Selene's hand hovered over the altar, her fingers trembling as the strange energy pulsed beneath her palm. It felt alive, as if the stone itself was waiting for her to act.
"Go on," Alaric said, his voice softer than usual. "It's yours to unlock."
Damon stood a few paces behind her, his blade still in hand, his body tense. "If this is a trap…"
"It's not," Alaric interrupted. "Cyrus has nothing to do with this place. This is all her."
Selene glanced back at them, doubt flickering in her eyes. Then, with a deep breath, she pressed her hand to the altar.
★★★
The energy surged through her like a storm, wild and overwhelming. Selene gasped, her knees buckling as visions flooded her mind. She saw flashes of wolves running through ancient forests, their howls echoing like a song of power. A great battle raged, the ground soaked with blood.
And then she saw him—her father. He stood tall and proud, his eyes blazing with determination as he faced a dark figure cloaked in shadow.
"You'll never have it," her father said, his voice echoing in her mind.
The figure laughed, a sound that chilled her to her core. "You can't protect it forever. The girl will lead me to it."
The vision shifted, and Selene saw herself as a child, her father kneeling before her. His face was filled with love and sorrow as he whispered words she couldn't hear.
★★★
Selene's eyes snapped open, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The energy from the altar had receded, but its presence still hummed faintly beneath her skin.
"What did you see?" Damon asked, stepping closer, his voice tight with concern.
Selene shook her head, struggling to find the words. "My father… he was protecting something. Someone was after him—after me. He said they'd never have it, but… he knew they'd come for me eventually."
Alaric frowned, his expression thoughtful. "The Aegis. He must have hidden it before they could take it."
"Hidden it where?" Damon asked.
Selene turned back to the altar, her hand brushing against its surface. "I don't know. But I think he left something behind."
★★★
Before she could search further, the wolf let out a low growl, its ears perking up. Selene stiffened, her heart skipping a beat.
"What is it now?" she whispered.
The wolf's glowing eyes focused on the treeline, its body tense and ready to strike. A faint rustling reached their ears, growing louder with each passing second.
"They're here," Damon said, drawing his blade.
Alaric cursed under his breath. "Cyrus doesn't waste time, does he?"
Selene grabbed her knife, her body shaking with adrenaline. She could feel the energy from the altar still thrumming inside her, but she didn't know how to use it.
"What do we do?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Damon positioned himself in front of her, his eyes scanning the shadows. "We fight. We don't let them take you."
★★★
The first tracker emerged from the trees, his eyes glowing with the predatory gleam of a wolf on the hunt. He was followed by three more, their movements calculated and deliberate.
"Selene Thorne," one of them called out, his voice a low growl. "Cyrus sends his regards."
Damon didn't wait for them to make the first move. He charged, his blade flashing in the moonlight. The trackers met him with snarls and howls, the clearing erupting into chaos.
Alaric moved with deadly precision, his strikes clean and efficient. Selene stayed close to the altar, her heart pounding as she watched the fight unfold.
One of the trackers broke away from the melee, his eyes locking onto her. He lunged, his claws outstretched.
Selene raised her knife, but before she could strike, the wolf intervened. It slammed into the tracker, its jaws closing around his shoulder with brutal force.
★★★
The fight was brutal and relentless. Damon was a whirlwind of fury, his blade cutting through the attackers with a ferocity that left no room for mercy. Alaric fought with a cold efficiency, his movements calculated and precise.
But the trackers kept coming, their numbers overwhelming. Selene's mind raced, panic clawing at her as she realized they might not win.
The wolf growled, its body tense as it stepped in front of her, shielding her from another attacker. It fought with a savagery that was both terrifying and awe-inspiring.
Selene felt the energy from the altar surge within her again, stronger this time. It was like a fire burning beneath her skin, begging to be unleashed.
★★★
A tracker charged toward her, his eyes filled with cruel determination. Selene raised her hands instinctively, and the energy exploded outward in a burst of light.
The tracker was thrown back, crashing into a tree with a sickening thud. The clearing fell silent, all eyes turning to Selene.
Damon stared at her, his expression a mix of shock and awe. "What was that?"
Selene lowered her hands, her breath ragged. "I… I don't know. It just… happened."
Alaric smirked, wiping blood from his blade. "Looks like the Aegis isn't as hidden as we thought."
★★★
The remaining trackers hesitated, their confidence wavering. The wolf let out a deep, rumbling growl, and they fled into the forest, their howls fading into the distance.
Selene collapsed to her knees, the energy draining from her body. Damon was at her side in an instant, his hands steadying her.
"You're okay," he said, his voice soft but firm. "You did good."
Selene looked at him, her eyes wide. "I didn't mean to do it. I don't even know how I did it."
Lyanna's words echoed in her mind: The Aegis is tied to your emotions, your strength.
Alaric sheathed his blade, his expression serious. "You'd better figure it out fast, little wolf. Because Cyrus won't stop until he gets it—and you."
Selene's body trembled, her breath shallow as the clearing grew silent. The light that had burst from her hands left the air charged, humming faintly like an echo of her power. Damon's grip on her arm steadied her, but his face was clouded with a mix of concern and awe.
"You didn't just defend yourself," Damon said quietly. "You unleashed something."
