Capítulo 2 The Awakening

The silence that followed was deafening. My hands trembled as I stared at them, my mind racing to comprehend what had just happened. The man I had flung across the room lay motionless against the wall, his body crumpled in a heap. Everyone was staring at me-Kael, the wolf, even the remaining attackers. Their expressions varied between shock, fear, and something I couldn't quite place.

"Selene," Kael said, his voice cutting through the haze in my mind. It was calm but firm, like a lifeline pulling me back to reality. "You need to stay focused."

"Focused?" I shot back, my voice trembling with panic. "What the hell was that? What did I just do?"

Kael stepped closer, his blade still in hand, his eyes scanning the room for any lingering threats. "You tapped into your power," he said simply, as if that explained anything.

"My power?" I shook my head, taking a step back. "No. No, this is impossible. I don't have any power! I'm just a normal-"

"You're not normal, Selene!" Kael interrupted, his voice rising just enough to make me stop. His eyes bore into mine with an intensity that made me freeze. "You've never been normal. You just didn't know it until now."

I opened my mouth to argue, but before I could, the wolf let out a low growl. Kael immediately turned, raising his blade defensively.

"They're retreating," he said, his voice dropping back into that calm, calculating tone.

I followed his gaze to see the remaining attackers backing away toward the door. They moved slowly, their eyes flickering between me and Kael. One of them-a tall man with a cruel smile-paused in the doorway.

"This isn't over," he said, his voice cold and menacing. His gaze lingered on me, and I felt a chill run down my spine. "You can't escape your bloodline, girl. We'll find you again."

And with that, they disappeared into the shadows, leaving Kael, the wolf, and me alone in the warehouse.

The moment they were gone, my legs gave out, and I sank to the floor. My chest felt tight, my breaths shallow and uneven.

"What the hell is happening to me?" I whispered, more to myself than to Kael.

He sheathed his blade and crouched down in front of me, his expression softening slightly. "You're awakening," he said. "Your bloodline, your power-it's finally surfacing. That's why they're after you."

I looked up at him, tears stinging my eyes. "I don't understand any of this," I said, my voice breaking. "Why me? What did I ever do to deserve this?"

Kael sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "It's not about what you've done. It's about who you are."

I let out a shaky laugh, though there was no humor in it. "Who I am? I'm nobody. Just an orphan. I don't even know who my parents were."

Kael's expression darkened, and for a moment, I thought he wouldn't answer. But then he said, "Your parents were part of a lineage that has existed for centuries. A bloodline tasked with protecting the balance between the human world and the primal forces that threaten it."

"Primal forces?" I repeated, shaking my head. "This is insane. You're talking about wolves and powers and bloodlines like this is some kind of fairy tale."

"It's not a fairy tale," Kael said, his voice hardening. "You've already seen the truth with your own eyes. Those men who attacked us? They aren't human. Not entirely."

I stared at him, my mind reeling. "Then what are they?"

Kael hesitated, as if choosing his words carefully. "They're part of a group that wants to destroy what your bloodline has sworn to protect. They'll stop at nothing to get to you because you're the key to their plans."

I blinked, unable to process what he was saying. "The key? What does that even mean?"

Before Kael could answer, the wolf stepped closer, its massive form looming over me. For a moment, I thought it might attack, but instead, it lowered its head, sniffing the air around me. Its yellow eyes met mine, and I felt an inexplicable connection, like it could see straight into my soul.

"What... what's it doing?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"He's acknowledging you," Kael said. "He senses your power. Your connection to the pack."

"Pack?" I repeated, feeling like I was drowning in a sea of information I couldn't understand. "What pack?"

Kael stood and extended a hand to me. "Come with me. There's someone you need to meet. Someone who can help you understand all of this."

I hesitated, looking at his outstretched hand. Everything in me screamed to run, to get as far away from this madness as possible. But where would I go? Back to the orphanage? Back to the life I thought I knew, now shattered beyond repair?

With a deep breath, I reached up and took his hand.

Kael helped me to my feet, and the wolf stepped back, watching us with a quiet intensity.

"Where are we going?" I asked as Kael led me toward the door.

"To the clan," he said simply.

"The clan?" I stopped in my tracks. "What clan?"

Kael turned to face me, his expression unreadable. "The people who've been waiting for you. They'll explain everything."

I wanted to argue, to demand answers, but I was too drained to fight. So I followed him, stepping out into the cold night air with the wolf trailing silently behind us.

We walked in silence, the city fading into the distance as Kael led me deeper into the forest on the outskirts of town. The trees towered above us, their branches forming a canopy that blocked out most of the moonlight. The air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth, and the only sounds were our footsteps and the occasional rustle of leaves.

"How much farther?" I asked, my voice barely audible in the stillness.

"Not much," Kael replied.

True to his word, it wasn't long before we reached a clearing. In the center stood a large, circular structure made of wood and stone, its design both ancient and imposing. Lights flickered inside, casting a warm glow through the cracks in the walls.

"This is it," Kael said, stopping at the edge of the clearing. "The clan's sanctuary."

I stared at the building, a knot of anxiety tightening in my stomach. "And they're just going to accept me? Just like that?"

"They've been waiting for you," Kael said. "You're part of their bloodline. You belong here."

The wolf brushed past me, padding toward the sanctuary with an air of familiarity. I watched it disappear through the open door before turning back to Kael.

"What if I don't belong?" I asked, my voice trembling.

Kael's expression softened, and for the first time, I saw something like compassion in his eyes.

"You'll never know unless you take the first step."

I took a deep breath, trying to summon the courage to move forward. And then, with Kael by my side, I stepped into the unknown.