The forest lay eerily quiet after the failed assault. The pack tended to the wounded, wolves howling softly in the mist. Nyra stood with Kael at the edge of the clearing, silver light flickering faintly from her hands, pulse still syncing with his golden heartbeat.
But the calm was an illusion.
From the shadows, Lucien emerged. No waves of hunters, no distractions — just him. Pale, calculated, eyes glinting with a deadly intent that made even the forest seem to shiver.
"Nyra," he said, voice soft, dangerous. "So… the Blood Moon Heir awakens fully. And yet… I wonder… can she survive when I come for her alone?"
Kael growled low, shifting into wolf form instantly, towering and menacing. "Stay back. She's mine."
Lucien's smile didn't waver. "I don't intend to harm him… yet. My target is you."
Nyra's pulse jumped. Silver light flared as ancestral energy surged in her veins, responding to the imminent threat. Every instinct screamed: defend, strike, survive.
Lucien moved faster than thought, a blur cutting through the mist, dagger aimed directly at her heart. Nyra reacted instinctively, silver energy exploding outward in a protective shield — but it barely held.
Kael lunged, massive and unstoppable, intercepting the attack mid-air. But Lucien twisted with impossible agility, the dagger skimming Kael's fur, leaving a thin streak of blood.
Nyra's chest heaved. Fear, adrenaline, and the pulse of her mate bond surged into one. Gold and silver light intertwined, flaring violently as she channeled ancestral energy fully for the first time in combat.
Her pulse became the rhythm of the battlefield. Ghost wolves, spectral guardians, and waves of pure energy erupted from her hands, striking Lucien with precision yet restraint — testing, measuring, probing his defenses.
Lucien's eyes narrowed, surprise flickering across his pale face. "Impressive… but still… just a child wielding ancestral power."
Nyra felt Kael's heartbeat, his instincts, every ounce of his strength merge with hers. The mate bond amplified her energy exponentially, guiding her strikes, protecting her, and pushing her beyond limits she hadn't dared touch.
Silver light twisted around Lucien, forming a living cage of energy, spectral wolves snapping at his every move. He leapt, dodged, struck — but the combined force of ancestral bloodline and mate bond held him at bay.
Nyra's chest burned. Sweat and energy mingled, her vision flickering with ancestral visions and Kael's instincts. And then… she felt it.
A hidden part of her bloodline — something she had never accessed before — resonating with Kael's bond. A surge of raw power, almost uncontrollable, humming like a storm waiting to break.
Kael's golden eyes met hers. "Nyra… now. Let it flow… trust us fully."
Silver and gold flared, intertwining into a living storm. Ancestral energy and mate bond fused, amplifying each other beyond thought, striking at Lucien with waves of force that bent the very air. He was forced back, stumbling, his shadow energy unraveling under the sheer intensity.
Nyra's voice rang out, powerful, unwavering. "I will not let you hurt him… or anyone!"
The forest shook under the force. Lucien staggered, wide-eyed, realizing the extent of her power for the first time.
Kael pressed to her side, hand on hers, grounding and amplifying the energy. "We are unstoppable… together!"
Lucien hissed, retreating into the shadows, but his eyes glimmered with fury. "You… awaken fully… but this is far from over, Blood Moon Heir."
Nyra's chest heaved. Her silver light dimmed slowly, exhaustion pulling at her, but she felt alive, more than ever. She had faced him alone, yet the bond with Kael, her ancestral power, and her instincts had protected her — and amplified her.
Kael held her close, forehead to hers, voice low but firm. "You did it. You survived… and you grew stronger. I'm proud of you… and we'll face whatever comes next… together."
Nyra trembled, energy still humming faintly beneath her skin. "I… I never knew I could do this… be this powerful."
Kael pressed a kiss to her temple, gold light flickering faintly. "You always were… you just needed to believe it."
And in the shadows beyond, Lucien watched, calculating, furious, and… intrigued.
"So the Blood Moon Heir awakens fully… very well. The true test is coming. And soon… she will learn the true cost of power."