Glowing Fists

The night sky began to brighten as the day approached, though the sun was not yet visible. Selina jolted upright in her sleeping bag as her heart raced. "No, no, no!" she whimpered, her voice trembling with fear.

Liam stirred, his own sleeping bag rustling, just a few feet from her. He was instantly alert. "Lina? What's wrong?"

Kurt's head popped up from his sleeping bag, Marina's fire-orange hair visible beside him. "Everything okay?" Kurt asked with concern etched on his face.

Selina's indigo eyes were wide with panic. "I... I had a dream. It felt so real." Selina closed her as she tried to calm her frantic breaths.

Liam crouched beside her, placing a gentle hand on his sister's shoulder. "Tell me about it."

As Kurt and Marina quietly extricated themselves from their shared sleeping bag and began preparing breakfast over the campfire, Selina turned and scrambled into Liam's comforting hug. Her breaths slowed, but the shakiness remained.

"There was this woman... elegant, beautiful, stunning. She was holding onto Valentino's arm like she owned him," Selina explained, her voice barely above a whisper.

Liam frowned. "A woman with Valentino? Did you recognize her?"

Selina shook her head. "No. I can't even remember her hair colour, but she felt... dangerous. The way she clung to him, it was possessive. And Valentino, he seemed... different. Like he wasn't himself. At least not like he did in my other dreams."

"Maybe it was just a dream, Lina," Liam said, trying to reassure her. "Maybe not every dream of him has to be one of "those" dreams," he continued.

"It was definitely one of "those" dreams," Selina whispered back. She couldn't shake the feeling of dread that clung to her. "I think Valentino's in danger. I know he is."

"From this woman?" Liam asked, skepticism creeping into his voice.

"Yes! No? I don't know exactly," Selina cried as frustration and fear battled within her. "I can't explain it, but I just know. Something's wrong. It wasn't right."

Kurt paused in his bacon-flipping, exchanging a worried glance with Marina. He approached Selina and Liam, his voice low and urgent. "Selina, about that dream... should we forget training and look for Valentino instead?"

Selina hesitated, her indigo eyes clouded with uncertainty. "We need to stick to the plan. We can't help Valentino if we don't know what we're up against. Training first, then the packhouse to decrypt the flash drive."

As the smell of bacon and eggs filled the air, Selina tried to push away the lingering images from her dream. But one thought wouldn't stay away: Who was that woman, and what did she want with Valentino?

Liam nodded, his expression thoughtful. "The dream didn't give us much to go on. No timeframe, no specific details about the danger."

"Exactly," Kurt agreed, running a hand through his chestnut hair. "We can't rush off half-cocked. If we're going to help Valentino, we need to be prepared."

Selina's shoulders slumped slightly. "You're right. I just feel so... helpless."

Liam placed an encouraging hand on his sister's arm. "Lina, we can decide our next step after decrypting the flash drive."

"Breakfast's ready!" Marina called from the campfire, breaking the tension.

As they ate, the group discussed their training plans, the mood lightening with each bite of crispy bacon and fluffy eggs. When the food was gone, they began packing up camp as the forest around them came alive with morning birdsong.

Selina was stuffing her sleeping bag into the Jeep when she suddenly froze. Her nostrils flared, catching a scent that made her stomach churn. "Wait," she said, her voice trembling. "Does anyone else smell that?"

Kurt's head snapped up, his ocean blue eyes scanning the treeline as he rushed to her side.

"Rogues," he whispered as his body tensed, motioning urgently for Marina to get in the Jeep. He looked between Liam and Selina, his eyes wide. "Run or fight?"

Liam turned to his sister. "It's your call, Lina."

Selina tried concentrating on her instincts and intuition while blocking out the sound of her thundering heart within her chest, The stench of decay and metal grew stronger, and she knew they were running out of time. Her fingers curled into fists as she made her decision.

"We fight. We need to fight again." she announced as the sound of a twig snapped nearby.

Marina scrambled into the Jeep and hurriedly locked the doors with shaking hands. Kurt's eyes gleamed with a mix of excitement and concern as he tossed guns to Selina and Liam.

