The acrid stench hit me first—burnt fur, blood, and decay. Rogues.
My pulse spiked. I could hear them before anyone else could: five heartbeats, pounding fast and wild, closing in through the trees. My gut twisted. They weren't just wandering—they were hunting.
"Lyca," Lance whispered sharply, stepping closer, shielding me with his body as if he already knew. "What is it?"
"Rogues," I breathed, low enough for only him. "Five, maybe more. They're coming fast."
His face hardened. In an instant, I felt the flicker of his mind link reach out to his father. Within seconds, the entire field erupted into motion—wolves rushing to gather their children, warriors snapping into defensive lines, the air vibrating with panic.
I stood frozen, every instinct screaming at me to fight. My claws itched beneath my skin, my blood roaring hot. The shift wanted to tear out of me, silver eyes threatening to give me away.
"Don't," Lance murmured under his breath, catching the tremor in me. His hand brushed mine, grounding me. "Not here. Not now. They'll see."
But the howls broke through the trees, savage and bloodthirsty, and I knew they were close. Too close.
Avana's voice tore through the crowd as she shoved toward me. "Lyca! There you are—I've been looking everywhere!"
Her face went pale when she caught the scent too. Behind her, the pack scrambled, mothers dragging pups inside, warriors snarling as they shifted.
The first rogue burst from the treeline, a hulking beast with eyes like fire. Chaos exploded.
Alpha Turner's roar shook the field. "Protect the pack! Hold the line!"
Warriors lunged, fur and teeth flashing under the sun. The clash was deafening—snarls, the crack of bones, the metallic tang of blood hitting the air.
And me? I stood trembling on the edge, teeth clenched, fighting myself harder than I'd ever fought an enemy. Because one slip—one loss of control—and they'd all see what I really was.
The first rogue crashed through the trees like a storm, a hulking beast with blood-matted fur and froth at its jaws. Its growl rattled my bones, primal and merciless.
And then they were everywhere.
Five of them, maybe six—I couldn't keep count. Claws shredded earth, teeth gleamed in the dying sun. The pack's warriors surged forward, snarls and roars colliding in a frenzy of violence. Mothers pulled pups inside, doors slamming shut, the air thick with fear.
"Stay back," Lance growled, stepping in front of me again. But my body wasn't listening.
Every instinct screamed at me to fight. My muscles burned, my claws itched to tear through skin, and deep inside, the silver fire of my true nature begged to be released.
The rogues were stronger than I expected. One snapped a warrior's arm like a twig, another pinned a young male to the dirt, jaws gnashing for his throat. My heart thundered. They weren't going to hold the line. Not long enough.
"Lance!" I hissed. "They're too strong!"
"I said stay back!" His tone was sharp, but his eyes flicked to mine—fear and pleading. Not fear of the rogues. Fear of me.
I clenched my fists, nails biting into my palms. But then I saw it—one rogue breaking through, charging straight for Avana. She froze, terror locking her in place, too slow to dodge.
My vision tunneled. My control snapped.
With a snarl, I moved.
The world blurred as my body launched forward faster than it should. My claws slashed across the rogue's chest, sending it sprawling back with a howl. Blood sprayed hot across my arms. Avana gasped, wide-eyed.
"Lyca…" she whispered.
But there was no time. Another rogue lunged at me, and this time, I didn't hold back. My fists connected, my body moving with impossible strength, instincts guiding every strike. They went down one after another, but each kill sent fire crawling higher under my skin, begging me to shift fully.
"Lyca!" Lance's voice cut through the haze. His hand gripped my shoulder, hard, grounding me again. "Enough! They're watching—control it!"
The last rogue fell, its throat torn open by a warrior's jaws. Silence crashed over the field, broken only by ragged breaths and the whimpering of pups hidden nearby.
I stood frozen, blood dripping from my hands, my chest heaving. Too many eyes were on me. Avana staring like she'd never seen me before. Warriors whispering, confused by how fast I'd moved.
And Lance, his hand still on my shoulder, eyes burning into mine.
"Don't," he muttered low, almost a plea. "Don't let them see what you are."
I forced my breathing to steady, fighting the urge to shift, forcing my silver eyes to dim back to their normal shade. My whole body shook with the effort.
From across the field, Alpha Turner's gaze cut into me, sharp and unreadable. He'd seen something. Maybe too much.
And standing just behind him, Luna Maya smiled.
Not a kind smile. A cruel, knowing one.