Echoes Of An Alpha

Chapter 9 : The flames of the forest

My breath hitches as I stare out of the window, watching the distant flames flicker and dance through the trees. The words from the book echo in my head: "Prepare. She will rise."

Who is “she”?

Before I can think further, a knock on my door jolts me out of my daze. I throw a quick glance at the book, still open on my bed. The pages lie still now, as if nothing strange had happened.

“Zara?” Selene’s voice filters through the door. There’s an urgency in her tone.

I hesitate for a split second, then open the door. Selene’s standing there, her face pale and tense. “Something’s wrong,” she says, confirming what I already know. “I heard a crash outside.”

“I saw the fire,” I say, my voice low. “It’s in the forest.”

Selene’s eyes widen, but she doesn’t question me. “We need to check it out. I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

Without wasting another word, we grab our jackets and head downstairs. The house is quiet; Mrs. Henderson is probably asleep, and the twins must be in their room. As we step outside, the cold night air hits us, but the warmth of the distant fire is unmistakable.

We start walking toward the forest, the fire growing larger with every step. I can feel the tension between us, but tonight, our usual arguments are the last thing on our minds. There's a heavier force pulling us toward whatever is happening in those woods.

As we get closer, figures emerge from the shadows—Roshni and Rahul . They look startled to see us.

“Zara, Selene! Did you guys see—?” She gestures toward the flames, her eyes wide with fear.

“Yeah, we’re going to check it out,” I reply, glancing toward the towering trees that now glow with an eerie orange hue.

“We're coming with you," Rahul says without hesitation. Normally, I’d argue, but something tells me we might need them .

The four of us move deeper into the forest, the firelight illuminating the path. The flames lick the trunks of the trees, casting strange, flickering shadows that make it hard to tell where the real danger lies. My heart pounds harder with every step, the weight in my chest growing heavier.

And then we see it.

In the clearing ahead, the fire isn’t just burning randomly. It’s circling something—no, someone. A figure stands in the middle of the blaze, their outline barely visible through the wall of flames.

“Who is that?” Roshni whispers, her voice trembling.

Before I can answer, the figure steps forward, and the fire seems to part around them, like they control it. As they move closer, I finally see who it is.

Kristen.

Her eyes are glowing an unnatural red, and her face is twisted with rage and something darker—something otherworldly.

Selene gasps beside me, her hand reaching out to grip my arm. “Kristen... she’s—”

“—risen,” I finish for her, remembering the book’s message. "She will rise."

Roshni steps back, fear overtaking her. “Zara, what’s going on? This can’t be real. This... this isn’t possible.”

Kristen’s lips curve into a twisted smile, and her voice cuts through the crackling flames like a knife. “You should have left me alone, Zara.”

I freeze. What does she mean? I didn’t even do anything to her—Zade broke up with her, not me.

Rahul moves closer to me, her voice low but urgent. “Zara, we need to go. Now.”

But I can’t move. Something about Kristen—or whoever she’s become—is keeping me rooted to the spot. The fire swirls closer, and with it, the air grows hotter, almost suffocating.

“Zara!” Selene pulls at my arm, breaking my trance.

I take a step back, and the flames follow, inching toward us like they have a mind of their own. Kristen's eyes are locked on me, and it feels like the fire is an extension of her fury.

“I don’t know what’s going on,” I say, finally finding my voice, “but this isn’t Kristen anymore.”

“We need to get out of here,” Roshni says, her voice shaky. “Now.”

We turn and start running, but Kristen’s laughter follows us, echoing through the trees. The fire roars behind us, growing larger, hungrier, like it’s trying to consume everything in its path.

Just as we reach the edge of the forest, the flames explode into the sky, and for a split second, the night becomes as bright as day. I risk a glance back and see Kristen standing in the middle of the inferno, her eyes still glowing that terrifying red.

“Tonight.” Her voice is low, but it carries across the distance, making my blood run cold.

We make it back to the house, all of us out of breath and covered in sweat. I slam the door shut behind us, and for a moment, the world is silent, save for the pounding of our hearts.

Roshni sinks to the floor, her hands shaking. “What the hell just happened?”

Selene looks at me, her expression grim. “We have to figure out what’s going on. If Kristen is involved with... whatever this is, we’re all in danger.”

I nod, still trying to catch my breath. The dream, the book, the fire—it all feels connected. But what does it mean? And how does Kristen fit into all of this?

One thing is clear: tonight was just the beginning.

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