The air in the grand hall felt heavier than usual as Aria entered. Lucien stood at the front, a dark figure of power and authority. His eyes, usually so piercing, now held something darker — something she couldn't place.
"This way," he murmured, guiding her toward a set of large doors that creaked open slowly.
Beyond them, the room was a vast, imposing chamber. Torches lined the walls, their flames flickering like the whispers of the past. At the far end stood a raised platform, where a group of figures waited — their eyes glowing with an unsettling mixture of curiosity and disdain.
The Vampire Council.
Aria's heart skipped. She had heard whispers about them — the governing body of the Nightborne, as cold and calculating as the creatures they ruled.
Lucien stepped forward, and the council members straightened, their eyes all locking onto him. But it wasn't him they were concerned with anymore. It was her.
"You've brought her to us," said one of the elders, an ancient vampire with pale skin and eyes like ice. "The girl of prophecy. The one who bears the Lunari's bloodline."
Aria's gaze hardened. "I'm not a prophecy."
Another elder, a woman with dark, angular features, raised an eyebrow. "You are more than you know, Aria Blackwood. And that is the problem."
Lucien moved to stand beside her, his presence comforting but distant. "She is ready. She will be a weapon for us."
Aria could feel the weight of their gazes, like they were tearing her apart with just their thoughts.
"Enough of this," one of the council members growled, stepping forward. "The council demands you prove your loyalty, girl. If you are truly the one of legend, you will bend to our will. If you refuse, you will be discarded like the rest."
Aria clenched her fists, fire already licking at the edges of her vision. Loyalty? She owed them nothing.
"I will not be controlled," she said, her voice unwavering.
Lucien's gaze flickered, and for a brief moment, she saw something flash in his eyes. Regret? Approval? It was hard to say.
The council member sneered. "We'll see about that."
With a wave of his hand, a figure stepped forward — a tall, broad-shouldered vampire with dark, brooding eyes. His presence was commanding, and his aura pulsed with raw power. He was more than just a vampire. He was a Hunter — one of the deadliest of Lucien's kind.
"You'll face him," the elder declared. "Defeat him, and your place among us is secure. Fail, and you will be cast aside."
Aria's blood ran cold. She'd faced her own demons, but this was different. A Hunter was trained for one thing: death.
Lucien turned to her, his eyes softening, almost imperceptibly. "You've been trained for this. Show them who you are."
Aria's fists trembled as the fire inside her roared, demanding release. She couldn't back down now. This was her moment. Her choice.
The Hunter stepped forward, his eyes locked on hers with cold, calculating intensity.
Aria didn't wait. She lunged, her body moving on instinct. Flames erupted from her hands, streaking toward the Hunter like a wave of fire. But he dodged, faster than she expected, his movements fluid, almost inhuman.
"Is that all?" the Hunter taunted, his voice deep and mocking.
Aria gritted her teeth, pushing her power to its limits. She could feel the heat in her veins, the flames twisting around her like an extension of her own soul. She had to win this. She had to prove that she was more than just a piece in their game.
With a roar, Aria unleashed everything she had. Fire roared around her, tearing through the room in an inferno of molten fury.
But the Hunter wasn't finished yet. He met her attack head-on, his speed and precision creating a blur of motion. Aria's flames slammed into his form, but he didn't fall. He stood there, unfazed.
A flicker of uncertainty passed through her.
Lucien's voice cut through the chaos. "You are not fighting to win, Aria. You're fighting for your life."
That snapped something inside her.
Aria's heart beat faster, the fire within her raging in a way it never had before. She pushed harder, her flames intensifying until the room seemed to burn with her fury.
And then, with one final surge of power, she unleashed a wave of fire that engulfed the Hunter completely.
When the flames died down, the room was silent.
The Hunter lay on the ground, motionless. The council members stared in stunned silence.
Aria stood tall, her chest rising and falling with each breath. The fire inside her still roared, alive and wild. She wasn't just a werewolf. She was something more.
"I'm not your weapon," Aria said, her voice steady, her eyes locked on the council. "I'm the one who will change this world."