The raven's bloody message still burned in Selena's hand.
> TRAITOR.
Not a warning.
A declaration.
> "Rhea's in danger," Selena said, turning toward the edge of camp. "And I'm not going to let Damien use her to hurt me."
Kael stepped forward. "Then we move. Tonight."
Hours Later , Edge of Bloodfang Territory
The forest air was cold and thick with fog. Selena crouched beneath the underbrush, her breathing controlled, senses sharp.
Beside her, Kael shifted into his wolf form, sleek, silent, deadly.
Ahead of them, the old hunting cabin sat in the clearing, lanterns glowing inside. Selena could hear it, Rhea's heartbeat, faint but steady.
And another one.
Damien.
Inside, Rhea was bound to a chair, bruised but defiant. Damien paced in front of her, holding a black dagger etched with glowing runes.
> "She'll come for you," Rhea rasped, blood on her lip.
Damien smirked. "I'm counting on it."
He moved closer. "You thought you could follow the light and not get burned? You chose the losing side, Rhea."
> "You rejected her," Rhea spat. "And now you're terrified of what she's becoming."
Damien leaned in, voice low and poisonous.
> "She's not becoming. She's unraveling. And soon, I'll be there to finish what I started."
Boom.
The door burst open in a storm of moonlight and shadow.
Selena stepped in, eyes glowing like twin silver fires. Kael flanked her, his growl shaking the wooden beams.
> "Step away from her," Selena said.
Damien turned, blade ready, grin feral. "Ah. The queen arrives."
Selena didn't waste time. With a flick of her wrist, vines of energy burst from the floor, grabbing the blade from his hand.
Kael leapt, knocking Damien backward. Selena ran to Rhea, cutting her binds with a flash of power.
> "Took you long enough," Rhea smirked, wincing.
> "Shut up," Selena smiled tightly, helping her up. "Let's go."
But as they turned, Damien laughed.
> "You're running again? Just like before?"
Selena paused.
> "No," she said. "This time, I'm not the one who's afraid."
She raised her hand, and the cabin roof cracked open as a blast of silver light shot into the sky, forming a mark over the territory.
A message.
> "The Moonbound has returned. And we do not kneel."
Then they vanished into the night.
Later, back at Moonbound territory…
Selena helped Rhea to the healer's tent. Kael followed in silence, but she could feel the storm building inside him.
He'd seen Damien's blade.
The same cursed runes used by the Shadow King.
> "He's preparing something bigger," Kael said. "The next time… it won't be just a message."
Selena nodded.
> "Then we hit first."
She turned toward the gathered wolves of Moonbound, raising her voice.
> "The time for hiding is over. The time
for warning shots is done."
> "Tonight, we train. Tomorrow, we prepare.
And soon…"
"We take back everything they stole."