"Just like last time, aim for the eyes," Kurt quipped, his voice light despite the tension. "And try not to shoot me when I'm all furry, okay?"

Selina gripped the cold metal of the gun, her palms sweaty. "Kurt, this isn't the time for jokes."

"It's always time for jokes, princess," Kurt winked just before his features contorted and shifted, his body growing larger and bulkier as he sprouted shiny grey fur. Within seconds, Storm was looking back at her.

Liam positioned himself at Selina's and Storm's backs, completing the defensive circle against rear attacks. "Stay close, Lina. We've got this. Just like last time."

Just as Liam's words ended, three rogues burst from the treeline, their matted fur and wild eyes a stark contrast to Kurt's sleek appearance.

"Oh goddess, not again" Selina whispered, raising her gun with steady hands.

The first rogue lunged, and Selina squeezed the trigger. The shot went wide, pinging off a nearby tree. Liam fired next, the bullet whizzing past a rogue's ear.

"Damn it!" Liam shouted, adjusting his aim.

Selina's heart raced as she fired again, missing by inches. The rogue closest to her snarled, foam dripping from its jaws as it charged. Stop thinking about him and focus, Selina thought to herself.

Time seemed to slow. Selina could hear her own steady breathing, feel the weight of the gun in her hands. She remembered Dan's words from their training: "Breathe. Focus. Trust yourself."

Selina exhaled slowly, steadying her aim. The rogue leaped, and she pulled the trigger.

The shot rang out, and the rogue dropped mid-air, a clean hole through its forehead. It hit the ground with a sickening thud, mere feet from where Selina stood.

"I... I did it," Selina stammered, staring at the lifeless body. She hated the feeling of ending something's life.

"No time to mourn," Liam warned, his voice tight. "We've still got two more."

As the remaining rogues circled, Selina's grip on her gun tightened. She'd made one impossible shot and took a life. Could she do it again?

Storm's massive form lunged at one of the remaining rogues. The two deadly beasts collided in a whirlwind of fur and fangs, rolling across the forest floor.

"Kurt!" Selina cried out, her heart racing.

The second rogue, seizing the opportunity, sprinted towards Liam with murderous intent. Selina's breath caught as she saw the wolf Storm had been fighting break free and attempt to join the assault on her brother.

"Liam, look out!" Selina screamed, her voice cracking with terror as an image of each set of ragged fangs rip through Liam's lifeless body.

Time seemed to slow as Selina watched the rogues closing in on Liam. Recalling the image from just a few moments ago, she instinctively raised her fists towards the sky. A surge of energy coursed through her body, unlike anything she'd ever felt before. Her fists began to glow with an ethereal blue light.

"No!" Selina shouted, as she took a step towards her brother.

In an instant, a shimmering blue force field erupted around Selina and Liam, crackling with energy. The rogues slammed into the barrier, yelping in surprise and pain as they fell backward.

Liam's eyes widened in disbelief as he took in her glowing fists. "Selina, what... how did you...?"

Selina lowered her glowing hands and stared at them. "I don't know. I just... I couldn't let them hurt you," she stammered, unsure of what just happened.

Storm, seeing his chance, darted through the force field to join them. The rogues circled outside, snarling and snapping, as they searched for a way in.

Marina's voice called out from the Jeep, filled with awe. "That's incredible!"

Liam stood frozen, his expression a mix of shock and wonder. Storm growled urgently, nudging Liam's leg with his muzzle.

"Liam, we need to do something," Selina said, her voice strained. "I don't know how long I can keep this up."

Suddenly, the force field began to flicker, its blue glow pulsing erratically. Selina's hands shook with the effort of maintaining it.

"Selina?" Liam's voice was laced with concern.

"I can't... I can't hold it," Selina gasped, feeling her newfound power slipping away. She could the tidal wave of power slow to a trickle.

As the force field flickered one last time, the rogues tensed, ready to pounce. Selina met Liam's eyes, and he realized he had to do something.

The crackling barrier of energy vanished, leaving them exposed as the rogues lunged forward with savage howls.