasn’t just a physical force—it was a curse. A spreading infection of magic that was slowly destroying everything it touched.

The others remained silent as Ava closed her eyes, focusing. She let the earth guide her, searching for the magic that lingered like a shadow in the ground. When she reached out with her senses, it was as though she’d stepped into a void—a place where light did not belong. The corruption was a malignant presence, pulling at her thoughts, urging her to give in.

But she held firm. She couldn’t afford to lose herself in it.

The ground beneath her palm cracked.

A sharp gasp escaped her as the magic surged violently, causing her to stagger back, breathless. But it wasn’t the curse that shook her—it was the force that had followed it.

A shadow, dark as night, loomed from the trees, streaking toward them at unnatural speed.

Ava’s heart raced, and she immediately threw her hands up, conjuring a barrier of blue magic just as the shadow crashed into it. The impact sent a shockwave through her, and the air around them buzzed with arcane energy.

The creature emerged—a blur of dark fur and sharp claws, its eyes glowing with a sickly, unnatural light.

A wolf.

But not a normal one. Its form flickered between shadows and reality, like a living nightmare.

“Get back!” Ashton shouted, rushing forward, sword drawn. He moved like a storm, his presence undeniable as he slashed at the beast, but his blade passed right through it, leaving nothing but ripples in the air.

Ava’s pulse raced as she forced herself to stand, her magic flickering weakly around her, but she could feel her strength draining. This was no ordinary creature—it was tethered to something far darker.

The wolf howled, a sound that seemed to reverberate through their very bones, and lunged again.

Ashton moved to intercept it, his wolf spirit surging to life as he blocked the attack. The creature’s claws scraped against his armor, but he didn’t flinch. “Kaelin! Cover Ava!”

Kaelin stepped forward, her eyes flicking with a mix of confidence and calculation. Without a word, she unsheathed a dagger glowing with silver runes and hurled it at the creature. It struck, glowing brightly for a moment, before the creature let out another blood-curdling scream and evaporated into a cloud of smoke.

The silence that followed was deafening. Only the distant sounds of the forest remained.

Ava swallowed hard, her chest heaving from the effort. “What was that?”

Kaelin stepped up, her face a mask of determination. “A shadow wolf. They’ve been appearing more frequently along the borderlands. But this one—this one was far stronger.”

Ashton turned toward Ava, his gaze sharp. “Are you okay?”

Ava nodded, her fingers trembling as she lowered them from her chest, but her breath was still ragged. The rush of magic had taken its toll, and she wasn’t sure how much more of it she could handle without collapsing.

Kaelin eyed her carefully, her lips curling into a smile that was too knowing. “You’ve got power, witch. But it’s wild. Uncontrolled.”

Ava met her gaze, narrowing her eyes. “It’s not the power you should be worried about. It’s the things that are coming. The creatures that aren’t supposed to exist. And the magic that will bring them.”

“Can you stop it?” Kaelin’s voice dropped.

“I don’t know,” Ava admitted. She hadn’t felt anything this… dangerous in years. The ley lines were unstable, yes—but something had disturbed them. Something worse than magic. “But I’ll try.”

Ashton moved to her side, his presence like a protective shield, and she could feel the connection between them, the tension thickening with every passing moment.

“Let’s get back to the pack,” he said quietly, his hand brushing hers as they started back toward the path. “We need to prepare. This is only the beginning.”