CHAPTER 5

The night was lively with bright firelight illuminating the surroundings with strange heat. Torches were flashing its light along the hard stone walls directed towards it, shadows moving up and down dancing inaccurately, as if they were alive, while the warriors rushed to the gate with their heart beating fast.

The ringing of the alarm bell seemed to beat again in the night air, but even that night's sound was overpowered by the terrific howls that burst out from deep within the forest. Those sounds were raw, echoing the restless cries of creatures filled with insatiable hunger, relentless and endless.

In the heat of that chaotic moment, Lydia found herself standing motionless in the corridor, heart beating in her chest like a drum. For just a passing moment, she felt a powerful connection as her wolf disturbed restless underneath her skin.

Its claws scratched against the boundaries of her flesh, causing her to accept the anxiety from within, to bring out the untamed spirit that shared her being. She didn’t need to see the rogue to understand their nature: they embodied chaos, a hunger to feed on a prey taking away the natural bonds that hold up true wolves to their communities.

Just then, Kyle grabbed her hand suddenly with a degree of strength, turning her around to face him, his eyes giving out a bright look with immediate attention that was impossible to deny, glowing with fierceness. “Lydia, you need to understand how extremely dangerous this situation is..” he started, his voice filled with concern.

But she anxiously took her hand away from his grip, her voice low, ringing with a tremor that spoke of deep emotion beyond just fear. “I’ve existed my entire life with danger hanging ever so close, taking its hot threat in. Don’t you dare tell me to hide from it now, Kyle.” Her tone was firm, filled with resistance, born from years of facing serious danger directly. 

Before he could give a response, a violent scream broke the stillness of the night, harsh and resounding through the air – near, so near.

Lydia quickly raised her head, turning her gaze in response through the passageway that formed the opened area partially surrounded by walls, a sense of fear crawling into her chest.

The harsh scent hit her like a wave, getting into her senses with force: blood – sharp and fresh, being perceived with a reminder that danger is near just far away from her place of refuge.

At that moment, her wolf began to stir from within her, a primary force that cried deeply to life, pushing her to change.

Without a second thought, Lydia moved herself into the courtyard, her bare feet hitting the cold ground with an intention, her heart beating quickly with her hurried steps. 

Behind her, the large gate uttered a mournful cry, bending under the relentless force of claws and grip. 

Shadows moved quickly, large in shape and wild-eyed, as the rogues – a terrifying gang of fur and fury – shut suddenly against the crossbar, their growls filling the air with untamed energy, while saliva leaked slowly from their rough and fearsome teeth like a warning of violence to come. 

Warriors rushed forward to confront the intruders, their faces set in determination, but the first wave of the rogues struck through their defences with a violent explosion of woods flying in all directions. The courtyard burst into unharmonious disorder, a storm of body clashing and shouts of despair break through the night.

Lydia’s breath caught in her throat as she watched everything unfold – a scene of violent outburst that sparked something deep within her. She had witnessed battle between small groups before, seen the clash of fights in various forms, but nothing had prepared her for this fierce attack.

The rogues fought with mindless furiousness with no sense of honor or strategy; their only motivation was pure hunger. One particular untamed animal fed on a guard, its bright eye with delight as it tore him from his feet with a brutal force that made her stomach shake.

Another rogue, quick and alerted, leaped effortlessly over the wall, its yellow eyes shining in the dim light as they fastened onto an unlucky target.

Her heart moved faster like a beating drum in her chest, the intensity of the moment was rising every impulse within her. And before she could fully comprehend her actions, her wolf broke free.

Her body twisted in a deforming manner, bones shifting and rearranging underneath her skin causing shaking through her; furs broke out along with arms in a violent manner.

An overpowered wave of heat rushed through her, raw and untamed –the kind of heat without sweat that felt like it would consume the world around her. Impulses kicked in and she dropped gracefully onto all fours, a low severe growl coming out of her throat as her vision became sharp and clear. The world is becoming more clear with every passing time.

Around her, a warm sudden intake of air broke out like small explosions, the sound circulating in the air as onlookers struggled to understand the transformation. But there was no time for stare or disbelief; Lydia was already moving.

Just then, a rogue jumped forward, aimed at a nearby warrior’s throat. Without a second thought, Lydia threw herself into the air, colliding with the rogue mid way into the flight. Her claws dug deep into its flesh, sending both of them crashing to the ground.

The rogue growled in fury, releasing its dangerous jaws close to her face, but she was quicker. With swift accuracy, she sank her teeth into the weak flesh of its neck, tearing away with fury that left no room for mercy. 

Hot red blood spilled like waterfall against the opening of her mouth, as the rogue’s struggle faded into lifelessness, its body going flat beneath her.

She stood up, her chest rising and falling very fast. The moonlight shone across her shiny fur, causing it to stand with so much energy and strength. It felt as though there was a short period of standstill everywhere, with a heavy calmness at the scene.

Her fellow warriors – her true blood – stared at her with a mix of admiration and fearfulness, obvious in their unblinking eyes. Even Kyle, who remained outside the unfolding chaos, looked frozen, his gaze focused on her with a facial expression that was difficult to read; it was mixed with interest and something deeper.

Yet, amidst the silence, there was no time for her to dwell on their thoughts or judgements. 

In a short period of time, another rogue leaped forward with intention to take advantage of her moment of weakness. Lydia responded back immediately beyond her impulse; she turned around very swiftly catching the rogue’s throat between her mighty jaws. Twisting her head violently, she felt a fulfilling sound of bone cracks through her senses.

Her wolf released a howl, a fresh roar that resounded beyond the walls of the courtyard sending violent disturbance through the air. It was raw and untamed, a sound so fierce that it felt different from any howl ever heard from the pack. 

The rogue fell, caught unexpected by the pureness of her cry. Even the most insane among them stumbled in the presence of such a powerful sound, as if the cry itself was a force that commanded respect.

In the silence that followed, Lydia’s look shifted to the elders that lined up at the far end of the yard. The flashing torchlights cast shadows on their faint faces, showing the worry on their looks. 

Elder Malric’s mouth moved, and she could almost feel the weight of his stir as he uttered a single word that suspended in the air like a bending iron in her soul.

“Monster.”

As her heart beat faster and her chest held together with anxiety, she felt herself being drawn back to the battlefield, where the fight was furious. She felt a rush in her vein pushing her forward as she tore through yet another rogue attacker. Her muscle burned with each movement, while her claws and grip dropped out slowly with the evidence of her violent struggle.

Around her, the other warriors began to bounce back, with their spirit lifted by the raw fierceness she displayed. It was as if her strength sparkled something out from within them – a newfound determination that started to shift the drive of the battle in their favor.

Yet amidst the energetic battle and the bounce back cries of her fellow warriors, Lydia couldn’t shake the feeling that all was not well. With each enemy she brought down, with every cry she made, she could sense the weight of a thousand eyes upon her.

The gazes of her pack members weren’t that filled with gratitude or admiration for her courage – they were marked by an unsettling fear. It was as if they saw her as something other than a warrior; maybe they were beginning to see the darker part of her strength.

Far above everything, away from the noise of the battle, was Kyle stare, seriously locked on to her, such that sent cold down her spine. As she fought boldly, she didn’t feel his eyes filled with dislike at her violent actions. No, there was something more unclear showing in his expression – something that felt like recognition.