The Old One's words echoed in my mind as we retreated from his lair, the darkness of the tunnels swallowing us whole. I couldn't shake the feeling of his eyes on me, watching, waiting for me to slip, to fall into the path he had laid out. No matter how hard I tried to push his voice away, it clung to me like the cold, damp air of the cave.
You will be.
Was that my fate? To become like him, to give in to the power coursing through my veins and lose myself in the process? I had always feared the monster inside me, the beast lurking just beneath the surface. But now, that fear was more real than ever.
We emerged from the tunnels just as the first rays of sunlight began to break through the trees. The cold night air was quickly giving way to the warmth of day, but I felt none of it. My mind was too clouded, too consumed by what had just happened.
Aria glanced at me, her pale eyes narrowed in concern. "You okay?"
I nodded, though I wasn't sure if I believed it myself. "Yeah… I just need some air."
Tobias said nothing as he led the way back to the camp, his broad shoulders tense with the weight of everything that had transpired. He had been quiet ever since we left the Old One's lair, and I knew better than to push him for answers. He would speak when he was ready.
The camp was quiet when we returned, the rest of the pack still asleep after the long night. I made my way to the edge of the clearing, away from the others, needing a moment to breathe, to think.
Aria followed me, her presence a steadying force. "You did well back there," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
I shook my head, my thoughts a swirling mess of doubt and confusion. "Did I? I couldn't even stand up to him. I froze."
"You didn't freeze," she corrected, her tone firm but gentle. "You faced him. That's more than most could do."
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "It doesn't feel like enough."
"It's never going to feel like enough," she said quietly. "But that's the point. The Old One isn't just a threat because of his power. He's a threat because he knows how to get inside your head, to make you doubt yourself."
I stared at the ground, the weight of her words sinking in. She was right, of course. The Old One had played me like a puppet, twisting my fears and insecurities until I wasn't sure which way was up. But if I was going to defeat him—if I was going to protect the pack—I couldn't let him control me.
"I need to learn," I muttered, more to myself than to Aria. "I need to understand this power, how to use it. Otherwise…"
I didn't finish the thought. I didn't need to. We both knew what would happen if I couldn't get a handle on whatever it was inside me. The Old One had made that perfectly clear.
---
The next few days were a whirlwind of training and preparation. Tobias and Aria pushed me harder than ever before, forcing me to confront the part of myself I had always tried to bury. It wasn't just about honing my physical skills anymore. It was about control—about mastering the beast within before it could master me.
The process was grueling. Each time I tapped into the power, it felt like I was teetering on the edge of a cliff, one misstep away from falling into an abyss I couldn't climb out of. But with each session, I grew stronger, more confident. The power was still wild, still dangerous, but it was becoming mine. Slowly, I was beginning to understand what the Old One had meant when he said I was the future.
But that didn't mean I was going to let him win.
---
One evening, as the sun set behind the mountains and the campfire crackled in the distance, I found myself standing at the edge of the clearing, staring out into the forest. The night was calm, the wind whispering through the trees, but there was a tension in the air that I couldn't shake.
"You're thinking too much again," Aria's voice cut through the silence, pulling me from my thoughts.
I glanced over at her as she approached, her expression unreadable. "Can you blame me?"
She shrugged, leaning against a nearby tree. "No. But you need to trust yourself more. You've come a long way, Kael. You're stronger than you think."
I let out a humorless laugh. "Stronger? I feel like I'm barely holding it together."
"You are," she admitted. "But that's part of the process. Power like yours doesn't come without a price. The trick is figuring out how much you're willing to pay."
I frowned, her words settling over me like a heavy weight. "And if I'm not willing to pay it?"
She sighed, her gaze softening. "Then the Old One wins."
Her words hung in the air, the unspoken truth between us. I had a choice to make—a choice that would determine not just my future, but the future of the entire pack. If I gave in to the power, if I let it consume me, I would become the very thing I feared. But if I didn't… the Old One would destroy everything I cared about.
It wasn't much of a choice.
---
That night, as the fire burned low and the pack began to settle in for the night, I made my decision. I couldn't wait any longer. I had to face the Old One again, to confront him on my own terms.
I found Tobias standing at the edge of the camp, his arms crossed over his chest as he stared out into the darkness. He didn't turn when I approached, but I knew he sensed me.
"I'm going after him," I said quietly.
Tobias nodded, as though he had been expecting this. "I figured as much."
I hesitated for a moment, then asked the question that had been gnawing at me since the moment I left the Old One's lair. "Do you think I can beat him?"
Tobias was silent for a long moment, and when he finally spoke, his voice was low and measured. "I don't know, Kael. But I do know one thing: if anyone can, it's you."
---
The next morning, I set out alone. I didn't tell anyone where I was going—not even Aria. This was something I had to do by myself. The path to the Old One's lair was burned into my memory, every twist and turn etched into my mind from that first encounter.
The closer I got, the heavier the air became, the oppressive weight of the Old One's presence pressing down on me with each step. But I didn't falter. I couldn't. Too much was riding on this.
