Unseen forces

The revelation hit Mia like a punch to the gut. She stood frozen on her porch, the weight of Eli’s words crashing down on her. The rogues were hunting her? It didn’t make sense. She wasn’t a werewolf; she had no connection to this world until just days ago. What could they possibly want with her?

She stared at Eli, her mouth dry, her mind racing. “Why would they be after me? I’ve done nothing to them. I didn’t even know they existed until yesterday!”

Eli’s face remained hard, his jaw clenched as he paced back and forth on her porch, like he was trying to gather his thoughts. His normally calm demeanor was cracking under the pressure. “There’s something more going on here. We don’t know why, but they’ve been tracking you since before you came to Silver Hollow. We didn’t put the pieces together until recently.”

Mia’s pulse quickened. “What are you talking about? I’ve only been in this town for a few weeks! Why would they be after me?”

Eli stopped pacing and turned to her, his eyes intense, filled with a mixture of fear and frustration. “It’s not about how long you’ve been here. It’s about who you are.”

The wind stirred around them, and Mia felt a chill crawl up her spine. “Who I am? I’m just—”

“You’re not just anyone, Mia,” Eli interrupted, his voice sharp. “I don’t know the whole story yet, but there’s something about your bloodline, something that makes you valuable to them. They think you’re important for some reason, and that’s why they’re willing to kill anyone who stands in their way.”

Mia stared at him, her mind reeling. Bloodline? What did that even mean? Her family was ordinary—her parents were simple people, and she’d lived a pretty average life. Nothing about her was special. Yet, here she was, being hunted by rogue werewolves.

“So, what now?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly. “What do they want from me?”

“We don’t know yet,” Eli said, stepping closer, his expression softening as he saw the fear in her eyes. “But we’re going to find out. You’re under our protection, Mia. They can’t touch you without going through us.”

Mia wanted to feel reassured by his words, but the terror that gnawed at her heart wouldn’t let her. She was caught in a dangerous game she didn’t understand, and her life had been flipped upside down in the span of a few hours.

Before she could respond, a sudden knock at the door startled both of them. Mia’s heart leaped in her chest as she turned toward the door, her nerves already on edge.

“Who is it?” she called out, her voice shakier than she intended.

“It’s Luke,” came the muffled reply from the other side.

Mia exhaled in relief and rushed to open the door. Luke stepped in, his usual playful demeanor replaced by a serious, almost grim expression. His green eyes swept over Eli and Mia, as if assessing the situation.

“We’ve got a problem,” he said, his voice low.

Eli frowned. “What now?”

“The rogues,” Luke replied, his jaw clenched. “They’re getting bold. There’s been another attack—this time closer to town. They left a message.”

Eli stiffened. “A message?”

Luke nodded, his face pale. “It was smeared in blood on the side of the diner. They’re coming for Mia.”

Mia felt like the ground had dropped out from under her. A message? In blood? She could barely breathe as the room seemed to close in around her.

Eli cursed under his breath. “They’re trying to scare us, force us into making a mistake. But we’re not going to let them.”

Mia’s stomach twisted in fear, but a strange, simmering anger began to rise within her. She wasn’t going to be some helpless victim, waiting around while these monsters hunted her like prey.

“I want to fight back,” she said suddenly, her voice filled with a determination she didn’t know she had.

Both Eli and Luke turned to her, surprise flickering in their eyes.

“Mia—” Eli began, but she cut him off.

“No. I’m serious. If they want me, fine. But I’m not going to sit around and do nothing while you three risk your lives for me. I want to help.”

Luke raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on his lips. “You’ve got spirit, I’ll give you that. But this isn’t some fair fight. These rogues are dangerous, and you’re human. If you get caught in the middle—”

“Then teach me how to defend myself,” Mia insisted, her voice firm. “I’m not asking to go head-to-head with them, but I refuse to be powerless. Teach me something—anything.”

Eli and Luke exchanged a look, communicating silently as they always seemed to. Finally, Eli spoke, his voice heavy with reluctance. “Alright. We’ll teach you what we can, but you have to promise us you’ll stay close and listen to everything we say.”

