Chapter 164: The First Hunters
No one slept that night.
Not even for a second.
We had moved into the abandoned warehouse Aidan mentioned—an old shipping facility that looked like it hadn’t been used in at least twenty years. Dust covered everything. Broken crates were stacked against the walls, and rusted metal beams stretched across the high ceiling.
It smelled like oil and old wood.
Callum had pushed a few crates together to make something that almost resembled a table.
Almost.
He stared at it critically.
“If I die in a supernatural war,” he muttered, “I’m haunting Victor personally.”
Elena sat nearby, quietly cleaning a deep scratch on her arm.
“You’re not dying.”
Callum raised an eyebrow.
“You sound very confident for someone currently hiding in a haunted warehouse.”
Aidan leaned against one of the pillars, arms crossed.
“We’re not hiding.”
Callum gestured around.
“Then what exactly would you call this?”
Aidan thought about it.
“…strategic relocation.”
Callum sighed.
“Sure.”
Dominic stood near the large broken window, staring out into the dark streets beyond.
He hadn’t moved much in the past hour.
And neither had I.
I sat on one of the old crates, my elbows resting on my knees.
The exhaustion still lingered in my body.
But sleep felt impossible.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Victor’s smile.
The first Ascended.
Callum eventually noticed I hadn’t said a word.
He tilted his head.
“Roxanne?”
I looked up.
“Yeah?”
“You’ve been quiet.”
Elena gave him a look.
“She’s processing.”
Callum shrugged.
“I process out loud.”
Aidan muttered,
“That’s the problem.”
Dominic finally turned away from the window and walked over to me.
His movements were calm.
But there was tension in his shoulders.
A lot of it.
He stopped in front of me.
“How do you feel?”
I opened my mouth automatically.
“I’m fi—”
Dominic raised one eyebrow.
I sighed.
“…tired.”
“Physically?”
“And mentally.”
He nodded slowly.
“That makes sense.”
Callum leaned forward slightly.
“So…”
He pointed at my hands.
“Any glowing silver explosions we should worry about?”
I shook my head.
“No.”
Aidan frowned slightly.
“That’s interesting.”
“What is?”
“The energy appears to activate under stress.”
Callum groaned.
“So what you’re saying is…”
He gestured dramatically.
“…during fights Roxanne becomes a walking nuclear reactor.”
Elena sighed.
“That’s not helpful.”
Callum shrugged.
“I’m coping.”
Dominic crouched slightly in front of me so we were at the same eye level.
His voice lowered.
“Can you still feel it?”
I hesitated.
Then I nodded.
“Yes.”
“Where?”
I placed a hand over my chest.
“Here.”
The strange energy wasn’t visible anymore.
But it was still there.
Quiet.
Waiting.
Like something alive.
Aidan pushed himself away from the pillar.
“That confirms it.”
Callum looked at him.
“Confirms what?”
Aidan spoke calmly.
“The Ascension process didn’t just give Roxanne temporary power.”
He paused.
“It permanently altered her.”
Callum blinked.
“Oh.”
He looked at me again.
“Well that sounds… bad.”
Elena shook her head.
“Not necessarily.”
Callum frowned.
“You watched her throw a grown man through a streetlight.”
“Yes.”
“And?”
Elena crossed her arms.
“And that power might be the only reason we’re all still alive.”
Callum opened his mouth.
Then paused.
“…fair point.”
Dominic remained silent for a moment.
Then he asked something that made my stomach tighten.
“Can you control it?”
I looked down at my hands.
“I don’t know.”
The truth was…
When the power had surged earlier, it hadn’t felt like something I was controlling.
It had felt like something reacting.
Protecting.
Like instinct.
And that thought scared me more than the power itself.
Before anyone could say anything else—
Aidan suddenly raised a hand.
Everyone froze.
Callum whispered,
“…what?”
Aidan’s eyes had gone completely still.
“Listen.”
We all held our breath.
At first, I heard nothing.
Just the faint whistle of wind moving through the broken warehouse windows.
Then—
Footsteps.
Soft.
Distant.
But definitely there.
More than one.
