The lost girl and the Falling stones

Chapter 12: The Price of Power 

The night air was thick with the scent of damp earth and the distant rustle of leaves. The forest around Catherine felt like a living thing, holding its breath as the last echoes of battle faded. The creature, a twisted shadow of malice and hunger, had been vanquished—for now. But Catherine knew, deep in her bones, that the fight was far from over.

Her heart still raced, the sting of fear mingling with the exhilaration of survival. She glanced down at her trembling hands, still clutched around the glowing stone. The warmth of it seeped into her skin, but there was an undercurrent of something else—something dark and dangerous, like the very power that had driven the creature away.

"Are you all right?" Jake's voice broke through her thoughts. He stood beside her, his sword still drawn, eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement.

Catherine nodded, though she didn't feel all right. "I... I think so." She looked at the stone again, feeling its power vibrating through her. "But I don't understand. How did it come for me so quickly? I only just—"

She stopped herself, realizing she was speaking out loud, questioning things she wasn't ready to understand.

Jake's gaze softened, and he stepped closer. "We don't have all the answers yet, but we'll figure it out. We'll keep you safe."

The words felt comforting, but the unease in her gut wouldn't go away. The stone's light had driven the creature back, but how long before the next one came? How long before the darkness found her again?

"What happens now?" Catherine asked.

Jake looked toward the woods, his expression growing serious. "Now, we need to find Faelor. We can't fight this alone. Not for long."

The weight of his words sank in. She wasn't just fighting for her life; she was fighting to protect everything she had come to know and love. The pack, the forest, the stones—all of it was tied to her now. And that meant the stakes were higher than she had ever imagined.

Faelor had been right when he warned her about the price of power. She had tasted it tonight—the power to protect, to destroy, but also the power to consume. The stone pulsed again, like a heartbeat in her palm, and she felt its pull. It was calling her to something, something deeper.

"What did Faelor mean, earlier?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "When he said I wasn't ready? What does he think I'm supposed to do?"

Jake's jaw tightened. He didn't meet her eyes immediately, but when he did, his expression was filled with something that might have been regret. "I don't think any of us are really ready. But that doesn't mean we won't try. You have the stones, Catherine. That's a gift. But with that gift comes danger. If you lose control—"

"I won't lose control," she interrupted, more sharply than she intended.

Jake raised an eyebrow but said nothing. His silence made her feel small.

Catherine squeezed the stone tighter, feeling its warmth flare up again. The power was undeniable, but so was the fear. The fear that one day, it might consume her entirely. She couldn't let that happen. Not now. Not when so much was at stake.

"I have to learn how to control it," Catherine murmured, more to herself than to Jake.

Jake's voice softened. "We all do. We're in this together."

Before she could respond, the sound of rustling leaves caught her attention. It was faint at first, barely more than a whisper on the wind. But it was enough.

Catherine's heart stilled, and she raised a hand to signal for silence.

Jake's expression immediately turned alert as he scanned the trees. "What is it?"

She didn't answer, her senses on high alert. The forest had been quiet—too quiet—but now she could hear something. Something moving in the shadows.

A flash of silver caught her eye—a wolf, its sleek coat glinting in the dim light. It moved swiftly, its eyes locked on Catherine with a sense of purpose that sent a chill down her spine.

"Sable?" Catherine whispered.

The wolf stopped just a few feet from her, its golden eyes glowing with an eerie intensity. But this wasn't the Sable she knew. There was something different about it—something unsettling.

"Sable?" she called again, her voice wavering slightly.

The wolf tilted its head, then, without warning, leaped forward, its fangs bared.

Jake stepped forward, blocking Catherine from the attack, but the wolf was faster than he had anticipated. It snarled, its claws slashing at him.

"Stay back!" Catherine shouted, stepping forward herself. The stone in her hand flared to life again, its light shining like a beacon in the night.

The wolf froze, its body trembling as if caught in an invisible force. The air between them seemed to crackle with energy, and Catherine's breath hitched. The stone was responding to the creature.

"No," Catherine breathed. "This can't be happening."

The wolf's golden eyes flickered, and for a moment, it seemed to recognize her. Then, just as quickly, its expression shifted—its eyes darkened, and it lunged again, more ferociously than before.

But this time, Catherine wasn't just going to stand by.

The power surged within her, filling every fiber of her being. The stone pulsed once, then twice, and Catherine felt the change begin.

Her body shuddered, her senses expanding, her bones shifting and lengthening. She could feel the wolf inside her, its instincts melding with her own. She could hear its thoughts, feel its hunger. And then she could feel her own, too.

The wolf hesitated. It was confused by the force of the power emanating from Catherine.

Catherine's voice rang out, clear and commanding. "Sable! It's me!"

The wolf's form shifted again, as if the words had struck a chord. The transformation seemed to halt, and the beast fell back, panting heavily.

"Sable," Catherine said again, her voice soft this time. "I'm here."

The wolf's eyes shifted back to their golden hue, and it lowered its head in recognition. For a long moment, Catherine and the wolf stood, staring at each other, connected in a way that defied explanation.

Jake stood frozen, his hand still gripping his sword, eyes wide in disbelief.

"Did... did you just...?" he began, but he didn't finish. His words seemed pointless in the face of what had just happened.

Catherine nodded, still breathing heavily. "I think I just did."

But inside, she couldn't shake the feeling that the power she had just wielded was a force she couldn't fully control. And if she couldn't, there was no telling what the cost would be.