The forest hummed with life—rustling leaves, distant birdsong, the faint scurrying of unseen creatures—but Layla tuned it all out. Her world narrowed to the clearing, her senses buzzing as she stood at its center, eyes closed. Kael and Julian flanked her, their presence a steady anchor despite the tension simmering between them.

  “Feel the earth,” Kael said, his voice a low rumble. “Let your wolf root you.”

  Layla pressed her bare feet into the soil, feeling the wild pulse of her werewolf side surge through her. Her muscles coiled, ready to leap, a primal strength awakening within.

  “Now,” Julian interjected, his tone smooth and precise, “focus your mind. Sharpen it with your vampire senses.”

  She exhaled, letting a cool clarity sweep over her. The forest sharpened—every leaf’s whisper, every heartbeat, Kael’s steady rhythm just a few paces away. For a fleeting moment, the two forces—wild instinct and icy precision—danced together. She opened her eyes, a tentative smile breaking through.

  “I did it,” she breathed, almost afraid to jinx it.

  Kael grinned, fierce and proud. “You’re getting there.”

  Julian’s approval was quieter, a subtle nod. “Yes, but you’re still restraining yourself.”

  Her smile wavered. “What do you mean?”

  “You’re toggling between them,” Julian explained, stepping closer, “not merging them. They need to coexist.”

  Kael’s jaw tightened. “She’s not ready to push that far. It could break her.”

  “And shielding her won’t make her stronger,” Julian shot back. “She’s a hybrid, not a fragile child.”

  Layla bristled, tired of being dissected. “I’m right here. I decide what I can handle.”

  Both turned to her, caught off guard by her steel. She squared her shoulders. “What if we combine your approaches? Kael, you teach me strength. Julian, you teach me control. I’ll use both together.”

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  Kael hesitated, but Julian’s eyes sparked with intrigue. “Worth a try. Show us.”

  She centered herself again, reaching for the wolf’s raw power—her limbs thrummed with it—then layering on the vampire’s keen focus. The energies clashed, resisting, but she gritted her teeth, forcing them to align. For one brilliant second, she was unstoppable—fast, strong, aware.

  Then it unraveled. A sharp pain stabbed her temples, the hum fracturing into chaos. She gasped, collapsing to her knees, hands clutching her head.

  “Layla!” Kael dropped beside her, steadying her.

  Julian knelt too, his cool touch grazing her forehead. “Breathe. You’re forcing it. Let it come naturally.”

  Tears stung her eyes, frustration boiling over. “I was so close.”

  “You are,” Kael said softly. “But you can’t rush this.”

  Julian glanced at Kael, a flicker of challenge in his gaze. “Time isn’t on our side. The stronger she gets, the more she’ll be noticed.”

  Before Kael could argue, Layla’s pendant warmed against her skin, a faint glow pulsing through her shirt. She touched it instinctively, and a vision flooded her mind—a woman, her face eerily familiar, stood in this clearing, hands raised, a crescent moon glowing above her.

  It vanished as quickly as it came. Layla blinked, breathless. “Did you see her?”

  Kael frowned. “See who?”

  “A woman—my grandmother, maybe. She was here, using power like mine.” Her voice shook with wonder.

  Julian’s brow furrowed. “The pendant ties to your bloodline. It’s showing you fragments of the past. She must have been formidable.”

  Layla’s pulse raced. “Can I learn from her? From this?”

  “Possibly,” Julian said, cautious. “But it’s unstable. Be careful what you chase.”

  Kael squeezed her shoulder. “We’ll sort it out. For now, rest. You’ve done enough.”

  She nodded, settling onto a log, her legs unsteady. Kael handed her water while Julian prowled the clearing’s edge, scanning the trees.

  The calm shattered when a figure emerged—tall, pale, with eyes like black glass. His suit clashed with the wild, and his smile was a blade.

  “Julian,” he purred, venom lacing the name. “Keeping low company, I see.”

  Julian went rigid. “Lucien. Why are you here?”

  Lucien’s gaze slid to Layla, predatory. “I could ask you that. The coven’s curious about your absences. Now I understand.” He tilted his head. “A hybrid. Fascinating.”

  Kael stepped in front of Layla, a growl rumbling in his chest. “Back off.”

  “Or what?” Lucien taunted. “She’s a prize the coven would love to claim.”

  Julian advanced, voice ice-cold. “She’s mine to protect. And his. Leave.”

  Lucien’s laugh sliced the air. “Yours? A traitor and a beast? The coven will hear of this.”

  He lunged, aiming for Layla, but Kael intercepted, slamming him to the ground. They grappled—Kael’s brute force against Lucien’s fluid speed.

  Julian yanked Layla back. “Stay with me,” he hissed, eyes locked on the fight.

  Layla’s blood roared. She couldn’t just watch. Focusing the hum, she spotted Lucien’s exposed flank. Grabbing a branch, she swung hard, cracking it against his spine.

  Lucien staggered, and Kael pounced, pinning him, forearm at his throat. “Go. Tell your coven she’s untouchable.”

  Lucien glared but nodded. Kael let him up, and he melted into the trees, his final look a promise of trouble.

  Layla dropped the branch, trembling. “Who was he?”

  “Lucien,” Julian said darkly. “A coven scout. They’re sniffing around—and that’s bad news.”

  Kael wiped blood from his mouth. “His kind won’t be the only ones. My pack will sense her soon.”

  Layla’s stomach knotted. “What now?”

  Julian met Kael’s eyes, rivalry paused. “We train you harder. You need to be ready.”

  Kael nodded, softening as he looked at her. “And we work together. No more lone wolves—or vampires.”

  Julian smirked faintly. “For now.”

  Layla clung to their unity, fragile as it was. “Let’s keep going. I have to be strong enough.”

  Kael’s smile warmed her. “That’s the spirit.”

  Julian said nothing, but his gaze held a quiet intensity.

  As they resumed, Layla felt the storm brewing. Lucien’s intrusion was a warning—the world was waking to her existence, and she’d have to face it head-on.