Chapter 3 3

The trees closed in around them as Talon moved with a fluidity that bordered on inhuman. His grip on her wrist was unyielding, guiding her through the underbrush with ease, his every step calculated and precise. Serena stumbled behind him, her breath catching as twigs cracked beneath her feet and shadows seemed to reach out from every direction.

"What's happening?" she gasped, her heart pounding in her chest. "What is that growl?"

Talon didn't answer right away. He kept his head turned toward the path ahead, his gaze scanning the forest with an intensity that sent a thrill of unease down Serena's spine.

"You're in danger," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "That growl? It's the sound of a pack-one that doesn't like strangers."

Serena's pulse quickened. "A pack?"

"Not a normal pack," he replied, voice edged with something darker. "They're hunters. Predators."

His words hung in the air like a threat, and Serena's legs moved faster, propelled by the fear gnawing at her gut. She wanted to ask him more, wanted to demand answers to all the questions swirling in her mind, but the terror in his voice made her silence herself.

They reached a clearing, the moonlight falling on a small, forgotten cabin tucked away in the trees. It looked abandoned, the windows dark and the door slightly ajar.

"Get inside," Talon ordered, pushing the door open with one smooth motion. Serena hesitated only a moment before following him into the cabin.

The door slammed shut behind them, the wood creaking under the sudden force. Inside, the air was thick with the smell of old wood and dust. There was little light except for the dim glow filtering through cracks in the walls.

Talon didn't stop to catch his breath. His eyes were fixed on the door, his chest rising and falling with barely contained tension.

"What do they want with me?" Serena asked, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to keep calm.

"They want you dead," he said, the words coming out like a cold slap. "And they'll do whatever it takes to get what they want."

Serena took a step back, her mind spinning. "What did I do? Why me?"

Talon's gaze softened for the briefest moment, a flicker of something that could almost be mistaken for regret. But it was gone in an instant, replaced by the sharp, calculating look that had never left his eyes since they met.

"You're not just any human," he said. "You're part of something much bigger. Something they've been hunting for a long time."

Serena's stomach churned. "What do you mean?"

Talon's eyes locked onto hers. "You're a seer, Serena. A damn powerful one. And they know it. That's why they're coming for you."

A seer?

The word echoed in her mind, but she couldn't make sense of it. "I don't understand. I've always seen things-visions-but I'm not some kind of... oracle or anything."

Talon let out a low growl of frustration. "No, you're not some oracle. But your visions? They're not just dreams. You've been seeing the future. And that means you're a threat."

Serena's head spun. A seer? She had never believed her visions meant anything other than the odd flashes of the future that left her feeling disoriented, as if the universe was playing tricks on her. But now, standing here, her pulse racing, the weight of Talon's words started to sink in. She wasn't just a random woman caught up in something she didn't understand.

The cabin door suddenly rattled with a force that made her heart stutter. Someone-or something-was outside, pounding against the wood. The growl from earlier sounded again, deeper and more guttural, as if it were being fed by a hunger too powerful to ignore.

Talon's body stiffened. "Get back," he ordered, voice clipped. He turned toward the window, his posture tense, as if he could sense what was coming before it even appeared.

Serena's breath caught in her throat. "Talon-what's happening? What are they?"

Talon's voice was low, a warning. "Wolves. But not the kind you've ever seen."

Before she could ask him what he meant, the door burst open with a deafening crack.

A figure stood in the doorway-tall, menacing, with eyes glowing a feral yellow that mirrored Talon's. But unlike Talon's, these eyes were full of malice, hunger, and rage.

The figure's lips curled into a snarl, revealing sharp, predatory fangs. His body was covered in a tight-fitting black leather jacket, but the most unnerving part was the presence he exuded-dark, controlling, and hungry.

"Step aside, Wildshadow," the figure growled, his voice low and dangerous. "We've come for the girl."

Talon's growl was low and warning. "You'll have to go through me first."

The figure's eyes flickered to Serena, narrowing with recognition. "You're the one, aren't you?" he hissed, stepping forward, his eyes never leaving her face. "The prophecy is true."

Serena's heart raced, her pulse hammering in her chest. The prophecy? What the hell were they talking about?

Talon stepped forward, putting himself between her and the intruder. His entire body radiated tension, muscles coiled like a predator ready to strike.

"You won't touch her," Talon spat, his voice filled with an icy threat.

The figure let out a low, mocking laugh. "You think you can stop me, Wildshadow? You're a fool."

The moment the words left his mouth, he lunged.

Serena barely had time to react before Talon was already moving, his body a blur of speed and strength. The two men collided with a sickening thud, the sound of bone and flesh meeting echoing through the cabin.

Serena stumbled back, her mind reeling from the violence unfolding in front of her. The fight between them was savage-brutal. Talon and the intruder were locked in a deadly grapple, snarling and growling like wild animals, their fangs gleaming in the dim light.

She was trapped-caught in the middle of something she couldn't comprehend. The cabin, the fight, the prophecy... it was all too much.

And then, just as quickly as the fight had started, Talon landed a blow that sent the intruder crashing into the wall. He crumpled to the ground, groaning in pain.

Talon stood over him, his chest heaving, but his eyes locked onto Serena with a fierce intensity.

"Stay back," he warned. "I'll deal with him."

But Serena didn't move. Her heart thundered in her chest as she stared at the men in the cabin-the two powerful, dangerous forces clashing before her. She was caught in something far darker than she ever could have imagined.

And no matter how much she wanted to run, she couldn't. Not when her destiny had already been written.