Chapter 4

Talon's eyes remained locked on Serena, as if he could feel her hesitation, her fear swirling like a tangible thing between them. His chest rose and fell with each breath, the battle with the intruder still raging in the air around them, but his attention was solely on her.

"Get back, Serena," he repeated, his voice rough, dangerous. The words felt like a command, but there was something else in them too-something softer, a warning wrapped in concern.

She didn't move, rooted to the spot as the intruder groaned and began to shift, struggling to regain his composure. Talon's gaze flickered back to him, his expression hardening. The air in the room seemed to grow colder, the very atmosphere charged with tension.

The intruder slowly rose to his feet, shaking off the impact of the blow. His eyes, still glowing with that eerie yellow light, flickered between Talon and Serena, before a dark smile spread across his lips.

"You can't protect her forever, Wildshadow," he sneered, wiping the blood from his lip. "The prophecy is already set in motion. Nothing can stop it."

Serena's heart pounded as the words echoed in her mind. The prophecy. What was it? And why did it matter so much to these... these creatures?

Talon didn't take his eyes off the intruder, his stance firm. "You're wrong. I'll stop you before you can even try."

The two locked eyes, the silent challenge hanging between them.

"Is that so?" the intruder hissed, before he shifted, his body blurring and changing in the blink of an eye. His human form twisted and melted away, replaced by a massive, dark wolf, its fur a midnight black that seemed to shimmer with an unnatural sheen. The creature's eyes still burned with that same yellow glow, its fangs bared in a terrifying snarl.

Serena's breath caught in her throat. She had seen wolves before, but nothing like this. This wasn't just an animal-it was pure, terrifying power, something older and darker than anything she had ever imagined.

Talon's eyes narrowed as he took a step back, his own muscles coiling in preparation. Without a word, his body began to change, too, though much more controlled. His form stretched, the outline of his body rippling as he shifted into a wolf of his own.

But his wolf wasn't just any wolf. It was larger, more imposing, with fur that shimmered a deep, stormy silver. His golden eyes burned even brighter in his wolf form, and the air around him hummed with raw power.

The two wolves faced off, their growls echoing through the cabin, the tension between them palpable.

Serena's pulse raced, her feet rooted to the floor, too stunned to move. She watched in awe, terrified and entranced by the way they moved-so fluid, so primal, yet so full of purpose. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

The intruder lunged first, his massive body charging forward with terrifying speed. Talon was faster, though. With a snap of his jaws, he dodged the attack, his silver fur flashing in the dim light as he countered with a devastating swipe of his claws.

The intruder howled in pain, but before he could recover, Talon was on him again, a blur of silver and ferocity. The two wolves clashed, teeth snapping and claws scraping against fur, their movements too fast for Serena to fully track.

Her heart thundered in her chest, each sound of their battle sending a fresh wave of fear through her.

"Why are they fighting?" Serena whispered to herself, more to steady her nerves than to ask anyone. "What do they want with me?"

She couldn't tear her eyes away from the fight, her mind reeling from the impossibility of it all. The wolves were real, Talon was one of them, and the prophecy-the prophecy was somehow connected to her. But how? Why was she involved in this?

Another growl shook her from her thoughts. She looked up just in time to see the intruder attempting to regroup, his eyes flashing dangerously.

Talon wasn't giving him a chance. With a powerful lunge, he took the intruder down, his teeth sinking deep into the other wolf's shoulder. The intruder let out a sharp yelp of pain, but Talon's hold didn't relent.

Serena stumbled backward, her hands pressed to her lips to stop the scream threatening to escape. This wasn't just a fight-it was a battle for something far more significant.

With a final, vicious twist, Talon's fangs punctured the intruder's neck, and the massive wolf crumpled to the floor, defeated.

Talon stood over him, his chest heaving, his eyes glowing with the same fierce golden intensity. He gave one last, dismissive snarl at the fallen wolf before shifting back into his human form with a fluid motion. His clothes were torn, his body covered in sweat and blood, but there was no mistaking the lethal power that emanated from him.

He turned to Serena, his gaze softening the moment their eyes met.

"Are you alright?" His voice was rough, but there was an undercurrent of something... deeper.

Serena swallowed, her breath shaky. "I-I'm fine. But-what just happened? Who was he?" Her voice trembled, the reality of what she had just witnessed settling over her like a heavy weight.

Talon stepped closer, his body still tense, but his focus solely on her. "That was Ryker," he said, his voice laced with contempt. "He's part of a rogue pack-one that doesn't follow the laws of the moon. They're hunters, and they've been after you for a long time, Serena. They want to use your powers for their own gain."

Serena's head spun. Ryker... A rogue wolf. And she was being hunted because of her powers-powers she barely understood.

"Why me?" she asked, the question bubbling up from a place deep inside her. "What's so special about me?"

Talon's gaze softened for a brief moment, his lips pressing into a thin line. "You're part of the prophecy. You've always been a part of it. But you don't know that yet. And they'll stop at nothing to force you into their control."

The words hung in the air like a heavy fog, suffocating and uncertain.

"What's the prophecy?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Talon took a deep breath. "We don't have time for this right now. We need to leave. They'll come for him, and if they catch his scent, they won't stop until they find you."

Serena nodded, her body trembling, but her mind still reeling from the revelation. The prophecy. Her powers. Talon's wolf form.

Before she could say anything else, Talon grabbed her arm, his grip tight, and pulled her toward the door.

"Now," he ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument.

As they stepped back into the night, Serena realized that her life had changed forever. And whether she was ready or not, the world she had just entered would never let her go.