Chapter Twelve – Hazel's POV
The forest didn't sound like freedom.
It sounded like teeth.
Every crunch beneath my boots felt too loud, like the earth itself was tattling on me. The moon hung crooked — a cold, silver coin pressed against a black sky. Its light filtered through the tangled branches, slicing across the mist like a warning.
I didn't stop running until the walls of the pack vanished behind me. My lungs burned, my heartbeat wild in my throat, but the fear kept me moving. The memory of Caleb's voice — deep, calm, but edged with danger — haunted every step.
It didn't scare me.
If anything… it thrilled me. I wanted to see what he'd do next.
"Run, Hazel," Flora murmured. Her tone was soft, but her words hit like claws. "Don't stop. They'll scent you soon."
"Who?" I whispered, pushing through low branches. My hands were scratched raw, my hair tangled with leaves and dirt. The air felt wrong — too heavy, like it was holding its breath.
Then came the sound.
A low, guttural growl — drawn-out and deliberate.
My pulse froze. "Flora?"
"Shadow Hunters," she breathed. "Not pack wolves. Mercenaries. Paid to find what others can't."
"What—"
"Hazel," Flora cut in sharply. "They don't stop. Ever."
The scent hit me next — ash, rust, and blood. The kind of smell that clings to nightmares.
Figures shifted in the fog ahead. Not wolves. Not human. Something in between.
They stepped out of the darkness — tall, lean shadows with eyes glowing like dying embers. Their movements were wrong, jittery, and their claws shimmered black under the moonlight.
My breath hitched… and then I grinned. "Perfect. I was getting bored."
The first one lunged. I ducked, slammed my elbow into his gut, and kicked hard enough to send him flying into a tree. The crack that followed didn't sound human. My own strength startled me. I stared down at my hands — faint red light flickering beneath my skin like molten glass.
"What the hell…" I whispered.
"Don't question it," Flora said. "Use it."
Two more Shadows came at me, claws flashing. My body moved before my mind — ducking, twisting, striking. I wasn't fighting like a wolf anymore. I was fighting like something ancient.
And when the last one fell, silence crawled back into the forest.
That's when I felt it — power.
Wild, raw, and terrifyingly mine.
"You're changing," Flora whispered.
I pressed a hand against my chest, my heartbeat slamming against my palm. "Into what?"
Flora didn't answer. The silence said enough.
More footsteps. A dozen. Then more. The air thickened — the smell of metal and smoke again. My instincts screamed.
The Oni had arrived.
They weren't wolves. They weren't anything close.
They towered above the trees, skin the color of obsidian streaked with glowing cracks of gold. Their eyes burned blood-red, and when they growled, the ground itself seemed to flinch. Every breath they took released a hot, sulfurous steam that stung my nose.
I clenched my fists. "You've gotta be kidding me."
Their voices rumbled in my head — not words, just sounds that vibrated through bone. Flora whimpered. "Hazel, don't—"
"Too late," I muttered, stepping forward.
One Oni charged. The air rippled from its movement. I rolled under its swing, slammed both palms to the ground — and that's when another voice cut through my mind, smoother, sharper, colder.
> "Let me educate you, kid."
My head snapped up. "Who the hell—"
> "My name is Helene," the voice purred. "And no, not the Helene from your bedtime stories. The real one. The sister Selene tried to erase from existence."
I raised an eyebrow even though no one could see me. "Oh great. So I've got the moon goddess and her angry sister in my body. Lucky me."
> "Hush, vessel. Now, put your hand on the ground."
I hesitated. "Why?"
> "Because you'll die if you don't."
Fair point.
I pressed my hand flat against the dirt. Energy crackled through me, hot and red, burning up my veins. I inhaled — slow — and exhaled just like she said.
The front line of wolves turned to sand.
I blinked. "What the—"
Flora whimpered, "Helene, what did you—"
> "Saved her. You should thank me."
The Oni bellowed, furious. Their sound rattled the forest, and the red glow around my hands pulsed brighter, like it was feeding off their rage. I could feel the ground humming beneath me, power building, ready to break loose.
Then I smelled him.
Caleb.
He didn't appear right away. I felt him first — the pull of the bond, that storm of silver and fire wrapping around my chest like invisible chains. Then he emerged from the smoke, blood-smeared and beautiful, his gray eyes locked on mine.
He didn't speak. Didn't even flinch.
He just started fighting beside me.
We moved like we'd done this before — perfect rhythm, violent grace. Each blow, each dodge, each breath synced. Sometimes I caught him staring at me between swings, but I ignored it. There were still Oni standing.
When the last of them fell, silence bled into the clearing. The glow on my skin dimmed, and the forest seemed to bow — quiet, wary.
I turned to him slowly, breathing hard. "You came."
His eyes softened for a second before he hid it again. Typical Alpha.
"I'll deal with your rage later," I said, smirking faintly. "For now, I've got places to be."
I turned away, brushing the blood from my arms. The night air was cold against my skin. My heart was still racing, but this time… it wasn't from fear.
Behind me, I could still feel his stare burning through the dark.
I whispered, tired and trembling, "Hazel… what's happening to us?"
She laughed in my head along with Helene. "Glad to see y'all are getting a long but I believe I asked a question?"
"We're soon going to complete our transformation, our memories, our full power, do you know what thst emans Hazel?"
I exhaled, half-laughing, half-scared. "Hell if I know."
The forest went quiet again — but something told me it was only the beginning.