Chapter 92: News from the Outside Anna POV

His words reverberated in my head. "Close your eyes, Anna," his commands uncompromising. "Take in the energy that surrounds you. Pull it in. Allow it to lead you."

I let my eyes drift shut and exhaled slowly. It was like attempting to capture smoke with bare hands, yet the subtle hum of power beneath my skin was growing more familiar. It escaped my grasp, leaving me exhausted and frustrated.

"Anna!"

The sound of Kael's voice caused my eyes to open. His face seemed extremely stern as he ran toward me. Lucas, his face a mask of worry, jogged to catch up behind him.

"What's happening?" I got to my feet and asked.

Kael took a moment to respond. He lowered his voice after taking a quick look over his shoulder to be sure no one else was listening. "Just now, a scout came back. Both of you must hear this."

I got a chill from the tightness in his voice. At that moment, Lucas came up to me and briefly touched me with his hand, offering a silent reassurance.

"Where is Thalion?" Lucas inquired in a calm but uneasy tone.

Kael said, "In the council chamber. Come with me."

A huge, circular room set into the side of a massive tree served as the council chamber. Inside, the air was moist and cold, and I could smell the scent of old wood and moss. With his arms folded, Thalion stood in the middle, listening to a wiry scout make animated gestures.

We walked into the room and heard the scout's voice. "...burnt everything. Nothing was left behind. They pulled Darius away despite his resistance. He didn’t even make it to the edge of the territory.” 

I felt sick to my stomach. "Darius?"

Thalion's piercing eyes shifted from the scout to me and back again. "Are you positive it was Oliver's pack?"

"Yes," the scout said, "Elder. The attack was spearheaded by their alpha himself. He's looking for someone or something."

Lucas and I looked at each other. We didn't have to speculate as to who Oliver was pursuing.

With an enigmatic expression, Thalion turned to face us. "Your past appears to have caught up with you more quickly than anticipated."

Anger and remorse were fighting inside of me as my chest constricted. I murmured, hardly raising my voice above a whisper, "This is our fault. If we hadn't..."

"No," Lucas cut in, his voice firm. "Oliver, not us, is to blame for this. It was he, not us, who made the decision to destroy Crescent Grove."

"But, Darius." I trailed off as the implications raced through my head. Darius was now paying the price for protecting us and lying on our behalf.

With a strong presence, Thalion took a stride forward. "What’s done is done. How you react now is what counts."

"And what do you think we should do?" Lucas inquired, his tone tinged with annoyance. "We cannot defeat Oliver's pack by ourselves."

"It won't be necessary for you to," Thalion stated gently. "But when the moment comes, you have to be prepared. Your powers are waking up, Anna, but they're still wild. You have to become proficient with them if you want to have any chance against Oliver."

I was deeply moved by what he said. I clenched my hands, my resolve hardened by determination. I answered, "Then teach me. I'll do whatever it takes."

Lucas and I sat by the fire outside the little hut we were given that night. Unspoken but indisputable, the scout's news sat heavily between us.

"Is Darius still alive?" I asked in a low voice, gazing into the flames.

After hesitating, Lucas nodded. "He is tough. He’s the only one who can withstand Oliver's rage."

Despite my desire to believe him, I couldn’t shake the image of Crescent Grove burning from my mind. My voice was shaking as I continued, "He didn’t deserve this. He only wanted to keep his pack safe."

Lucas remarked softly, "And he made his choice. Just as we must now make ours."

I gazed at him, the flickering firelight illuminating his face. "Do you believe that remaining here is the best course of action? For instruction?"

His eyes were steady as he met mine. "I believe it's our only option. We must be prepared if we are to stop Oliver."

I nodded, but I still felt the weight of the situation. "All I want is for us to save everyone. Keep everyone safe."

Lucas covered my hand with his outstretched one. "Anna, we can’t save everyone. But we can try. And we can ensure that Oliver doesn't harm anybody else."

I felt anchored in the present by his warm touch. For a moment, the commotion and terror gave way to the silent power in his presence.

I whispered, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being here at all times. For continuing to believe in me."

His lips curled into a small, bittersweet smile. "Even if I wanted to, I couldn't."

Thalion started my workout seriously the following morning. I was pushed to the limit and beyond by the demanding exercises. But I embraced the task and threw all my anger, guilt, and willpower into becoming a powerhouse.

I was worn out but stronger and more self-assured by the time the sun set. From the sidelines, Lucas observed, his presence a continual source of consolation.

As we made our way back to the hut, he remarked, "You're improving."

"I must," I answered. "For Darius. For Crescent Grove. For each and every one of them."

"And for you," he said quietly.

I looked at him, taking in what he had said. He was right. This was about being the person I was destined to be, not just about getting even or being redeemed.

I felt a sharp chill when we arrived at the cottage. I paused and looked over my shoulder. It was too quiet in the forest.

"Heard it?" I muttered.

Beside me, Lucas stiffened, his gaze sweeping the darkness. "Stay close."

There was a long, oppressive hush. A single, eerie howl then rang out into the night from the shadows.

"They’ve found us," Lucas stated somberly.

And then our tenuous sense of security was destroyed.