Chapter 6: Under attack

Chapter 6: Under Attack

I stared at the ring of fire surrounding the den, my mind racing with questions. Who was behind this attack? And how were we going to get past the flames?

Asher's grip on my hand tightened, his eyes locked on the fire. "We need to get to the others," he said, his voice low and urgent.

Elijah nodded, his eyes scanning the surrounding area. "I'll take care of the fire," he said. "You two get to the den."

Without another word, Elijah took off, running towards the fire with a fierce determination. Asher and I followed close behind, our hearts pounding in our chests.

As we approached the den, I could hear the sounds of growling and snarling coming from inside. The pack was defending themselves, but against what?

Asher and I exchanged a nervous glance, and then he pushed open the door to the den. We slipped inside, finding ourselves in the midst of chaos.

The pack was scattered throughout the den, some in human form and others in wolf form. They were all fighting, their eyes blazing with fury.

But as I looked around, I realized that they weren't fighting each other. They were fighting something else, something that I couldn't see.

What was happening? And what were they fighting

As I looked around, trying to make sense of the chaos, I saw a figure standing in the center of the den. It was a woman, tall and imposing, with long silver hair that cascaded down her back like a river of moonlight.

Her eyes were fixed on me, and I felt a shiver run down my spine as she began to walk towards me. There was something unsettling about her, something that made me feel like she was seeing right through me.

Asher stepped forward, his eyes locked on the woman. "Aria," he growled. "What are you doing here?"

The woman's smile was like a knife cutting through the air. "I've come for the girl," she said, her voice dripping with malice. "The one with the special blood."

I felt a surge of fear as Aria's eyes locked onto mine. What did she want with me? And what did she mean by "special blood"?

As I stood there, frozen with fear, Asher stepped forward, his body positioning itself between me and Aria. "You're not taking her anywhere," he snarled.

Aria's laughter was like a cold wind blowing through the den. "We'll see about that," she said, raising her hand.

As she did, the air around us seemed to shimmer and distort, like the surface of a pond on a summer's day. I felt a strange energy building up, like a storm about to break.

What was Aria doing? And how was Asher going to stop her?

As Aria's energy built up, the air around us began to crackle with electricity. Asher's eyes locked onto hers, his body tense and ready to spring.

But before he could make a move, Elijah burst into the den, his fur standing on end. "Aria, stop!" he growled, his eyes blazing with fury.

Aria's smile never wavered. "Elijah, dear," she said, her voice dripping with condescension. "You're just in time to watch the show."

With a flick of her wrist, Aria sent a bolt of energy shooting towards me. Asher leapt forward, his body intercepting the attack.

The energy hit him with a loud crack, sending him flying across the room. I screamed, my heart racing with fear.

Elijah charged forward, his jaws snapping wildly as he attacked Aria. But she was too powerful, and she sent him flying with a swipe of her hand.

As I watched in horror, Aria began to chant, her voice rising and falling in a hypnotic rhythm. The air around us began to distort and writhe, like a living thing.

What was she doing? And how was I going to stop her?

Suddenly, I felt a surge of energy from within myself. It was the same energy I'd felt when I'd first met Asher, the same energy that had drawn me to him.

Without thinking, I reached out with my mind, connecting with the energy. It surged through me, filling me with a sense of power and purpose.

I turned to face Aria, my eyes locked on hers. "I won't let you hurt them," I growled, my voice barely above a whisper.

Aria's smile faltered, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes.

But then, her expression hardened, and she raised her hand once more. "We'll see about that," she snarled.

As Aria's energy shot towards me, I raised my hands, and to my surprise, a shield of light erupted from my palms. The energy hit the shield, and it sparked and crackled, but it held firm.

Aria's eyes widened in surprise, and she took a step back, clearly not expecting me to defend myself.

Elijah and Asher took advantage of the distraction to launch a counterattack. Elijah pinned Aria to the ground, his jaws snapping wildly, while Asher used his magic to bind her hands and feet.

As they subdued Aria, I felt the shield of light fade away, leaving me feeling drained but exhilarated. I had defended myself, and I had helped my friends.

But as I looked at Aria, I saw something in her eyes that gave me pause. It was a glimmer of recognition, a sense of connection.

"You're one of us," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "You're a guardian."

I felt a shiver run down my spine as I realized the truth. I was a guardian, just like Asher and Elijah. And I had a role to play in the supernatural world.

But what did it mean? And what lay ahead?

As I stood there, frozen with uncertainty, Asher turned to me, his eyes shining with pride. "You did it, Luna," he said. "You saved us."

I smiled, feeling a sense of belonging. "We make a good team," I said.

Asher's smile faltered, and he looked at me with a serious expression. "We do," he said. "But we're not out of danger yet. We need to get Aria back to the council and find out what's going on."

I nodded, feeling a sense of determination. I was ready to face whatever lay ahead, as long as I had Asher and Elijah by my side.

As we stood there, trying to catch our breath, I couldn't help but wonder what lay ahead. What would the council do with Aria? And what did it mean for me, now that I knew I was a guardian?

Asher seemed to sense my questions, because he turned to me and said, "We'll figure it out, Luna. Together."

I smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards him. He had been by my side every step of the way, and I knew I could count on him.

Elijah, on the other hand, looked less than thrilled. "We need to get moving," he growled. "We can't let Aria's allies find out what happened."

Asher nodded, and together, the three of us set off towards the council's headquarters. Aria was still bound and gagged, but she seemed to be taking it all in stride.

As we walked, I couldn't help but steal glances at Asher. He was so confident, so self-assured. And yet, I knew he had his own secrets, his own demons.

I wondered what had driven him to become a guardian. What had made him so determined to protect the supernatural world?

