Rogues Unlike Any Other

Time seemed to stand still in that moment as the rogues lunged forward. Selina's muscles burned with exhaustion from manifesting the force field, but a new kind of energy thrummed through her veins – something ancient and untamed.

"Lina, reload your gun!" Liam shouted as he tossed his sister a new ammo cartridge after clicking his own in place. She caught it with ease. She no longer had time to reflect on her new powers or the strange feeling within her.

Storm's massive form blurred into action, his powerful jaws clamping down on the nearest rogue's throat. The sound of their collision echoed through the forest like thunder, a brutal symphony of snarls and snapping teeth.

Liam's finger squeezed the trigger twice in rapid succession, but the remaining rogue was moving too erratically with unnatural speed. Its eyes gleamed with a feral madness that made Selina's skin crawl. It was almost upon her.

"Selina, duck!" Marina's voice rang out from the Jeep. Without hesitation, Selina dropped to the ground as a branch sailed over her head, thrown with surprising accuracy by Marina. The projectile struck the charging rogue in the face. It stumbled and appeared momentarily dazed.

That split second was all Liam needed. His next shot found its mark, striking the rogue's shoulder. The creature howled in pain but didn't slow – if anything, the injury seemed to fuel its rage.

Storm was still locked in combat with his opponent, their powerful bodies colliding with bone-jarring force. Both wolves were once again rolling across the forest floor in a deadly dance, their fur matted with a mixture of blood, saliva, and dirt. Each snap of their jaws echoed like thunder, teeth clashing together with a brutal intensity that spoke of their primal fury. Storm's opponent, a massive brute with a coat as dark as midnight, lunged for his throat, but Storm deftly twisted away, leaving deep gouges in the earth as his claws dug in for purchase.

The wolves circled one another, their eyes locked in a stare that seemed to freeze the air around them. Storm's sleek grey fur bristled with tension, his muscles rippling beneath the surface, ready to spring at the slightest opportunity. His opponent mirrored his movements, their breaths coming in ragged gasps, misting in the cool air.

With a sudden burst of speed, Storm launched himself forward, teeth bared in a snarl that promised death. His jaws clamped down on the other wolf's shoulder, sinking deep into flesh and muscle. Blood sprayed in a crimson arc, staining the forest floor.

But the dark wolf was not easily subdued. He twisted and thrashed, his powerful hind legs kicking out, catching Storm in the side and sending him sprawling. Storm hit the ground hard, but he was up in an instant, his lips drawn back in a snarl, blood dripping from his muzzle.

The dark wolf lunged again, its jaws snapping mere inches from Storm's face. Storm countered with a vicious head butt, the crack of their skulls colliding sending a jolt throughout both of their bodies.

The fight continued in a savage ballet of violence, each wolf matching the other blow for blow, neither willing to yield. Their bloodied forms blurred into a tornado of fur and teeth as the forest echoed with the guttural growls and snarls of their battle. It was a fight to the death, and neither wolf was backing down. Blood dripped from Storm's grey fur, but Selina couldn't tell if it was his own or the rogue's.

"I have to do something," Selina whispered, her hands still tingling with remnants of that mysterious power. Though she couldn't summon another force field, something else came alive within her – a connection she hadn't noticed before, like invisible threads linking her to everyone around her.

Following pure instinct, Selina reached out with her mind toward Storm. Within moments, she felt it – his strength, his determination, his unwavering loyalty. Without understanding how, she pushed her own energy toward him and watched in amazement as his movements became faster and more precise.

Storm's renewed vigor caught his opponent off guard. With a savage twist, he pinned the rogue beneath him and blood sprayed across Storm's face as he delivered the killing blow to its throat.

The last rogue, sensing its ruthless companion's death, let out a bone-chilling howl and charged straight for Selina. Time seemed to slow again as she raised her gun, but her arms felt like lead. The shot went wide.

"Lina!" Liam's voice cracked with desperation as he fired his last bullet, striking the rogue's flank but not slowing its advance.

