Crystal's POV
The night was alive with tension, every shadow stretching long and ominous under the cold moonlight. Alpha's words echoed in my mind like a bell.
"The pack won't wait long before they strike again." He was right about those words. There was no time to rest, no time to gather my thoughts together. The pack was out for blood, and I was their target and their pawn in their big game.
"We have to leave now," Alpha said, his voice low but firm and controlling. The other men were already moving, preparing for what was to come up next. "They'll come in full force, and next time, they'll be better prepared to fight for themselves."
I nodded, my heart still racing from the confrontation. My mind was spinning non-stop, but my body felt much alive, buzzing with the energy I had only just started to understand.
I was ready, more than ready than I had ever been. But the fear was still hanging in there, lurking under the surface. This power, this destiny… it was just too overwhelming. And yet, I couldn't afford to hesitate on this quest of freedom.
"We're taking you to the mountains," one of the men, Ryan, said as he came to my side. His eyes were sharp, blazing with a strange gaze.
"A place where we can buy enough time to prepare you and your energy. The pack won't follow us there, not without serious risk."
I glanced at Alpha, who nodded in agreement to his co-warrior's words.
"The mountains are sacred ground, and few dare to trespass. But the pack may be desperate enough to try that. We must move quickly."
Without another word, we were on the move. The wind whipped through the trees as we ran fast, the three men flanking me on all sides, a protective wall of strength and power waving around.
I could feel their eyes scanning the shadows, ever watchful, ever ready. The weight of the dagger in my hand was a constant reminder of the fight that had only just begun.
The forest blurred around us as we picked up speed. My senses were heightened and not usual.
Every single rustle of leaves, every shift in the wind felt magnified. It was like I was seeing the world through my new eyes. My legs moved faster than they ever had before, fueled by the strange energy coursing through me, like water.
Suddenly, a howl pierced the night, sharp and chilling. My heart skipped a beat at once. They were coming our direction.
"They're closer than I thought," Alpha growled, glancing over his shoulder. His pace quickened, and so did mine, as fear started to creep into me.
"We can't afford to stop now. Crystal, stay with me."
I didn't need to be told twice to run for my life. The pack was hunting me, and the fear of what would happen if they caught up was enough to drive me forward and made my legs go faster than light. My lungs burned, but I pushed through the pain and made my way. There was no turning back now.
Behind us, more howls echoed, closer and more feral. The pack was closing in faster than expected. I could feel their presence, like a wave of aggression and hatred sweeping through the forest. My pulse raced, but instead of freezing in fear, something inside me snapped to attention. That energy—my power, flared to life again, and I felt a surge of adrenaline within myself.
"Faster!" Alpha urged, his eyes flashing as he pushed through the dense forest.
The Noble brothers were like shadows, weaving through the trees with effortless grace, but I could hear the growls of wolves growing louder and closer.
They're too close.
Suddenly, from the corner of my eye, I caught movement, a blur of fur and fangs.
A wolf lunged out of the shadows, aiming straight at me. Instinct took over. Before I could think twice, I swung the dagger with all my strength, the blade catching the wolf mid air, as the dagger struck him. A bright, silver flash lit up the night as the wolf yelped, its body slamming into the ground.
I didn't stop to watch what would happen next. My legs kept moving, but the taste of power was electric. I can do this.
But then more came. The wolves weren't giving up at all. Two more broke through the trees, snarling and snapping as they circled us four.
Alpha shifted in a blink, his massive wolf form barreling into one of them before it could even get closer to his standing spot.
The sound of teeth and claws tearing through fur filled the air, but the wolves didn't hesitate. They wanted blood, and they weren't going to stop until they have what they crave for.
Ezra, shouted as he slashed through the other wolf, his movements quick and brutal.
"There are too many! They're flanking us already!"
I spun around, the forest spinning with me. Wolves were everywhere, more than I could number, their glowing eyes fixed on me with a feral hunger for blood.
My chest tightened at once. I had to do something, but I didn't know how to fight like this, since this was my first. I didn't know how to control this power that I've been given.
Think, Crystal. Focus.
Another wolf leaped toward me, but this time, I didn't raise the dagger to attack as supposed. Instead, I let go of the fear, let the energy inside me take over the whole issue. It was like opening a floodgate. Power rushed through my veins, wild and untamed, but I didn't fight it or try calming it down, but I welcomed it.
The air around me crackled, and suddenly, with a wave of my hand, a burst of light exploded from my body, sending the wolves flying backward. They yelped in pain, their bodies crashing into the trees with sickening thuds.
I stared at my hands in shock, the energy still swirling around me, glowing faintly.
"Did I just do that?" I asked myself with happiness eating me up.
Alpha shifted back into his human form, breathing heavily but with a look of fierce pride in his eyes.
"Now you're starting to understand who you're."
But there was no time to celebrate my little wins. More wolves were coming, and the pack wouldn't stop until they have me for themselves. I could feel their bloodlust in the air, thick and suffocating.
"We're almost there!" Ezra shouted from ahead, pointing towards the base of the mountains looming in the distance.
But the ground shook beneath us. The pack was relentless, and as I looked back, I saw them all, a sea of wolves, their eyes locked on me. My breath caught in my throat due to fear. There were too many of them. Even with the power I was starting to tap into, I didn't know if I could hold them off.
I'm not ready for this, not now!
But then, Alpha's hand was on my shoulder, his grip strong and steady, Iike a real warrior that he his.
"You are ready, Crystal. This is what you were born for and it would remain like that"
I swallowed hard, my heart hammering in my chest and my head banging with the words, BORN FOR THIS.
As the wolves closed in, I realized something strange. This was more than just a mere survival. This was my fight. My destiny. The pack wanted me gone because they feared me, but I wasn't going to run anymore from them.
The power inside me surged again, stronger this time, brighter and more firece. I raised the dagger, my eyes locking onto the approaching wolves.
"I'm done running from you all," I whispered, the words more for myself than anyone else.
"Let's finish this."
Alpha grinned, his eyes glowing with approval.
"Now, that's the Lycan Queen I've been waiting for."
The wolves lunged, and I met them head-on, the energy inside me exploding in a blinding wave of power that lit up the night.
This was my fight now. And I was just getting started with what I've planned for my life.