The howl was closer now, laced with a hunger that made Eva's blood run cold. Elias pulled her along, his grip tight, as they weaved through the dense undergrowth. The trees became a blur, the forest floor a treacherous maze of roots and fallen branches.

"Who is it?" Eva gasped, stumbling to keep up.

"Hunters," Elias grunted, his breath coming in short bursts. "Rogues. They're not part of the Pack."

"What do they want?"

"You," he said grimly. "Or what they think you can lead them to."

Eva's mind raced. The potion? Did these rogue werewolves know about her connection to Aric? Or were they after something else entirely?

They burst into a small clearing, a narrow strip of open ground bordering a steep ravine. Elias stopped abruptly, scanning their surroundings.

"We can't outrun them," he said, his voice tense. "We have to stand and fight."

Eva felt a surge of terror mixed with a strange sense of exhilaration. She had never been in a fight before, not a real one. But she knew she couldn't run forever. She had to face whatever was coming.

Elias turned to her, his eyes filled with a mixture of protectiveness and determination. "Stay behind me," he said. "And whatever happens, don't let them touch you."

He shifted, his body contorting and changing before her very eyes. His bones cracked and lengthened, his muscles bulged, his face elongated into a wolfish snout. Fur sprouted from his skin, black as midnight. In a matter of seconds, he had transformed into a fearsome werewolf, a creature of raw power and primal instinct.

Eva stared in awe, her fear momentarily forgotten. She had seen him angry, she had seen him dangerous, but she had never seen him like this. It was both terrifying and strangely exhilarating.

Then, they emerged from the trees: three figures as dark as the night. Werewolves, like Elias, but different. There was a wildness in their eyes, a hunger in their movements. They snarled, their teeth bared, their bodies tensed for a fight.

"Greyback!" one of them barked, his voice a guttural growl. "Give us the girl, and we'll let you live."

Elias stepped forward, his own growl echoing through the clearing. "She's under my protection," he snarled. "You will not touch her."

"Protection? You think you can protect her from us?" The rogue werewolf laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "She has something we want, something that belongs to us."

"She has nothing," Elias retorted. "Leave now, and I'll let you go. But if you try to take her, you'll regret it."

The rogue werewolf's eyes narrowed. "So be it."

He lunged, his claws extended, aiming for Elias's throat. The other two rogues followed close behind.

Elias met their attack head-on, his own claws flashing. The clearing erupted in a frenzy of fur, claws, and teeth. The sound of snarling and growling filled the air, punctuated by the sickening thud of bodies colliding.

Eva watched in horror, her heart pounding in her chest. Elias was strong, but he was outnumbered. One of the rogues managed to break through his defenses, raking his claws across his shoulder. Elias roared in pain, but he didn't falter. He slammed into the rogue, sending him flying into a tree.

Eva knew she couldn't just stand there and watch. She had to do something. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the silver coin. She remembered Elias's words: "It will help you unlock your powers."

She closed her eyes, focusing her mind, picturing the coin, feeling its energy coursing through her veins. She whispered the name "Aric", a name that felt strangely familiar.

Then, she felt it: a surge of power, unlike anything she had ever experienced before. It was as if a dam had broken inside her, releasing a torrent of energy that flowed through every cell in her body.

She opened her eyes, and the world seemed different. Colors were brighter, sounds were sharper. She could see the movements of the werewolves with crystal clarity, their every twitch and gesture.

She noticed one of the rogues circling behind Elias, preparing to attack. Acting on instinct, she hurled her hands up toward him and blasted a burst of energy at the werewolf, launching him off balance into the ground.

Eva gaped, shock and wonder filling her. The rogue snarled and tried to charge again, but Eva blasted another burst of pure energy. This time it caught him full on and he was knocked out cold.

The remaining werewolf and Elias stopped fighting, shocked by what she had done.

"What... what was that?" Elias growled, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Eva shook her head, her breath coming in ragged gasps. "I... I don't know. It just happened."

The rogue werewolf saw his chance. He lunged at Elias, aiming to finish him off. But Eva was ready. She focused her mind, channeling her energy and blasted another burst. It was more powerful this time, more focused. The blast was sent right toward Elias in the rogue's vision.

That's when Eva realized, she was not entirely in control--the blast was going straight for Elias as the charging creature dived out of the way.

Elias had no place to go-- braced to be hit and unable to dodge.

Time slowed.

Eva screamed his name.

The blast went through Elias like he wasn't there, catching a tree behind him and blasting it to splinters.

He looked at her, confused.

Eva realized that the "blast" hadn't touched him... but it had touched her. His hand was extended toward her--to block her from the attack, most likely--but the blast had hit her instead. She felt a searing pain, like a thousand needles piercing her skin. Then, darkness.

Elias roared in fury. He turned on the remaining rogue, his eyes blazing with golden light. He attacked with a ferocity that Eva had never seen before, a whirlwind of claws and teeth. In a matter of seconds, it was over. The rogue werewolf lay on the ground, defeated and bleeding.

Elias shifted back into human form, his body trembling. He rushed to Eva's side, kneeling beside her.

"Eva! Eva, wake up!" he said, his voice filled with panic.

He gently scooped her up and started running. He knew he had to get her to safety. He had to get her to someone who could heal her.

He had to get her to Maggie Abernathy.