Chapter 11

• Olivia's POV
• These ancient guardian beasts were undefeated by their glow-in-the-dark weapons and reality-bending powers. The tables had turned completely! The Hunters, who had been so confident, were now faltering.
• The Hunters began to retreat, their strange, glowing weapons useless against the sheer force of these legendary beasts. One by one, they backed away, some running into the woods, others stumbling over themselves in their haste to escape. Even their leader, the one who had wielded that terrifying violet wand, was gone, disappearing into the chaos of the retreat.
• A small part of me felt proud of myself for saving the situation. My body was trembling, still coming down from the adrenaline of the fight, and my thoughts were spinning too fast to make sense of. Bianca stood beside me, panting but steady, her eyes locked on the wolves that had come to our aid.
• Nate and Bustan, locked in their brutal fight, had injured each other. Both were breathing heavily, bleeding from gashes and bite marks. I could see the raw hatred in Nate’s eyes, but the moment he noticed his allies retreating, something shifted. His posture changed. The arrogance, the need to dominate, disappeared or a moment, replaced by a survival instinct. He stumbled back from Bustan, using his last bit of strength to put distance between himself and the battle.
• Without a word, Nate turned and dashed toward the woods, escaping into the dense forest. Bustan didn’t follow. He was too weak, his massive wolf form sagging from the toll of the fight. I wanted to go to him, to make sure he was okay, but something else was happening, something I couldn’t ignore.
• The large wolves from the forest—the ancient guardian beast—began to gather around me, their eyes glowing with light. One of them, the leader, stepped forward. His fur was dark silver, almost blending into the shadows, and his eyes were a piercing gold that seemed to see straight through me.
• He let out a low, rumbling growl, one that echoed in the depths of my mind. At first, I didn’t understand the sound, but then something inside me shifted. My inner wolf stirred, and suddenly, I could make sense of it. The words came to me, not through language as I knew it, but through a deeper connection, something primal.
• “You called us, Luna,” the leader’s voice resonated within me. “We answer to you my Luna. We have answered your call today, as it is our duty.”
• I blinked in shock. I could hear them, I could interpret their sound. Wait, Luna? They were calling me their Luna? I hadn’t expected this—hadn’t even known I could communicate with them like this. Yet, here I was, standing among these ancient wolves, understanding a language I had never learned.
• “My wolf,” I found myself saying, the wolf inside me had stirred that statement, “She…she called you?”
• “Your wolf is bound to this forest, to the magic that runs through the land. It is not by chance that you stand here. You are more than you know.”
• The words echoed inside me, stirring something deep within. I felt my inner wolf bristle, her presence was stronger than ever. It was as though the forest itself was speaking through her, connecting me to these ancient guardians in a way I hadn’t understood until now.
• “And what am I supposed to do?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper. “How do I…how do we stop them?”
• The leader of the wolves tilted his head, his golden eyes softening. “You will know when the time comes, Luna. For now, we will stand by your side, guarding these lands as we always have. The Hunters will return, but when they do, we will be ready.”
• I nodded slowly, feeling the weight of his words. There was so much I didn’t know, so much I still had to learn about who I was and what my role in this war would be. I wanted to help Bustan badly, I owed my life to him. But for now, I was grateful for their help—for the connection we had forged.
• As I turned to look at Bustan, who was still in his wolf form but breathing heavily, I knew we couldn’t stay here. The battle was over for now, but the fight was far from finished. We needed to regroup, to plan our next steps.
• The wolves began to move, slowly fading back into the forest, but their presence lingered. I could feel them, watching over us, waiting for the next call.
• “Let’s get back to the palace,” I said, turning to Bianca, who was already helping Bustan shift back to his human form. His injuries were severe, but with time, he would heal. He was a Lycan, after all. Stronger than any ordinary werewolf.
• Bianca gave me a nod, her usual smirk softened by exhaustion. Together, we helped Bustan up, supporting his weight as we made our way through the forest. Bianca had really fought well and I was envious of her bravely.
• By the time we reached the outskirts of the forest, the sun was beginning to rise, casting a pale light over the land. The palace loomed in the distance, a reminder of the world we had to return to. The fight wasn’t over, but for now, we had won a small victory.
• “We’ll rest once we get inside,” Bianca said, her voice reassuring. “But we can’t stay idle for long. The Hunters will regroup, and Nate…he’s not going to give up.”