Chapter 4 The Betrayal Inside

"Ethan! They found us!"

Lina's scream echoed through the ancient stone temple.

Ethan's breath caught as he stared at Ronin's lifeless body. Blood soaked the old man's back, his eyes still open in shock. A dagger, clean and sharp, was buried deep between his shoulder blades.

Someone had stabbed him from behind.

Someone had been close enough.

Ethan's heart raced. His mind screamed.

"Ronin-" He dropped to his knees, shaking the man's body. "No... no, come on. Please wake up. Please..."

But Ronin was gone.

The air shifted behind him. Heavy footsteps.

"Step away from the body."

A deep voice. Cold.

Ethan slowly turned around.

Three tall figures stood in the shadows of the temple entrance. Their eyes glowed yellow, their faces marked with deep scars and dark tattoos.

The Rogues.

Hunters.

And standing behind them-wearing a long black coat, arms folded-was someone Ethan never expected to see.

Kira.

She had been one of them. Part of the safehouse back in town. A healer. Quiet. Soft.

Ethan's mouth went dry. "Kira?"

She tilted her head, her lips curving into a fake smile. "Hello, Ethan."

"You..." His voice cracked. "You killed him."

"He was in the way," she said simply. "Besides, he should've died years ago. He was a traitor to the packs."

Lina stumbled into view behind Ethan, her hand still clutching her side. Her eyes widened at the sight of Kira. "You-how could you do this? We trusted you!"

Kira shrugged. "Trust makes people weak. You should've learned that by now."

The largest rogue stepped forward, cracking his neck. "Orders were simple. Kill the old man. Bring the boy alive."

Ethan stood protectively in front of Lina. "You're not taking either of us."

The rogue laughed. "You think you can stop us now? You barely understand your power."

"I don't need to understand it," Ethan said through gritted teeth. "I just need to use it."

The ground trembled slightly beneath his feet. The air around him shimmered. His eyes began to glow again-gold and wild.

Kira narrowed her eyes. "Enough of this." She waved a hand. "Take him."

The two smaller rogues rushed forward.

Ethan met them halfway.

His first punch sent one flying into a stone pillar. Cracks splintered through the ancient walls. The second rogue clawed at his face, but Ethan ducked and slammed his fist into the man's gut, lifting him off his feet.

Lina backed into a corner, searching for something-anything-to defend herself. She grabbed a broken spear from the temple wall and held it tight.

Kira watched, unimpressed. "You're stronger than I thought, Ethan."

Ethan stood over the fallen rogues, breathing hard. "You're done here."

Kira smiled sweetly. "Oh no, honey. I'm just getting started."

She reached into her coat and pulled out a small glass orb. It pulsed with dark energy.

"What is that?" Lina whispered.

Ethan took a step back. "Whatever it is, it's not good."

Kira crushed the orb in her hand. The temple walls shook violently. The light from the moonstone spring flickered.

From the shadows, more figures emerged.

Six. No-seven more. All dressed in black.

Ethan cursed under his breath. "They were waiting outside."

"You see," Kira said, stepping forward, "we've been preparing for this moment for a long time. The prophecy? The chosen one? It's all real. But the council doesn't want it to happen. So we kill the chosen before he awakens. That's you, Ethan."

Ethan clenched his fists. "Why me? Why does everyone want me dead? I didn't ask for any of this!"

"Because you're a threat," Kira snapped. "To the balance. To their power."

"I don't even know who they are!"

"And you never will," she said coldly. "Because you won't live long enough to meet them."

The new rogues charged.

Ethan turned to Lina. "Run!"

"I'm not leaving you!"

"You have to!"

She hesitated, fear in her eyes. Then she turned and limped toward the back exit of the temple.

Ethan roared as the first rogue lunged at him. He blocked the attack and grabbed the man by the neck, slamming him to the ground. Another came at him from the side, claws bared. Ethan rolled and kicked him into the wall.

Still, they kept coming.

He couldn't win this alone.

A howl echoed from the mountains.

Then another.

And another.

The rogues froze.

Kira's eyes widened. "What... what is that?"

Ethan's breathing was ragged, his shirt torn, bruises forming across his body. "That... isn't me."

From the shadows, a group of wolves charged into the temple. Not rogues-real wolves. Pack wolves.

Leading them was a tall man with silver hair and an eye patch. His presence filled the room with authority.

"Back away from the boy," the man growled. "He's under our protection now."

Kira stepped back. "Who the hell are you?"

The man smirked. "Name's Ulric. Alpha of the Silver Claw Pack. And that boy you tried to kill? He's my nephew."

Ethan's jaw dropped. "Wait-what?"

The rogues panicked. One tried to flee but was tackled by a wolf mid-air.

Ulric stepped beside Ethan, handing him a dagger. "You've got your father's eyes, kid. Welcome to the real war."

Kira screamed and vanished in a puff of black smoke.

The rogues who remained were taken down in minutes.

The temple went quiet again.

Bodies everywhere.

Blood on the stones.

Lina limped back into the chamber, tears in her eyes. "Ethan-are you okay?"

He turned to her, speechless.

She collapsed into his arms, shaking.

"I thought they were going to kill you," she whispered.

"I thought the same about you," he said, holding her tightly.

Ulric cleared his throat. "We don't have much time. Kira will be back. Stronger. Next time, she won't run alone."

Ethan looked up. "Why now? Why help us?"

Ulric's face darkened. "Because you're the last hope we've got. And there's something you need to see."

Later that night

They reached Ulric's camp deep in the forest.

Inside his tent, Ulric pulled out an old leather scroll. He unrolled it slowly.

Ethan stared.

It was the full prophecy. The original one.

And his name was written in the final verse.

But that wasn't what made his stomach twist.

There was another name.

Lina.

And a symbol next to her name-an ancient mark that meant mother.

Ethan blinked. "What is this?"

Ulric's expression was grim. "You're not the only one tied to fate. Her child... Lina's child... He's the key."

Lina froze.

Ethan turned to her slowly. "You had a child?"

Lina's voice was barely a whisper. "I didn't want you to find out like this."

"Who's the father?"

Her silence told him everything.

Ethan stepped back. "It's me?"

She nodded, tears falling. "I didn't know... I was scared. Dorian took him. He said if I told anyone, he'd kill him. I thought he was safer without me."

Ethan's head spun.

A secret baby.

A prophecy.

A war.

And now, everything was about to change.

Before he could speak again, a scout burst into the tent, out of breath.

"Alpha! We found him!"

Ulric stood. "Who?"

"The boy," the scout said. "The child. He's alive."

Ethan's heart leapt.

But then the scout added, "He's with Dorian."

Cliffhanger Ending:

Ethan clenched his fists.

They had his son.

And now, he would stop at nothing to get him back.