A Mother’s Strength
The clearing seemed to shrink around Isla as she faced the acolyte standing between her and the temple. Her silver eyes blazed with a mix of fury and resolve, her connection to the Moon Goddess surging within her.
“Where are my children?” Isla demanded again, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade.
The acolyte tilted her head, her calm expression unwavering. “You should leave. Eira is protecting them from your recklessness.”
“They don’t need protection from me,” Isla snapped, her light flaring in response to her anger. “They’re my children, and they belong with me.”
The acolyte raised her hands, summoning another wave of shadowy magic. “Eira has given them a future. You would only doom them to your fate.”
The words struck a nerve, but Isla refused to waver. The light around her hands intensified, illuminating the dark clearing and forcing the acolyte to shield her eyes. “Their fate is with me,” Isla growled. “And no one will take that away.”
The acolyte lunged, her shadowy tendrils striking out like serpents. Isla countered with a blast of light, shattering the tendrils before they could reach her. The clearing lit up like a second moon had risen, the sheer force of her power forcing the acolyte back.
“You don’t understand,” the acolyte said, her voice rising with desperation. “Eira is building a legacy, not just for your children but for all wolves. She’s—”
“Enough!” Isla shouted, cutting her off. She unleashed a concentrated beam of light, striking the acolyte squarely in the chest. The woman staggered, her crescent mark flickering before dimming entirely.
The air grew still as the shadows surrounding the acolyte dissolved, leaving her crumpled on the ground. Isla’s chest heaved as she stepped past her, her focus locked on the temple’s entrance.
Draven appeared at her side, his amber eyes scanning the area for more threats. “You okay?” he asked, his voice rough but steady.
“I’m fine,” Isla replied, though her voice wavered. Her gaze shifted to the heavy stone doors ahead. “They’re in there. I can feel it.”
Together, they pushed open the temple doors, stepping into the darkness beyond with a shared determination to reclaim what had been stolen from them.
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