And then, as if he could sense my gaze, Asher turned to me and smiled. "Hey," he said, his voice low and husky. "You okay?"

I nodded, feeling a flutter in my chest. "Yeah," I said. "I'm fine."

Asher's smile faltered, and he looked at me with a serious expression. "Luna, I need to tell you something," he said.

My heart skipped a beat as I wondered what he was going to say. Was it something about Aria? Or something about us?

"What is it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Asher's eyes locked onto mine, and I felt like I was drowning in their depths. "I think we're in more danger than we thought," he said.

My heart racing, I asked, "What do you mean?"

Asher's eyes darted around us, as if he was checking to make sure we were alone. "I think Aria was just a distraction," he said, his voice low and serious. "I think there's something bigger going on."

Elijah's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about, Asher?" he asked.

Asher hesitated, as if he was unsure how much to reveal. "I've been getting these visions," he said finally. "Visions of a great evil, one that threatens to destroy our world."

I felt a chill run down my spine. "What kind of evil?" I asked.

Asher's eyes locked onto mine. "I'm not entirely sure," he said. "But I think it's connected to the ancient magic that Luna possesses."

Elijah's eyes widened. "You think Luna's magic is the key to stopping this evil?" he asked.

Asher nodded. "I do. And I think that's why Aria was trying to capture her."

I felt a surge of fear. "What does this mean for me?" I asked.

Asher's expression was grim. "It means you're in grave danger, Luna. And we need to do everything we can to protect you."

Elijah's eyes narrowed. "We need to get Luna to a safe house," he said. "Somewhere Aria's allies won't think to look."

Asher nodded. "I know just the place," he said. "Follow me."

We set off once again, this time at a brisk pace. Asher led the way, with Elijah and I following close behind. Aria was still bound and gagged, but she seemed to be taking it all in stride.

As we walked, I couldn't help but wonder what lay ahead. What was this great evil that Asher had seen in his visions? And how was I connected to it?

After what felt like hours of walking, we finally arrived at a small cottage on the outskirts of the forest. It was surrounded by a high wall, with a heavy iron gate that looked like it hadn't been opened in years.

Asher produced a key and unlocked the gate, leading us inside. The cottage was small, but it was cozy, with a fire burning in the hearth.

Elijah deposited Aria on the floor, where she glared up at us with a mixture of anger and hatred.

Asher turned to me. "You'll be safe here, Luna," he said. "Elijah and I will stand guard outside."

I nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude towards them. "Thank you," I said.

Asher's eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw something there, something that looked almost like... affection.

But then he looked away, and I was left wondering if I had just imagined it.

As Asher and Elijah stood guard outside, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Aria was still bound and gagged on the floor, but I knew she was far from harmless.

I tried to distract myself by exploring the cottage, but my mind kept wandering back to Asher. What was it about him that drew me in? And why did I feel like I could trust him with my life?

As the hours passed, the fire burning low in the hearth, I heard a faint noise coming from outside. It sounded like footsteps, light and stealthy.

My heart racing, I turned to Aria, but she just glared at me, her eyes flashing with anger.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Asher strode in, his eyes scanning the room. "Luna, we have to go," he said, his voice low and urgent.

I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. "What's happening?" I asked.

Asher's expression was grim. "Aria's allies have found us," he said. "We have to get out of here, now."

Elijah appeared in the doorway, his eyes locked on Aria. "I'll take care of her," he growled.

Asher nodded, and together, we made a run for the door. But as we emerged into the night air, I realized that we were surrounded.

A group of shadowy figures closed in around us, their eyes glowing with an otherworldly light.

The figures closed in around us, their movements eerily synchronized. Asher stepped forward, his eyes flashing with anger.

"Leave her alone," he growled, his voice low and menacing.

The figures didn't respond, but instead, continued to close in. Elijah appeared at Asher's side, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Together," Asher whispered, and with a nod, the two of them launched themselves at the figures.

The fight was intense, with punches flying and bodies crashing to the ground. I watched in awe, my heart pounding in my chest.

But as the fight raged on, I realized that the figures were not what they seemed. They were changing, their bodies contorting and twisting until they were no longer human.

Werewolves.

The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. The figures were werewolves, and they were after me.

Asher and Elijah fought bravely, but they were outnumbered. Just when it seemed like all was lost, a loud growl echoed through the night air.

A massive werewolf emerged from the shadows, its eyes fixed on the other werewolves. With a fierce snarl, it launched itself at the pack, sending them flying.

The werewolf turned to us, its eyes locking onto mine. For a moment, I thought I saw something there, something that looked almost like... recognition.

And then, in an instant, the werewolf transformed back into a human. It was a woman, tall and imposing, with piercing green eyes.

"Luna," she said, her voice low and husky. "I've been searching for you."

The woman's eyes seemed to bore into my soul, as if she could see right through me. I felt a shiver run down my spine as she took a step closer.

"Who are you?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

The woman smiled, her eyes glinting with amusement. "My name is Ruby," she said. "And I'm your mother."

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. My mother? But that was impossible. My mother had died in a car accident when I was just a baby.

Ruby's eyes seemed to see right through me, as if she knew exactly what I was thinking. "I know it's a lot to take in, Luna," she said. "But I assure you, I am your mother."

Asher and Elijah exchanged a skeptical glance, but Ruby just laughed. "I know you're thinking I'm crazy," she said. "But I assure you, I am quite sane."

She took another step closer, her eyes locked on mine. "I've been searching for you for years, Luna," she said. "And I'm not going to let anyone hurt you."

I felt a surge of emotions, unsure of what to believe. Was this woman really my mother? And if so, what did she want from me?