Suddenly, a piercing howl split the air. The whole hunting group jolted upright. Weapons were grabbed in haste—bows were strung, daggers unsheathed, hands trembling in the dim light as they fumbled in the dark. Panic spread as more howls followed, reverberating from every direction, surrounding us.

“This isn’t good,” someone muttered, the tension thick in the air.

“Wolves,” another hissed, gripping his sword tightly.

Yvonne's voice cut through the whispers. "Everyone, stay alert. They’re closing in fast."

That howl… it sounded far too familiar to me. My muscles tensed as I strained to see through the darkness. More howls rang out, louder and closer, making it impossible to pinpoint where they were coming from.

Yvonne, always quick to act, rushed to light an emergency fire. I barely saw the spark before a large grey wolf lunged at her from the shadows. She managed to ignite the fire just before the beast knocked her down. With a swift motion, Yvonne drove her dagger into the wolf’s side, shoving it off her as it snarled and thrashed. But before anyone could react, more wolves were upon us, attacking in a terrifying wave.

“They’re everywhere!” one hunter screamed, swinging wildly at a pair of glowing eyes lunging toward him.

“Hold the line! Don’t panic!” Yvonne yelled, but her voice was almost drowned out by the chaos.

“They’re too fast!” another cried out as he was forced to the ground, his bow clattering away as he fought to shove a snarling wolf off his chest.

These weren’t ordinary wolves. Their eyes were rolled back, milky white, and their movements were unnatural, almost mechanical. The hunters, despite their experience, had never seen attacks like these. The wolves moved with an eerie precision, as if they weren’t truly alive.

Meanwhile, my Guide skill kept feeding me information—target analysis, threat levels, win rates—but it all blurred together. None of it made sense in the heat of the moment. My mind was elsewhere. I could barely process the details, my attention frozen on two wolves that stood out from the rest.

You are kidding.

I stared in horror, unable to move. Alpha and Beta. They were my former packmates—wolves that once led me, fed me, protected me. And now, they were attacking the people I fought alongside. Yet, strangely, none of them turned their fangs on me. They acted like I wasn’t even there.

Screams cut through the night as the first hunter fell. Blood pooled around his body as another was dragged into the shadows by a wolf, his cries for help silenced in an instant. The panic escalated as Yvonne, desperately firing arrows, released one that struck Alpha as it lunged for her throat. The arrow hit its mark, and the massive wolf crumpled, dead.

My heart sank. I stared at Alpha’s body, confusion and grief swirling inside me. This was the creature that had once led my pack, my family. It had fed me, protected me—and now, Yvonne, my new comrade, had killed it. The two sides of my life collided in a way I couldn’t comprehend.

Then Beta, charged at another hunter, only to be driven back by a dagger that pierced her side. She fell soon after, her body lifeless on the ground.

Now way.

I was frozen. My body refused to respond, as if disconnected from my mind. It wasn’t just the horror of seeing my old packmates killed, but something else, something unnatural. My legs wouldn’t move, my muscles wouldn’t obey. It was as if some invisible force had locked me in place.

Around me, the chaos continued, but I stood there, motionless. My past and present colliding, and I didn’t know where I belonged.

Suddenly, a faint feminine laugh drifted through the air, so soft it almost blended with the wind. But as it grew closer, it sent chills down my spine. The sound of rustling grass followed, growing louder as if something—no, someone—approached us from the shadows.

A column of light erupted from the edge of the clearing, bathing the scene in an eerie, otherworldly glow. My eyes instinctively snapped in that direction, and what I saw sent a jolt of recognition through me.

A massive grey wolf, twice the size of any we had faced, emerged from the darkness. Its eyes, too, were rolled back, just like the others. But this one was different—its presence alone was overwhelming, radiating power and malice. It moved slowly, each step deliberate, and every hunter around me froze in place, their faces drained of color.

Yvonne’s hand faltered on her bow, her eyes widening in disbelief. One of the hunters gasped, taking an involuntary step back, while another gripped his weapon so tightly his knuckles turned white. The air was thick with terror, a stillness that swallowed us whole.

