Returning to Crescent Hollow felt like stepping into another life. The village was still healing from the recent attack—some buildings remained charred at the edges, but the people had gone back to their routines, clinging to whatever sense of normalcy they could find. Gaia and Kael didn't draw much attention as they walked in, but the silence in the air told them enough. Not everyone had forgotten. Gaia went straight to her father. He was sitting outside their home, sharpening a blade, the same way he always did when something was weighing on his mind. The moment he saw her, he dropped it.
"You're back," he said, voice tight with emotion as he hugged Gaia so tightly that she almost found it difficult to breath when he finally released her,he went over to Kael and patted his back. He led both Gaia and Kael inside.
As soon as Gaia sat down she didn't waste anytime before dishing out information to Darius."We found something… no, we found everything," Gaia said quietly. Her voice held the weight of what she now knew. Kael excused himself and went outside. Kael waited outside, sensing the conversation was one meant for father and daughter alone. Ethan,was coming back from where he went to meet up with his friends,as soon as he saw Kael from afar,he came sprinting,hugged Kael and asked about his sister,Kael just pointed towards the entrance but told Ethan not to go in yet,they sat down on the pavement and Ethan kept chattering asking million questions at a time about their journey. Back inside, Gaia told Darius everything—about the hidden pack, the prophecy, the old woman in the cave, and what the Bloodfang Pack was planning. She kept her tone even, though inside she was still trying to grasp the burden she now carried. Her father listened without interruption, but the more she spoke, the more his expression shifted—from confusion to realization, and finally to heartbreak. When she finished, he lowered his head and let out a long, shaky breath.
"I had my fears… but I never imagined it would be you."
Gaia blinked. "What do you mean?"
He looked at her, eyes glistening. "You're my daughter. Not just by name or bond—but by blood. Your mother was a powerful woman. She gave everything to keep you safe. Before she died, she told me there was something different about you, something I might never understand. I thought… maybe if I kept you from the truth, it would protect you. That what you don't know can't reach you." He paused, then added in a whisper, "I didn't know you were the one destined to break the curse."
Gaia was still for a moment. She had suspected it, but hearing it—hearing him say it—made it real. He stood and began pacing. "That curse… it wasn't cast by monsters. It was born out of betrayal. Decades ago, innocent werewolves were slaughtered here because of lies. They cursed this land with their final breath. No one believed it at the time. Then strange things started happening—wolves turning on their own, unexplainable deaths, chaos. The elders called it a punishment from the gods, but now… it all adds up. He turned to her again. "And now, I learn the only way to end it might mean losing you. My own daughter." He covered his face, his voice breaking. "How do I accept that?"
Gaia moved toward him and placed her hand gently on his shoulder. "We'll find another way. We still have time."
He looked at her, eyes heavy with sorrow and pride. "You have your mother's strength. I just wish you didn't have her fate."
The days following their return to Crescent Hollow were anything but calm. Whispers trailed Gaia wherever she went—some laced with awe, others with fear. The story of the underground pack, the prophecy, and the revelation of her true bloodline had spread like wildfire. But amidst the tension, something else was happening—within Gaia. Her senses had sharpened. She could hear things from impossible distances—soft footsteps in the woods, whispered conversations behind closed doors, the heartbeat of prey rustling through underbrush. The wind seemed to carry messages only she could understand. Her dreams grew deeper, stranger. Sometimes, she'd awaken with silvery marks glowing faintly on her skin—fading before anyone else could see.
One afternoon, while walking by the riverbank, Gaia dipped her fingers into the water—and the current responded. It rippled against the natural flow, swirling around her hand as if drawn to her. Kael, who had quietly trailed her, watched in astonishment.
"You feel it too, don't you?" he asked softly.
Gaia nodded, her eyes still fixed on the trembling water. "It's like something inside me is waking up… slowly but surely."
In training sessions with the guards, she moved faster than anyone could track—dodging, shifting, striking with precision she never had before. Even Darius, usually stern and unshakable, watched her in silence, his eyes betraying both pride and sorrow.
"She's not just strong," he once murmured to Kael. "She's becoming something more."
But with every surge of power came a wave of unease. Gaia knew these abilities weren't random. They were tied to something deeper, to the Blood Moon, to the curse, to a fate she hadn't chosen.
Crescent Hollow was quiet that afternoon, a kind of silence that often comes before a storm. The wind carried no warning—only the usual forest scent, and the sound of distant birds. Gaia stood outside with Kael, talking with two warriors about increasing patrol routes, when Ethan's voice cut through the calm like a blade.
"They're coming! Bloodfangs—lots of them!" Ethan had been out near the watchtower, where he usually hung around to watch the warriors train or sneak a better view of the valley beyond the trees. That day, he'd wandered off a little too far along the ridge and caught sight of movement through the trees—shadows, far too many to be friendly. Without hesitation, he sprinted faster than he ever had, lungs burning, feet barely touching the ground as he raced to the old iron gong at the village center. With one strong hit, the gong rang out loud and sharp—an ancient alarm that echoed through the trees.
Warriors poured out from homes and posts. Darius was among the first to respond. When he saw Ethan, he shouted, "Get back to the house, now!" But Ethan didn't listen. He ducked behind the well and crouched, his heart pounding with both fear and curiosity. He wasn't going to miss this—not when his sister was about to engage in a real fight since her unbelievably tripled in strength and speed. The Bloodfangs arrived like a shadow stretching over the land—feral, wild-eyed, and more vicious than the last time. Their movements were sharper, more coordinated. They had been training. And worse, they had tasted dark power. Gaia stepped forward. Her stance calm, her eyes glowing faintly, her entire body brimming with an energy that hadn't been there days ago. When the first Bloodfang lunged, she moved like lightning—so fast Ethan could barely track her. She wasn't just fast—she was precise, brutal, and unshaken. It was like watching a storm given form. Kael fought beside her, his movements more grounded, calculated—yet even he paused once, stealing a glance at Gaia as she tore through her enemies like a force of nature. Ethan watched in awe, whispering to himself, "She's like Sonic… or a flash of wind." It didn't seem real—his sister, who once walked among them as ordinary, now moved like a myth brought to life.
The clash was fierce. Bloodfangs were strong, but they hadn't expected such resistance. Not this time. Not from Gaia. One by one, they fell. The remaining wolves turned and scattered, some dragging their injured away, others collapsing mid-escape. The Hollow warriors regrouped, bruised but standing. Some were taken to the healer's shelter near the west edge of the village. Darius himself was scratched across the shoulder, but he barely noticed, his eyes searching for Gaia. She was there—breathing heavily, blood-smeared but unbroken.
They thought it was over. Until Ethan shouted again, his finger shaking as he pointed toward the distant ridge.
"Look!!"
From the far hills, dark shapes appeared—more Bloodfangs, marching with ruthless discipline. At their center walked a figure taller than the rest. Their leader. His presence made the very ground seem to shudder beneath their feet. Gaia's eyes narrowed. Her pulse quickened. The battle wasn't over. It was only just beginning.