Chapter

230

The night was unnervingly quiet, the kind of silence that made the forest feel alive. Elyra lay awake in her room, staring at the moonlight streaming through the window. In the distance, she heard a faint howl, and a chill ran down her spine. She wasn't the only one unsettled. Downstairs, Dain sat by the fire, his senses on high alert. Matthew was asleep in his room, but something about the night felt wrong to Dain. He couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. The first crash came from the back of the cabin, followed by a deep, guttural growl. Dain was on his feet instantly, his heart pounding.

"Elyra!" he shouted, racing up the stairs.

Elyra met him in the hallway, her golden eyes wide with fear. "What was that?"

Before he could answer, the door to the cabin splintered, and a massive wolf-like creature with glowing red eyes lunged into the room. Its presence was overwhelming, its growl reverberating through the walls. "Stay back!" Dain ordered, stepping in front of Elyra as the creature advanced.

But Elyra didn't listen. Something inside her stirred-an instinct she couldn't explain. She felt the energy of the moonlight coursing through her veins, sharpening her movements and heightening her senses.

The creature lunged, and the fight began. Dain's strength turned feral as he grappled with the beast, his punches landing with bone-crushing force. Elyra moved with an agility she didn't know she possessed, evading the creature's claws and striking with precision.

The battle raged throughout the cabin, furniture splintering and windows shattering. Finally, Elyra saw an opening and drove a makeshift weapon-a broken piece of wood-into the creature's side. At the same moment, Dain delivered a crushing blow to its head. The creature collapsed, its glowing eyes dimming. With its last breath, it rasped, "You can't escape him."

Elyra and Dain exchanged a look, their breaths ragged. The words hung in the air, heavy with foreboding.

Matthew appeared in the doorway, his face pale as he took in the destruction and the monstrous corpse. "What the hell is going on?" he demanded.noveldrama

Elyra and Dain had no answers. They only knew one thing for certain: their quiet life in the woods was over.