Dominic’s head turned toward the warehouse entrance.
His eyes flashed gold instantly.
“They’re here.”
Callum blinked.
“…who’s here?”
Aidan answered quietly.
“Hunters.”
The word sent a chill down my spine.
Elena moved quickly toward one of the windows.
“How many?”
Aidan listened again.
“…four.”
Callum stared at him.
“Just four?”
Aidan shook his head.
“Only four that we can hear.”
Dominic straightened slowly.
His muscles tensed.
“They found us fast.”
Callum pointed at the door.
“Maybe they’re just lost?”
Everyone stared at him.
“…I’m trying to stay optimistic,” he muttered.
The footsteps outside grew closer.
Slow.
Careful.
Whoever they were…
They knew exactly what they were walking into.
Dominic glanced at me.
“Stay behind me.”
“I can fight.”
“I know.”
His voice softened slightly.
“But stay behind me anyway.”
Aidan walked toward the entrance.
His expression had turned cold.
Elena followed him.
Callum grabbed a metal pipe leaning against the wall.
He examined it.
“…okay.”
“This feels slightly inadequate.”
Then the warehouse door creaked open.
Slowly.
Four figures stepped inside.
All of them wore dark coats.
Their faces were hidden beneath deep hoods.
But something about them felt wrong.
Not human.
Not wolf.
Not vampire.
Different.
The air inside the warehouse shifted instantly.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
One of the hooded figures stepped forward.
A woman’s voice echoed through the room.
“So.”
Her gaze lifted directly to me.
“We finally found you.”
Dominic growled low in his throat.
“Who are you?”
The woman pushed back her hood.
Her pale face came into the dim light.
Her eyes were silver.
Not glowing like mine.
But sharp.
Ancient.
She smiled faintly.
“My name is Selene.”
She tilted her head slightly.
“And we’ve been looking for you all night.”
Callum whispered under his breath.
“…I already don’t like her.”
Selene ignored him.
Her eyes stayed locked on me.
“You are Roxanne.”
It wasn’t a question.
I slowly stood up.
“Yes.”
Selene’s smile widened slightly.
“Good.”
Behind her, the other three hunters removed their hoods as well.
Each one looked just as dangerous.
Just as calm.
Dominic stepped forward.
“You’re not taking her anywhere.”
Selene glanced at him.
“Dominic.”
His name on her lips made him stiffen.
“You know who I am,” he said quietly.
Selene nodded.
“Alpha of the Black Ridge Pack.”
Callum whispered loudly,
“Why does everyone know who we are?”
Aidan didn’t respond.
His eyes remained fixed on Selene.
“Which order are you from?”
Selene’s gaze flickered to him.
“The Order of Ash.”
Elena inhaled sharply.
Aidan’s jaw tightened.
Callum looked between them.
“…should I know what that means?”
Aidan answered quietly.
“They’re the oldest supernatural hunters in existence.”
Callum blinked.
“Oh.”
“…great.”
Selene returned her attention to me.
“You are the Ascended.”
Her voice carried quiet fascination.
Victor’s words echoed in my mind again.
Everyone will want you.
Dominic stepped closer to me.
“You’re not touching her.”
Selene chuckled softly.
“You misunderstand.”
She took another step forward.
“We’re not here to capture her.”
Silence fell.
Aidan frowned.
“Then why are you here?”
Selene’s silver eyes gleamed.
“To protect her.”
Callum blinked.
“…I’m sorry what?”
Selene looked back at me.
“The moment Victor broadcast your power…”
She paused.
“…every powerful creature in the world started moving.”
A chill crept down my spine.
Selene’s voice lowered.
“And some of them are far worse than hunters.”
Dominic’s growl deepened.
“We can protect her ourselves.”
Selene smiled faintly.
“No.”
She glanced toward the dark streets outside the warehouse.
“You really can’t.”
Then she looked back at me.
And the calm certainty in her voice made my stomach twist.
“Because the thing that started hunting you tonight…”
She paused.
“…is older than wolves.”
Older than vampires.
Older than hunters.
Her eyes darkened slightly.
“And it’s already in the city.”