The forest trembled under the weight of my energy. Wolves fled, but not Darius. He advanced slowly, calm, like a predator certain of victory.
Lucien stepped forward, muscles tense. "Back off. She's not yours to play with."
Darius smirked. "Oh, she's everyone's problem."
I clenched my fists. The power in my veins throbbed, almost sentient. My mark burned hotter, arcs of energy snapping into the fog. One step forward, and the ground cracked. I could feel the raw power of my ancestors—the First Luna—coursing through me.
Kaiden appeared behind him like a shadow, eyes fixed on me. "Control it. Don't let him manipulate you."
Manipulate? Darius had already pushed me to the edge, tested my fear. I swallowed, took a deep breath, and let the power flow freely.
White energy exploded outward, forming a barrier around me, deflecting Darius' aura and scattering the remaining rogues. The air hissed, charged with electricity, and even the trees seemed to bow under my presence.
Lucien's eyes widened. "Never seen that before."
Kaiden's gaze softened slightly, but his wolf growled in warning. "Impressive… but reckless."
I ignored them both. My focus was singular: survival, power, and revenge for every humiliation I had suffered. The mark pulsed violently, and I realized I could extend the energy beyond myself—strike without touching.
Darius froze, smirk faltering. "Impossible… that mark… it shouldn't…"
I didn't give him a chance to finish. Lightning-like arcs shot from my fingers, cutting through fog, pushing him back. Every strike left him reeling, unsteady.
Lucien whispered, "Careful. Don't lose control."
Lose control? The thought made my pulse race faster. Every nerve in my body screamed exhilaration. I was no longer the timid Omega everyone dismissed. I was the storm they hadn't anticipated.
And as the fog cleared, one thing became horrifyingly clear: they hadn't seen the half of it yet.