"They?" Caleb stepped forward, his sharp eyes narrowing as he shut the door behind Darius and bolted it. "What do you mean? Speak clearly."
"The rogues," Darius said, his words clipped as he tried to steady himself. "It wasn't just that thing in the woods. It was a scout, a warning. There's more. A whole pack."
Luna's stomach dropped. She gripped the edge of the desk to steady herself. "A pack? Coming here?"
Darius nodded grimly, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "I barely got away. They're not far behind. We need to alert the Alpha—prepare for a fight."
Caleb's expression darkened. He turned to Luna, his voice calm but urgent. "Stay here. Don't leave this room. No matter what you hear, do you understand?"
Luna opened her mouth to protest, but Caleb's piercing gaze stopped her. She nodded reluctantly, her hands trembling as she folded them in her lap.
Darius and Caleb stepped into the hallway, their voices fading as they walked away. The heavy sound of the lock clicking into place made Luna's heart pound even harder.
She paced the room, her thoughts spinning. The pendant on the desk seemed to glow faintly in the dim light, and her mother's journal lay open beside it. Luna's fingers brushed against the worn pages as she tried to make sense of what was happening.
Guardians. Abilities. Danger. The words swirled in her mind like a storm. Her mother had been part of something powerful, something dangerous, and now it was all crashing down on her.
A distant howl broke through her thoughts, low and haunting. Luna froze, her heart hammering. It wasn't a normal wolf's howl—it was deeper, more guttural.
Her instincts screamed at her to stay put, but the sound drew her to the window. She peeked through the thick curtains and gasped.
Shapes moved in the shadows of the forest, their eyes glowing faintly in the moonlight. There were more of them than she could count, their forms shifting and blending into the darkness.
A loud bang on the door made her spin around.
"Luna!" Darius's voice called out, urgent and sharp. "Open up!"
She hesitated, her hand hovering over the lock. Something felt wrong. His voice sounded off—too rushed, too desperate.
"Darius?" she called, her voice trembling. "What's happening?"
"Just open the door!" he shouted, slamming against it.
Luna's hand froze. Her mother's words echoed in her mind: Trust no one.
"Say something only you would know," she said, her voice firmer this time.
There was a pause on the other side of the door. The banging stopped, replaced by a low growl.
"You don't have time for this, Luna," the voice snapped. But it wasn't Darius anymore. It was deeper, darker.
She stumbled back, her heart racing. The door shuddered as something heavy slammed against it again and again.
"Luna, run!" Caleb's voice shouted from somewhere outside the room.
The door cracked, splinters flying into the air. Luna grabbed the pendant and journal from the desk and bolted toward the window. The cold night air hit her face as she shoved it open, glancing down at the drop below.
The door burst open behind her just as she leapt, her body twisting as she fell. She hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of her, but there was no time to stop.
A figure emerged from the broken window above, its glowing eyes locking onto her. It jumped, landing with a sickening thud just a few feet away.
Luna scrambled to her feet and ran, her legs burning as she sprinted toward the woods. The pendant swung wildly around her neck, its faint glow lighting her path.
The forest seemed darker than before, the shadows closing in around her. Every snap of a twig, every rustle of leaves made her heart race.
She could hear the creature behind her, its heavy footsteps closing the distance. She ducked under branches and leapt over roots, the pendant growing warmer against her chest.
A clearing appeared up ahead, the faint light of the moon breaking through the trees. Luna pushed herself harder, her lungs screaming for air.
Just as she reached the edge of the clearing, a figure stepped out of the shadows.
"Stop!" the voice commanded, deep and commanding.
It was Gideon, his powerful presence freezing her in place. His eyes flicked to the creature barreling toward them, and he shifted in an instant, his wolf form towering and imposing.
The rogue lunged, but Gideon met it mid-air, their bodies colliding with a deafening crash.
Luna stumbled back, her chest heaving as she watched the fight unfold. Gideon was faster, stronger, his movements precise and deadly. The rogue tried to twist away, but Gideon's jaws clamped down on its neck, ending the fight in seconds.
The rogue's body fell limp, and Gideon shifted back, his eyes sharp as they landed on Luna.
"You disobeyed me," he said, his voice low and angry.
Luna opened her mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come. Her body trembled, and tears stung her eyes.
Gideon's expression softened slightly, and he stepped closer. "You're not safe out here," he said. "Come with me."
Back at the mansion, the pack was in chaos. Wolves shifted and unshifted as they prepared for an attack, their movements frantic and hurried.
Caleb met them at the door, his face lined with worry. "What happened?" he asked, his eyes darting between Luna and Gideon.
"She was almost taken," Gideon said, his tone grim. "We need to lock down the grounds. No one leaves, and no one enters without my approval."
Caleb nodded, but his eyes lingered on Luna. "Are you hurt?"
Luna shook her head, but the weight of the pendant around her neck felt heavier than ever. "I think... I think it was after this," she said, holding it out.
Gideon's eyes narrowed, and he took the pendant from her, studying it closely. "This is more dangerous than I thought," he muttered.
"What does it mean?" Luna asked, her voice quiet.
"It means the fight isn't over," Gideon said, his tone grave. "And it won't be until we find out why they're after you."
Outside, a pair of glowing eyes watched from the shadows, unseen by the pack. The figure stepped back into the darkness, a low growl escaping its throat.
"Soon," it murmured, it
s voice chilling and full of promise. "Very soon."