Amara.
Everything happened in an instant.
One moment, I was cowering inside the wrecked car, a rogue's filthy grip crushing my wrist—and the next, all my fear vanished.
Suddenly everything became dark.
When I regained my awareness, everything felt…different.
The rogues hovering around me were retreating. And the one who had grabbed me earlier was staggering backward, clutching his arm—or what remained of it. Deep claw marks tore through his flesh, from his arm, then across his chest. Blood dripped from his wound and soaked the snow beneath his feet.
It was only then that I stared at my own hands and noticed Blood dripping from my fingers. Long, razor-sharp claws extended where my neatly trimmed nails should have been.
I panicked.
What happened?
I couldn't remember anything.
Low growls vibrated through the air. The rogues circled with caution now, their eyes were locked on me—but none dared to come any closer.
Then, suddenly, a loud, agonizing scream resonated through the woods. I froze for a second before my head snapped in the direction of the familiar voice
"Seraphina—!" The cry shattered in my throat.
She lay on her back in her human form, naked and bleeding, struggling beneath a rogue twice her size. Its teeth were sinking into her forearm while she fought desperately as her nails scraped uselessly against its skin.
My breath tightened.
I scanned the area. Vance—his wolf battered and bleeding—was completely surrounded, fighting with fierce determination as he tried to reach his sister. But there were just too many. Lance had it much worse. Blood poured from his foreleg as a rogue clung to his back, tearing at his flesh. In the instance When he glanced toward Seraphina, another rogue seized the chance and drove its claws into his stomach.
He let out a loud, pained howl.
My hands flew to my mouth, choking back a scream.
I looked at Seraphina once more. She was losing. It was only a matter of time.
If no one reached her in time—
"No!" I sobbed at the thought I dared not imagine.
I forced myself out of the car. But The moment my feet hit the ground, they gave out. I collapsed, then, my body instantly folded like it no longer belonged to me.
Agony ripped down my spine and spread through my limbs. I couldn't move.
And yet, strangely, none of the rogues attacked me despite how vulnerable I was.
They just watched.
My vision blurred. Tears spilled freely as the chaos around me faded into noise.
I was a coward.
I was weak.
I was useless.
In that moment of self-loath, my wolf suddenly stirred again.
Now.
Her calm and steady voice said.
Let me out. I will help you.
This time around, I didn't fight her. Or in truth, I didn't have the strength.
For a split second, everything went still.
Then came—
Agony.
It exploded through me, violent and extremely merciless. I screamed as my bones cracked and heat flooded my veins like molten lava . It felt as though my body was tearing itself apart from the inside.
My shift was everything but gentle. It was as if every wall I had built to cage her shattered at once.
Power surged through me—it rushed through my body, leaving behind a raw, feral, and an overwhelming sensation.
I twisted, surrendering piece by piece, until the last human sound left my throat and became a snarl.
Soon after, the world felt smaller. I could hear everything. Smell everything. My sight did not match my other heightened senses, but I knew where everyone stood regardless—I could hear every heartbeat, every breath.
I no longer felt fear, only rage remained after turning.
Then slowly I rose to my feet, or rather…paws.
Black fur coated my massive body, sleek and endless. I was familiar with what I had turned into. A wolf born of shadow, and of crazy strength.
The moment I took my first step, the air shifted.
All the rogues backed away instinctively. But they were not my target.
The one attacking Seraphina turned—
Too late.
I launched myself forward, my strong jaws closing around his skull. With a violent snap, I hurled him into the air. His body struck a tree with a sickening crash.
He did not move again.
"A-Amara…?"
I turned to a wide-eyed Seraphina. Her body was covered in deep, bleeding wounds. Her golden-brown locks were disheveled, and the light that always brightened her expressions was nowhere to be found.
And so instead of answering her, I turned. The fury that brewed in my heart at that sight did not permit a conversation.
I positioned myself between her and the rogues surrounding us, teeth bared and chest heaving steadily—daring anyone to challenge me.
But none did.
The rogues hesitated, backing away step by step. Their filthy bodies trembled each time I swept my gaze over them.
When I realized that none of them had the courage to attack, I chose to do it instead.
I moved, and in an instant, bodies fell.
My attacks were precise—no wasted motion, no hesitation. Wherever I passed, rogues crumpled. They tried to defend themselves, but it was useless.
Against a wolf four times their sizes, resistance was meaningless.
Vance and Lance froze when they looked at me. Both lowered their heads instinctively whenever I looked at them.
Their wolves recognized mine.
And revered it.
For the first time in my life, my body felt lighter. It didn't feel heavy from trying everything I could to keep my wolf caged.
I wasn't lost. I wasn't confused or nervous.
All I felt was an inexplicable sense of pride—one that ordinary beings dared not have.
A rogue lunged for Lance's exposed throat when he was distracted. But I snarled and intercepted it mid-air.
My jaws clamped around its neck and the next minute— Crack.
Crimson red blood sprayed over my muzzle. But I barely noticed—barely cared. All I felt was resolve. Resolve to protect them, no matter the method I needed to use to do that.
The fight ended quickly after that. The few rogues left standing broke and fled into the forest.
I watched them go; my anger had nearly subsided at that point. However, I paused suddenly when I felt an ominous presence behind a tree some distance from where I stood.
Did I say suddenly? No, the presence was all but sudden. It had been there since I turned—longer than that, maybe. I only failed to pay heed to it because I was too angry and concentrated on the rogues I fought earlier.
That presence had been there all along.
Hiding. Observing.
I turned slowly in the direction where I felt the presence from. Behind a tree stood a tall, thin figure. My blurred vision couldn't make out his face—but I could smell him. Hear him.
As strange as that would seem, there was something familiar about him that unnerved me.
I stepped forward.
"Don't bother," a deep male voice said calmly.
I stopped.
There was no fear in him. I sensed that from his confident tone.
That alone told me he was dangerous.
"I enjoyed watching you, Amara," he continued lightly. "Until next time."
He bowed—teasingly, deliberately—and walked away, as soon as he did, several rogues turned and followed him without question.
I memorized his scent. Wood and metal. Something ancient. Something wrong. Something familiar.
Er-ksah-toh.
My wolf snarled in a language I didn't understand.
Before I could ask what it meant, my strength vanished. My legs trembled violently. All energy drained from my body, leaving behind only exhaustion and pain. I forced myself to remain standing, but failed.
The world tilted and I collapsed into the snow.
"Amara!" Seraphina screamed.
I felt myself shifting back. It wasn't painless, except, everything I had gone through had numbed me. Before I would completely turn human, Vance walked over and put a blanket over me.
As my consciousness started to wane, my vision grew blurrier by the second.
I felt cold—so cold.
Seraphina pulled my head into her lap, brushing my overgrown hair from my face. "Amara, stay with me. Please. Stay with me," she cried, her tears wetting my cheeks in the process.
I feebly lifted my hands and stroked her cheeks. I wanted to tell her I was fine—just a little sleepy, but words failed me. And so I hoped my gesture would equally convey my thoughts to her.
My hands fell to my side as the world began to fade again. And right before everything went dark—
I smelled him.
Forest after snowfall. A hint of sweetness…and something quite different this time—sweat and a raging storm, perhaps.
L.
The Alpha.
I wasn't sure which of the two I smelled—I didn't care, all that mattered was his approaching presence.