THE SECRET WITHIN HIS BLOOD (PART 1)

Chapter 4

The Secret Within His Blood (Part 1)

The forest became eerily silent.

King Darius stood only a few steps away from Luna, his black armor gleaming beneath the moonlight. His golden eyes were fixed on her, filled with satisfaction, as though he had finally found something he had spent years searching for.

"So..." he said, a cruel smile curling across his lips. "The last Wolf Queen truly survived."

Luna instinctively stepped backward, still supporting Ethan's unconscious body.

"I... I don't know who you are."

Darius chuckled.

"Of course you don't. Your memories are still sealed."

He took another step.

"But that won't matter once you're dead."

Scar leaped from the shadows, landing between Luna and Darius with a roar that shook the trees.

"Take another step," Scar growled, "and you'll lose your head."

The two powerful wolves stared at each other.

Neither blinked.

Neither moved.

The air itself seemed to grow heavier.

Then Darius laughed.

"You've grown old, Scar."

"And you've grown arrogant," Scar replied.

The smile disappeared from Darius's face.

"I defeated stronger warriors than you centuries ago."

Scar bared his fangs.

"You've never defeated me."

For a brief moment, the forest fell into complete silence.

Then—

BOOM!

The ground exploded beneath them as the two wolves lunged at each other.

The impact sent a violent shockwave across the forest.

Trees cracked.

Birds scattered into the night sky.

Luna shielded Ethan with her body as dust filled the air.

When the dust settled, Scar and Darius were locked together, their claws grinding against each other with terrifying force.

Their growls echoed like thunder.

Scar suddenly twisted his body, throwing Darius into a massive oak tree.

The trunk shattered instantly.

Darius rolled to his feet and smiled.

"Impressive."

His body began changing.

Bones cracked loudly.

Dark gray fur spread across his skin.

Within seconds, a monstrous wolf stood where the king had been.

He was even larger than Scar.

Golden markings glowed across his body like burning fire.

Luna stared in disbelief.

"Wolves... they can become human?"

Scar didn't look away from his enemy.

"Run!"

"But Ethan—"

"I said run!"

Before Luna could move, Darius disappeared.

Scar's eyes widened.

"Behind you!"

Luna turned.

Darius was already there.

His massive jaws opened.

She froze.

Everything happened too fast.

Suddenly—

A blur shot between them.

Crash!

Darius was sent flying across the clearing.

Luna blinked in confusion.

Someone was standing in front of her.

It wasn't Scar.

It wasn't the white wolf.

It was Ethan.

Blood dripped from his forehead.

His breathing was uneven.

Yet somehow...

He was standing.

Slowly, he turned toward Darius.

His brown eyes...

Had become silver.

Scar stared in disbelief.

"No..."

"It can't be..."

Darius climbed to his feet.

For the first time in decades...

The Wolf King looked shocked.

"You..."

Ethan's voice sounded deeper than before.

"If you touch my wife again..."

He slowly clenched his fist.

"...I'll kill you."

Luna's eyes widened.

"Ethan..."

He didn't answer.

His attention never left Darius.

A strange silver aura surrounded his body.

The wounds on his face began healing before Luna's eyes.

Even Ethan looked confused.

"What... is happening to me?"

Darius narrowed his eyes.

"So that's why."

Scar growled.

"You figured it out."

Darius laughed quietly.

"I should have realized sooner."

His golden eyes settled on Ethan.

"The last Silver Guardian."

Luna looked from one man to the other.

"The... what?"

No one answered her.

Instead, the white wolf emerged from the trees once more.

His golden eyes remained fixed on Ethan.

"So the prophecy wasn't wrong after all."

Scar lowered his head.

"I prayed this day would never come."

The white wolf sighed.

"But destiny never asks for permission."

Luna felt as though everyone knew something she didn't.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?"

Before anyone could answer—

A loud horn echoed through the forest.

Then another.

Then another.

Scar sniffed the air.

His expression darkened.

"They're here."

Darius smiled.

"My army."

Torches appeared between the trees.

Dozens...

Then hundreds.

Armored wolves surrounded the clearing from every direction.

Luna's heart sank.

"There are so many..."

Scar counted silently.

"Three hundred..."

The white wolf shook his head.

"No..."

He stared deeper into the darkness.

"There are more."

Heavy footsteps shook the earth.

The soldiers slowly moved aside.

Something enormous was approaching.

Even Darius turned to look.

A gigantic silhouette emerged through the mist.

Its glowing eyes were unlike any wolf Luna had ever seen.

Six crimson eyes.

One above another.

Scar whispered only one name.

"...Fenrir."

The legendary beast had arrived.

To be continued...