Selene shook her head, panic creeping into her voice. "I didn't mean to. It just… happened. I don't know how to control it."
Alaric crouched beside the fallen tracker who had been flung by her energy, his movements slow and deliberate. "Whatever you did, it's enough to make them think twice," he said, standing and wiping blood from his blade. "But don't expect that to last. Cyrus won't stop because you scared a few of his pawns."
★★★
Selene looked at the altar again, its surface glowing faintly now, as if it had awakened alongside her power.
"It's tied to me," she murmured, her voice shaky. "The energy—it's coming from this place. From the Aegis."
Lyanna's voice echoed in her mind: Your bloodline is the key. Your will unlocks it.
Damon crouched beside her, his expression softening. "Selene, whatever this power is, it's part of you. And you're going to have to learn how to use it if we're going to stop Cyrus."
Selene met his gaze, her fear giving way to determination. "I don't even know where to start."
"Then we start here," Damon said firmly.
★★★
Alaric's sharp voice cut through the moment. "You don't have the luxury of taking your time. If Cyrus gets here while she's still fumbling with her powers, we're all dead."
Damon shot him a glare. "Do you have a better suggestion?"
"As a matter of fact, I do," Alaric replied, his tone calm but edged with warning. "We need to move. There's no guarantee that the trackers who ran won't return with reinforcements. We need to find somewhere safe for her to train—somewhere Cyrus can't find her."
"And where exactly do you suggest that is?" Damon asked, his voice laced with frustration.
"There's a place," Alaric said, his gaze shifting to Selene. "Your father used to go there. A sanctuary of sorts. If the Aegis is truly tied to you, it'll respond even stronger there."
★★★
Selene's heart sank at the mention of her father. The visions from the altar were still fresh in her mind—his face, his voice, the weight of his final words.
"A sanctuary?" she asked, her voice soft. "Where is it?"
Alaric hesitated, as if weighing his words carefully. "It's not far, but the path is dangerous. Cyrus's men won't follow us there—it's sacred ground. But getting there will test you in ways you're not ready for."
Selene glanced at Damon, who gave her a small nod. "If it'll help me understand what I am—what I'm supposed to do—then we have to go."
★★★
The wolf let out a low growl, its glowing eyes meeting Selene's. It stepped forward, nudging her hand gently with its nose.
"It wants us to follow," she said, her voice tinged with both wonder and unease.
Damon frowned. "How does it know where to go?"
"It just does," Selene said, surprising herself with her certainty. "It's connected to the Aegis, just like I am."
Alaric smirked faintly. "Looks like your shadow here is more than just a protector."
Selene placed her hand briefly on the wolf's head, feeling its warmth beneath her palm. "Then let's not waste any more time."
★★★
The journey was grueling. The terrain grew harsher with every step, the forest giving way to jagged rocks and steep inclines. The wolf led the way, its movements silent and purposeful.
Selene's legs ached, and her breath came in short bursts, but she refused to slow down. The memory of her unleashed power, the vision of her father, and the looming threat of Cyrus kept her moving.
"How much farther?" Damon asked, his voice low but tense.
"Not far," Alaric replied, scanning the horizon. "We'll know we're close when the air changes."
★★★
They climbed a narrow ridge, the path precarious and slick with moss. Selene's heart raced as her foot slipped, her body tilting dangerously toward the edge.
Damon's hand shot out, grabbing her arm and pulling her back. "Careful," he said, his voice strained.
"Thanks," she whispered, her pulse pounding in her ears.
Ahead of them, the wolf stopped suddenly, its ears perking up. A low growl rumbled from its chest.
"What now?" Damon muttered, drawing his blade.
From the shadows, a group of figures emerged—trackers, their eyes gleaming with malicious intent.
"Looks like they weren't scared off after all," Alaric said dryly, pulling his weapon free.
★★★
The fight was fast and brutal. Damon and Alaric moved with practiced precision, their blades cutting through the air as they met the trackers' attacks.
Selene held her knife tightly, her hands trembling as one of the attackers turned toward her.
"You can't run from this, little wolf," he sneered, lunging at her.
The energy from the altar flared within her again, but this time, she reached for it deliberately. Her hand shot out, and a wave of light burst forth, slamming into the tracker and sending him sprawling.
She gasped, the force of the power leaving her lightheaded. Damon was at her side in an instant, his blade slicing through another attacker.
"You're starting to get it," he said, his voice a mix of relief and urgency.
★★★
The remaining trackers fled, their howls echoing through the cliffs. The wolf let out a low bark, urging them forward.
"We need to keep moving," Alaric said, sheathing his blade. "This was just the first wave. The closer we get, the more desperate they'll become."
Selene nodded, though her body ached and her mind felt like it was spinning out of control. She didn't know what awaited her at the sanctuary, but she knew one thing for sure—there was no turning back now.
★★★
As they climbed higher, the air grew thinner, colder. The wolf paused at the edge of a narrow plateau, its glowing eyes fixed on something ahead.
Selene followed its gaze, her breath catching. In the distance, nestled between jagged peaks, was a small stone structure bathed in moonlight.
"The sanctuary," Alaric said, his voice quieter now. "You've made it."
Selene's heart pounded as she took a step forward, the energy inside her humming with anticipation. The sanctuary held the answers she needed—but it also held the truth she wasn't sure she was ready to face.