HEARTS OF DIVINE RUIN (The MoonGoddess and The AlphaKing)

Chapter 22 : Between Shadows and Shame

--Current Day--

The once tranquil woods seemed to shift, becoming a cold, sinister place, the air thick with a strange, unnatural energy. Her breath quickened, her pulse spiking as she sensed something creeping closer. She scanned her surroundings, but the thick fog obscured everything beyond a few feet.

Then, they appeared.

From the shadows, dark figures materialized-twisted, grotesque entities with no clear form, just empty, hollow voids where eyes and faces should be. Their movements were erratic, flickering in and out of her vision like shadows caught in a storm. These weren't ordinary spirits; they were hungry, ravenous creatures, desperate to feast on something living, something human.

Luna's heart raced as she recognized what they were-demons hungry for souls. Her human scent had drawn them, and now they surrounded her, circling slowly like predators toying with their prey. She reached for her power instinctively, but nothing came. She cursed under her breath, realizing just how vulnerable she truly was. Mortal. Weak.

One of the creatures lunged without warning, its ethereal form slithering through the air with a chilling hiss. Luna barely dodged, spinning out of the way as its claws sliced the air beside her. She threw her hands up in defense, instinctively trying to summon the remnants of her once godly strength, but all that came was a dull pulse of energy-enough to push it back, but not enough to stop it.

Another demon launched at her from behind. She twisted, kicking out at it, but her strike went straight through its mist-like form. Cold tendrils wrapped around her ankle, yanking her to the ground. She gasped as she hit the dirt hard, her head spinning as her vision blurred. A sharp pain seared through her leg, and she realized one of them had managed to tear at her skin, dark blood seeping into the soil beneath her.

They swarmed closer, their soulless eyes glinting with hunger. Luna fought to rise, slashing at them with desperate, uncoordinated movements, but her blows did little more than slow them down. She was losing this battle. Her heart pounded as she tried to scramble to her feet, but they were too many, and her body was too weak.

One demon's cold claws reached for her throat, and Luna closed her eyes, bracing for the inevitable.

As her vision dimmed and despair took over, Alex's face flashed before her eyes. His smile, the warmth he sometimes let slip when he thought no one was watching. Her heart ached, But then-a deep, guttural growl echoed through the forest.

It was a sound that sent shivers down her spine, raw and powerful, vibrating through the very air around her. The demons hesitated, their movements faltering as the growl grew louder, more menacing. They turned their hollow faces towards the trees, and then, without warning, something massive erupted from the darkness.

A colossal black wolf burst through the underbrush, moving with a lethal grace that was almost terrifying to witness. Its glowing golden eyes locked onto the demons with a rage so intense that even the soulless creatures seemed to hesitate. The wolf's fur blended seamlessly with the night, only its powerful muscles and sharp claws catching the pale moonlight.

The demons hissed and recoiled, but they were no match for the beast. With a single swipe of its massive paw, the wolf tore through the closest demon, scattering its misty form into the air. The creature dissolved into nothing, its death as swift as it was final. The other demons tried to flee, but the huge wolf was faster. It moved like a shadow, ripping through them one by one, each attack precise and deadly.

Luna lay on the ground, panting and battered, but her eyes were locked on the wolf. She knew this wolf-Alex. Even in his monstrous form, his presence was undeniable. Relief and fury warred inside her as she watched him tear through the remaining demons, his growls low and feral. In minutes, the forest was silent again, the souls wiped out, their dark energy evaporating into the night.