Shadows of the Past

Akira's breath caught in her throat as she watched the parent emerge from the shadows. It had her grandmother's features, but the eyes were all incorrect. Where there should have been warmth and knowledge, there has been nothing but a vast abyss, black and hungry.

"Grandmother?" Akira muttered, her voice shaking.

The thing that wasn't her grandmother grinned, exposing rows of needle-sharp enamel. "Oh, my pricey," it said, its voice a terrifying combination of her grandmother's familiar tones and something historic and malicious. "i am a lot more than that now."

The five alpha wolves coiled up around Akira, their massive bodies forming a protective circle. She could feel their perplexity and rage coming from them in waves.

Kael's voice rang in her thoughts. "Akira, what is that issue?"

Before she could react, the creature laughed, a genuine sound that sent chills down Akira's spine. "How rude of me," it said, spreading its large fingers. "Allow me to introduce myself politely. I am the Devourer, the historical Evil that your precious prophecy warned you about. And I've come to declare what's mine."

Caleb coiled up and took a step forward. The Devourer's gaze shifted to him, and the alpha unexpectedly changed into flying through the air, smacking into a tree with a horrible thud.

"Now, now," the Devourer remarked. "allow's all play nice, shall we?"

Akira's thoughts raced. This couldn't be happening. Her grandmother had reared her, taught her everything she knew. How long had this component been bearing her face?

As if examining her thoughts, the Devourer returned its focus to Akira. "Oh, my pricey female," it said, its voice full of phony sorrow. "Did you surely believe it was a twist of fate that brought you here? That your powers have just been transferred to evoke on this night, with these five dominant males nearby?

Doubt seeped into Akira's heart. She looked around at the alphas, who had transformed back to their human forms, nude and battle-ready. Could they have been a part of it all along?

Asher moved forward, his gaze remaining fixed on the Devourer. "Some sport you're gambling on, devil, it's over now. "Akira is under our protection."

The devourer tossed its head back and chuckled. "safety? Oh, you foolish dog. You aren't her protectors. "You are her jailers."

Confusion spread throughout the organization. Ethan spoke out, his voice tense and anxious. "What are you speaking about?"

The creature's smile spread impossibly. "It's no surprise that the prophecy called for five alphas? Why wasn't one mate enough? It swelled, and its focus returned to Akira. "It is because, my dear, you are no longer meant to unite the packs." You're meant to destroy them.

Akira felt as if the ground had dropped beneath her feet. "No," she whispered. "you're mendacity."

"Am I?" the Devourer said, cocking its head toward at least one facet. "Take it into consideration, infant. Why would the most powerful white wolf in generations choose five companions? It is no longer intended to increase your potency. It is to keep you vulnerable and divided. To ensure that you never fully realize your potential."

Landon hissed, his pale eyes flashing. "Enough with your falsehoods, Demon. We will not assist you in poisoning her ideas.

The Devourer's eyes narrowed. "Poison her mind?" Oh, you horrible, delusional fools. I'm no longer right here to harm Akira. "I am here to set her free."

The monster sprang forward with a speed that belied its ostensibly fragile appearance. The alphas moved to intercept, but were too slow. In the blink of an eye, the Devourer appeared in front of Akira, its chilly hand touching her cheek.

"Allow me to show you the reality, my dear," it said.

Photographs flooded Akira's mind. She imagined herself as a toddler, gambling in these same woods. But there, in the darkness, were five pairs of eyes. watching. ready.

She saw her grandma, her real grandmother, weeping as she completed a ritual, begging pardon for what she was about to do.

She noticed the alphas, more youthful but recognizable, agreeing to a p.c. Bind the white wolf. To keep her strength under control.

Akira gasped and stumbled backward. The alphas surrounded her immediately, their arms stabilizing her, their voices asking if she was okay... yet their touch, which had sent thrills of ecstasy down her spine just seconds before, now felt like manufacturers against her skin.

"Break away from me," she said, pushing them back.

The alphas exchanged intense glances. Kael improved, raising his palms in a placating motion. "Akira, what it showed you was not real. That entity is aiming to control you."

Akira's eyes blazed, and a growl sounded in her chest. "And what about you? Have you ever manipulated me in my entire life?"

