Chapter th
Lena's POV
I had just closed my eyes, the weight of sleep pulling me under, when the low growl cut through the stillness like a knife. It was deep and rumbling, almost too low to hear at first, but the sound was there, unmistakable.
My eyes snapped open. Asher. I didn't even have to think about it. I knew it was him. His growl echoed through the room again, sharp this time, like a warning.
I blinked into the darkness, confusion clouding my mind for a second. I was still half-asleep, my body heavy and tired, but the growl—it was different. It wasn't just a normal sound. It was… something else. Something urgent.
I sat up slowly, my heart pounding in my chest now. The room was dim, lit only by the faint light coming through the blinds. Asher was standing at the foot of the bed, his body stiff, his ears flat against his head. His amber eyes gleamed in the dark, staring hard at the window.
It was that look—that focused, unblinking stare—that made my stomach tighten. Something was out there. Something that had made him act like this.
I swung my feet to the floor, my bare toes brushing against the cold wood. The house was still, but my senses were on high alert. Every creak of the floorboards, every shift of the air felt too loud, too alive.
I glanced at Asher again, and this time, he wasn't just watching. His hackles were raised, his body low to the ground, and he took a slow step forward, his eyes never leaving the window. Another growl, barely audible, rumbled in his chest. It was a warning, but to whom?
A flicker of movement caught my eye. Something outside.
I froze.
Footsteps—slow, deliberate. They were coming closer. My pulse jumped, quick and frantic. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled.
I felt the world around me narrow, everything else fading away. My thoughts scrambled, trying to figure out what to do. But I had nothing. No weapon, no escape plan.
Just me. And Asher.
"Who's there?" I called out, my voice shaky. It felt too small, too fragile, for the situation. But I had to say something. I had to try.
No answer. Just the sound of the footsteps getting louder. Closer.
Then, through the thin gaps in the blinds, I saw them. Two figures standing in the yard, cloaked in shadows. They were too still, too quiet. And their eyes—they glowed. Bright, like twin lanterns in the dark.
My breath caught in my throat.
One of them stepped forward, the sound of their boots crunching the grass outside. And that's when I heard it.
"We know you're in there, Lena," the voice called out.
I froze, my heart stopping for a second.
They knew my name.
How?
My mouth went dry. "Who are you?" I whispered, more to myself than to them. The words felt weak, like they couldn't even carry my fear.
The figure's voice came again, low and measured, as if speaking to someone they already controlled. "You're the key, Lena. You've always been the key."
My breath caught. Key? What did that even mean?
I wanted to yell, to demand answers, but the words stuck in my throat. There was a heaviness in the air now, an oppressive weight that felt like it was pushing against my chest. The temperature in the room seemed to drop, and the hairs on my arms stood up. Something was about to happen. Something I couldn't stop.
Asher's growl deepened, louder now, vibrating through the floor. He took another step forward, muscles tense, his gaze never leaving the window. His body was a coiled spring, ready to pounce. He wasn't just a dog anymore—he was a protector. And whoever was out there had crossed into his territory.
Then, without warning, Asher lunged toward the window. He moved with a speed that I couldn't have predicted, his body crashing into the glass with a sickening crack. The sound echoed through the room, and for a moment, I thought the window might shatter.
I gasped, backing away instinctively, but Asher wasn't stopping. He was already on the ground, his claws scraping against the floor as he tried to get to the figures outside. I scrambled to my feet, my heart racing, but I couldn't move fast enough to stop him.
The figure outside raised its hand, and a wave of energy—something cold and dark—rippled through the air. The moment the energy hit Asher, it was like a force had struck him, sending him flying backward. He hit the ground with a heavy thud, his body skidding across the floor.
For a moment, everything was silent.
Then, the figure spoke again. Its voice was colder this time. "Stay down, mutt."
I felt my hands shake, my mind spinning. I couldn't just stand there and watch this happen. I had to do something.
I took a step toward the window, my body moving before my brain could catch up. But then, something inside me—something deep—shifted.
I didn't know how to explain it, but the energy that had thrown Asher back was now pulling toward me, like a magnet. My body hummed with it, every nerve in me vibrating with power I didn't understand. It felt both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.
The figure's eyes flicked toward me, but I didn't care. I reached out instinctively, my hand trembling as the energy wrapped around my fingers. It was like I had opened a door in my mind, a door that had been locked for years. The force was there—raw, untamed, and it wanted out.
I didn't think so. I didn't question it. I just let it happen.
A pulse of light erupted from me, a wave of power that rushed toward the figure like a storm. It hit them with a violent force, throwing the figure back several feet. The glow in their eyes dimmed, and I could hear them grunt as they struggled to get back up.
For a moment, I just stood there, breathing heavily, my heart racing. The air around me crackled, and the mark on my wrist—something I hadn't even noticed before—felt hot under my skin, as if it was alive.
The figure pushed itself up, its eyes flashing. It didn't seem surprised, just… annoyed. It raised its hand again, and I braced myself. But before it could do anything, I felt a strange pressure, like something inside me was being pulled, like my very being was being stretched thin.
I reached for Asher, crawling over to him as fast as I could. His body lay limp on the floor, his breathing shallow. I could see the faintest glow in his eyes—faint, but there. And his fur, too—there was a faint light beneath the surface of his skin.
"No," I whispered. "Please, not him."
I reached for him, my fingers brushing against his fur, but then the mark on my wrist flared with heat, and I gasped.
It was burning.
I looked down at my wrist, and that's when I saw it.
A mark. A symbol. Twisting, dark, and ancient. I hadn't seen it before, but it was there now, as if it had always been meant to be there.
I stared at it, my heart pounding in my chest, when I felt the air around me shift. The figure outside had vanished.
I looked back at Asher, and that's when I saw it—his body shuddered once, his muscles twitching. And then, he collapsed, his body going completely still.
His fur was glowing, the light flickering and fading.
"No," I breathed, panic rising in my throat. "Asher… Please…"
But he didn't move.
I felt the world close in around me, and the last thing I saw before everything went dark was the mark on my wrist, glowing faintly.