Chapter 7 FIRE IN THE BLOOD

Kiara's POV

The wolf hit me like a wall.

Its massive body slammed against my chest, knocking the wind out of me. The fog swirled around us, thick and suffocating. Amber eyes glowed with hunger, sharp teeth bared, every movement precise and calculated.

Rylan was there in an instant. His hands gripped my shoulders, steadying me, and I felt his strength anchor me like a shield against the predator. Storm-gray eyes locked on mine, and for a split second, everything else disappeared-the forest, the fog, the growls, the fear.

"You have to fight it," he said, voice low and urgent. "The mark-don't let it control you!"

I stared at him, confusion and terror warring in my chest. Fight it? How do you fight something you don't understand? My body shook as the wolf lunged again, jaws snapping close enough to catch my hair.

Instinct screamed at me to run. But I couldn't. My feet felt rooted to the ground, my chest pounding as the mark flared beneath my skin, burning hot. And then... I felt it.

The pull-the pulse-the thread connecting me to the forest, to the wolves, to Rylan.

I didn't understand how, but I knew I could reach out.

I focused, closing my eyes, imagining the heat in my chest spreading outward like wildfire. The mark pulsed in response, flaring bright and fierce, and suddenly, the wolf froze mid-lunge. Its amber eyes widened, ears flattening against its skull.

I opened my eyes. The fog seemed to shimmer around me, and the wolves hesitated, as if uncertain how to react to this new energy.

"Good," Rylan whispered, his hand still firm on my shoulder. "Keep going. Control it. Don't let it control you."

I drew a deep breath and let the heat from the mark flow through my arms, through my hands. A wave of energy rippled outward, and the nearest wolf stumbled back, growling low and confused.

I couldn't explain what I was doing. I didn't understand it. All I knew was that the mark wasn't just a curse-it was power. And for the first time, I felt like I could use it.

But the moment was fleeting. Another wolf leapt from the shadows, teeth flashing, eyes locked on me. I flinched, and the pull inside me flared violently, scorching my chest.

Rylan reacted instantly. He threw himself in front of me, catching the wolf mid-air with a strength I couldn't fathom. His movements were fluid, precise, almost unnatural. He pinned the creature with one arm and glanced at me, his storm-gray eyes fierce.

"Kiara! Focus!"

I did. I closed my eyes again, letting the heat of the mark spread. I could feel the wolves faltering, hesitant under the invisible pressure of the energy. The air vibrated with it, charged and electric.

Suddenly, one of the wolves yelped, retreating into the fog. Another followed. I opened my eyes, breath ragged, and saw the amber glow fading into the mist.

The forest seemed to exhale. The tension lifted... for now.

I sank to my knees, trembling, chest burning from the exertion. "I... I did something," I whispered.

"You did," Rylan said, kneeling beside me. His storm-gray eyes softened slightly, though the warning never left them. "You're stronger than you realize, Kiara. But the forest isn't done with you. And neither are they."

I looked at him, and for the first time, I really looked. His storm-gray eyes held something raw and magnetic-danger, yes, but also... protection, and something I couldn't name. Something that drew me to him even as I fought every impulse.

"I don't understand," I admitted, voice shaking. "Why me? Why this? Why-why are you here?"

He hesitated, and the brief pause made my chest tighten. "I'm here because the mark chose you. Because... because the forest knew you would survive. And because I don't get a choice either."

I frowned. "Don't get a choice? What do you mean?"

Storm clouds passed over his eyes, shadows darkening his face. "Some things in this town... some creatures... they aren't meant to be fought alone. You have a bond with me now, whether you want it or not. That's why I'm here. To protect you. To keep the wolves at bay."

I wanted to argue. I wanted to push him away. I wanted to deny the pull that tied me to him, tied me to the forest, tied me to something I didn't understand and might never understand.

But as I looked into those storm-gray eyes, as I felt the warmth of his hand steadying me, as the pulse of the mark flared beneath my skin, I realized something terrifying: I didn't want to.

Not entirely.

The forest whispered around us, and the fog thickened again. Somewhere deeper in the shadows, I felt it-the eyes, the growls, the anticipation. The hunt wasn't over.

Rylan's hand tightened on my wrist. "Stay close," he said, low and urgent. "They'll be back. And next time, they won't hesitate."

I swallowed, heart hammering. My mark flared once more, scorching me with its heat. My body trembled, but this time it wasn't just fear. It was power. It was a connection. And it was terrifying.

"Kiara," Rylan whispered, his storm-gray eyes locking on mine, intense, magnetic, unyielding. "I won't let them take you. Not now. Not ever."

The fog shifted, curling around us like a living thing. The growls echoed again, louder this time, closer. I felt the pull of the mark flare violently, tethering me to the danger I couldn't run from.

And deep in my chest, I knew one thing with absolute certainty:

The hunt had only just begun.