THE AWAKENING

I couldn’t move.

As the hunter's silver eyes met mine. I was paralyzed, trembling with fear throughout my entire body, with every impulse urging me to flee, conceal, or take action. He approached me with deliberate, unhurried strides, as if he had unlimited time, leaving me only able to gaze in return.

Gunner remained crumpled against the tree, his wolf form Unmoving.

Dolph stood frozen at my side, his earlier fury replaced by a mixture of fear and disbelief. And me? I was helpless.

The hunter’s smile grew wider, more menacing, as he reached out his hand toward me. His voice was like poison. “You don’t belong here, little goddess.”

I flinched at his words, the chill of them cutting through my skin. "W-What is it that you need from me?"

He laughed darkly, a sound that chilled me to the bone. “You, Zelena. It’s always been you. The Moon Goddess left her mark on you, and now, that power is mine for the taking.”

“No!” Dolph’s voice broke through the haze of fear, his body suddenly snapping into motion. He lunged between me and the hunter, his stance protective. “You won’t take her!”

The hunter's face remained unchanged. He raised his hand once more, and with a flick of his wrist, some unseen force threw Dolph backward, sending him crashing into the ground with a groan.

I gasped, my hands trembling as I knelt beside Dolph. “Dolph! Are you okay?”

He groaned, his expression contorted with agony while trying to rise. “I’m… fine. You… you need to run, Zelena. Get out of here before—”

The hunter's icy voice cuffed him off before he could finish. "There is nowhere to run to. Whether you desire to go or not, you will accompany me.

His hand reached out to me once more, causing something within me to break. No more running. No more hiding.

I stood, rage and fear vibrating through my body. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

The hunter narrowed his eyes, obviously not thinking that I would challenge him. "Brave words for a girl who does not know who she is."

My heart pounded, the warmth I'd felt earlier was bubbling beneath the surface again, stronger this time. I clenched my fists, trying to concentrate on it as it felt like fire running through my veins. I had to use this power right now if I had it.

“What I am?” I said, my voice growing bolder, even as my hands shook. “I don’t need to know. All I know is you’re not taking me.”

The hunter’s expression shifted, something like amusement crossing his face. "Let's see if you can back those words."

He lunged at me before I could even process the speed at which he was moving. His hand shot to my throat, and my heart almost stopped, but something inside me roared to life.

Like before, a blinding light burst from my skin, only this time it was stronger. The hunter was flung back, crashing into the ground a few feet away, as it burst outward like a shield.

I gasped as I stood there, looking at my hands in shock. Though it was no longer just heat, the warmth had transformed into power. Uncontrolled, wild, terrifying power.

Dolph staggered to his feet, his eyes wide as he looked between me and the hunter.

"What the hell was that, what?"

With my voice shaking, I stuttered, "I-I am unsure." "I didn't intend to behave in that manner."

The hunter groaned and rose, his eyes of silver now shining with anger. “Impressive,” he sneered, wiping blood from his mouth. “But you’re still just a novice. You can’t control it, can you?”

He was right. I had no idea how to manage this, whatever it was. But, I had no other option. He would take me if I didn't fight back, and the pack would be destroyed.

Trying to steady myself, I took a deep breath, but before I could move, a deep voice echoed through the clearing.

“Enough.”

Everyone froze.

A tall, broad figure with radiating power stepped out of the shadows. It was the Alpha, Gunner’s father. His eyes shone with the same intensity that I had noticed in Gunner's, and his presence was commanding. His eyes gleamed with cold contempt for the hunter.

“You’ve overstepped, hunter.”

The hunter straightened, but he didn’t back down. “I’m taking what belongs to me.”

The Alpha’s growl was low and dangerous. “She doesn’t belong to you.”

“She belongs to the Moon Goddess,” the hunter snapped. “And that power will be mine.”

The Alpha changed into a massive, glowing-eyed, black-furred wolf without warning. With frightful speed, he launched himself at the hunter, bringing him down to the ground with a single, smooth move.

The battle was vicious and brutal. The Alpha outmatched the hunter, causing tremors in the forest with its bites and claws. As I stood still, my heart was beating rapidly in my chest, observing the intense fight between two powerful beings.

However, right as it seemed that the Alpha was winning, the hunter smirked - a cunning, cunning grin. And in that instant, he disappeared. Vanished into thin air.

The Alpha skidded to a stop, snarling with annoyance. His eyes continued to shine with rage as he transformed back into his human form. “Coward.”

I was having trouble breathing. As I tried to understand what had just happened, my mind raced. The hunter was gone, but he was not conquered. He’d come back. I knew it.

Dolph, still panting from the earlier attack, turned to me, his expression unreadable. “What just happened, Zelena? That power… it’s dangerous.”

I turned to face the Alpha after looking at him, my heart tense with anxiety. "I'm not sure. None of this makes sense to me.

The Alpha approached, his eyes softening slightly as he looked at me. “Zelena, your connection to the Moon Goddess is stronger than we thought. But with power like yours, comes responsibility. You need to learn control.”

With a dry throat, I took a hard swallow. But what happens if I lose control of it?

The Alpha’s gaze was steady. “Then it will control you.”

Before I could reply, the sound of rustling leaves echoed through the clearing and I spun around, my heart pounding into my throat.

A woman appeared out of the shadows, tall and ethereal, her hair like spun moonlight and her eyes glowing like silver. The ground beneath my feet shifted as she gave me a serene, perceptive smile.

Her voice was like music as she said, "You won't be alone." "The Moon Goddess never abandons her offspring."