Kael headed out without uttering a single word; his fists clenched, jaws tightening as they walked towards the border. Elena picked up her pace to keep up with Leo and Kael.
The rogues stood just beyond, their expressions hostile as they jeered. A tall, scarred man stepped forward. "We are here to settle a score," he growled as soon as he spotted Kael in the distance. He was huge and ugly like the rest of them; scars and burns marred his face. "This is our territory. State your business or leave." Kael's voice radiated nothing but sheer authority
The rogue sneered. "Our business is with you, Blackwood. You took something that belongs to us, and we are here to take it back." The wicked twinkle in his loathsome eyes was immissible.
Kael's eyes narrowed. "I don't know what you are talking about." The rogue grinned, but his eyes turned cold and predatory. "Oh, I think you do. And if you don't hand it over, we will tear this place apart to find it. I am sure my men could have some good times with your whores. It's been a long time since we tasted women; say what, boys? " Sickening leers and cheers filled the air.
A shiver ran down Elena's spine. The threat seemed strangely directed at her as the rogue's gaze traveled around before stopping right on her face. Kael stepped in front of her, blocking her from the rogue's view. "I will pluck those eyes and feed them to the ravens. Get the hell off my property, morons! " Elena had no way of knowing what property he was talking about but it was supposed to be his pack, his land. Wasn't it?
Kael lunged forward, and his men mimicked his action while Leo pounced beside Elena. His silver sword was drawn in one hand, and the other held a gun.
Elena could feel the rush seeping back up her sleeve." Welcome back to pack life!" Someone giggled in her head.
It was at this moment that she realized she was back amongst werewolves. A deep sigh left her chest. She had been amongst the humans for too long, to the point where she was almost starting to get scared of the inevitable face-off.
Kael's fist connected with the rogue's jaw as he lunged forward. A sickening crack resonated through the air. The rogue staggered back, blood spurting from his mouth, but the malicious grin never left his face.
"Get them!" The rogue spat, wiping his mouth as his men surged forward like a tidal wave, infiltrating the pack borders. Kael's men met them head-on. The air was immediately filled with snarls and growls, along with the sound of clinking metals and guns.
Elena stood frozen. Her mind raced as the chaos unfolded around her. Leo never left her side, swinging his sword with precision. The gun in his other hand fired off rounds in rapid succession. Elena placed her hands over her ear at the sound of the gunshots. Her heart pounded harder, and she started to feel short of breath.
She clenched her fists, trying to steady herself. But there was a strange prickling all over her body as if adrenaline was rushing through her veins.
She could feel an energy building up inside her. A power she had long suppressed was beginning to resurface. It wasn't something she was proud of but it always came knocking at her conscience in dire situations. People blamed it on the witch blood in her veins. It wasn't a compliment. It was an insult.
She tried to shake off the feeling and stay grounded, but just then, a soft and mocking voice whispered in her ear." You are not ready for this. They will kill you, just like they killed the others !"
She whipped her head around, but there was no one there. The voice had come from within. Panic gripped her. It had been years since she had heard those voices, and she thought they were gone for good. But there they were again, in the midst of a battle, threatening to unhinge her.
Kael's roar cut through her thoughts, snapping her back to the present. He was grappling with the scarred leader; their strength strangely seemed evenly matched.
The rogue slammed Kael into a tree, splintering the wood, but Kael retaliated with a vicious headbutt, sending the rogue reeling. Blood streamed down the rogue's face, but he just burst into a dark, malicious laughter. "Give it to me, Blackwood!" he howled. "Or we will make sure you regret ever crossing us."
Kael didn't flinch. " You got a big mouth right there! Let me rip it open for you! ," he growled, but the Rogue leader suddenly changed course and dived towards Elena.
Leo was a few feet away, busy fighting off a group of those pests. Elena was all alone when he fell exactly at her feet. The Rogue locked eyes with her, about to get his hold on her throat. Elena saw her chance. She darted sideways, moving on instinct.
The force surging within her was at its pinnacle, fighting to burst forth. Elena closed her eyes in an attempt to channelise the energy that was now hammering inside her. Her hand shot out, and a bolt of force slammed into the rogue's chest, sending him flying back. He hit the ground hard, stunned.
The pack paused, all eyes wide with surprise as they turned towards Elena.
But the Rogue quickly recovered, redoubling on his feet. Elena barely had time to catch her breath before another rogue charged at her, teeth bared. She ducked forward, narrowly avoiding his claws. "You are weak ", the voice sneered in her head. "You should have stayed hidden. At least let us help! "
Just then, yet another rogue closed in, and Elena braced herself. Before she could react, Leo was there, his sword flashing in the moonlight as he decapitated the rogue with one single swing. He shot back a glance at her, "You alright in there? " Elena quickly nodded.
The voice in her head started laughing, echoing through her mind. Elena staggered, and the ground started feeling unsteady beneath her feet. The world around her seemed to blur, and even the sounds of the battle grew distant.
Was she losing it again? She could feel the Rogues charging towards her. Just then, she felt Kael's hand on her shoulder. He seized the moment, driving his knee into a rogue's stomach while slashing at another's throat with a knife that he had pulled out from his belt. Blood sprayed across the clearing as the rogue fell lifeless to the ground.
"You are going to wish you had never been born, Blackwood." The Rogue leader yelled as he charged forward.
Kael smirked. "You have already lost; you just don't know it yet." The Rogue leader lunged, but Kael was faster. He ducked under the rogue's swipe and drove his fist into the man's ribs, shattering his entire rib cage. The rogue howled in pain but retaliated with a backhand that caught Kael across the face, sending him staggering.
Amidst it all, something took over Elena. She stepped forward, placing her hand on Kael's arm. The energy running through her veins transferred into him, and Kael's strength suddenly surged.
He grinned at her, a wild look in his eyes. He had never been appreciative of her strange outbursts of energies. He called her a freak for having that power. What had changed in all those years? It almost seemed like he was enjoying the link that she had created between them.
"Let's finish this," he murmured, his voice only for Elena's ears. Elena nodded. The Rogue's eyes widened in fear as he realized what was coming. "No …" he started, but it was too late. Elena unleashed the energy as Kael channeled it right at the Rogue leader's heart. His body convulsed as the force ripped through him. His screams echoed through the night before finally falling silent.
The remaining rogues hesitated, seeing their leader fall. Without his command, they were lost. Kael stood over the rogue leader's corpse, his chest heaving, as he barked, "Get the hell out of here, or you will meet the same fate." The rogues exchanged glances before turning on their tail and fleeing into the woods.
As the dust settled, Elena felt the power recede. She was starting to feel absolutely drained. The voices in her head had vanished. An eerie silence replaced all the commotion, and then everything went blank.
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