CHAPTER 3

Lena struck back, slamming one hunter into a stack of crates, her claws raking across his arm. He cried out, dropping his weapon, but another hunter was already behind her, his blade grazing her shoulder. The searing pain of silver burned into her skin, and she stumbled, clutching the wound.

The leader advanced, his smirk widening. “You’re slowing down. Should’ve handed it over when you had the chance.”

Lena growled, forcing herself to stand tall despite the pain. “Come and take it, then.”

He lunged, his blade aimed for her chest. She barely twisted out of the way, but the effort left her vulnerable. Another hunter struck her side, the silver slicing deep. Blood soaked her shirt, and she fell to one knee, the artifact slipping from her grasp.

The leader loomed over her, his victory all but assured. “This is the end,” he said, raising his blade.

A low, feral growl broke the silence.

Before the hunter could strike, Alec appeared, slamming into him with the force of a freight train. The hunter hit the ground hard, his blade clattering away.

The rest of the pack followed, their howls tearing through the night. Neil, Kara, and the others moved as one, their claws and teeth flashing as they attacked the remaining hunters.

The tide turned instantly. The hunters, so confident moments ago, were now overwhelmed by the pack’s ferocity. Alec fought like a storm, his claws ripping through weapons and armor, his roars shaking the very air.

Neil tackled the wiry hunter, his jaws snapping inches from the man’s throat. Kara disarmed another, her strength sending him flying into a steel beam.

The leader scrambled to his feet, blood dripping from a gash on his forehead. He looked around, his confidence crumbling as his team fell apart. “Retreat!” he shouted, his voice sharp with panic.

The hunters pulled back, retreating into the shadows as quickly as they had appeared. The leader cast one last look at Lena, his eyes filled with fury. “This isn’t over,” he snarled before disappearing into the darkness.

The pack gathered around Lena, who was slumped on the ground, her breathing shallow. Blood streaked her arms and side, and her face was pale. Alec knelt beside her, his green eyes filled with worry.

“You’re hurt,” he said, his voice gruff but soft.

“I’ll survive,” Lena whispered, her hand brushing the artifact where it lay. It was still glowing, its hum steady, as if unfazed by the chaos.

Neil helped her to her feet, his expression grim. “What now?”

Lena looked at the pack, their faces shadowed but filled with loyalty. Her voice was weak but determined. “We keep going. This artifact—it’s important. It’s worth the fight.”

The pack exchanged uncertain glances, but Alec nodded. “Then we’ll protect it. Together.”

As they disappeared into the night, the city seemed quieter, the danger not gone but lingering. For Lena, the battle wasn’t just a fight for survival—it was a promise. Whatever secrets the artifact held, she would uncover them, no matter the cost.

The hideout was eerily quiet. Tucked in a forgotten corner of the city, it wasn’t much—just a crumbling apartment with peeling paint and flickering lights. It wasn’t home, not really. But for now, it was all they had.

Lena sat on the floor, leaning back against a wall. The bandages on her shoulder were already stained with blood, but she didn’t care. The artifact rested in front of her, faintly glowing, its soft hum filling the silence. Around her, the pack gathered, their faces shadowed with worry and doubt.

“You gonna tell us what happened back there?” Neil broke the silence, his voice tense as he paced the room. “Or are we supposed to just sit here and guess?”

Lena’s fingers brushed against the artifact, and she finally spoke. “I saw something.”

The pack froze, all eyes on her.

“What do you mean, ‘saw something’?” Kara asked from her spot on the couch, her brow furrowed.

Lena looked up, her hazel eyes distant as she tried to put the vision into words. “When I touched it, it was like… like I was pulled into another world. I saw a forest—huge, wild, alive in a way I can’t explain. There were wolves everywhere. They weren’t hiding or afraid. They were free.” She paused, swallowing hard. “And there was an alpha. He didn’t speak, but I could feel him. His strength, his power. He was leading them.”

Alec, leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed, finally spoke. “And what? You think this means something?”

Lena’s gaze hardened. “It’s more than a vision. It felt real, like it wasn’t just showing me something—it was calling us.”

“Calling us?” Neil stopped pacing and turned to her, his voice sharp. “To what? Some magical forest that doesn’t exist? This thing—” he pointed at the artifact—“it’s just messing with your head.”

“It’s not,” Lena snapped. “I know what I saw. This is about more than just survival. It’s about who we are, where we came from. Don’t you want to know why we’re here? Why we’ve been hunted?”

Kara shook her head. “We don’t need answers, Lena. We need food. Shelter. A way to stay alive. That’s what matters.”

Lena’s voice rose, frustration cracking through her calm. “Staying alive isn’t enough! We’ve spent years running, hiding, scraping by. Is this all we are? Because I’m done living like this.”

The room went quiet.

After a moment, Alec stepped forward, his green eyes sharp. “Even if you’re right, do you know what you’re asking? You want us to leave the city, to chase some vision? You don’t even know where to start. What if it’s a trap? What if this thing”—he gestured at the artifact—“is leading us to something worse than the hunters?”

“I don’t know where it’s leading,” Lena admitted. “But I know we can’t stay here. The hunters will find us sooner or later. And when they do, this pack won’t survive another fight. Out there—” she pointed beyond the walls, “—there’s a chance. A chance to be more than what we’ve become.”

Neil muttered something under his breath and ran a hand through his hair. Kara stood abruptly, pacing to the window. The tension in the room was thick, every unspoken fear hanging in the air.

As if responding to the argument, the artifact began to glow brighter. The hum deepened, vibrating through the floor. The pack stiffened, their eyes snapping to the strange object.

“What the hell is it doing now?” Kara whispered, backing away.

Lena leaned closer, her hand brushing the runes etched into its surface. The warmth of the artifact spread through her fingers, and she felt a strange pull, as if it was trying to guide her.

“It’s reacting,” Lena said quietly, her voice almost reverent. “To us. To our choice.”

“Choice?” Neil scoffed. “What choice? You’re talking about dragging us into some wild goose chase based on a dream!”

“It wasn’t a dream,” Lena shot back, her voice rising again. “It was real. I felt it. That forest is out there, and it’s calling to us. I know it.”

Kara turned to her, arms crossed. “And what if you’re wrong? What if we leave this city and end up worse off than we are now? What if this forest is just another trap waiting to kill us?”

Lena stood, her chest heaving, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. “Then I’ll take the risk. Because hiding in this city, waiting to be hunted down, isn’t living. It’s dying slowly.”

The room fell silent again.

Finally, Alec stepped closer. He looked at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he nodded. “If this is what you believe, I’m with you. But you’d better be ready to lead us through whatever’s coming.”

Lena’s lips tightened into a grim smile. “I am.”

Kara sighed, her frustration clear, but she didn’t argue. Neil muttered something under his breath, shaking his head, but he stayed.

The artifact pulsed again, its glow casting faint patterns on the walls. It seemed alive, waiting for them to take the first step.

Lena’s heart pounded in her chest. The forest was out there, and it held the answers she’d been searching for her whole life. Now, she just had to convince her pack to follow her into the unknown.