Chapter 36: Night of the Hunters

The night settled quietly over the forests outside Vancouver. Snow drifted lazily through the tall pines, and the frozen lake behind the Thorne cabin reflected the stars like scattered diamonds.

Inside the cabin, warm firelight flickered across the wooden walls.

For a little while, life felt peaceful again.

Finn and Liam had finally fallen asleep after their first real skating adventure. Their tiny skates sat drying near the door, still dusted with lake frost.

Alex stood in the kitchen pouring two mugs of tea.

“You know,” he said softly, “I think they actually did great today.”

Jake leaned against the counter, arms crossed.

“They did.”

Alex smiled faintly.

“Finn barely even fell.”

Jake raised an eyebrow.

“He fell six times.”

“Details.”

Brody’s voice came from the couch.

“I got video evidence of all six.”

Alex pointed a warning finger.

“Private video.”

Brody sighed dramatically.

“You guys never let the internet have any fun.”

---

The Uneasy Silence

Lucien stood near the window, staring out toward the dark tree line.

He had remained at the cabin after witnessing Finn’s strange connection to the ice.

Something about it had unsettled him.

Jake noticed.

“You’re quiet.”

Lucien didn’t look away from the forest.

“They’re coming.”

The room went still.

Brody sat up.

“Already?”

Lucien nodded slowly.

“The Crown Court rarely waits once they confirm power.”

Alex’s stomach tightened.

Jake stepped closer to the window.

Outside, the snow continued falling gently.

But something about the air felt different.

He could feel it now.

Movement.

---

The Hunters Arrive

Far above the trees, a dark aircraft drifted silently through the clouds.

It wasn’t visible from the ground.

But inside, six figures prepared themselves.

Each wore long coats reinforced with thin silver armor plates.

One of them studied a glowing map projection.

“The children are here.”

Another voice spoke calmly.

“Minimal resistance expected?”

The leader shook his head slightly.

“The alpha will fight.”

A faint smile crossed his face.

“That should be interesting.”

The aircraft lowered silently toward the forest.

---

The First Alarm

Back at the cabin, the lights flickered once.

Then twice.

Jake’s head snapped up immediately.

“Now.”

Brody grabbed his jacket.

Alex hurried toward the hallway where Finn and Liam slept.

Lucien opened a small metal case and removed a thin blade etched with glowing runes.

Outside, the wind suddenly shifted.

The peaceful snowfall turned into a violent gust that rattled the windows.

Then the forest exploded with movement.

Dark shapes dropped from the trees and surrounded the cabin in seconds.

---

Protect the Pups

Alex reached the twins’ room just as Liam stirred in his crib.

“Hey,” Alex whispered gently, lifting him.

Finn blinked awake from the other crib.

“Daddy?”

Alex scooped him up too.

“It’s okay,” Alex said softly. “Just stay with me.”

But even as he spoke, the ground trembled slightly beneath the cabin floor.

Finn frowned.

“Boom?”

---

The First Attack

Downstairs, the front door burst inward with a crack of splintering wood.

Three hunters stepped inside immediately.

Their eyes glowed faintly red in the dim light.

Jake was already moving.

He crossed the room faster than the first hunter could react.

The man slammed into the wall with a heavy thud.

Brody tackled another one across the living room, both of them crashing through a chair.

Lucien moved with calm precision, his glowing blade flashing once.

The third hunter staggered backward, disarmed instantly.

But more footsteps echoed outside.

Jake glanced toward the broken doorway.

“Yeah,” he muttered. “This is a real raid.”

---

Upstairs

Alex backed slowly into the twins’ room, holding them close.

Finn clung to his shoulder.

Liam stared toward the door with wide eyes.

“Bad guys?”

Alex nodded.

“But Daddy and Papa have it handled.”

Downstairs another loud crash echoed through the cabin.

Finn suddenly sneezed.

The lights flickered violently again.

Liam raised his hands instinctively.

The toy puck lying on the floor lifted slowly into the air.

Alex blinked.

“Oh… this might help.”

---

Jake Unleashed

Back downstairs, the fight intensified.

Another hunter lunged at Jake with a silver blade.

Jake caught his arm mid-swing and twisted sharply.

The weapon clattered to the floor.

Jake’s voice dropped into a low growl.

“You picked the wrong house.”

He slammed the hunter through the kitchen table.

Brody whistled.

“Remind me never to annoy you.”

---

Outside the Cabin

More hunters spread through the snow around the cabin.

One of them spoke into a communicator.

“Target resistance stronger than predicted.”

The leader’s calm voice responded through the device.

“Continue.”

The hunter nodded and raised his hand.

A glowing device activated in his palm.

The snow around the cabin began to melt unnaturally fast.

---

Finn’s Power Awakens

Upstairs, the temperature suddenly dropped.

Alex felt it immediately.

The cold spread across the floor like creeping frost.

Finn looked down.

The wooden boards beneath his feet began to glow faintly blue.

Lucien rushed up the stairs just in time to see it.

His eyes widened.

“Alex—”

Finn sneezed again.

This time the energy burst outward.

A wave of icy light surged through the cabin walls and exploded across the frozen lake outside.

The entire surface of the lake flashed like lightning.

Outside, several hunters were thrown backward by the sudden blast of freezing air.

Lucien whispered in awe.

“He’s awakening.”

Alex stared at his son.

Finn blinked.

“Oops.”

---

Retreat

Downstairs, the Crown Court hunters regrouped quickly.

The leader’s voice crackled again through the communicator.

“Withdraw.”

One hunter frowned.

“We nearly had them.”

“Withdraw,” the leader repeated calmly.

Within seconds, the remaining hunters disappeared back into the forest.

Jake stepped outside cautiously, scanning the dark trees.

Nothing.

The night had gone quiet again.

---

Aftermath

Inside the cabin, everyone gathered in the living room.

Finn sat on Jake’s lap, wrapped in a blanket.

Liam played with his floating puck again.

Brody looked around the wrecked furniture.

“Well,” he said, “that escalated.”

Lucien remained focused on Finn.

“That power was only a fraction of what he’s capable of.”

Jake sighed.

“Fantastic.”

Alex sat beside them, still holding Liam.

“They’re really coming for our kids.”

Lucien nodded.

“Yes.”

Jake’s expression hardened.

“Then we’re going to have to end this.”

---

The Crown Court Watches

Far away, the Crown Court aircraft lifted back into the clouds.

Inside, the leader reviewed the footage from the attack.

The moment Finn’s icy power burst across the lake played again on the screen.

He smiled slowly.

“Even stronger than predicted.”

One of his followers asked quietly,

“What now?”

The leader closed the screen.

“Now we prepare for war.”

The jet turned east, disappearing into the night sky.

And back at the cabin, the Thorne family realized something important.

The Crown Court would not stop.

But neither would they.