A Dangerous Encounter
The air crackled with tension as Isla stepped outside the packhouse, her silver hair catching the glow of the fires around her. She had stayed behind long enough. The battlefield called to her, the cries of her warriors and the scent of blood pulling her forward.
Kaelen appeared beside her, his expression hard as stone. “You’re not ready for this,” he said, his voice edged with concern.
Isla shook her head, her silver eyes blazing with determination. “I don’t have a choice. This is my pack, my family. I won’t hide while they fight.”
Kaelen hesitated but nodded. “Then I’ll stand with you. You’ve unlocked power within you, Isla. It’s time to learn control.”
Together, they moved toward the fray, the sounds of battle growing louder with every step. Kaelen whispered instructions as they went, his golden eyes scanning the chaos. “Feel the magic coursing through you. It’s not just your strength—it’s your will. Command it.”
Isla focused, her breaths coming steady despite the chaos. She extended a hand, and a pulse of light emanated from her palm, striking down a shadow wolf that lunged for a wounded warrior. She turned to her father, her voice steady but questioning. “Like that?”
“Exactly like that,” Kaelen said with a faint smile.
As they approached the front lines, Isla’s eyes locked on a figure in the distance. Malrik stood atop a hill, his gaunt frame silhouetted against the backdrop of burning trees. His tattered cloak billowed in the wind, and the dark relics on his person pulsed with an ominous glow.
“There he is,” Isla said, her voice low and venomous. Her fists clenched as rage surged through her veins.
Draven appeared beside her, his armor smeared with blood but his presence unyielding. His amber eyes burned as they fixed on his half-brother. “He’s mine,” Draven growled, his voice guttural with fury.
Isla placed a hand on his chest, her touch steadying but firm. “Not alone,” she said, her voice trembling with restrained anger. “I will murder him for everything he’s done. For Seraphine. For our children. For all of it.”
Draven’s jaw tightened, but he nodded, his gaze softening as it met hers. “Together, then.”
Kaelen’s voice broke through their moment. “Be cautious,” he warned. “Malrik thrives on chaos. He’ll try to use your anger against you.”
Isla’s lips curled into a snarl as her silver eyes locked on Malrik once more. “Then I’ll give him something to fear.”
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