The walk back to town was a blur. Elena's mind raced with questions, her body trembling with exhaustion and fear. She stayed close to Damien, who led the way with the same commanding presence that had saved her life. His silence was heavy, as if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.
When they reached the edge of the forest, Elena finally broke the silence.
"Damien," she said, her voice wavering, "I need answers. No more half-truths, no more cryptic warnings. What's happening to me? Why are they after me?"
He stopped and turned to face her, his amber eyes glowing faintly under the moonlight. "You're connected to this world, Elena. To the wolves, to the forest, to me. Whether you realize it or not, you've always been part of it."
Her stomach churned. "What do you mean 'connected'? I don't have anything to do with wolves or packs or… whatever this is."
"You do," he said firmly. "It's in your blood."
Elena staggered back, shaking her head. "No. That's impossible. I'm just a normal person."
"Normal people don't wander into Ravenwood and draw the attention of the Blackfang Pack," Damien said. "And they certainly don't awaken the forest's wards."
"The symbols," she whispered, remembering the strange carvings that had glowed under her touch.
He nodded. "They only respond to those who carry the blood of the forest. You may not know what you are, Elena, but the forest does. And so do they."
The weight of his words pressed down on her chest, stealing her breath. "So, what? I'm some kind of wolf?"
"No," Damien said, his tone softening. "Not a wolf. Something… different. Something rare."
"What am I, then?"
"I don't know," he admitted, his frustration evident. "But I intend to find out."
Elena crossed her arms, her voice rising. "You're telling me my life has been a lie, that I'm somehow tied to all of this, and you don't even know why?"
Damien's jaw tightened. "I'm telling you that your presence here is no coincidence. And if we don't figure out the truth, the Blackfang Pack will hunt you until there's nothing left to find."
His words sent a chill through her. The memory of the wolves' glowing red eyes and their cruel snarls was still fresh in her mind.
"So what now?" she asked, her voice small.
"You come with me," he said. "I'll keep you safe while we figure this out."
Elena hesitated. Trusting Damien felt like stepping off a cliff blindfolded, but the alternative—facing the wolves alone—was unthinkable.
"Fine," she said reluctantly. "But I want answers. All of them."
"You'll get them," Damien promised.
The streets of Ravenwood were eerily quiet as they made their way back to The Silver Hollow. Damien walked her to her room, his eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of danger.
Before she could close the door, he stopped her. "I'll stay close. If anything happens, call out, and I'll be here."
She nodded, too drained to argue. As she stepped into her room, the weight of the night's events finally crashed down on her. She locked the door and leaned against it, her head spinning.
Her reflection in the small mirror on the wall caught her attention. She looked pale, her eyes wide with fear. But there was something else—something she couldn't quite place.
A faint shimmer danced in her irises, almost imperceptible, but undeniably there.
What's happening to me?
She crawled into bed, pulling the covers tight around her. Sleep was elusive, her mind replaying Damien's words over and over.
The next morning, Elena woke to the sound of birds chirping faintly outside her window. For a fleeting moment, she forgot where she was and what had happened the night before. But the dull ache in her limbs and the vivid memory of glowing red eyes quickly brought reality crashing back.
She sat up, rubbing her temples. The events of the previous night felt surreal, like fragments of a dream she couldn't shake. Yet the faint shimmer she'd noticed in her eyes haunted her, a reminder that something about her wasn't normal.
A soft knock on the door startled her.
"Elena, it's me," Damien's voice called through the wood.
She sighed, dragging herself out of bed. When she opened the door, she found Damien standing there, looking far too composed for someone who had fought off wolves the night before.
"We need to talk," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Elena stepped aside, letting him in. He glanced around the room briefly before turning to face her.
"Did you sleep?" he asked.
"Not much," she admitted. "Every time I closed my eyes, I saw them—the wolves, their eyes…"
"They won't come here," Damien reassured her. "Not in the daylight and not in my territory."
She raised an eyebrow. "Your territory?"
He nodded. "This town, these woods—they belong to the Silverclaw Pack. The Blackfang wolves wouldn't dare start a war by coming here uninvited. For now, you're safe."
Elena folded her arms. "Safe doesn't feel like the right word for what's happening."
Damien sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "I know this is overwhelming. But we don't have the luxury of time. If the Blackfang Pack sees you as a threat, it means they know something about you that we don't. And that makes finding out the truth even more urgent."
"And how exactly do you plan to do that?"
"I have a contact," he said. "Someone who knows the history of this land and the bloodlines tied to it. She might be able to help us figure out what's happening to you."
Elena frowned. "Bloodlines? Are you saying this has to do with my family?"
"It's possible," Damien said carefully. "Do you know much about your ancestry? Where your family comes from?"
She shook her head. "Not really. My parents never talked about it. They both passed away when I was a kid, and I was raised by my aunt. But she didn't say much, either."
Damien's expression darkened. "That's not a coincidence."
"What do you mean?"
"People don't just ignore their past unless they're hiding something," he said. "Your family might have known about the connection to Ravenwood. Maybe that's why you were kept in the dark."
Elena's stomach churned. "So my whole life has been a lie?"
"Not necessarily," Damien said gently. "But it does mean there's more to your story than you realize."
She sank onto the edge of the bed, her head in her hands.