Fighting
Celine POV
1 set to work, using my claws to dig the bullets out. My breath comes in shallow gasps, and sweat beads on my forehead. The bullets aren’t deep, but the act of removing them feels like pulling poison from his very soul. Each one hits the ground with a metallic clink, and I feel a flicker of hope.
The voice freezes me. It’s cold, mocking, and all too familiar. My body goes rigid as I turn toward the source. Beta Noah. His sneer cuts through the dim light as he steps into the room, his presence suffocating
“I can smell you,” he says, his voice dripping with cruel armusement. “I knew you’d come back.”
Joseph’s shout snaps me out of my paralysis. “Get out of the cell before he locks it!”
I bolt for the cell door, fumbling with the keys in my haste as I race to Joseph’s cell. But before I can reach Joseph’s cell, Noah’s hand catches me, slamming me against the stone wall. Pain radiates through my back, and I cry out. His grip tightens around my neck, cutting off my alr
Burning pain spreads through my body like fire, and my scream echoes through the stone cells. This isn’t how it ends. It can’t be.
Beta Noah’s eyes widen in disbelief as I feel my body shift, the familiar and raw surge of power overtaking me. My wolf rises to the surface, a force of fury and survival, pushing me forward. My claws extend, and my teeth bare in a vicious snarl as I lunge at him. He doesn’t shift, his confidence faltering as my wolf barrels into him.
Te
expect a fight, but his hesitation seals his fate. He weakens under the ferocity of my wolf’s attack, and within moments, it’s over. His body stills beneath me, lifeless. The metallic tang of blood fills the air, sharp and sickening. The faint flickering light from the torches casts shadows on his now–motionless form.
As soon as my wolf steps back, exhaustion hits me like a wave. My body collapses to the cold stone floor, and the shift back to my human form takes what little strength I have left. My limbs feel heavy, my breaths ragged as the world blurs around me.
“Celine, look out!” Joseph’s desperate scream cuts through my haze, jerking me back to reality. I try to push myself up, but my body is sluggish, too drained from the fight.
Before I can find my footing, a hand clamps around my neck like a vice, lifting me off the ground. My legs dangle helplessly as I come face to face with Beta Wayne. His sneer is cruel, his nails digging into my skin, sending sharp, searing pain through my body.
“I should have killed you when I had the chance,” he growls, his voice venomous, his hot breath fanning across my face. I claw at his hand, gasping for air as my vision blurs. My wolf stirs weakly within me, but I’m too drained to summon her strength. My body twists and jerks, desperate to escape, but it’s no use.
Just as darkness begins to creep into the edges of my vision, a deafening roar shakes the air around us. The entire room of cells trembles, the stone walls groaning under the force. Beta Wayne’s grip falters as his head whips toward the source of the sound, his face twisting in fear.
Then, I see it.
A massive creature barrels into view, and my blood runs cold. Towering over seven feet tall, its body is an unnatural blend of black and deep crimson, its scales gleaming ominously in the flickering light. Enormous wings unfurl behind it, the edges tipped with deadly–looking spikes. The creature’s claws gleam like sharpened steel, and its eyes burn with a fierce, golden intensity. It moves with a terrifying grace, each step echoing with power.
Fighting
+25 BONUS
Before Beta Wayne can react, the creature lunges. Its claws wrap around him, dragging him back with an effortless strength that makes my stomach churn. The sound of his body slamming against the stone wall reverberates through the corridor, and I watch in horror as the creature leans forward, its maw clamping down on Wayne’s throat. His screams are cut short, replaced by the sickening crunch of bone.
Wayne’s body falls to the floor in a lifeless heap. Blood pools beneath him, the sharp metallic scent filling the air. My heart pounds as the creature turns its attention to me. Its golden eyes lock onto mine, and I feel a paralyzing wave of fear wash over me. My body refuses to move, every Instinct screaming for me to run, but I can’t.
It steps closer, its claws scraping against the stone floor, and I shuffle back instinctively. My back hits the cold. wall, and I realize I’ve nowhere left to go. Trapped, I stare up at the towering figure, my breath shallow as panic grips me.
Then it speaks.
“Celine,” the voice rumbles, deep and resonant, vibrating within me. There’s an odd, soothing undertone to it, but it only heightens my panic. The creature leans closer, and before my eyes, its form begins to shift.
The transformation is mesmerizing and terrifying all at once. The massive wings retract, the scales melting away to reveal smooth skin. The hulking figure shrinks and reshapes, its monstrous features softening until, standing before me, is Sebastian. He is naked, his expression calm yet concerned as his eyes meet mine.
I gasp, my hands instinctively covering myself as realization dawns. “I–I’m naked!” I stammer, my voice rising in panic. Heat floods my face, and I turn away, trying to shield myself from view.
Sebastian chuckles, the deep sound reverberating through the space. “I’ll get you something,” he says, his tone light. He reaches into a nearby cell, retrieving a blanket, and hands it to me. My trembling hands clutch it, wrapping it tightly around my body.
“It’s me,” he says softly, kneeling before me. “You’re safe now.”
Despite the reassurance in his voice, my eyes dart anywhere but at him. He laughs again, the sound warm and teasing. “I’ll put some clothes on,” he promises, standing and moving toward the cell door. I hear him unlocking another door, the metallic clink echoing in the quiet.
After a moment, his voice calls out, “I’m dressed, little one.” Hesitantly, I lift my gaze. True to his word, he’s now clothed, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to the chaos we just endured.
He steps forward and lifts me effortlessly, his arms strong and steady. I let him, too drained to protest. that?” I manage to whisper, my voice shaky. The memory of the monstrous figure lingers in my mind, both
to what was terrifying and awe–inspiring.
“Helios,” he replies simply, his tone gentle. “I know I looked different from the dragons out there, but as royalty, my dragon form is… unique. Scarier.”
His words sink in slowly, and despite myself, I relax slightly in his arms. His voice is soothing, his steady,
Η
presence
Don’t worry,” he adds softly. “You’ll only need to see and deal with me for now.” His promise wraps around me like a blanket, and I allow myself to rest against him as he carries me, the tension in my body finally easing.
Sorting Things