When I finally reached the entrance to the lair, I paused, my heart hammering in my chest. The stone walls loomed ahead of me, the darkness beyond them thick and impenetrable. But I wasn't afraid. Not anymore.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was to come, and stepped into the shadows.
-----
The first step into the lair felt like plunging into an abyss. The air was thicker here, colder, as though it was not just a cave, but a living thing that exhaled with malice. The faintest sound of my boots on the stone echoed endlessly, a soft rhythm that matched the pounding of my heart. The last time I had been here, I was with Tobias and Aria. This time, I was alone.
The darkness felt more oppressive than before, as if the Old One himself was pushing it forward, letting it seep into every crack of my mind. My senses were sharper, my wolf instinct humming in the back of my head. I could hear the faintest rustle of something moving through the shadows, feel the cool stone under my fingertips as I traced the wall, making my way deeper into the cave.
I wasn't sure what I would find, but I knew I had to face him—on my terms this time.
---
As I ventured further into the lair, the path twisted and turned, becoming a labyrinth of tunnels. Each corner I rounded felt like stepping further away from the world I knew, deeper into the unknown. The light from the entrance faded until I was surrounded by nothing but shadows.
Then, the whispering began.
At first, it was faint—just a murmur on the edges of my consciousness. But as I moved deeper into the lair, it grew louder, clearer. Voices I didn't recognize. They spoke in a language I couldn't understand, but their intent was clear. They were taunting me, testing me, trying to break my resolve.
But I pressed on.
The air grew colder, and I could feel the weight of the Old One's presence growing stronger with each step. The scent of decay and ancient stone filled my nostrils, and I had to fight the urge to turn back. But I wasn't here to run. Not anymore.
---
Finally, the tunnel opened into a vast chamber, much like the one we had entered before, but larger. The walls were lined with jagged stone, the ceiling disappearing into darkness. And there, at the center of the room, seated on his stone throne, was the Old One.
He looked just as I remembered—tall, regal, his dark hair falling around his shoulders in waves. His eyes gleamed in the darkness, sharp and calculating, as though he had been waiting for me all along.
"So, you've returned," he said, his voice smooth and dark, sending a chill down my spine.
I stood my ground, meeting his gaze. "I'm not here to play your games."
His lips curved into a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "No? Then why are you here, Kael? To challenge me? To prove you're stronger than me?"
"I'm here to end this," I growled, my fists clenching at my sides. The wolf inside me stirred, restless, ready for a fight.
The Old One rose from his throne, his movements slow and deliberate, as though he had all the time in the world. He stepped down from the stone platform, his gaze never leaving mine. "End this? You don't even know what this is."
I narrowed my eyes. "You're the threat. You're the one that needs to be stopped."
He chuckled, a low, dark sound that reverberated through the chamber. "Ah, Kael. You still don't understand, do you?"
He took a step closer, and I could feel the power radiating off him, cold and ancient, like the very stones of the cave itself. "This isn't about power. It's about evolution. It's about becoming something greater than what you are."
"I'm not becoming you," I snarled, my muscles tensing. The wolf inside me growled in agreement, pushing against the boundaries of my control.
The Old One tilted his head, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Not me, no. But something more. You've felt it, haven't you? The power inside you, growing stronger with each passing day. You're not like the others. You're more than just a wolf. You are the future."
I shook my head, refusing to believe his words. "I'm not your puppet."
He smiled again, that same chilling smile. "You think you have a choice? You think you can walk away from this?"
His words hit me like a physical blow, but I stood my ground, refusing to be swayed. "I'll fight you if I have to."
The Old One's eyes flashed with something darker, something more dangerous. "You can't fight what you are, Kael. The sooner you accept that, the stronger you'll become."
Before I could respond, the ground beneath my feet trembled. The shadows in the room seemed to come alive, shifting and writhing like they had a life of their own. The Old One's power surged around me, pressing in on all sides.
But I didn't back down.
"I'll never be like you," I growled, my voice low and dangerous.
The Old One's smile faded, his expression hardening. "We'll see."
---
The power in the room intensified, the shadows swirling faster now, closing in around me. I could feel the wolf inside me snarling, pushing against my control, desperate to be set free. But I couldn't lose myself. Not here. Not now.
I took a deep breath, grounding myself, focusing on the power inside me. It was wild, untamed, but it was mine. I wasn't going to let the Old One control it—or me.
The shadows lunged toward me, but I was ready.
I called on the wolf, letting the power flow through me, but I didn't lose myself to it. I controlled it. The air around me shimmered, and I felt the power surge through my veins, a rush of strength and energy like nothing I had ever felt before.
The shadows recoiled, hissing as they were pushed back by the force of my power. The Old One watched, his expression unreadable, as I stood my ground.
"You're stronger than I thought," he murmured, almost to himself.
But I wasn't done yet.
I pushed forward, stepping toward him, my power crackling in the air around me. The shadows parted before me, and for the first time, I saw something flicker in the Old One's eyes—surprise.
"Maybe you're right," I said, my voice steady. "Maybe I am the future."
The Old One's expression darkened, his power surging once again. The chamber shook, the stone walls groaning under the weight of his fury.
But I didn't back down.
I was ready to face him—on my terms.
And I wasn't going to lose.