Eclipsed Destiny
The Price of Loyalty

The pack was restless.

Celia stood on the edge of the clearing; the cool night air bitten at her skin, doing little to cool the flames burning within her. She hadn't seen the rogue lieutenant since the day she decided to take matters into her own hands. His reappearance was not an empty threat this time, it was a declaration of war. The pack was setting up for battle, yet the tension in the air was almost palpable. She could feel it in the tightening of her chest, the weight of responsibility pressing harder with each passing hour.

The blessing within her surged faintly, a constant reminder of the power she wielded-and the danger it brought.

Aziel appeared beside her, his steps silent as he moved to stand at her side. "You're up late," he said quietly, his voice carrying a tinge of concern.

Not immediately; the dark horizon drew her. "I cannot sleep, she said tight-lippedly; she was thinking of the rogue lieutenant, out there: and the pack was unprepared. They do not quite believe in me.

Silence wasn't needed; Aziel seemed like an impenetrable mass, but she saw into his eyes, his soul. She knew he, like everyone else, wasn't sure about their intentions or loyalty. It felt as if the pack is torn, and with these leaders, there is that thing inside that plays greater than what the lieutenant can achieve with her. After all, it's beyond wanting her; it's loyalty and trust, aspects a little too hard to preserve.

"Do you believe in me, Aziel?" she asked suddenly, her voice soft but filled with an ache that she couldn't mask.

Aziel's eyes lost their chill, and for one moment in time, there existed nothing beyond the quiet drone of night, the sounds of the pack moving in the distance. "I do," he declared firmly, steady and strong. "I've seen what you're capable of. You are stronger than you think, and you will get through this, and we'll get through this together.

Celia turned to him, chest tight as she looked him in the eyes. "But what if I fail? What if the pack does not follow me? What if I am not what they need?"

Aziel advanced a step forward. He kept his hand laid softly over her arm. "You won't fail. The pack needs you more than at any other time. And if you ever doubt, remember that I'm standing beside you."

The power of his words should have been soothing, but Celia could not help feeling that something was amiss. The lieutenant's cryptic words-the warnings, the threats haunted her. And worse, she could feel the pack's growing distrust, even though they tried to hide it. Loyalty was a fragile thing, especially when there was so much at stake.

"Aziel."

Celia looked up to see Marcus walking towards her, his face somber. "We've got trouble."

Aziel's face set, and Celia's heart faltered. "What is it?" Aziel cut through the air with sharp tone. Marcus's gaze passed over Celia as he spoke in a hushed tone. "The rogue lieutenant. he isn't alone."

The words to Celia were akin to a punch to the gut. "What do you mean?

The rogue army is larger than we thought," Marcus explained, narrowing his eyes. "We've been tracking them for hours. There's more of them, and they're moving fast."

Aziel's jaw locked, cold blue eyes raking in the information. "How many?"

Too many," Marcus said, his eyes darting to Celia. "We need to prepare, and we need to prepare now. They are coming for us, for you. They are no longer waiting."

Celia's stomach churned. She had known the day would come-the day the pack would face the rogues head-on. But this. this was different. This wasn't just an attack. This was a declaration of war.

"We can't let them tear us apart," Aziel said, his voice a quiet fury. "Celia, we need to stand united.

She gazed at him, his words echoing in her mind. *United*. The word seemed more fragile now than ever. The pack had been fractured by the rogue lieutenant's lies, by their doubts, by their fear. And Celia knew that loyalty, once broken, was difficult to restore.

But she wasn't about to let fear win. She couldn't.

"I'm ready," Celia said, her voice steady. She turned toward the pack, her chest swelling with determination. "I'll fight. For the pack. For you. We'll stand together, or we'll fall apart trying."

\---

The camp was rife with bustle as the wolves readied to go to battle. Shrapnel whetted against stone sharpened all those weapons to fine, precise edges. The armor suited its wearers to a glistening fit. In contrast, one couldn't argue that no matter the work put in, one feels a hint of feariness. End.

She stood there by the edge of the clearing, watching the pack assemble. Her heart hammered, her mind going in two directions at once-fear and determination. The bond, the blessing, the pack's loyalty crushed down on her like a sea tide that would not yield.

"Celia."

She turned to see Aziel approaching, his expression concerned and determined. "Ready?" he asked softly.

Celia nodded, though the knot in her stomach refused to loosen. "As ready as I'll ever be." She took a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly as she steadied herself. "We can't afford to doubt ourselves now."

Aziel placed a hand on her shoulder, a firm, grounding touch. "We won't. You've got this."

Celia met his gaze, her heart steadying at the unwavering trust she saw in his eyes. She had forgotten how much she needed him believing in her until now-hearing how much she actually needed to believe in the pack and in this future being fought for. The question was still there, lodged in the back of her mind. The rogue lieutenant's words had been such a blow, and there was no way the hurt would be easily erased.

As the pack prepared to move out, Celia took one last look at the camp. The wolves were ready, but she could feel the tension between them. Trust wasn't something that could be rebuilt overnight, and the cracks that had formed in the shield couldn't be mended so easily.

She stepped forward, her steps resolute, ready to lead.

7---

The night feels colder still as they progress through the forest. Now the rogue's forces draw near, and Celia's senses pick up on all the nervous energy of her pack as they approach that final confrontation. Every stride is heavy, like this last march toward the darkness. They have to win, for they have nothing else to lose.

And as they approached the clearing where the rogues were supposed to make their stand, Celia's mark burned, reminding her of everything at stake.

It was no battle for land or survival. It was a battle for loyalty for the future of the pack, for the trust that held them together.

"We fight together," Aziel's voice rang out, pulling her from her thoughts. "And we win together."

The pack responded with a chorus of fierce howls, their voices echoing through the trees. Celia's heart surged with the sound.

And then, the first rogue stepped into the clearing.

\---

A shadow darted across the trees, and the air grew colder still. A single figure emerged from the darkness-the rogue lieutenant. And he was not alone. Behind him, a dark army of rogues emerged, their red eyes glowing with hunger and intent.

The battle had begun.