Chapter 7: The Call of the Wild

Alethea's POV

“Do you feel it tonight?” Ryker’s voice was low and tense as we stood by the darkened treeline at the edge of Silverwood. The night air was heavy with the scent of rain and earth, and every rustle of leaves made my heart race.

“I feel it,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “It’s like my insides are alive, wild—untamed.” I wrapped my arms around myself as if to hold in the storm raging within.

Ryker’s eyes, usually steady and reassuring, flickered with worry and something else I couldn’t quite name. “Your power—it’s growing stronger, but it’s unstable. I’m scared of what might happen if you lose control.”

I ran a trembling hand along my arm, feeling the residual hum of energy pulsing beneath my skin. “I know,” I said bitterly. “Every time I try to hold it back, it feels like the forest itself is calling me, urging me to let go.” I paused, glancing at him. “And I hate that I need you to be my anchor.”

His jaw tightened. “Alethea, I’m here for you—always. I won’t let anything happen to you.” His protective tone sent a rush of conflicted warmth through me, even as my heart pounded with anger at the ties that bound me to this cursed world of pack politics.

Before I could reply, a sharp, mocking laugh broke the tense silence. “Oh, isn’t that sweet?” The voice came from the shadows. I jerked around to see Viktor Wolfsbane emerging from the gloom, his eyes glinting with dangerous amusement.

“I heard your little conversation,” he sneered, stepping closer with predatory grace. “And I must say, the call of the wild suits you, Alethea.”

Ryker’s protective stance shifted immediately. “Viktor—stay back. You have no business here.”

Viktor smirked. “Business? I have every right to be here when such power stirs the night. You see, dear Alethea, while you struggle with these surging abilities, I can offer you guidance—true mastery.”

He took a step toward me, his tone both seductive and threatening. “Why settle for a protector who’s burdened by his demons when you can embrace the wild, unbridled force inside you?”

My stomach churned with a mix of fear and something darkly thrilling. “I’m not interested in your brand of chaos, Viktor,” I replied sharply, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’m trying to control this power, not surrender it to you.”

Ryker’s voice cut in, laced with anger. “Don’t listen to him, Alethea. Viktor’s only after your magic for his own gain. You belong with those who care about you—not those who would use you as a weapon.”

Viktor’s laughter was soft but dangerous. “And yet, Ryker, isn’t it true that control is an illusion? A fleeting comfort for those too afraid to embrace their destiny? You claim to protect her, but what if your own demons make you too weak to do so?” His gaze shifted between Ryker and me, eyes dark and calculating.

I felt torn in two directions: part of me craved the freedom Viktor promised—the unshackled, raw power that could break through every constraint—and yet, my heart recoiled at the thought of abandoning the man who had stood by me through every trial.

“You both speak as if my destiny is already decided,” I said, struggling to keep my voice even. “But I’m tired of being a pawn in your endless battles.”

Viktor took a step forward, his tone softening, almost coaxing. “Perhaps you’re not a pawn at all, Alethea. Perhaps you’re the queen of this wild realm. With the right guidance, you could become so much more than you ever dreamed.”

Ryker’s eyes flashed dangerously. “Don’t listen to him. He’s only twisting your words to lure you into his trap.” His voice wavered, revealing the pain behind his stoic facade.

“I know what it’s like to be haunted by the past, to feel the call of the wild in every breath. But trusting Viktor means risking everything—the pack, our future, and most of all, you.”

I looked from Ryker’s earnest, pained expression to Viktor’s cool, persuasive smile. My thoughts churned like the wild energy inside me. “I’m tired, Ryker,” I murmured. “Tired of the endless fighting, the politics, the betrayals. I just want to be free—free to harness my power without these chains.”

Viktor’s eyes gleamed as he pressed closer, his voice a seductive whisper. “Then let me show you what true freedom looks like.” His hand reached out, hovering near mine. “Embrace the wild, Alethea. Let your power flow as it was meant to—without fear, without restraint.”

I flinched as Ryker’s grip on my arm tightened, pulling me back. “Don’t,” he said firmly. “Alethea, you mustn’t—”

Before he could finish, a sudden surge of energy pulsed from within me. I gasped as the world seemed to tilt; the forest around us blurred into streaks of moonlight and shadow.

My vision tunneled, and I felt as if I were being pulled into an abyss of raw power. It was like a beast inside me awakening, demanding release.

“Stop it, Alethea!” Ryker shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. “You’re losing control!”

I tried to focus on his face, on his pleading eyes, but the wild energy surged stronger, drowning out all reason. The air around us crackled, and I could feel the force building, a pressure so intense it threatened to tear me apart. Viktor’s smirk faded into a look of grim satisfaction as he stepped back, watching the turmoil unfold.

“Do you see now?” Viktor said softly, almost reverently. “Your power is magnificent—untamed. It is meant to be unleashed.”

I clenched my fists, trying desperately to rein it in. “No… I—I won’t let it control me.” My voice trembled as I struggled against the rising tide of energy that pulsed in my veins. I could hear Ryker’s urgent voice over the cacophony, urging me to breathe, to focus, to remember who I was.

For a few agonizing moments, I fought the surge with every ounce of willpower I had. I could almost feel the wild beast within recede, as if acknowledging my defiance.

Then, without warning, the dam broke. A shockwave of uncontrolled energy burst from me, ripping through the clearing with devastating force.

Time slowed. I saw a blur of motion, a terrified cry, and felt a searing pain that seemed to echo through my very soul. In that split second, my eyes locked onto Viktor, who stood motionless, as if in awe of the destruction.

But even as the chaotic light enveloped everything, one thing was clear—the wild power I’d struggled so hard to contain was now fully unleashed.

Ryker’s anguished cry filled my ears, mingling with the roar of the unleashed energy. “Alethea, no!”

The brilliant burst of magic smashed into something—or someone—just at the fringe of the clearing. The impact was so fierce that it sent a shockwave ripping through the ground, throwing debris and leaves into a maelstrom.

I could see, in the midst of the chaos, a figure crumple to the ground. My heart plummeted as I realized that someone dear to me was in mortal danger.

For a long, heart-stopping moment, the clearing was bathed in a blinding light, and then… silence. As the glow faded, I staggered forward, my vision swimming with tears and fear.

Ryker reached out, his face contorted with despair, as he tried to pull me back from the wreckage of what my uncontrolled power had wrought.

Viktor’s voice was barely audible, laced with a dark satisfaction. “It seems your wild call cannot be ignored any longer, Alethea. And now, the power is mine to claim.”

I froze, horrified, as I watched Viktor step forward, his eyes fixed on the aftermath of my outburst. The realization hit me like a tidal wave: in that dangerous moment of unleashed magic, Viktor had somehow seized control.

His presence was now suffused with the wild energy that had erupted from me, as if he had drawn it in, marking his dominion over the very force that defined me.

“Ryker…” I whispered, fear and regret twisting in my voice as I struggled to process the betrayal and the consequences of my loss of control.

His grip on my arm was firm, yet his eyes betrayed a silent plea for understanding, for a promise that this would not be the end. But as I glanced toward Viktor—who now exuded an ominous aura of raw power—the chill of impending doom set in.

I was trapped between the salvation I desperately sought and a darkness that threatened to consume everything I held dear.