Chapter 6 A Wolf's Awakening

Elena returned to the village with her mind swirling in confusion and dread. The glowing mark on her palm pulsed faintly, as though alive, and she kept it hidden beneath her cloak. The whispers in her mind were no longer just faint murmurs-they were louder, forming incomplete phrases that hinted at something vast and ancient.

As she approached her cabin, she saw Caleb waiting outside. His arms were crossed, his brows furrowed with worry.

"Where have you been?" he asked, his voice a mix of concern and frustration. "I've been looking for you all day."

"I needed time to think," she said, brushing past him to enter her cabin.

Caleb followed, shutting the door behind him. "Elena, you can't keep shutting everyone out. Something's happening, and it's dangerous. You don't have to face it alone."

She turned to face him, hesitating before pulling back her cloak to reveal the glowing mark. Caleb's eyes widened in shock.

"What is that?" he asked, stepping closer to inspect it.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I saw the spectral wolf again, and it spoke to me. It said I'm the key to something... and then this appeared."

Caleb's expression darkened. "This isn't normal, Elena. That wolf-it's tied to the old legends. If the elders find out about this, they might see you as a threat."

Her chest tightened. "A threat? Why?"

"There's a story about a wolf who can shift the balance of power," Caleb explained. "A wolf hidden in plain sight, with the strength to unite or destroy. The mark... it's part of that prophecy."

Elena's knees felt weak, and she sank into a chair. "But I'm not even a wolf. How can I be part of a prophecy?"

Caleb knelt in front of her, his voice firm but gentle. "You're more than you think, Elena. Whatever is happening, you have to embrace it. Hiding will only make things worse."

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Later that night, Elena sat by her window, staring at the moonlit forest. Caleb's words replayed in her mind, and a sense of unease settled in her chest.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her body, forcing her to double over. Her vision blurred, and the whispers in her mind became a deafening roar. She fell to the floor, clutching her head as the mark on her palm burned brighter.

The room seemed to spin around her, and she felt an intense pull toward the forest. Despite the pain, she stumbled outside, following the invisible force that guided her.

She reached a clearing, where the spectral wolf waited. Its glowing form illuminated the darkness, and its gaze pierced through her.

"You must let go of fear," the wolf said, its voice steady and commanding. "Only then will you awaken."

Before she could respond, the wolf lunged toward her. She braced herself for impact, but instead of pain, a surge of energy flooded her body. Her senses sharpened, and a primal instinct she didn't recognize took over.

She let out a cry, her body convulsing as the transformation began. For the first time, she felt the presence of her wolf. It wasn't dormant-it had been suppressed, buried beneath layers of fear and doubt.

When the transformation was complete, she stood shakily on four legs, her fur shimmering in the moonlight. The spectral wolf nodded in approval.

"Your journey has just begun," it said before vanishing into the night.

Elena stood in the clearing, her heart pounding. She wasn't sure what the future held, but one thing was clear-she was no longer the outcast. She was a wolf, and her destiny was calling.

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