hunters

(As the howls of the hunters grow louder, the black wolf steps forward, his silver eyes glowing fiercely. Aria watches him, her mind racing. She feels a deep connection to this wolf, like he’s been protecting her long before she even knew of her true heritage.)

Black Wolf (telepathically):

I am Kaelen, the guardian of the royal bloodline. And I will fight by your side, Princess.

(Aria nods, feeling a surge of power through her veins. Kaelen is no ordinary wolf—he is ancient, powerful, and loyal to her family’s legacy. She turns to Ayan, expecting to see his usual determined expression, but instead, she finds hesitation in his eyes.)

Aria (confused):

“Ayan, what’s wrong?”

(Ayan’s jaw tightens, and for a moment, he can’t meet her gaze. His hand tightens around the hilt of his sword, and when he finally looks at her, his expression is one of deep conflict.)

Ayan (quietly):

“I… there’s something I haven’t told you.”

(Aria’s heart sinks, the growing sense of unease gnawing at her.)

Ayan (voice low, filled with regret):

“I was one of them. One of the hunters.”

(Aria steps back, her golden eyes widening in shock.)

Aria (in disbelief):

“What? Ayan… no…”

(Ayan shakes his head, his voice pained.)

Ayan:

“It was before I knew who you were, before I understood what the hunters really stood for. I was raised by them, trained to hunt down those with wolf blood. But when I learned the truth about you, about your family, I left them. I couldn’t do it anymore.”

(Aria’s breath catches, her mind swirling with the revelation. Ayan, the person who had saved her, fought beside her, had once been part of the very group hunting her kind.)

Aria (her voice trembling):

“You lied to me.”

(Ayan steps closer, desperation in his eyes.)

Ayan:

“I didn’t lie. I just didn’t tell you. I was trying to protect you. I couldn’t let you know about my past, not until I was sure I could keep you safe. But Aria, I swear—I’m not with them anymore. I’m here with you.”

(Kaelen growls, his massive form tensing as he steps between Ayan and Aria.)

Kaelen (growling telepathically):

You brought a hunter into our midst, Princess. He is dangerous.

(Aria feels torn, her emotions swirling between anger, hurt, and confusion. But before she can respond, the hunters break through the trees, their eyes glowing red in the mist. They are clad in dark, twisted armor, their weapons gleaming with silver, specially forged to kill wolves.)

Hunter Leader (grinning):

“There she is. The lost princess. And her traitorous protector.”

(Ayan draws his sword, standing beside Aria despite the weight of his past.)

Ayan (defiantly):

“I won’t let them take you, Aria. Not now, not ever.”

(Aria’s eyes narrow as the leader of the hunters steps forward, his presence chilling. He removes his helmet, revealing a cold, hardened face that Aria immediately recognizes from her nightmares—he is the one who has been hunting her, the man who has been after her family for years.)

Hunter Leader (sneering):

“You think you can protect her, Ayan? You think switching sides will save you?”

(Aria’s chest tightens, but before she can respond, Kaelen lets out a deafening howl, and the battle begins.)

Kaelen (roaring telepathically):

Fight with the strength of the wolves, Aria! Show them who you truly are!

(With a powerful leap, Kaelen launches himself at the hunters, his massive form crashing into the leader with a force that sends him flying back. The other wolves, led by Kaelen, charge at the hunters, their fangs flashing as they tear through the ranks of their enemies.)

(Aria feels her own power surge as she shifts fully into her wolf form, her senses sharper than ever before. She leaps into the fray, her claws slicing through the armor of one of the hunters. She fights with a ferocity she didn’t know she had, the strength of her lineage coursing through her veins.)

(Ayan fights alongside her, his sword clashing with the hunters’ weapons, but the battle is chaotic, and the hunters are relentless. They know Ayan’s weakness—they trained him, after all—and they fight with the intent to break him down.)

Hunter Leader (snarling as he clashes with Kaelen):

“You can’t win, wolf. The princess will be ours.”

(Kaelen’s eyes flash as he pins the leader to the ground, his teeth bared.)

Kaelen (growling):

You will never touch her!

(The hunter leader manages to push Kaelen off with a surge of dark magic, and he turns his attention to Aria. As she fights off another hunter, the leader closes in on her, his sword raised high.)

Hunter Leader (sneering):

“Time to end this, Princess.”

(But before he can strike, Ayan steps between them, blocking the attack with his sword. The force of the blow knocks him back, but he doesn’t falter. He looks at Aria, his eyes filled with determination.)

Ayan (yelling):

“Run, Aria! I’ll hold him off!”

(But Aria doesn’t run. Not this time. With a fierce growl, she lunges at the hunter leader, her powerful jaws closing around his arm and pulling him to the ground. The leader screams in pain as Aria rips the sword from his grasp, standing over him, her golden eyes blazing with power.)

Aria (telepathically, voice commanding):

You will never hunt my kind again.

(With a final surge of strength, Aria and Kaelen, fighting side by side, overpower the hunter leader, leaving him broken and defeated on the ground. The remaining hunters, seeing their leader fall, retreat into the shadows of the forest, their mission failed.)

(As the dust settles, Aria shifts back into her human form, breathing heavily. She looks at Ayan, who is wounded but alive, and then at Kaelen, whose silver eyes glow with approval.)

Kaelen (telepathically):

You are the Wolf Princess, Aria. You have proven yourself worthy of your title.

(Aria feels the weight of the moment, the power of her lineage flowing through her. She has fought for her people, for her identity, and for the future of her kingdom. But as she looks at Ayan, she knows that the hardest battles are still to come.)

Aria (quietly):

“We’re not done yet.”

(Ayan meets her gaze, his expression filled with both guilt and gratitude.)

Ayan:

“No. But we’ll face what’s next together.”

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