Chapter 16: A Rise Storm
Melissa’s POV
As I stood on the balcony of Kane’s study, overlooking the forest that encircled the sanctuary, the morning air was thick with tension. The woods’ usual peacefulness had given way to an uncomfortable silence as if the land itself sensed an impending storm.
I called, “Kane,” in a quiet but firm voice.
His expression was grim as he turned away from the map that was lying on the table behind me. Hey Melissa, what is it?”
I covered myself with my arms and said, “I can feel it.” “Something is going on outside. It is like… as though the rogues are getting closer.
He moved to stand next to me, making a tiny, grounding motion with his arm. “You’re not mistaken,” he said somberly. “Damon’s been quite busy. Our scouts’ reports verify that he is organizing more rogue packs. His numbers are growing faster than we anticipated.”
My stomach twisted at his words. “How many?”
Kane groaned, raking a hand over his dark hair. “Enough to make this war even bloodier than we thought. He’s already begun a few clashes on the outskirts of our territory. Testing our defenses.”
I balled my fists up. “We can’t let him get any closer. We must stop him before”
“I know,” Kane interrupted, his voice firm. “And we will. But we need to be clever about this. Rushing into a conflict we’re not ready for would just get more of our troops killed.”
The weight of his words settled over me like a stone. I wanted to disagree; to demand we take action, but I knew he was right. Damon wasn’t simply an enemy; he was a skilled planner and underestimating him would be a terrible error.
The attack occurred shortly after sunset, a small party of rogues descending on one of the border patrols. By the time Kane and I arrived with reinforcements, the combat was already in full swing.
I observed a renegade pinning one of our fighters to the ground, its teeth bared and ready to strike. I grabbed the relic around my neck without thinking.
I felt a heated, overwhelming burst of power as soon as my fingers contacted the crystal. The rogue flew through the air and struck a tree as a burst of energy exploded from my palms.
Everyone turned to stare at me, and the battlefield momentarily froze. There was hardly time for questioning, but Kane’s eyes widened in disbelief. As more rogues charged forward, I used the artefact’s power once more to push them back with forceful and bright bursts.
But the strength came at a cost. As the energy from the item drained me, my legs buckled under me and my vision became blurry.
“Hey, Melissa! In an instant, Kane was by my side, holding me before I could fall to the ground.
I managed to mutter, “I’m fine,” but I wasn’t positive it was accurate. My heart was pounding uncontrollably, and my whole body felt like it was on fire.
“No, you’re not,” Kane stated in a worriedly tight voice. As he carried me to safety, he yelled commands to the remaining fighters, who promptly put an end to the conflict.
Kane placed me on a cot at the refuge, his expression a mask of worry and annoyance. His voice was low but angry as he replied, “You can’t keep doing this.” “Too much is being taken from you by the artefact. It isn’t worthwhile.
I looked him in the eye, my eyes resolute. “Any price is worth it if it means keeping our pack safe.”
Although Kane remained silent, the pain in his eyes was quite clear.
Ethan, Kane’s Beta, stormed into the study the following morning, wearing a gloomy face.
With a crumpled piece of parchment in his hand, he declared, “We discovered something.”
As he read the note, Kane furrowed his brow. His voice was stern as he said, “It’s from Lyra.”
“What is it saying? With my stomach in knots, I inquired.
I looked at the spidery handwriting on the note that Kane gave me: “To my faithful servant within the pack: Keep feeding me information, and your reward will be great.” Melissa will be mine soon.
My blood froze. I muttered, “There is still a traitor among us.”
Ethan gave a nod. “Whoever it is has been cautious as we’ve been going through the ranks. This communication, which was probably intended to be recovered later, was concealed in a patrol outpost.
Kane’s rage was evident as he banged his fist against the table. “This type of betrayal is not something we can afford right now. Before they cause additional harm, we must eradicate them.
In an attempt to steady myself and him, I put a hand on his arm. “We’ll locate them,” I firmly stated. “And they’ll regret ever supporting Lyra when we do.”
The sanctuary was on high alert by evening. Tension was in the air as word spread that a gang of witches was moving toward the boundary of our domain.
At the main gate, Kane and I stood together with warriors on either side of us. I felt my blood boil at the image that met our eyes.
With her dark robes flapping in the breeze, Lyra led her witches. Her eyes glinted with hatred, and she smiled proudly and coldly.
With a tone full of derision, she called, “Well, isn’t this cosy?” “I’ve come to make you an offer, Melissa, my love.”
I ignored Kane’s warning hand on my arm and took a step forward. “Lyra, what do you want? Despite my stomach churning with fear, I demanded, maintaining a steady tone of voice.
Lyra grinned broadly. It’s that easy. I’ll spare your pack if you give yourself up to me. I’ll burn this place to the ground if you don’t.
With a growl, Kane moved to stand guard in front of me and said, “Witch, you won’t receive anything from us. Before I make you regret entering my territory, turn around.
Lyra let out a bone-chilling laugh. “Oh, Kane, you’re always so courageous. But this time, bravery won’t save you.
A ring of fire exploded around her and her witches as she raised her palm, the flames licking hungrily at the night sky.
“Think carefully, Melissa,” she said, her tone suddenly deadly serious. “You’re running out of time.”
The flames surged higher, their heat burning even from a distance, while her words lingered in the air. Both the challenge and the threat were obvious.
My heart was racing as I clenched my fists and gazed at the woman who had hurt me so badly. This was no longer just a war for survival-it was a battle for all I held dear.
As the flames reflected in her eyes, Lyra pointed directly at me. “Choose wisely, little wolf. The next move is yours.”
The flames rushed closer, and with it came the obvious realization: the storm had arrived, and we were standing at its very centre.