Rogue Encounters

It was a night that had not gone even close to silent. The calm of hours earlier, which had gradually fallen over the forest, had broken into sheer pandemonium. Growls and snarls echoed off the trees, punctuated by the thud of rolling bodies, making Celia shudder with gooseflesh. She gripped the tree trunk against her back, panting in short, harsh intakes of breath as the rogues ripped through Aziel's pack.

Aziel was right in the middle of it, his great wolf forms a blur of strength and fury. His claws flailed through the air and bit into flesh and fur as he defended the clearing with unrelenting force. Around him, his pack moved like a well-oiled machine, fending off the rogue wolves that had ambushed them.

But there were too many.

Celia's fingers curled into fists as she watched, her instincts screaming at her to do something. Anything. She had spent her life running, hiding from her past and the power she didn't understand. But now, cornered and outnumbered, she realized there was no escape. Not this time.

A rogue wolf lunged at her, its teeth bared, and its eyes filled with malice. Celia stumbled back, her heart hammering in her chest. The wolf's snarl grew louder as it closed the distance between them.

"No!" Aziel's roar cut through the chaos, and in an instant, he was there, his massive form slamming into the rogue with bone-crushing force. The two wolves tumbled to the ground, snarling and snapping at each other.

The claws rent apart, in the rogue's side the rogue let out a wounded howl. He moved backward, his glowing eyes resting on Celia. Although he was in wolf mode, his presence was commanding his gaze was filled with angry heat tempered somehow else—something protective.

Aziel growled low with his voice rough and guttural. "Hold close!".

Celia nodded, her body shaking as she pushed against the tree. She wanted to tell him that everything was okay, that she needed no help. But in reality, she was frightened.  And then she felt it.

The necklace against her skin warmed and then pulsed with the beat of her heart. A flow of energy through her veins she had never felt before; it was raw, primal, and terrifying.

The world around her became a blur; the sounds of battle faded into the background. She could only hear the pounding of her heart and the hum of power building inside her. She didn't know what was happening, but she couldn't stop it.

Another rogue wolf lunged at her, its teeth snapping inches from her face. Celia's hand shot out instinctively, and before she knew it, the wolf was sent flying backward, crashing into a tree with a sickening thud.

The forest fell silent.

All eyes turned to her, the pack and rogues alike staring in shock. Celia's chest heaved as she looked down at her hands, her fingers still tingling with the aftermath of the power she had unleashed.

"What. what did I just do?" she whispered.

Aziel shifted back into his human form, his eyes narrowing as he stepped toward her. "You tapped into the blessing," he said, his voice low.

"The blessing?" Celia's voice was filled with confusion and fear. "I don't even know what that is!"

Before Aziel could respond, a low growl rumbled through the clearing. The rogue Alpha stepped forward, his red eyes glowing with malice. He was larger than the others, his presence radiating dominance and danger.

“Well, well,” the rogue Alpha said, his voice dripping with mockery. “The keeper’s daughter. I’ve been looking for you.”

Celia's blood ran cold as the rogue Alpha's gaze fixed on her. There was a hunger in his eyes, twisted satisfaction, that made her skin crawl.

"You don't know what you can do, do you?" he said, speaking as if in pity. "Don't worry about that, however. I'll teach you.

Aziel stepped in front of her, his body tense and ready for a fight. "You won't touch her," he growled, his voice filled with authority.

The rogue Alpha laughed, a deep, sinister sound that echoed through the forest. "You can't protect her forever, Aziel," he said. "She's part of something much bigger than you or your pack. And I will have her."

The tension in the clearing was palpable, the air heavy with the promise of violence. Celia’s heart raced as she looked between Aziel and the rogue Alpha, her mind spinning.

“Celia,” Aziel said, his voice softer now. “You need to leave. Now.”

Celia shook her head, her fear giving way to defiance. “I’m not leaving you,” she said, her voice firm despite the trembling in her hands.

Aziel turned to her, his expression conflicted. “This isn’t your fight,” he said. “Not yet.”

By the time Celia could find an argument, the rogue alpha was lunging forward; his massive form was barrel-faster toward them. Aziel shifted back into his wolf to meet the attack head on.

The clearing erupted into chaos once again as the pack clashed with the rogues, all teeth and claws tearing into each other. Celia stood frozen, mind racing to process everything.

And then, again, she felt it.

The force within her grew, far stronger. It was like a blazing fire in her blood, devouring the fear, replacing it with something else—something fierce, unstoppable.

She could not stand idly by and do nothing anymore.

She took a deep breath, stepping forward. Her fists clenched tight, warmth emanating from the necklace inside her chest and giving her this odd feeling of purpose. She didn't know what she was doing, but she didn't care.

The rogue wolves turned toward her, their eyes narrowing as they sensed the shift in her energy. Celia raised her hands, and the power erupted from her, a blinding light that sent the wolves sprawling to the ground.

The clearing fell silent once more, the air heavy with the aftermath of the battle. Celia's chest heaved as she looked around, her body trembling with the effort of what she had done.

Aziel shifted back into his human form, his eyes filled with a mixture of awe and concern. "Celia." he said, his voice trailing off.

The rogue Alpha rose to his feet, a look of fury twisting his features. "This isn't over," he snarled, venom dripping from the words. "You can't protect her forever."

With that, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, his pack at his heels.

Celia sank to her knees, her body trembling as the adrenaline wore off. Aziel knelt beside her, his hand resting gently on her shoulder.

You are stronger than I thought," he said, his voice quiet.

Celia looked up at him, her eyes brimming with fear and uncertainty. "I don't know what's happening to me," she whispered.

Aziel's eyes softened, and for the first time, she saw something in his that wasn't dominance or control. It was understanding.

“You’re becoming who you were meant to be,” he said. “And I’ll help you every step of the way.”

Celia’s heart raced as she met Aziel’s gaze. She wanted to believe him, to trust him. But deep down, she knew the truth: this was only the beginning.

As the light of the necklace began to fade, a voice echoed in her mind, faint but unmistakable: Find the truth, or lose everything.