Echoes under the Moonlight

Ava's breath came fast and shallow, her heart hammering against her ribs. She tried to steady it, but fear curled around her like icy chains. The cold night air stung her skin, but it was nothing compared to the dread twisting inside her.

Lucien stood beside her, rigid and alert, his presence a solid wall of strength. His golden eyes flicked toward her. "Stay calm," he whispered, his voice steady and commanding. "You've been here before. Trust yourself."

Ava swallowed hard. Trust herself? How could she when her own power was unpredictable? One moment, it surged through her like fire, bending to her will, and the next, it vanished, leaving her defenseless.

A twig snapped in the distance. The hunters were closing in.

She gripped her wrist where the mark burned, pulsing as if it had a mind of its own. It felt alive, waiting for something. How did I do it before? She didn't have time to figure it out.

Laughter cut through the silence, cruel and mocking.

"You think your little trick will work again?" A hunter stepped forward from the shadows, his knife glinting under the moonlight. His smirk made Ava's stomach churn. "Go ahead. Try. I'd love to see you fail."

Lucien's lips curled into a sneer. "You don't know what you're facing." His voice was low and dangerous, the growl beneath it unmistakable.

The hunter raised his knife, but before he could act, Lucien moved.

One second he was beside her, the next he was a blur of motion. He slammed into the hunter with brutal force, sending him crashing to the ground. The earth trembled from the impact. The knife clattered away.

Then everything exploded into chaos.

More hunters burst from the trees, surrounding them like wolves circling prey.

Lucien met them head-on. He fought with deadly precision, moving too fast for the human eye to follow. Every strike was calculated, every movement lethal.

Ava stood frozen, her pulse pounding as she watched him fight. He was a force of nature—wild, unrelenting. His strength was terrifying… and mesmerizing.

But there were too many.

One hunter broke past Lucien, his eyes locked on Ava.

Panic shot through her veins as he lunged. She stumbled back, her hands trembling. Come on, come on! The power inside her stirred, restless, eager. She reached for it—

A shockwave burst from her palms.

The hunter was thrown back, crashing into a tree with a sickening thud. He slumped to the ground, unmoving.

Ava stared at her hands, her breath catching. "I did it again," she whispered.

"Good." Lucien's voice was sharp through the chaos. "Now keep going."

But something was wrong. The power felt wilder this time, harder to control. It pulsed inside her, demanding more. What if it takes over? What if it hurts Lucien?

Another hunter rushed at her. She threw her hands up again—nothing.

The mark on her wrist flickered, the heat fading.

"No, no, no," she panicked.

The hunter was almost on her.

Lucien saw. His roar split the night.

Mid-leap, his body twisted and expanded, fur rippling over his skin as he shifted. A massive gray wolf slammed into the hunter, sending them both rolling.

Ava gasped as Lucien fought with raw, brutal skill. Blood splashed across the ground. The hunter screamed—but it was over in seconds.

Lucien shifted back, breathing hard, blood dripping from his hands. His eyes locked onto hers, intense and unwavering.

"We have to go. Now."

"But—"

"No buts." His grip on her arm was firm. "More are coming. We can't fight them all."

Ava hesitated, her body still buzzing with energy, but she knew he was right. They had to run.

Together, they bolted into the trees. The forest blurred around them as they pushed forward, their breaths ragged.

The hunters' shouts faded, but Ava knew better. This wasn't over.

Lucien led them deeper into the woods until they reached a hidden cluster of rocks. He finally stopped, releasing her arm.

"Let's rest here," he said, scanning the area.

Ava collapsed onto the ground, shaking. "I… I don't get it." She ran a trembling hand over her wrist. "Why can't I control it? It worked before, and then it just… stopped."

Lucien crouched beside her, his expression softer now. "Your power is new. It's like a muscle. You have to train it. Right now, it's wild. But you'll get the hang of it."

Ava clenched her fists. "What if I can't? What if I'm not strong enough?"

Lucien placed a hand on her shoulder. "You are strong enough. You've already shown that."

Tears stung her eyes. "I'm scared."

"I know." His voice was quiet. "But you're not alone."

Ava took a shaky breath. For the first time, she believed him.

But the moment of peace shattered in an instant.

A twig snapped—too close.

Lucien stiffened. His head jerked up, his nostrils flaring.

"Run." His voice was deadly serious.

Ava's blood turned to ice. "What—"

An arrow sliced through the air. Lucien yanked her down just in time. The arrow buried itself in the tree behind them.

They were surrounded.

Figures emerged from the shadows, cloaked in black, their weapons glinting. But these weren't the same hunters. They moved differently—silent, precise. More dangerous.

Ava's breath hitched. "Who are they?"

Lucien's jaw tightened. "Not hunters." His eyes burned gold. "They're something worse."

One of the figures stepped forward. A woman with long, silver hair and piercing violet eyes. Her presence sent a shiver down Ava's spine.

"You've caused quite the mess," the woman said smoothly. "We've been watching." Her gaze flicked to Ava's wrist. "That power of yours… it's wasted on you."

Ava instinctively covered her wrist.

The woman's lips curled. "You don't even know what you are, do you?"

Lucien moved in front of Ava. "We're leaving."

The woman chuckled. "Oh, I don't think so."

She raised a hand.

Ava felt it instantly—pressure, like an invisible force crushing her lungs. She gasped, clutching her throat.

Lucien growled, stepping forward, but the other figures closed in.

Ava struggled, her vision blurring. No… not like this…

Then, the mark on her wrist flared.

Ava didn't think. She let go.

The force exploded outward.

The silver-haired woman staggered back, eyes wide. The others were thrown off their feet.

Lucien grabbed Ava's hand. "Go. Now."

They ran.

The wind howled past them as they raced through the trees, their enemies recovering behind them.

Ava's head spun. Who were they? How did they know about her power? And why did it suddenly feel like she wasn't running from just hunters anymore?

This was bigger.

And whatever she was—whatever was inside her—was at the heart of it.

Lucien squeezed her hand. "We'll figure this out."

Ava's chest tightened, but she nodded.

She had no choice.

Because this wasn't just a fight for survival anymore.

It was a fight for answers.

And she had a feeling they wouldn't like what they found.