In that moment, Selina felt something shift inside her as the world around her sharpened with crystal clarity. She could feel Liam's fear for her safety, Storm's protective rage, even Marina's determination to help despite her trapped wolf.

Drawing on that connection, Selina dropped her gun and raised her hands. No force field appeared this time, but the air between her and the rogue seemed to ripple. The charging wolf suddenly stumbled and whimpered. It seemed dazed.

"Now, Kurt!" Selina shouted, her voice carrying a command that felt older than herself.

Storm launched himself at the disoriented rogue, his massive form a grey blur of lethal precision. The rogue never stood a chance. Storm's jaws closed around its neck, and with one powerful twist, the forest fell silent.

As the dust settled, Storm shifted back into Kurt, his body covered in scratches but his grin irrepressible. "Okay, princess," he panted, his face twisting into a wide grin, "you've got some explaining to do. What the fuck was that?"

Selina swayed on her feet, suddenly exhausted. Liam caught her before she could fall. His arms were steady, despite his own trembling. "Marina was right," she managed, trying to smile.

"Right about what?" Marina called out as she emerged from the Jeep. "Selina, you just discovered how many new abilities in the span of five minutes! And you don't even have your wolf yet!"

Selina looked down at her hands, the tingling sensation was gone. They looked normal. "I don't understand any of this," she admitted. "You were right about me being an empath. Somehow I could feel Storm's emotions during that last fight and I just used my energy to boost some of them. I did the same thing to fill that last rogue with fear, which made him stop. The force field... it all just felt..."

"Natural," Liam finished for her, his voice soft with wonder. "Like you were always meant to do it."

The morning sun finally crested the horizon, bathing the forest in golden light. Selina leaned against her brother, watching as Marina gently cleaned Kurt's wounds as she carefully inspected each one. 

Kurt winced loudly as his lips curved into a playful grin. "You know, I think I could get used to having an attractive redhead play nurse for me," he teased, his eyes bright with mischief.

Marina rolled her eyes as she pushed Kurt's uninjured shoulder, but Selina didn't miss the faint blush creeping across her cheeks. "Don't flatter yourself, mister," she retorted, though her own smile betrayed her amusement. "I'm just making sure you don't bleed out on us."

"Aww, I knew you cared," Kurt laughed, then let out a soft hiss as Marina dabbed an antiseptic wipe over a particularly deep gash.

"Hold still, you big baby," Marina scolded, though her tone was gentle. "Just imagine how many more wounds I'd have to treat if the rogue wasn't distracted."

Kurt's grin widened. "Hey, I'm just impressed by your aim. Remind me never to get on your bad side." He reached up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering for just a moment. "I owe you one, Mare."

"Was it just me, or were these asshole rogues much stronger than the other ones. Harder to kill?" Kurt asked, distracted as Marina cleaned the remaining, smaller scratches.

"I'm not sure about stronger, but much more organized," Liam responded. "These rogues were different from the ones we faced back at the farmhouse. Those rogues were chaotic and desperate. But these felt more like a pack, working together with purpose."

Selina nodded. "I agree. There seemed to be a strange intensity to them. Almost as if they were fueled by something beyond just feral instinct. And did you see how fast that last one was moving?"

Kurt frowned, adjusting his shirt. "Yeah, these weren't your usual fucking mangy strays. They were bigger, stronger, and moved with a cohesion that rogues lack. Almost like they were trained for this."

"Trained?" Liam's brow furrowed. "You mean someone is leading them? Directing their attacks?"

"It would explain why they ventured so far into Lunar Lake packlands," Selina murmured, her expression troubled. "Something's changed. And I don't think it's good for any of us."

Kurt's jaw tightened. "We should get moving," Kurt declared as he grabbed Marina's hand and turned towards the Jeep. "Something tells me there are more of these assholes nearby."

Selina and Liam nodded as they followed. "Yeah, we can stop and train somewhere, anywhere that's not here," Selina murmured, casting one last look over the battlefield. She would never get used to killing another wolf, even if it was necessary to survive.