the Storm that chose him
906 Words
The storm did not care that Lyra was alone.
It roared above her like a wild beast, loud and angry, filling the sky with flashes of light and deep thunder. The rain fell hard, hitting her face and shoulders as the waves rose high around her.
Lyra struggled to stay above the water.
She had never been this close to the surface for so long. The ocean she knew was calm and gentle, but this part felt different. The water moved too fast, too rough, pulling her in every direction.
A strong wave crashed into her.
She gasped as water filled her mouth, coughing as she tried to breathe. Her arms felt weak, and her body ached from the cold.
“I can do this,” she whispered, though her voice shook.
Another wave pulled her under.
For a moment, everything became quiet.
Dark.
Still.
The deep water wrapped around her, and her body relaxed without thinking. This was where she belonged. Down here, where the ocean was calm and familiar.
But then her mind flashed with memories.
Her sister’s cold smile.
Her father’s hard voice.
The word exile.
Lyra’s eyes snapped open.
“No,” she said, bubbles escaping her lips.
She kicked hard, pushing herself back toward the surface.
She broke through the water with a gasp, pulling in air quickly. The storm was still raging, but she refused to give up.
“I will not go back,” she said softly.
Another flash of lightning lit the sky.
For a brief second, she saw something in the distance.
Land.
Her heart jumped.
It was far away, but it was real.
Hope filled her chest.
She began to swim toward it.
Each movement was slow and painful. The waves pushed against her, trying to drag her back. More than once, she lost her direction and had to search again.
Her arms burned.
Her legs felt heavy.
But she kept going.
“I have to make it,” she told herself.
Time passed slowly. The storm did not weaken, and her strength began to fade.
Her vision blurred.
Her breathing grew uneven.
Still, she kept moving.
Until finally, her hand touched something solid.
Sand.
Lyra almost cried.
She pulled herself forward, using the last bit of strength she had left. The waves crashed behind her, trying to pull her back into the sea, but she held on.
Again.
And again.
Until she lay on the shore.
Her body felt heavy, and her breathing was weak.
“I made it,” she whispered.
Her eyes slowly closed.
Darkness took over.
The forest nearby was silent.
Too silent.
Kael moved through the trees without making a sound.
His sharp eyes scanned the area, and his senses were alert. The storm had driven most creatures away, but something felt off.
He could smell it.
Something unfamiliar.
Not wolf.
Not human.
Something else.
He stopped suddenly.
The scent was stronger here.
His wolf stirred inside him, uneasy.
Kael narrowed his eyes and continued forward.
The trees began to thin, and soon the sound of waves reached him. The storm was still strong, but not as wild as before.
As he stepped onto the shore, his gaze swept across the sand.
Then he saw her.
A girl lying near the water.
Still.
Too still.
Kael’s expression hardened.
He walked toward her slowly, his steps careful.
It could be a trap.
He had seen tricks like this before.
But the scent…
It was strange.
Different.
He stopped a few steps away.
Rain fell softly now.
The girl did not move.
Her hair was spread across the sand, wet and tangled. Her skin looked pale under the dim light.
Kael crouched down beside her.
“Wake up,” he said firmly.
No response.
He reached out and turned her slightly.
Her body was cold.
But she was breathing.
Barely.
Kael hesitated.
He should leave her.
She was not his responsibility.
If she was human, she did not belong here. If she was something else, she could be dangerous.
His wolf growled softly.
Something about her was not right.
But something else pulled at him.
He frowned.
“This is a mistake,” he muttered.
Still, he lifted her carefully.
She felt light in his arms.
Fragile.
Too fragile.
That scent grew stronger again.
Strange.
Unfamiliar.
But not unpleasant.
Kael turned toward the forest.
“I will regret this,” he said quietly.
He began to walk.
The storm faded behind him as he carried her deeper into his territory.
The trees surrounded them, tall and dark.
Silent.
Watching.
Whatever she was, whatever trouble she might bring, one thing was certain.
This was not the end of the storm.
It was only the beginning.
And Kael had just brought it home.
A low rumble of thunder echoed in the distance, softer now, but still present. The wind moved gently through the trees, carrying a quiet warning.
Kael tightened his hold on her slightly.
Something told him this girl would change everything.
He did not like that feeling.
Change meant risk.
And risk brought danger.
Still, his wolf remained alert, not with fear, but with something deeper.
Interest.
Kael’s jaw tightened.
He did not like it.
Not one bit.
And yet, despite everything, he knew one thing clearly. He would be watching her very closely from now on.
Because whatever she was, she was no ordinary girl.
And he needed to know the truth.
- Writer
