TYLERS POV
The howl tore through the forest like a warning bell. Not the wolves surrounding us—they were silent—but them. The hunters.
I tighten my jaw. Emily steps forward, glowing faintly silver, her pendant blazing against her chest. The First Blood. My heart races, part awe, part fear. She's already attracting them. Already dangerous.
"Emily," I hiss, voice low. "We need to move. Now."
Her eyes flick to mine, steady. No fear. Only… purpose.
"I'm not running," she says. Her voice carries over the trees, commanding. The wolves growl in response, tails high, muscles tensed.
I swallow hard. This is insane. Even my wolf is uneasy. She's no ordinary human. She's something older, stronger… and they will not underestimate her.
A shadow shifts at the edge of the trees. Movement, quick, deliberate. Then another. And another.
"They're here," I whisper, baring my teeth instinctively. "Hunters. Move—behind me!"
Emily doesn't. She lifts her chin, glowing faintly in the moonlight. And then it happens:
A low, resonating hum vibrates through the clearing. Not from her voice. Not from her mouth. From the air itself. The wolves stiffen. The shadows retreat slightly.
"They sense her," I mutter, stunned. "They feel the First Blood."
A figure steps into the clearing. Tall, clad in dark leather, a mask covering half his face. Two more follow, their eyes like molten gold. Hunters, yes—but these are not ordinary hunters. These are elite. Dangerous. Centuries of preparation radiate from them.
Emily takes a slow step forward. Her pendant pulses, silver light spilling over the clearing, hitting the hunters like a warning flare.
"You shouldn't have come here," I growl, stepping in front of her. My claws extend, my senses screaming.
The lead hunter tilts his head, a faint smirk beneath the mask. "Ah… the First Blood," he says. "We knew you'd awaken soon. But I didn't think it would be this soon."
Emily's eyes narrow. "You're not taking me."
He chuckles, cold and sharp. "We'll see. The blood calls to us, little wolf."
Something inside Emily stirs. Her hum rises, not sound—but force. The ground trembles. The trees sway unnaturally. Even the hunters glance down, caution creeping into their posture.
I glance at her. "Emily… control it. Don't let it consume you."
Her lips curve into a small, dangerous smile. "I'm not controlling it… Tyler. It's controlling them."
Before I can react, the air around the hunters shivers, and the silver light pulses outward. Wolves howl in the distance, running toward us. The hunters take a step back, warily, sensing the power they've awakened.
I glance at Emily again. Her eyes, glowing silver, meet mine. And in that instant, I know: the First Blood has officially risen.
And anyone who tries to stop her… will regret it.