Into the North

Rose's POV

The forest grew darker as we moved north. The trees were older here. Thicker. The canopy blocked out most of the sunlight, casting everything in a dim, green glow. The air was cold and damp. The ground was soft with decaying leaves.

The hum pulsed steadily in my chest. Louder now. More insistent. Like a second heartbeat guiding me forward.

"How much further?" Edwin asked. He was walking beside me, his eyes scanning the trees.

"I don't know. But we're getting closer." I closed my eyes, focusing on the hum. "I can feel them. They're just ahead. Maybe a few hours."

Gunnar grunted. "We stop here. Rest. Eat. We go in fresh."

Aiden nodded. "Make camp. No fires. We don't want to alert them."

The wolves spread out, settling among the trees. I sat down on a fallen log, my body aching from the long walk. My hands were still faintly silver. The hum was restless.

Edwin sat beside me. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. Just tired."

"You've been pushing yourself hard. Healing those wolves. Walking all day. You need to rest."

"I know." I looked at him. "Thanks for coming with us. You didn't have to."

"Yes, I did." He met my eyes. "I told you. I'm not letting you face this alone."

I didn't know what to say to that. So I just nodded.

---

Rose's POV

Lyra appeared with a waterskin. "Here. Drink."

I took it, drinking deeply. The water was cold and clean.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it." She sat on the ground beside me. "So. We're really doing this. Going after the Shadow Wolves."

"Yes."

"Are you scared?"

I thought about it. "Yes. But I'm more scared of what happens if we don't stop them."

"That's a good way to look at it."

"I'm trying."

She grinned. "You're doing better than me. I'm terrified."

"Then why did you come?"

"Because I'd rather be terrified and fighting than safe and hiding." She met my eyes. "That's what my mother would have wanted."

I reached over, squeezing her hand. "She would have been proud of you."

"Thanks, Rose."

We sat in silence. The forest was quiet. Too quiet. The birds had stopped singing.

The hum pulsed. Louder. Warning.

"Something's wrong," I said.

Everyone tensed. Aiden was on his feet in an instant.

"What is it?"

"I don't know. The hum. It's warning me." I stood up. "We need to move. Now."

---

Rose's POV

We moved through the forest quickly. Silently. The hum grew louder with every step. The trees seemed to close in around us.

And then we saw it.

A clearing. In the center, a structure of stone and wood. Ancient. Crumbling. Dark energy pulsed from it like a heartbeat.

The Shadow Wolves' stronghold.

"There," Aiden whispered. "That's it."

"How do we get in?" Gunnar asked.

"We don't. We wait. We watch. We learn." Aiden's voice was hard. "We don't attack until we know what we're facing."

We spread out around the edge of the clearing. I crouched behind a fallen tree, my heart pounding. The hum was screaming now. Desperate.

And then I saw them.

Shadow Wolves. Emerging from the structure. Their eyes glowed red in the darkness. Their bodies were covered in dark markings. They moved like smoke. Silent. Deadly.

One of them stopped. Turned. Looked directly at my hiding spot.

The leader.

He was taller than the others. His eyes burned brighter. His markings were more intricate. He smiled, revealing sharp teeth.

"I know you're there," he said. His voice was like gravel. Like shadows given form. "I can feel you. The last of the Old Moon line."

I froze. The hum went silent. Absolute silence.

Then Aiden stepped out from behind his cover. "Let her go. This is between you and me."

The Shadow Wolf laughed. "Fool. You have no idea what you're dealing with."

And then everything erupted into chaos.

---

Rose's POV

Wolves surged from both sides. The River Wolves attacked. The Shadow Wolves fought back. Teeth and claws and silver light.

I stood frozen for a moment. The hum was silent. My body wouldn't move.

Then Edwin grabbed my arm. "Rose! We need to go!"

"No." I pulled away. "I need to help."

"You can't help if you're dead!"

I ignored him. I ran into the clearing. The silver light rose around my hands. I threw it at the nearest Shadow Wolf. He screamed, stumbling back. The light burned him.

"Run!" I shouted to the others. "Get out of here!"

They ran. The River Wolves retreated into the forest. The Shadow Wolves gave chase. But I stayed.

I faced the leader.

"You want me," I said. "Come and get me."

He smiled. "Oh, I will. But not today. Today, I just wanted to see you. To feel your power."

He stepped closer. I raised my hands. The silver light blazed.

"Leave us alone," I said. "Or I'll destroy you."

"Bold words for a wolf who can barely control her power." He laughed. "But you have potential. I'll give you that. Come find me when you're ready. When you're strong enough."

He vanished. Melting into the shadows like he was never there.

I stood alone in the clearing. My hands were shaking. The hum was screaming.

The Shadow Wolves were gone.

But I knew they'd be back.

---

Edwin's POV

I found Rose in the clearing. She was standing alone, her hands still glowing.

"Rose!" I ran to her. "Are you okay?"

"He was testing me. The leader. He wanted to see what I could do."

"And?"

"Now he knows I'm not ready."

I grabbed her arms. "You're alive. That's what matters."

She looked at me. Her eyes were hollow. "He's not going to stop. He's going to keep coming. Until I'm strong enough to face him."

"Then we'll make you strong enough." I met her eyes. "We'll train harder. We'll find a way. Together."

She nodded slowly. "Together."

---

Rose's POV

We made camp far from the clearing. The River Wolves were shaken. They'd lost two wolves in the attack. Two more were wounded. But we were alive.

I sat apart from the others, staring at the fire. The hum was quiet now. Exhausted.

Aiden sat beside me. "You shouldn't have stayed behind."

"I had to. He was testing me. I needed to show him I wasn't afraid."

"Are you?"

"Terrified." I met his eyes. "But I can't let him see that."

He was quiet for a long moment. "You were brave today, Rose. Braver than most wolves would be."

"I don't feel brave. I feel like I'm going to fall apart."

"Then fall apart. I'll be here to catch you."

I looked at him. At the sincerity in his eyes. The warmth.

"Thank you," I said.

"Always."

We sat there in silence. The fire crackled. The stars shone overhead.

And I let myself believe that maybe, just maybe, I could do this.

---

Rose's POV

The next morning, we headed back to the fortress. The journey was quiet. No one spoke much. We were all processing what had happened.

The Shadow Wolves had found us. They'd tested us. And they'd let us go.

That wasn't a victory. That was a warning.

As the fortress came into view, I felt the hum pulse. Quieter now. But present.

Ready.

The Shadow Wolves would come again. They'd keep coming until I was strong enough to face them.

And I would be. I had to be.

Because if I wasn't, everyone I loved would die.

And I couldn't let that happen.