I recognized this wolf through the scary on it's face. It was the same one that had killed my siblings not long ago, a memory that sent a surge of anger and fear coursing through me.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

And there, sitting atop its back, was her.

The laughter belonged to a woman—a figure who radiated darkness and danger. She was breathtaking, in a twisted, unnerving way. Her beauty was undeniable, though it felt wrong to admire it in the midst of the chaos. She wore scant clothing, a black, fabric that barely clung to her body, exposing pale, flawless shoulders. Intricate black runes wound around her arms, glowing faintly in time with the aura surrounding her.

Her long, dark hair cascaded down her back, the ends flickering like tendrils of shadow, and her eyes gleamed with a mischievous, almost playful malice. She carried herself like a predator who had cornered her prey, relishing the fear she provoked.

Hovering above her was an owl with an entirely black body and unnaturally bright, glowing eyes. It was the source of the sudden light, its eyes casting an ethereal glow that cut through the darkness. The owl’s wings flapped in slow, graceful movements, almost as if it, too, was a part of the magic that radiated from her.

“What a view,” she purred, her voice dripping with amusement as she gazed at us like we were nothing more than entertainment.

The group was paralyzed. No one moved, no one spoke. Yvonne’s lips parted as if to say something, but no words came out. We all felt it—this woman wasn’t just some ordinary threat. She was something far more dangerous.

[ Adversary: Grey Wolf

Threat Level: C

Win Rate: 0.1%]

[ Adversary: Unknown Tamer

Threat Level: A

Win Rate: Impossible]

Another stray notification flashed in my mind, but it barely registered. My eyes darted between the massive wolf and the woman who rode it, both exuding a power that suffocated the air around us. The tension was unbearable, the weight of the moment pressing down on all of us. Yvonne, locked in a desperate struggle with another wolf, glanced at the woman, her eyes wide with alarm and recognition.

“You!” Yvonne spat, her voice raw with rage and fear. "Morrigan! You bitch! Gods-damned! I should’ve known it was you behind this! The princess sent you, didn’t she? Sent you to sabotage us? So, all this talk of quotas was just a lie? You want to steal our forest, take away our village’s holy right to protect it?"

Morrigan’s smirk widened, her aura growing darker and heavier, like a storm cloud about to burst. Her glowing eyes bore into Yvonne’s with a chilling intensity.

“Village?” she repeated softly, her voice carrying a venomous mockery. “What village?”

That single sentence shattered Yvonne. Her face drained of color, and her body wavered as though the ground beneath her had given way.

"No... no, no, you didn’t. You wouldn’t dare..." Yvonne’s voice cracked, disbelief laced with terror.

But Morrigan only smiled wider, her lips curling into a cruel grin. “Oh, come now, you naive little fools. You took all the strong men of the village for your noble hunting game, trusting in your goddess to protect what you left behind? And now you want to blame me?”

Her laughter burst forth, harsh and mocking, echoing through the clearing like a death knell. Yvonne collapsed to her knees, her dagger slipping from her hand as the horrible realization set in.

The village. Their homes. Their families.

Gone.

"What about Cub A?" My heart ached with dread.

Morrigan’s laughter continued, the weight of it pressing down on all of us, her eyes gleaming with wicked delight as she reveled in our despair. The hunters, once fierce and determined, now stood paralyzed, their hearts sinking into the same abyss that had swallowed Yvonne whole.

The air was thick with the scent of doom, and all I could do was watch as the world crumbled around us.

Morrigan waved her hand lazily, and the giant wolf lowered itself, allowing her to dismount with an almost regal grace. Her bare feet touched the ground as if she commanded even the earth beneath her. Without a word, she gestured to the massive wolf, and it obeyed her silent command, lunging at the remaining hunters with savage precision. Screams filled the air as the beast tore into them, but Morrigan didn’t even spare them a glance.

Her eyes were fixed on Yvonne.

