Lena's POV
"You shouldn't have come here," Damien growled, his voice slicing through the tension in the air like a whip.
I stood frozen near the cabin wall, Ethan's bloodied shirt still clenched in my hand. "I didn't exactly invite you," I shot back, though my voice trembled. "And how did you even know I was here?"
He didn't answer, his silver eyes scanning the darkness outside the cabin, his posture rigid and alert. "You think Victor wouldn't have his pack watching this place? It's a miracle they didn't catch you the second you left your car."
"Catch me?" My stomach twisted, the implications hitting me all at once. "So, what? You're here to drag me back to your mansion for another lecture on how stupid I am?"
"I'm here to keep you alive, Lena," he snapped, his voice low and dangerous. "And if you don't start listening to me, I might not be able to do that."
"Maybe I don't need your help," I shot back, though the words felt hollow.
His gaze locked onto mine, intense and unyielding. "Then you're a fool."
Before I could fire back, a howl pierced the night. It wasn't distant, like a warning cry. It was close. Too close.
Damien's expression shifted instantly, all traces of humanity vanishing. "Get behind me," he ordered, his voice a growl.
"Excuse me?" I hissed, my defiance automatic.
"Lena," he snapped, his tone sharp enough to cut through steel. "I'm not asking."
The growling grew louder, accompanied by the rustling of leaves and the snap of branches. My heart pounded as the reality of the situation hit me.
"They're here," I whispered, the words tasting like ash.
"Stay quiet and stay low," Damien instructed, his voice cold and controlled. He moved to block the door, his broad shoulders nearly filling the entire frame.
I pressed myself against the wall, clutching Ethan's shirt like a lifeline. Every instinct screamed at me to run, but where would I go? The wolves were out there, and Damien—whatever he was—was my only chance of survival.
The first wolf lunged through the open doorway with a snarl, its fur black as midnight and its eyes burning with an unnatural glow.
Damien moved faster than I thought humanly possible. One moment, he was standing still; the next, he had the wolf pinned to the ground, his hands gripping its throat.
"Go back to Victor," Damien snarled, his voice barely recognizable. "Tell him he'll have to do better than this."
The wolf whined, struggling beneath him, but Damien didn't let go. Not until another wolf burst through the side window, shattering glass everywhere.
I screamed, ducking as shards rained down. The second wolf charged straight for me, its teeth bared, but Damien was already moving. He threw the first wolf aside and intercepted the second, slamming it into the wall with bone-crushing force.
"Damien!" I shouted, fear and adrenaline mixing into a chaotic storm inside me.
"Stay down!" he barked, his voice primal.
The fight escalated from there. More wolves poured into the cabin, their snarls and growls filling the air like a nightmare come to life. Damien met each one head-on, his movements a blur of strength and savagery.
But it wasn't enough. For every wolf he took down, another appeared. They were relentless, their attacks coordinated, as if they had rehearsed this ambush a thousand times.
And then I saw it.
Damien's body began to change. His muscles rippled, his skin darkening and stretching as thick black fur erupted across his frame. His face elongated into a muzzle, his eyes glowing an otherworldly silver.
He wasn't just fighting them.
He was becoming one of them.
"Damien…" I whispered, my voice trembling as I stared at the monstrous figure before me.
His gaze flicked to me for the briefest moment, and I saw the faintest trace of the man I knew. But it was swallowed quickly by the beast.
He turned back to the wolves with a snarl, his claws slashing through them like they were nothing. Blood splattered the walls, the floor, even my face. The air reeked of copper and violence.
I wanted to scream, to cry, to do anything, but I couldn't move. All I could do was watch as Damien tore through the pack, his savage strength unmatched.
But the wolves kept coming. And then, as if summoned by some unseen signal, they stopped.
From the shadows outside the cabin, a figure emerged. Tall and imposing, with an air of arrogance that made my skin crawl.
Victor Kane.
"Damien," Victor said, his voice smooth and mocking. "Such a dramatic display. But you can't protect her forever."
Damien growled, stepping in front of me. His massive wolf form made him seem unstoppable, but even I could see the strain in his movements. He was tiring.
"Leave," Damien snarled, his voice guttural and barely human. "Now."
Victor laughed, the sound cold and devoid of humor. "You know as well as I do that's not going to happen. The girl belongs to me."
"She's not yours," Damien spat, his claws flexing.
Victor tilted his head, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "Oh, Damien. Always so protective. But you can't hide the truth from her forever. She'll learn what she is. What she's meant to do."
"Enough!" Damien roared, lunging forward.
But Victor didn't flinch. He merely raised a hand, and the remaining wolves fell into formation around him.
"This isn't over," Victor said, his eyes locking onto mine. "You'll see the truth soon enough, Lena. And when you do, you'll wish you'd chosen me."
With that, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, his pack following close behind.
Damien stood there for a long moment, his chest heaving, his claws dripping with blood. Slowly, his body began to shift back, the fur receding and his human form returning.
But the damage was done.
I stared at him, my mind racing with questions I couldn't even begin to voice.
"Damien…" I finally managed, my voice trembling.
He turned to me, his eyes still glowing faintly. For the first time, I saw something I hadn't expected: fear.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice hoarse.
I nodded, though I wasn't sure if it was true.
"You need to rest," he said, his tone softer now.
"What just happened?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
He didn't answer. Instead, he moved to the door, his shoulders tense.
"Damien," I pressed, taking a shaky step forward. "What are you not telling me?"
His back stiffened, and when he finally turned to face me, his expression was unreadable.
"You don't want to know," he said quietly.
But I did.
And I was terrified of what that meant.