Chapter 17

The grand chamber of the Hunter society's inner sanctum was a stark contrast to the rugged lair Dexter had led Elena and Liam to.. The walls were adorned with banners bearing the crest of the society, a silver sword crossed with a stake and torches flickered in sconces, casting long shadows.

Dexter stood at the head of the room, flanked by high-ranking members of the Society, all of them grim-faced and battle-hardened. Elena sat at the edge of the room her arms crossed as she watched the proceedings with wary eyes. Liam stood near her, tense and silent, his golden eyes scanning the hunters with distrust.

Stacy leaned against a pillar, her expression neutral but her gaze sharp, ready to intervene if things got out of hand.

Dexter cleared in throat, his voice cutting through the murmurs of the crowd. "Thank you all for coming. We are at a turning point. The Exiled Legion is closing on their goal, the resurrection. And to stop them, we need to address the prophecy."

The murmurs grew louder, hunters exchanging uneasy glances.

"The prophecy of the Three Dark Hunters," one of the Legions, Kate said. Her voice carried an air of authority. "You're saying it's true?"

Dexter nodded. "It's not just a myth. The Exiled Legions believe in it, and now we have a reason to believe they're right."

Mara, another legion frowned. "Do you have proof?"

Dexter gestured toward Elena and Liam. "We do,"

All eyes turned to the pair. Elena stiffened under their scrutiny, while Liam's lip curled in a low growl.

"Elena Devereaux, sorry, Elena Reinhardt, my younger sister is the first of the three," Dexter said, his tone unwavering. "A vampire descendant with no supernatural ability. Her bloodline ties her to the prophecy."

Elena shot him a glare. "No ability? Thanks for the vote of confidence."

Dexter ignored her, his gaze shifting to Liam. "The second is Liam, a wol who carries Behemoth's bloodline. Whether he knows it or not, his power comes from the very force we are fighting to destroy."

Liam's growl deepened. "I'm not part of your prophecy."

Dexter's jaw tightened. "You are, whether you like it or not. And you need to accept that."

Kate interjected, her sharp eyes narrowing. "And the third?"

Dexter sighed. "The third has yet to be found. A human with no Mana, no supernatural energy and because of that they will be hard to find."

"I though all humans have a supernatural energy." Mara stated firmly.

"Yeah, but we have to find whoever it is. They will complete the triad."

A hush fell over the room as the weight of his words sank in.

One of the younger legions, Elias, stepped forward, clutching an ancient tome. He placed it on the table, opening it to a faded page filled with intricate script and a depiction of three figures standing before a monstrous being.

"The Three Dark Hunters," Elias said, his voice reverent. "A vampire with no ability, a wolf with the blood of Behemoth, and a human with no mana. Together, they are destined to stand against Behemoth and prevent its rise."

Stacy leaned closer, her brow furrowed. "It doesn't say how they'll stop it, does it?"

Elias shook his head. "No. Only that they're the key to preventing the apocalypse."

Liam scoffed, stepping forward. "This is ridiculous. I'm not some chosen savior. And I'm definitely not working with you."

"You don't have a choice," Dexter said, his tone icy. "If you walk away now, you'll doom us all."

"I'd rather take my chances," Liam snapped, turning to leave.

Before he could reach the door, two hunters stepped in his path, their weapons drawn.

"What is this?" Liam growled, baring his teeth.

Dexter's voice was firm. "You're too dangerous to let go, Liam. If you won't join us, then I have no choice but to detain you."

Elena shot to her feet. "Dex, you can't be serious!"

Dexter turned to her, his expression softening slightly. "I'm doing this to protect you, Elena. And to protect everyone else. Liam's connection to Behemoth makes him a liability if he's not with us."

Liam snarled, his golden eyes blazing as he shifted partially, his claws extending. "You think you can lock me up?"

Before he could act, Stacy stepped forward, holding a small vial of clear liquid.

"Liam, don't make this harder than it has to be," she said, her voice calm but firm.

He glared at her, his muscles coiled to strike. But before he could move, Stacy tossed the vial at his feet. It shattered, releasing a burst of mist that filled the air.

Liam staggered, his strength draining as the mist enveloped him. He dropped to one knee, his body trembling as his wolf form receded.

"Silver and wolfsbane," Stacy explained quietly. "It'll wear off, but for now, it's enough."

Two hunters stepped forward, securing Liam's hands with reinforced cuffs.

Elena rushed to his side, her eyes blazing with fury. "This is wrong, Dex. You can't do this!"

Dexter placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice low. "I'm sorry, Elena. But it's the only way to keep him and everyone else safe."

Liam's golden eyes met hers, filled with mix of anger and regret. "I shouldn't have trusted any of you," he said, his voice strained.

The hunters dragged him away, disappearing into the depths of the lair.

The room fell silent as Elena turned to Dexter, her fists clenched.

"You shouldn't have done that," she said, her voice trembling with anger.

Dexter met her gaze, his expression pained. "I had no choice. This is bigger than any of us, Elena. One wrong move, and the world ends."

"That doesn't justify this," she snapped. "You can't just throw people in cages because you're afraid of them."

Stacy stepped in, her voice calm but firm. "He's not just afraid, Elena. He's trying to stop the apocalypse. And so are you."

Elena shoulders slumped, the weight of everything crashing down on her. She didn't know what to believe anymore, about her family, the prophecy, or herself.

But one thing was clear, she needed to get stronger if she was to fight against Behemoth, a demon god.

"Dexter, teach me how to fight," Elena said firmly, looking at her brother.

Dexter studied her for a quite a bit.

"No!"