Chapter 15: Chapter 14: The Gathering Storm
Chapter 14: The Gathering Storm
A Town on the Brink
Beacon Hills had always been a place of mystery, a town where the supernatural thrived in the shadows. But now, something was different. The very air felt heavier, charged with an unnatural stillness that set every nerve on edge.
Scott McCall stood at the edge of the woods, his golden eyes reflecting the distant glow of streetlights. Behind him, his pack—Lydia, Malia, Liam, and a hesitant Mason—waited. They had faced countless threats before, but this time, it felt different.
This wasn't just another hunt.
It was a war waiting to begin.
Beside Scott, Chris Argent loaded a fresh clip into his rifle, his face unreadable. "Are you sure about this?"
Scott exhaled slowly. "Not even a little."
The Hunter Leader stood nearby, leaning against a tree, arms crossed over his chest. He had been silent for a long time, watching, waiting. His inhuman reflexes made him the deadliest person in the clearing, but right now, he was unreadable.
Then he finally spoke.
"They're moving," he said, his voice calm. "The Drach have already begun their rituals."
Scott turned to him, his expression tightening. "How do you know?"
The Hunter Leader's gaze didn't waver. "Because I can feel it."
The moment he said it, the wind shifted.
Dark Omens
Lydia flinched as a wave of dizziness hit her. Her eyes widened, and she staggered back, gasping. "Something's wrong," she whispered. "I can hear them."
Scott caught her before she could fall. "Hear what?"
Lydia's breathing was shallow. "The whispers… they're getting louder."
The Hunter Leader's eyes darkened. "They've already begun the sacrifices."
Chris's grip on his rifle tightened. "Damn it."
Malia growled. "Then why are we standing around talking?"
The Hunter Leader sighed, glancing at Scott. "Because charging in blind is how people die."
Scott hesitated. He knew the Hunter Leader was right. The Drach weren't just another enemy. They were something far worse—a cult that worshipped the abyss itself.
"Where?" Scott asked. "Where are they performing the ritual?"
The Hunter Leader looked toward the distant hills, where an old abandoned church stood like a skeletal ruin against the night sky. "There."
Lydia shivered. "That place is… wrong."
Chris nodded grimly. "It was used for executions centuries ago. The ground itself is tainted with blood."
Scott clenched his jaw. "Then that's where we go."
The Hunt Begins
The drive to the abandoned church was silent. The road stretched out before them, winding through the darkened forest. The headlights of Chris's SUV cut through the gloom, but it felt like they were driving into something unnatural.
Scott sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window. His heart pounded.
Liam and Malia were in the backseat, tense. Lydia sat beside Mason, her fingers twitching as if she could feel something creeping just beyond the edge of her senses.
The Hunter Leader rode his own motorcycle ahead of them, his black jacket whipping in the wind. He didn't need words to express his thoughts—his actions spoke louder than anything.
Chris kept his eyes on the road. "If we're too late…"
Scott nodded. "We won't be."
The Ruins of the Past
The church loomed ahead, its stone walls cracked and crumbling. Vines twisted through the broken windows, and the steeple had long since collapsed.
And yet, despite its ruin, the place felt alive.
Not in a good way.
As they stepped out of the vehicles, the air itself seemed heavier, charged with something unnatural.
Scott's senses flared—the scent of old blood, the distant pulse of something wrong.
"We're not alone," he muttered.
The Hunter Leader nodded, stepping forward without hesitation. His movements were calm, controlled—dangerous. "They know we're here."
Chris raised his rifle. "Then let's make this quick."
Scott took a breath and led the way inside.
The Ritual
The church's interior was worse than expected.
Candles flickered, their flames burning black. The walls were lined with symbols that hurt to look at.
And in the center—the Drach.
They stood in a circle, hooded figures chanting in an ancient tongue. The ground beneath them pulsed with darkness, something shifting just beyond the veil of reality.
And at the center—a girl, bound and bleeding.
Scott's eyes widened. "No…"
The Hunter Leader didn't hesitate. He drew his weapon.
And all hell broke loose.
Battle in the Dark
The Drach reacted instantly. Shadows erupted from their hands, twisting into weapons, tendrils of darkness lashing out.
Scott shifted mid-stride, claws flashing as he intercepted the first attacker.
Malia barreled into another, her strength tearing through the cultist like paper.
Liam let out a snarl, his Beta form surging forward as he fought alongside them.
Chris fired with precision, each silver bullet hitting its mark.
And the Hunter Leader?
He was everywhere.
His reflexes were inhuman. He moved like a phantom, dodging attacks before they could land, his weapons cutting down enemies before they could react.
He wasn't just fighting. He was hunting.
The Price of Power
But then—something shifted.
The symbols on the walls flared to life, and the air itself became suffocating.
The lead cultist raised his hands. A portal of black fire erupted behind him, the fabric of reality tearing apart.
Scott felt it instantly.
This wasn't just a summoning.
They were opening the Abyss itself.
The Hunter Leader's eyes narrowed. "No you don't."
In a blur of movement, he closed the distance, his blade plunging into the cultist's chest.
The man gasped, choking on blood.
But he was smiling.
"You're too late."
The portal exploded outward.
And something stepped through.
A demon.
To Be Continued…