Asher scowled and shook his head. "We'd better just meet you, Akira. How should we probably—"

"Liar!" Akira exclaimed, her strength erupting around her like a white-hot flame. The alphas stumbled back, their eyes wide with a mixture of astonishment and concern.

The Devourer chuckled, producing a sound similar to crushing bones. "Do you see, my dear?" They worry about your strength. "They always have."

Ethan's voice became calm and steady as he dealt with his anxiousness. "Akira, please." You want to relax. Your abilities are volatile. "If you lose control—"

"manipulate?" Akira laughed angrily. "Isn't that how it's always been? Keeping me under control?

She should sense her energy building, like a tidal wave about to rip unleashed. Part of her wanted to let it go, to see what would happen if she just let it out. However, any other element, one that remembered her grandmother's warm smile and soft teachings, was held back.

Landon took a cautious step forward. "Akira," he said softly, "I understand you're stressed and scared. However, please listen to your heart. "Will we feel like enemies to you?"

Akira paused. Regardless of what the Devourer had shown her, she couldn't ignore the draw she felt toward these five males. It became more than just physical attraction. It was as if her soul recognized and sought out for them.

The Devourer snarled, and its form appeared to flicker and shift. "Do not listen to them, baby. They'll say something to make you sure."

Caleb, who had now recovered from his encounter with the tree, spoke up. "If we wanted to keep you bound, why could we run the instant you called? Why would we risk it all to be here?"

Akira began to have doubts. The Devourer's sentences made warped sense, as did the Alphas'. Who began telling the truth?

As if sensing her hesitation, the Devourer's form began to alter and grow. gone became the familiar face of her grandmother. In its place rose a horror monstrosity, complete with twisted limbs and gaping maws.

"Sufficient games," it said, its voice no longer sounding remotely human. "The white wolf is mine!"

It leaped toward Akira, claws extended. Time appeared to be gradual. Akira saw the alphas move to intercept, but they were too far away. She raised her fingers involuntarily, bracing for the hit.

However, the impact did not come. Instead, a brilliant white light exploded from Akira's arms. The Devourer shrieked, breaking the silence of the night as it was hurled backward.

Akira glanced at her fingers, shocked. Had she done that?

The alphas did not spend any time. They formed a wolf bureaucracy and positioned themselves between Akira and the dazed Devourer.

Kael's voice rang through her mind again. Run, Akira. "We'll keep it off.

For a brief moment, Akira paused. Should she consider them? Should she stay and fight?

The Devourer began to push upward, twisting and expanding with each second. Dark tendrils of electricity raced around it, reaching out at the alphas.

"cross!" Asher's mental voice shouted.

Making a split-2d decision, Akira became and fled. She dashed into the dark wooded area, branches whipping at her face as she fled. She should be able to hear war sounds behind her, including snarls, roars, and that bone-chilling cry.

As she ran, Akira's mind raced. Who could she wish to consider? The alphas, who claimed to be her destined pals but may have been manipulating her all along? Or the Devourer, who promised liberation yet reeked of old evil?

And what about her grandmother? Had she merely been complicit in all of this, or had she become yet another victim of the Devourer's plot?

Akira's foot was snagged in a root, sending her falling to the forest floor. She lay there for a second, gasping for air, her body quivering from tiredness and anxiety.

As she pushed herself up, a new heavy aroma caught her attention. Her head snapped up, and her eyes widened as she took in the figure standing before her.

It transformed into a wolf, larger than any she had ever seen. Its fur turned a spotless white, as if it were glowing within the forest's darkness. And its eyes were the exact same shade of silver as Akira's own.

The wolf approached her frivolously, showing no signs of aggressiveness or concern. It expanded slowly, intentionally, and began to walk away. After a few paces, it came to a halt and appeared to look back at her as if waiting.

Akira paused. Every instinct told her to pursue this unusual wolf. But should she trust her senses when so much of her belief has been called into question?

In the distance, she could hear a painful howl. One of the alphas had suffered harm. Regardless of her reservations, the sound made her heart constrict.

The white wolf took every other stride, keeping its stare fixed on Akira.

It became decision time. Stay and assist the alphas in combating an ancient evil she didn't realize existed? Comply with this mysterious wolf to find out who knows where. Or will she venture off on her own, trusting no one except herself?

As the sounds of struggle got closer, Akira expressed her desire. For better or worse, her life will never be the same after this night.

She simply hoped she was making the right decision.