Elara stood at the heart of the ancient stone circle, her pulse racing, each breath coming faster than the last. The night was silent, save for the soft rustling of the wind, but within her, something stirred—a power she couldn't yet understand. Kael's words echoed in her mind: You are a key. You have the power to break it—or to embrace it. The weight of that statement pressed on her chest, as though the very air around her had thickened with the power of the curse.
She glanced at Kael, his amber eyes glowing with an intensity that sent a chill through her. He seemed to know something she didn't, something hidden in the dark, waiting to be revealed.
"I don't understand," Elara said, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to stay composed. "What do you mean by embracing it? The curse is nothing but a nightmare. It killed my father."
Kael's gaze softened, but there was no pity in his eyes—only understanding. "I know you're angry, Elara. I felt the same way when I first discovered the truth. But the curse is not just something to be feared. It is part of you, just as much as it is part of your ancestors. It is ancient, older than anything you've ever known. And it's not something that can simply be erased."
Elara's hands clenched into fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. She could feel the anger rising within her again—the raw, unchecked fury that had driven her this far. It was the same anger that had fueled her quest for vengeance, the same fire that had kept her moving forward when every part of her wanted to give up.
"But why? Why is it me?" she demanded, her voice breaking through the stillness of the forest. "Why did this curse fall on my bloodline? Why now?"
Kael stepped closer, his movements slow and deliberate. "The bloodline of the Draytons has always been tied to the forest, to the wolves. Your ancestors made a pact with the forest spirits, but the cost was heavy. For each generation, one born of the bloodline would carry the curse, would be bound to the wolf. It is not just a curse, Elara. It is a gift. And it's up to you whether you choose to accept it or reject it."
She shook her head, disbelief clouding her thoughts. "A gift?" she repeated, her voice rising. "How could this be a gift? My father died because of it. I watched him bleed out in the woods, torn apart by the very creature you're talking about!"
Kael's expression darkened, his jaw tightening. "The creature that killed your father was not the curse. It was only one manifestation of it—one of many. You're not seeing the full picture. The curse is not just the wolf. It's the power that runs through your veins, the strength that lies dormant within you. The beast within the bloodline is meant to protect, Elara, not destroy."
The silence between them grew heavy. Elara's mind raced, grappling with Kael's words. The image of her father's lifeless body flashed before her eyes, the blood soaking into the earth. She had always believed that the curse was nothing more than a mark of death. But Kael's words made her question everything.
"You're asking me to embrace something that killed my father?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kael's eyes softened, a hint of regret in his expression. "I'm not asking you to forget what happened, Elara. I'm asking you to understand. There's more to this curse than just the pain. There's more to you than just the rage. The wolf is a part of your heritage, but you have the power to choose what you become. You have the power to control it, to shape it into something that can protect rather than destroy."
Elara shook her head again, a sense of helplessness rising within her. "I don't know if I can control it. I don't even know what it means to have this power."
"You're not alone," Kael said, his voice steady. "I'll help you. We'll walk this path together, and I'll show you how to harness it."
Elara felt a flicker of hope stir within her—a small, fragile thing that had lain dormant for so long. Perhaps Kael could help her, perhaps he was right. But there was still so much she didn't understand.
"I don't know if I can trust you," she admitted, her voice small. "I don't know if I can trust anyone."
Kael's lips curled into a faint smile. "You don't have to trust me yet. Trust yourself. You already have everything you need to fight this. You just need to believe in it."
The wind picked up again, swirling around them in a dance that seemed almost purposeful. The moon hung low in the sky, its pale light casting an eerie glow over the stone circle. Elara felt it then—the pull of something deep within her, a force calling her to embrace what she was, to take the next step on this twisted path. She could feel the weight of the curse, but she could also feel something more—something that was uniquely her own.
The choice was hers.
The path she chose would determine her future, the future of her bloodline, and perhaps even the fate of the village she had sworn to protect.
Kael's voice broke through her thoughts. "The next full moon is approaching. It will be the first test. You must prepare."
Elara looked up at him, her gaze unwavering. "Prepare for what?"
"For what you truly are," Kael replied, his tone serious. "For what you must become to break the curse—or to embrace it."
---
The days that followed were filled with long hours of training and preparation. Kael guided her through the physical and mental challenges she would face, teaching her to harness the strength that lay dormant within her. The power was there, just beneath the surface, but it was wild and untamed, like a beast waiting to be unleashed.
At night, Elara could feel the pull of the wolf within her, calling to her in her dreams. She saw visions of the forest—of her ancestors, of the pact they had made with the spirits of the land. She saw the first Drayton, a man with the same dark eyes as hers, kneeling before the ancient stones, binding his bloodline to the curse.
Each night, she woke in a cold sweat, her heart pounding in her chest. But each night, she grew stronger. Kael's presence, his steady guidance, helped her understand the curse, helped her control the primal energy that surged within her.
The night of the full moon arrived sooner than expected. Elara stood at the edge of the clearing, her eyes fixed on the sky above, watching the moon rise higher and higher. Tonight, she would face the truth of the curse, the truth of what she was meant to become.
Kael stood beside her, his amber eyes glowing in the moonlight. "Tonight, you will face your true self," he said, his voice low. "But remember—whether you succeed or fail, you are not alone."
Elara nodded, a sense of calm settling over her. She had made her choice.
As the moon reached its peak, the transformation began.