Chapter 8: THE HUNTED TRUTH

The door slammed behind us with a force that made the floorboards tremble. Candlelight flickered violently, casting monstrous shadows across the walls. The air inside the cabin thickened, pressing against my chest like a weight I couldn't shake. Luca stood at the window, eyes locked on the darkness outside. His body was still, but I could feel the storm brewing within him. He wasn't the same Luca I had known—his energy had shifted. Colder. Sharper. Luca didn't turn. His fists clenched at his sides. "They've been tracking the bloodline for years. I thought we had more time." Alina finally spoke, voice low. "They've crossed the border." Panic surged through me. "What bloodline? What are you talking about?" Luca slowly turned to face me, the light catching his eyes—haunted, edged with guilt. "Yours." Silence slammed into the room harder than the wind outside. I took a step back. "Mine?" Alina moved closer. "Lina… there's a reason you shifted late. Why has your wolf been different? You're not just one of us. You're—" She glanced at Luca, who gave a reluctant nod. "—descended from something ancient. Rare." Luca added, "They believe your blood awakens old power. That it threatens balance. The hunters aren't just after rogues—they're after you." I shook my head. "No. That can't be right. I was just—just a girl in the woods. You said I was chosen, not cursed." Luca stepped forward. "It's not a curse. But it's dangerous. And now, they know you're alive." A bitter laugh escaped me. "So you've been hiding this? From me? From everyone?" His jaw clenched. "To protect you." "You keep saying that," I snapped. "But protection without truth isn't protection—it's control." Alina put a hand on my shoulder. "Lina, this is bigger than any of us. But you're not alone. We'll fight with you." I looked between them, pulse racing. "And Derrick?" Luca's face darkened. "We'll find him." A sudden thud hit the cabin wall. We all froze. Another. Luca's eyes flicked to the door. "They're testing the perimeter." I stepped closer to the hearth, the warmth of the flames doing nothing to calm my trembling hands. "What do we do now?" Luca exhaled sharply, avoiding my eyes. "It wasn't supposed to happen like this. You were supposed to have more time." "That's not an answer," I said, my voice rising. "You've been keeping secrets from me since the moment I arrived. What prophecy?" Alina stepped forward, her eyes softer. "You're the bloodline, Lina. The last living descendant of the original alpha line. The prophecy says when your blood awakens, so will a war—and with it, a power that could either unite all packs or destroy everything." My head spun. "You mean to tell me I've been walking around with some kind of… ticking bomb inside me?" Luca looked at me then, his voice low. "It's not a bomb. It's power. But it's unstable if you don't learn to control it." A louder thud hit the door. I flinched, heart racing. "How long have you known?" I asked, eyes locked on Luca. "How long have you been lying to me?" His expression cracked, just for a second. "Since the night you shifted. I recognized the mark in your aura." "And Derrick?" I whispered. "Did he know too?" Luca didn't answer. That was enough. Betrayal twisted in my chest. "You should've told me," I whispered. "I deserved to know." "I was trying to protect you!" Luca snapped, voice cutting through the cabin like lightning. "This prophecy—it's killed others before. I didn't want it to kill you, too." Before I could speak again, a deafening howl erupted from outside—close. Followed by another crash. Alina swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper. "There's more, Lina. The prophecy…It's tied to an ancient power. One that could change everything—if it falls into the wrong hands." I clenched my fists, frustration bubbling up. "Why wasn't I told this from the start? How am I supposed to face this if I'm kept in the dark?" Her gaze softened. "We wanted to protect you—from the weight, from the danger. But now, it's out in the open." I shook my head, anger and fear warring inside me. "I'm tired of being protected. I want to fight. I want to know everything, no matter how dark." Alina nodded slowly. "Then listen carefully. You're not just a link between worlds—you're the key. If you fail, the hunters will destroy not just the pack, but everything we've fought for." A sudden crash outside rattled the cabin walls. We both jumped. "Get ready," Alina said, eyes sharp. Alina moved toward me slowly. "That sound outside?" she whispered. I nodded. "I've heard it before," she said. "Years ago… the night my parents were killed. The thing that made that sound—it's not a hunter. It's not a wolf. It's something else." A shadow passed the window. Alina's eyes darkened, fixed on the window. "It's coming closer. Whatever it is, it's hunting *you*." I swallowed hard, my breath shallow. "Why me? Why now?" She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a fearful whisper. "Because you carry something inside you that they want. Something they can't control." The cabin grew colder, the shadows stretching longer as that unearthly sound echoed again—closer, louder, more terrifying. "Lina," Alina said urgently, gripping my arm, "we don't have much time. You need to prepare. This is bigger than any of us imagined." My heart hammered against my ribs. The nightmare wasn't just a dream. It was real. And it was coming for me. I shook my head, panic rising. "Prepare? How? I don't even know what I am." Alina's grip tightened. "You're more than human. More than wolf. That's why Luca hid the truth. He wanted to protect you until you were ready." "Protect me?" I whispered, feeling betrayed. "Or keep me in the dark?" Her eyes softened, but her fear remained. "He was scared. We all are." A sudden, sharp knock echoed on the cabin door. We froze. "Who is it?" Alina whispered. No answer. Just silence. The knocking came again—slow, deliberate. My breath caught. "This is it," Alina said. "They've found us." I glanced at her, trembling. "Then what do we do?" She swallowed, then met my eyes. "We fight. Or we die trying."