Night had fallen over Shadowfang territory. The forest was quiet, too quiet. Even the wolves that usually patrolled the edges had returned, uneasy.
Nyra was sitting beside Kael in the lodge, her hands still glowing faintly with residual energy from training. Her pulse thumped against her chest, a mix of exhaustion and anticipation.
Kael's bandages were fresh again, his gaze sharp, scanning the perimeter.
"They're here," he murmured, almost to himself.
Nyra tensed. "Who?"
Kael's jaw clenched. "An assassin. Lucien doesn't strike blindly — he sends someone who can push you to your limits. And tonight… you'll face them first."
Nyra's breath hitched. "I'm… ready. I think."
Kael reached out, resting a firm hand over hers. "Trust yourself. Trust your power. Trust me. And whatever happens… I will not let you face it alone."
A rustle outside drew their attention. Shadows moved unnaturally among the trees, faster than any wolf.
Then — silence.
Too perfect.
Nyra's silver energy flared instinctively, spreading in a protective aura around the lodge. Kael's eyes glowed golden as he shifted partially, claws extending, senses alert.
From the shadows, a figure emerged — human-shaped, cloaked in black with silver runes etched along the fabric. Eyes cold and calculating, glowing faintly under the moonlight.
Nyra's heart hammered. The assassin moved faster than she could follow, a blur of deadly precision.
Kael growled low. "Stay behind me!"
But Nyra didn't move. Something in her chest stirred — the bloodline, the visions, the ancestral energy coursing through her. She could feel the attacker's movements before they happened.
The assassin lunged at Kael. Nyra reacted instinctively, thrusting her hands forward. Silver energy erupted like lightning, slamming the assassin against a tree.
Kael roared, charging into the fray fully shifted, claws slashing, teeth bared.
The assassin recovered instantly, striking with speed and skill that even Kael had to dodge. "Impossible…" he muttered mid-fight, eyes narrowing at Nyra.
She gasped, heart pounding, as silver tendrils of ancestral energy wrapped around the attacker, slowing their movements without harming them lethally. The assassin twisted, trying to break free, but Nyra's power held, bending to her will.
Kael leapt, landing beside her in wolf form. "You're doing it! Focus on me!"
Nyra's pulse synchronized with Kael's heartbeat, her silver glow intensifying. She felt every strike, every movement, every instinct of the assassin before it happened. Her energy surged outward, protective, precise, lethal yet restrained.
The assassin froze, eyes widening in disbelief. "What… what is this?"
Kael's golden eyes gleamed dangerously. "This is what happens when you threaten my mate."
Nyra's hands flared. The silver energy arced from her fingers like lightning, coiling around the attacker like living chains. Their runes sparked and hissed as they tried to break free.
Then she felt it — the bond with Kael deepening through their pulse, the energy amplifying in sync with his presence. Together, their combined aura forced the assassin to stumble backward, disarmed and incapacitated without a single fatal strike.
The forest fell silent. Even the night creatures seemed to pause.
Kael shifted back to human form, kneeling beside Nyra. "You… you did it. You protected me, the lodge… and you controlled your power perfectly."
Nyra sank to her knees, shaking with adrenaline. "I… I think I'm finally understanding it. The visions, the bloodline… it's all connected."
Kael brushed sweat-damp hair from her face. "And now, Lucien knows. He will not hesitate next time."
Nyra's eyes hardened, silver light flickering faintly around her fingertips. "Then we'll be ready. Together."
Kael pressed a hand to her cheek, eyes soft but intense. "Always. No matter what comes."
From the shadows of the forest, unseen eyes glimmered — Lucien watching, calculating, and smiling.
"Excellent," he murmured. "She awakens… but will she be ready when I come for her fully?"
And deep in the clearing, Nyra felt it too — her bloodline whispering, urging, preparing her for the storm yet to come.