Mia nodded, feeling a mixture of relief and apprehension. She had no idea what she was getting herself into, but doing nothing felt worse than walking blindly into danger.

The rest of the day was a blur of tension and urgency. Mia spent hours in the back lot of Luke’s garage, where Eli and Luke trained her in basic self-defense. It wasn’t much, but they showed her how to handle a knife and how to protect herself if a rogue were to get too close. It was terrifying at first, but as the day wore on, Mia found herself growing more confident. The fear was still there, but now it was tempered with a fierce determination.

By the time the sun began to set, casting a reddish glow across the sky, Mia was exhausted, her muscles aching from the training. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked over at Eli and Luke, who were watching her with a mixture of pride and concern.

“You did good,” Luke said, tossing her a water bottle. “Better than I expected, honestly.”

Mia managed a tired smile. “Thanks. I think.”

Eli crossed his arms, his brow furrowed as he glanced toward the darkening horizon. “We need to be on high alert tonight. The rogues are getting closer, and we can’t afford any mistakes.”

Luke’s grin faded, and he nodded in agreement. “I’ll keep watch from the garage. You take the east side.”

Mia’s stomach churned with nerves. The idea of another rogue attack made her skin crawl, but she knew they were right. This was no longer a waiting game. The battle was coming, and she was right in the middle of it.

Just as they were about to head inside, a howl pierced the air, echoing through the trees. It was a sound that chilled Mia to the bone, raw and filled with malice. Eli and Luke froze, their senses instantly on high alert.

“That’s them,” Eli muttered, his eyes narrowing. “They’re closer than we thought.”

Before anyone could move, a dark figure darted out of the forest, moving with terrifying speed. It was one of the rogues—massive and covered in matted fur, its yellow eyes glowing with hunger. It leaped toward them, snarling viciously.

Mia barely had time to react before Eli and Luke shifted, their forms blurring into their werewolf forms. The transformation was swift, almost seamless, as they launched themselves at the rogue, meeting its attack head-on.

The sound of claws clashing against claws, snarls, and the sharp scent of blood filled the air as the fight erupted. Mia’s heart pounded in her chest as she watched in horror and fascination. Eli and Luke fought with a brutal, animalistic grace, their movements quick and deadly.

But something was wrong. The rogue was stronger than any they had fought before. Its blows landed harder, and it moved faster than Mia had ever seen. It was like it was possessed, fueled by some dark, unnatural force.

Suddenly, the rogue broke away from the fight and turned its glowing eyes on Mia. Her blood ran cold as it charged at her, moving with frightening speed. She barely had time to raise the knife Eli had given her.

Just as the rogue reached her, a blinding flash of light exploded from behind Mia, sending the creature flying backward. Mia staggered, blinking in confusion as she turned around, trying to understand what had just happened.

Standing in the middle of the yard, bathed in an ethereal glow, was a woman Mia had never seen before. Her long white hair flowed around her like a halo, and her eyes gleamed with an otherworldly light. She held her hand out, palm raised, as if commanding the rogue to stop.

The rogue snarled, but it didn’t move closer. It seemed to hesitate, as if it was afraid of the strange woman.

The woman’s voice was calm, almost melodic. “Leave, or face the wrath of powers far beyond your comprehension.”

For a moment, the rogue seemed to consider attacking again, but then it let out a low growl and disappeared into the shadows of the forest.

Mia stood frozen, her mind struggling to process what had just happened. Eli and Luke shifted back into their human forms, both of them breathing heavily, their faces pale with shock.

“Who… who are you?” Mia asked, her voice trembling.

The woman turned to face her, her glowing eyes softening slightly. “I’m someone who’s been watching over you, Mia. You’re in more danger than you know.”

And with that cryptic statement, she vanished into the night, leaving Mia, Eli, and Luke standing in stunned silence, the weight of her words hanging in the air like a dark cloud.

Something far more dangerous than rogues was coming for Mia. And it had just made itself known.