The wind whispered her name.
Raine…
She woke in the middle of the night, heart pounding, her skin glowing faintly under the moonlight. The others were asleep around the fire, but the pull in her chest was too strong to ignore. Silently, she stepped away and followed the feeling—deep into the woods.
The deeper she went, the more the forest seemed to respond to her. Trees bowed slightly as she passed. The ground vibrated softly beneath her bare feet.
And then—she found it.
A stone circle.
Cracked and overgrown, but pulsing with power. In the center, a pool of silver water shimmered like moonlight made liquid.
A voice echoed from behind her.
"You've heard the call."
Raine turned—and gasped.
A woman stood at the edge of the circle. Her hair was long and silver-white, her eyes glowing like starlight. Her presence was ancient and commanding, yet gentle.
"Who are you?" Raine whispered.
"I am Lyria," the woman said. "Daughter of the First Wolf. Guardian of the legacy."
"You're… one of them?"
Lyria nodded. "And so are you."
The silver pool rippled, and images began to form: a war from centuries past, wolves battling creatures of smoke and flame; a woman with Raine's eyes standing beside a massive, glowing wolf—its howl splitting the sky.
"That is your bloodline," Lyria said. "Your mother kept it from you to protect you. But the moment you set foot on this path, the blood awakened."
Raine couldn't breathe. Her eyes widen. She gasped for air
"What do I do with it?" she asked.
Lyria stepped forward, placing a hand over Raine's chest. "You must accept it. All of it. The strength. The pain. The power to bind or break the world."
A sharp pulse tore through Raine's body. She dropped to her knees, gasping as silver light surged through her veins. Her eyes burned. Her mind filled with visions—memories not hers, voices not hers.
She screamed.
When she opened her eyes, Lyria was gone.
But Raine knew something had changed.
She no longer felt lost.
She was the legacy now.
And war was coming.
The forest seemed quieter as Raine stepped back into camp—yet beneath the calm, every leaf, every branch, felt like it was holding its breath.
She walked barefoot, her skin still faintly glowing, her eyes silver under the dying moonlight. The bond she shared with the forest now pulsed with life. She could feel the wolves sleeping around her, sense their dreams, their energy. And when she stepped over the boundary of the camp, it was as though the earth itself welcomed her home.
Xavier was the first to stir.
He shot to his feet, his instincts on edge. But then his gaze met hers—and he froze.
"Raine?" he whispered.
She looked different. Not just glowing, but… older. Stronger. Wilder.
"I found the circle," she said softly. "I met her—Lyria. A daughter of the First Wolf."
Xavier approached her slowly, cautious. "What did she tell you?"
"That I'm part of something ancient. My mother tried to hide it. But now I carry more than just blood. I carry memory. Legacy. Power."
She raised her hand, and silver light danced from her fingertips. The fire at the center of their camp flared in response.
"You're glowing," Xavier murmured, reaching out.
"So is everything," she whispered, glancing around. "The world looks different now."
"Are you feeling well?" He asked with a worried look
"I'm fine," she assured him and gave him a warm smile.
By now, the others had woken. Ezra, Micah, Leena—all of them stared in stunned silence as Raine stood before them, no longer just a pack member—but something more.
"Are you still… you?" Leena asked cautiously.
Raine smiled faintly. "I am. But I'm more now. And we don't have much time."
Micah stepped forward. "Time for what?"
She turned toward the east—toward the mountains that shadowed the Council's hidden strongholds.
"They felt it. The Council. The moment the legacy awakened in me, they felt it tear through the balance."
Xavier frowned. "So they'll come for you."
"No," she said. "They'll come for all of us."
The wind picked up.
Raine stood tall, her silver eyes burning with resolve.
"Then we go to them first."