Chapter 43: The Awakening of Luna
The night had fallen quiet over the Artesian estate. The forest beyond the stone walls whispered with the wind, shadows stretching long and restless under the pale glow of the half-moon. Zach stood on the veranda, eyes sharp as he scanned the grounds. Something felt wrong. A scent lingered in the air—foreign, heavy, and tainted with malice.
Then he saw it.
A shadow moved across the farthest corner of the woods, too fast to be a wandering animal, too careful to be one of their own. Zach's instincts flared. His golden eyes narrowed as he stepped onto the railing of the terrace. Without a sound, he leapt into the air, landing with a predator's grace on the grass below before darting after the figure.
Amber appeared at the balcony just in time to see him disappear into the woods. "Zach!?" she called, panic in her voice. "What's wrong!?"
But Zach didn't answer. His focus was fixed on the intruder. His body shifted mid-stride, bones breaking and reforming, fur tearing through his skin until the Alpha wolf emerged—massive, powerful, and swift. His growl tore through the night as he closed the distance.
The spy glanced back, eyes glowing faintly red. It was the same gaze Amber had seen so many times lurking in the forest. The wolf darted between trees, weaving through the woods in desperation, but Zach was faster. Branches snapped under his paws, the ground trembled beneath his weight.
Finally, Zach lunged. They collided with bone-crushing force, rolling across the forest floor in a blur of fur and teeth. Zach's jaws snapped dangerously close to the rogue's throat.
"Who sent you!?" Zach snarled, his jaw gripping the spy's fur as they grappled. "What do you want from us!?"
The rogue growled in defiance, refusing to answer, snapping its jaws at him with unyielding rage.
What Zach didn't notice was Amber. She had followed. Her heart pounded as she ran barefoot into the woods, her fear for Zach outweighing her hesitation. When she saw his massive wolf form clashing with the intruder, she knew she couldn't just stand aside. Her body shifted instinctively, fur and claws replacing skin, until her silvery-white wolf emerged, eyes glowing with a strange, unearthly light.
And just in time.
From the shadows, another rogue wolf lunged toward Zach's blind side. Amber didn't think—she reacted. With a vicious snarl, she slammed into the attacker, her fangs sinking into its shoulder. The impact threw them both to the ground, and a feral battle began.
The scent of crushed pine and damp earth filled the air as claws tore into bark and fur, the metallic tang of blood heavy on their noses.
It was chaos. Two against two. Snarls, claws, and teeth clashed in the night. Zach tore into the first rogue, his Alpha strength overpowering, but the spy was relentless, fighting with a strange determination. Meanwhile, Amber wrestled with the second rogue, her smaller frame almost overpowered, but her resolve burned brighter than fear. She bit, clawed, and struck with every ounce of strength she had.
"Amber!" Zach growled when he saw the danger, but before he could reach her, the spy pinned him against a tree, jaws snapping inches from his face.
And then it happened.
Amber saw the second rogue leap toward Zach's exposed side. In that moment, something inside her snapped—not with fear, but with raw power.
"No!" she howled, her voice carrying not just through the woods but into the very air around them.
The rogue froze mid-leap. Its body hung unnaturally in the air, suspended as though invisible chains held it in place. Its eyes widened in confusion, legs thrashing helplessly as it realized it couldn't move.
Amber's silvery eyes glowed brighter, almost blinding, as she lifted her head. The wolf in mid-air twisted unnaturally, pulled by an unseen force. With just a flick of her head, she flung the creature against a tree, its body crashing into the bark with a sickening crack.
Even Zach froze for a heartbeat, staring in disbelief.
Amber had done the impossible. She hadn't just fought—she had controlled.
The suspended rogue writhed, trapped by her will alone, its snarls turning into desperate whimpers. Zach, seizing the moment, struck the spy with brutal precision, his fangs sinking deep until the enemy fell limp and bloodied at his feet.
The second rogue, realizing the battle was lost, scrambled back in terror. Amber released her grip on its mind, unaware, and it bolted into the darkness, tail tucked in fear.
Breathing hard, Amber began to calm herself, trembling but unbroken. She shook her head as she stared at them, realizing what she had done. She had bent another wolf's body and mind to her will. Her chest heaved, silver eyes dimming back to their natural hue. She looked at Zach, trembling yet unbroken. "This isn't... magic. This... this is something else. Something I can't yet control." In her thought
Zach approached her, chest heaving, golden eyes wide with awe and a flicker of caution. His massive Alpha wolf form shifted slightly as he moved, the Alpha's instinctive wariness never leaving his gaze.
"Amber..." he murmured, voice low, almost a growl. "Do you realize what just happened? You... you stopped him in midair. Controlled him... with your mind."
Amber's silver eyes met his, trembling but alive with wonder and fear. She shook her head slowly. I didn't mean to... but I could feel him... feel his thoughts, his fear, his instinct... it was like I was inside him...
Zach stepped closer, cupping her trembling paws in his. "You can control more than objects, more than strength. You can reach into minds, into the very will of another being. Amber... you've awakened something far beyond anything I've ever seen."
Her heart pounded, a mix of disbelief and awe coursing through her. Mind... bodies... everything... I could control everything if I wanted. But... should I? Her ears flicked back, her fur bristling as she struggled to comprehend the weight of her new power.
"I... I don't know," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper in the quiet of the woods. "It just... happened. I didn't plan it. I didn't try to—"
Zach pressed a comforting nuzzle to her shoulder, grounding her. "It wasn't an accident. This... this is who you are. And who you are now... is a force no one can ignore. You are powerful beyond measure, Amber. And I will protect you—every step, every heartbeat, always."
Her mind raced. Every heartbeat... always... he trusts me... but can I control this power without losing myself? She took a shaky breath, silver eyes dimming back to their normal hue. "I can control... not just bodies, but minds... thoughts... intentions. But... is it right?"
Zach's golden gaze softened, unwavering. "Right or wrong doesn't matter right now. What matters is that you survived... that you are awake... and that you are ours. Together, we will learn to control this, harness it... not to harm, but to protect."
Amber's chest heaved as she nodded slowly, letting his words anchor her. In that moment, their bond felt deeper than ever, their thoughts brushing against each other in a silent, wolfish communion, communicating not through words, but through understanding, trust, and shared purpose.
"We are stronger together..." she realized, a surge of courage replacing the tremor of fear. "If I can control this power, I can protect him... protect all of us..."
Zach gave a low, approving growl. "Good. Then let's get back. There's much to prepare... and much to understand about what you've just become."
The spy lay unconscious at their feet, barely aware, yet in that moment, the message had already been delivered. Somewhere far beyond, the Northern Embers Council would learn of Amber's full awakening.
⸻
To be continued