As she approached, Yvonne, still on her knees, reached for her dagger, her rage burning through the shock. But as one of the wolves leapt at her, it fell limp in mid-air, Morrigan’s magic casting it aside effortlessly. Yvonne’s gaze flicked between the fallen beast and the approaching woman, her hatred palpable.

“You think this is over?” Yvonne snarled, her voice trembling with fury. She surged to her feet, dagger flashing as she aimed for Morrigan’s throat.

But Morrigan didn’t flinch. With a simple wave of her hand, she sent her owl forward. Its beak clamped around Yvonne’s wrist just as the dagger arced toward Morrigan. Yvonne's eyes blinded by the owl' s bright eyes. The blade clattered to the ground as the beak sank into her flesh. Yvonne winced but didn’t scream—her stubborn defiance remained, even as the owl released her now-bleeding hand.

“Always so predictable,” Morrigan said calmly, her voice laced with amusement as she watched Yvonne struggle. “You thought you could actually win against me? How quaint.”

Yvonne glared at her, gritting her teeth, her body trembling with both fury and pain. "I’d rather die fighting you than let you destroy everything I’ve sworn to protect."

Morrigan chuckled darkly. "Oh, I’m not here to destroy everything... I just want to buy some time for the princess."

Before Yvonne could react, Morrigan reached out and grabbed a fistful of her hair, jerking her head back. Yvonne’s eyes, burning with rage, met Morrigan’s cold, unfeeling stare. But something was wrong—Yvonne’s body was going limp, her muscles refusing to respond. The owl’s poison, working through her veins, was slowly paralyzing her.

Morrigan leaned in, her face inches from Yvonne’s. "The fight is over, Yvonne. You’ve already lost."

Yvonne tried to respond, but her body betrayed her, the strength draining from her limbs. Morrigan’s hand moved swiftly to Yvonne’s finger, where that magical ruby ring was tightly held. With a cold smirk, she ripped the ring from Yvonne’s hand, not caring for the skin that tore along with it.

The ruby glinted in Morrigan’s hand, and she held it up, admiring its beauty before tucking it away. "Such a pretty thing," she murmured, almost to herself.

"You don't deserve to wear Goddess Elara's stone. Even if you are the one chosen by her"

Then she let Yvonne’s limp body drop to the ground without a second thought, her victory complete.

"Don't worry, I don't want to anger her so I won't kill you. Better get concious before some beast eat you.."

The clearing was silent now, except for the low growl of Morrigan’s massive wolf, its mouth still stained with the blood of my fallen comrades. Every hunter lay lifeless on the ground, their bodies torn apart, their weapons scattered uselessly around them. Morrigan stood alone, the last standing figure in the aftermath of the slaughter.

“I don’t want the goddess waking up too soon,” she murmured, her voice calm as she waved her hand. In response, the other wolves scattered, darting off into the dark forest to hunt.

"Kill anything you see. Then each other. Drain the forest’s life energy by killing every living creature you can find."

The trees themselves seemed to shudder at their departure, as if the forest knew what was coming.

Then, her gaze locked on me.

“Now then,” she said, her voice carrying a dark curiosity, “let’s see what kind of beast you are.”

Her steps were deliberate as she moved toward me, her eyes narrowing in thought. “I tried to tame you,” she continued, her voice dropping to a murmur, “but your body wouldn’t obey. It was my mind that was taking damage. That only happens when my target is... You’re more intelligent than a mere wolf, aren’t you? You understand exactly what I am talking about.”

I tried to move, to fight, to run, but my body refused to respond. No matter how much fear or anger surged within me, I was frozen in place, powerless under the weight of her presence.

She reached me, her icy hands gripping my fur as she lifted me with ease. Her eyes bored into mine, cold and calculating, as she examined me with a disturbing fascination. She turned me over, her hands tracing along my body as if I were some kind of strange artifact to be studied. I could do nothing but endure it, my mind screaming for action, for vengeance, for anything—but my body was locked in place. I had lost everything once again, all because of her.

I will definitely give this bitch a horrible death.

“Hmmm... interesting,” Morrigan muttered, a twisted smile playing on her lips. “You’re coming straight into my collection.”