The flames blazed in the distance, a crimson crown rising over the forest's edge. Every wolf in the clearing turned instinctively, drawn by fear, memory—or both. Kael growled low in his throat.
"Get everyone underground. Now."
Alara hesitated only a second before shouting orders. Warriors shifted into wolf form, streaking toward the dens and mountain tunnels. But Kael didn't move. He looked at Eira, his voice low and taut.
"You saw them, didn't you? In your vision."
She nodded, still pale. "I—I think they were calling me."
"They think you're one of them."
"Maybe I am."
He grabbed her shoulders. "Don't say that."
The ground trembled beneath their feet—just a pulse. Then another. Eira turned to the east.
"The Moonstone Tree. That's where they're going."
Kael's eyes narrowed. "How do you know?"
"I don't." Her voice caught. "But something in me does."
He hesitated for only a heartbeat, then nodded. "Then that's where we go."
They made their way through the forest, the trees looming above them like sentinels. The air was thick with tension, and Eira could feel the weight of the pack's gaze upon her.
As they approached the Moonstone Tree, Eira could see that it was surrounded by a ring of fire. Black-robed figures circled the tree, their hoods drawn low. Kael drew a blade from his belt, his eyes narrowing.
"Flamebound," he whispered.
"They're summoning something," Eira replied, her voice barely audible.
Before Kael could respond, the chanting ceased. The circle broke, and from within stepped a tall woman cloaked in white flames. Her face was both young and ancient, her eyes glowing ember-orange.
She spoke without sound—her voice entering their minds like smoke through cracks.
"Daughter of Ash. Flame of the Heart. You have returned."
Eira stepped forward, despite Kael's hiss of warning. "Who are you?"
"I am what you will become," the woman replied. "You have the Alpha's Heart. And with it, you have the power to bring about a new era."
Kael raised his blade. "You're not taking her."
But the woman didn't flinch. "She has already chosen. Haven't you, child?"
And that's when Eira realized—her mark was no longer reacting in pain. It pulsed in recognition. Acceptance.
She fell to her knees, gasping. Flames curled around her fingers—not burning, but beckoning. Kael shouted, running toward her, but he hit a wall of fire and was thrown back.
Eira's mind spun with memories not her own—rituals of fire, voices calling her name in a tongue long dead. Wolves kneeling. Blood spilled under stars.
The woman stepped closer. "You are the Key. The Blood that Burns. You were not orphaned. You were hidden."
Eira's head snapped up. "What?"
"Your mother bore the mark too. She sealed her power—and yours—to protect you from the packs. But now you awaken."
Kael struggled to rise, smoke pouring from his armor. "Eira, don't listen—"
But Eira was shaking. "My mother… was Flamebound?"
The woman smiled. "She was the last Queen of the Fire Pact. And you are her heir."
Eira's world cracked apart. Everything—the orphanage, the whispers, the mark—suddenly made sense.
A roar split the clearing. A massive black wolf barreled into the circle, scattering robed figures like leaves. Kael had shifted—his Alpha form towering, furious.
The Flamebound woman narrowed her eyes. "So protective."
Kael leapt toward her, but flames surged upward, stopping him cold. And in the silence, Eira rose—her hands aflame, eyes gold, standing between two destinies.
"I want answers," she said, voice shaking. "All of them. Or I'll burn every one of you."
The flames responded to her will, rising higher around her without harming her. The Flamebound woman smiled.
"Then follow me, child of fire."
And with a flick of her cloak, she vanished into flame. Leaving Eira alone in the circle. Kael shifted back, staggering toward her.
"We have to leave. Now."
But Eira didn't move. She stared at the moonstone tree, where something shimmered at the base. A sigil—her mother's. Burned into the roots.
She walked toward it. And behind her, Kael whispered, "They've had you in their hands from the start."
Eira's eyes fixed on the sigil, her mind racing with questions. What did it mean? Why was her mother's mark here, in this place?
As she reached out to touch the sigil, Kael caught her arm. "Wait," he said, his voice low and urgent. "We don't know what that is or what it does."
Eira hesitated, her eyes locked on the sigil. She could feel a strange energy emanating from it, a power that seemed to call to her.
"I need to know," she said, her voice firm. "I need to understand what's going on."
Kael's grip on her arm tightened. "I'll go first," he said. "If it's a trap, I'll take the hit."
Eira nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. She watched as Kael cautiously approached the sigil, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger.
As he reached out to touch the sigil, a burst of light erupted from it, illuminating the clearing. Eira felt a surge of energy, like a key turning in a lock.
The light faded, and Kael stumbled back, his eyes wide with shock. "It's a message," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "From your mother."
Eira's heart skipped a beat. "What does it say?"
Kael's eyes locked onto hers, his expression serious. "It says you're the key to unlocking the secrets of the Flamebound. And that you're in grave danger."
Eira's mind reeled with the implications. She was the key to unlocking the secrets of the Flamebound? What did that mean?
As she stood there, frozen in shock, the Flamebound woman reappeared, her eyes gleaming with an otherworldly intensity.
"Welcome, child of fire," she said, her voice like honey. "You have much to learn. And not much time to do it in."
Eira's eyes narrowed. "What do you want from me?"
The woman smiled. "I want to teach you the truth about your heritage. And about the power that lies within you."
Kael stepped forward, his eyes flashing with anger. "You're not taking her anywhere."
The woman's smile grew wider. "Oh, but I am. You see, Eira's destiny is already set in motion. And I'm the one who can help her fulfill it."
Eira felt a shiver run down her spine. She knew that she was in grave danger, that her life was about to change in ways she couldn't even imagine.
But she also knew that she couldn't back down. She had to learn the truth about her heritage, about the power that lay within her.
And so, with a sense of determination, she nodded. "I'm ready," she said. "Let's do this."