The alley was silent, except for the low growls coming from both of us. I didn’t waste time. I lunged at him, my claws outstretched. He met me head-on, teeth bared, snapping at me with brutal force.
We clashed in the center of the alley, our bodies slamming into each other. I bit down on his shoulder, feeling his fur rip under my teeth. He howled in pain, but it only made him fight harder.
He knocked me back with a swift swipe of his paw, sending me skidding across the ground. But I got up, adrenaline surging through me. I wasn’t about to let him win.
“You think you can stop me?” he snarled, his voice rough, even in wolf form. “You’re just a pup.”
I didn’t answer. I didn’t need to. I attacked again, going straight for his throat this time.
He barely dodged, but I managed to sink my claws into his side.
The fight was brutal, fast. Each hit felt like fire, but I couldn’t stop. Not until I knew he was down.
Finally, I landed a hard blow to his face, knocking him off balance. He stumbled, giving me the opening I needed. With one last effort, I slammed into him, pinning him to the ground.
He growled, struggling beneath me, but I pressed my claws deeper into his fur. “Who did this to Sarah?” | demanded, my voice rough.
For a moment, he hesitated, then a cruel smile spread across his muzzle. “You’ll never find out.”
With a sudden burst of strength, he twisted out of my grip, disappearing into the shadows before I could react.
The next evening, we gathered at the abandoned club. It was cold and quiet, just like the last time we met there. Logan stood in front, his arms crossed, while the rest of the pack sat in a loose circle.
One of the members, Gideon, spoke up. “Have you been able to open the Eternity Book, Audrey? We need to know what’s coming.”
I shook my head, feeling frustrated. “No, I’ve tried, but it won’t open. I’ve done everything I can think of, but it’s like it’s locked. I can’t get it to budge.”
There was a pause as the others exchanged glances. Gideon frowned, his expression tense. “That book holds the answers we need. If you can’t open it, we’re stuck.”
“I know,” I said quickly, trying to keep the frustration out of my voice. “But it’s not working. I don’t know what else to do.”
Logan’s father, Marcus Castlefield, suddenly appeared at the doorway, his presence commanding the attention of everyone in the room. He strode forward, his face stern, eyes locking onto mine.
“If you don’t open that book soon, we’re all in great danger,” he said, his voice heavy with urgency. “Time’s running out, Audrey. The longer we wait, the more vulnerable we become.”
I swallowed hard, the weight of his words pressing down on me. “I’m trying,” I said, my frustration barely contained. “But it won’t open. I don’t know how.”
Marcus frowned, pacing in front of us. “There’s more at play here than we realize. That book is tied to the future of this pack, and if you can’t access it, we’ll be blind to what’s coming.”
Logan stepped forward, trying to calm the tension. “Dad, we’ll figure it out. Pushing her won’t make it work any faster.”
Marcus stopped, turning to his son. “This isn’t about pressure, Logan. This is about survival. There’s a darkness coming, and if Audrey can’t unlock that book, we’ll be walking into it blind.”
I looked down at my hands, feeling the burden grow heavier. The Eternity Book was supposed to give us the answers we needed, but now it felt like a weight I couldn’t lift.
“I’ll keep trying,” I said quietly, though doubt gnawed at me. “I won’t stop until I figure it out.”
“You better,” Marcus replied, his tone sharp. “Because if you don’t, we may not have much time left. You are our Luna and you supposed to figure it out as fast as you can.”
“I said I am trying!!!” I yelled.
Logan stepped back, surprise flickering in his eyes. The pack members looked between us, caught off guard by my outburst.
“I’m not sitting here doing nothing!” I continued, my voice shaking slightly. “I’ve been working day and night to unlock that book. It’s not as simple as just flipping a page. There’s something deeper going on, and I need your support, not pressure!”
Marcus’s expression softened a little, but his resolve didn’t waver. “We understand that, but you have to see the urgency. We are counting on you, Audrey. We’re all scared, and we don’t have the luxury of time.”
“I know that!” I shot back, clenching my fists. “I feel the fear, too.”
The room fell silent, and I could feel the weight of their gazes. They were all looking to me, waiting for something-anything-that would reassure them.
Logan shifted his weight, his brows furrowing slightly as he seemed to gather his thoughts. “I think I know who could help us, but…” He hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor as if he were weighing the implications of what he was about to say.
“But what?” I pressed, feeling a knot of anxiety tighten in my stomach. “What do you mean, but?”
He met my eyes, and there was a flicker of something I couldn’t quite place-was it fear? “It’s someone I’ve been trying to avoid bringing up. Someone who knows a lot about the Eternity Book, but… well, they’re not exactly trustworthy.”
The air in the room thickened with tension. I could feel the curiosity and concern radiating from the others. “Who is it?” I asked, my voice steadier than I felt.
Logan sighed, running a hand through his hair, a gesture that indicated he was struggling with his next words. “It’s Miranda. My late mother’s elder sister.”
The room fell into a stunned silence at the mention of Miranda’s name. Gasps echoed around the circle as everyone absorbed the weight of Logan’s revelation. Logan’s father, his expression a mix of disbelief and anger, broke the silence.
“Are you insane?” he exclaimed, his eyes blazing. “You dare bring her name up here? You know what she is-a rogue! She’s a danger to us all!”
Tension filled the air as everyone shifted uncomfortably. The mention of Miranda had set off a wave of unease among the pack.
“She blames me for the death of your mother,” Logan’s father continued, his voice low and filled with a mix of anger and sorrow. “She lost everything because of me. I won’t let you put us in danger by seeking her out!”
“But she knows everything we need to know about the Eternity Book,” Logan shot back, his voice rising in defiance. “If there’s anyone who can help us, it’s her. We can’t ignore that!”
Logan’s father shook his head vehemently, frustration etched on his face. “You don’t understand, Logan! She’s not someone we can trust. You’re blinded by desperation. Do you really think she’ll help us after everything that happened?”
“I don’t care about what happened between you two,” Logan replied, his voice firm. “We need to focus on the present and what’s at stake. Miranda has the knowledge we need.”
I glanced between them, sensing the weight of their history and the burden of unspoken feelings hanging in the air. “Logan, do you really believe she’ll help us?” I asked, my voice steady but tinged with concern. “She might have her own agenda.”
“She has to!” Logan insisted. ”
“She could be the key to unlocking the book. We have no other options.”
Logan’s father let out a frustrated breath, running a hand through his hair. “You don’t know what you’re asking for. Miranda is dangerous. She was exiled for a reason, and I won’t let you put this pack at risk by chasing after her.”
“But you don’t understand!” I interjected, feeling the urgency of our situation. “If she truly has the answers we need, isn’t it worth the risk?”
Logan’s father shook his head, his expression hardening. “No! It is not worth the risk. In fact, we will speak of this no more. No one is going to Miranda’s place, and that is final!”
Logan’s mouth opened, ready to protest, but his father raised a hand to silence him. “This is not up for discussion,” he said, his voice firm. “We’re not putting ourselves in danger by seeking her out!!”