Episode 6: A CRYPTIC WARNING
1358 Words
PERCY
Still pondering my encounter with Arrde, I tossed and turned on my bed, hoping for rest. But sleep offered no solace. My dreams twisted into haunting visions, Kiera pacing restlessly, her silver fur bristling as a distant howl echoed through the void. My wolf was uneasy.
Something’s wrong, she murmured in my mind.
I jerked awake, heart pounding, the room suffocatingly silent except for my own erratic breathing. The sheets clung to my sweat-dampened skin, my body still aching from the night’s events. I swallowed, forcing myself upright. The hunger clawed at my stomach, but something deeper gnawed at my soul. It was more than just the usual ache. There was an emptiness I couldn’t quite place, an unease that lodged itself somewhere in the pit of my chest.
“Kiera, what’s going on?” I whispered into the quiet of my mind.
Her response was a low growl. Someone’s here.
A chill swept down my spine. My eyes flickered to the open window. The curtains rustled, though there was no wind. My senses sharpened, instincts screaming at me to move, to run, to fight.
Then I heard it.
A soft, deliberate creak.
Not from outside, but from within the house. My room.
I turned slowly, breath hitching. In the corner, where the shadows pooled, a figure emerged.
Tall. Broad shoulders. An air of danger clinging to him like a second skin.
Golden eyes gleamed in the darkness. Not human.
A werewolf.
My heart stuttered.
"You're awake." His voice was smooth, edged with something unreadable.
I didn’t recognize him. That scared me more than anything.
“Who are you?” I demanded, forcing strength into my voice despite the panic bubbling up inside.
He took a step forward, the dim light finally revealing his face. Sharp angles. A strong jaw. Dark, tousled hair. And a scent—wild, foreign, intoxicating.
My wolf went still.
He smirked, as if sensing her reaction. “I’m not your enemy yet...”
I clenched my fists, the last remnants of defiance rising. “Then why the hell are you in my room?”
He tilted his head. “Because you need to come with me.”
I scoffed. “Not happening.”
His golden eyes darkened. “You don’t have a choice.”
Before I could react, he moved—so fast that my breath caught.
One moment, he was across the room.
The next, he was in front of me.
I lashed out on instinct, but he caught my wrist effortlessly, his grip firm but not painful. His warmth seeped into my skin, sending an unexpected shiver through me.
Kiera growled in the back of my mind, torn between warning me and... something else.
His lips twitched. “I see your wolf recognizes me.”
I yanked my arm free, my chest tight with frustration. “I don’t even know you.”
He exhaled, as if debating something. “You will. Soon.”
Frustration burned through me. “You break into my room, threaten me, and expect me to trust you?”
He sighed. “I didn’t want to do this the hard way.”
My muscles tensed. “Do what the hard way?”
Then everything blurred.
Strong arms wrapped around me. A rush of air. A disorienting shift.
And the world went black.
When I came to, I wasn’t in my room.
I was somewhere else.
The scent of damp earth and pine filled my lungs. The sound of a crackling fire reached my ears. I sat up too quickly, my vision swimming. A wave of dizziness nearly knocked me back down.
“Take it easy.”
That voice again.
I turned my head, my glare sharp enough to cut through steel.
The stranger sat across from me, arms resting on his knees, watching me with unreadable eyes.
“What did you do?” I growled.
“I’m here to warn you.”
I laughed bitterly. "Oh, do I know you from somewhere?"
His jaw ticked. “If I hadn’t taken you, someone else would have. And trust me, they wouldn’t have been as gentle.”
A cold pit settled in my stomach. “Who?”
He hesitated.
I pushed. “Who?”
He finally spoke. "The Aurora Pack."
My breath hitched.
No, that couldn’t be right.
“They don’t even know I exist,” I whispered, more to myself than him.
He met my eyes. “They do now.”
A heavy silence stretched between us. I couldn’t break eye contact, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think straight. The very idea of the Aurora Pack knowing about me—let alone coming after me—was enough to make my blood run cold. They were the kind of pack that didn’t just hunt for sport or for power. No, the Aurora Pack was ruthless. Cold. Their territory spanned across continents, and they’d been known to annihilate anything in their path if it suited their goals.
And now they were after me. But why?
The weight of the realization sank deep into my bones, and for the first time, I felt truly powerless.
Then I shook my head, trying to regain some semblance of control. “You still haven’t told me who you are.”
He exhaled, his eyes flickering momentarily with something that almost looked like regret. “Alex.”
The name sent a jolt through me.
I knew that name.
But from where?
Kiera’s voice was a whisper in my mind. He’s not just any wolf, Percy.
My pulse spiked. “Who are you, Alex?”
His gaze burned into mine. “I’m Arrde’s partner.”
The air was sucked from my lungs.
A warning.
My blood ran cold.
Arrde...
I had been hoping I would never have to think about her again, let alone encounter anyone else associated with her. But now, sitting in front of me was someone with that connection—someone who was just as dangerous.
Alex smirked, as if savoring my shock. “You didn’t think it was just going to be over, did you?”
I shook my head, struggling to put the pieces together. “No… No, I thought she was gone for good.”
He leaned forward, his eyes still fixed on me. “She’s not."
I gritted my teeth. “What do they want with me?”
“Don’t play coy.” His voice hardened. "You know what you did and you'll pay for it."
"I only took what was mine." I replied defiantly.
"How did Arrde's mate become yours?" Alex asked clearly mad, "You're playing with fire." He warned.
"She should have known when to stop. Arrde always acted all loyal and sweet, but Alpha Myron needed someone sassy."
"You're pathetic." Alex blurted.
I let out a bitter laugh. " You think I stole Myron from Arrde? No! He came to me because he saw something promising in me."
"You shouldn't have separated if you were all that significant to Myron."
The weight of his words hit me like a freight train.
I scoffed. The Aurora Pack.
I didn't even take actions yet, and they are alerted are they trying to protect Arrde?
Alex leaned back, folding his arms, clearly waiting for me to process it all. I ran a hand through my hair, my thoughts racing.
I need to be careful now... I thought to myself. The Aurora Pack. They were here. And they were coming for me.
My heart thudded painfully in my chest as I stared into Alex’s cold, calculating eyes. I didn’t know what was worse—the idea of facing the Aurora Pack, or the fact that somehow, somewhere, I had become entangled in their dark web of power, manipulation, and blood.
And I knew, deep down, that nothing would be the same after tonight.
Arrde’s words echoed in my mind, a warning I could never forget.
I knew instantly that meeting Arrde again was the beginning of something rough. I thought she was gone for good.
An overwhelming feeling rose inside me. I needed to be careful. Now, more than ever, The Aurora Pack was here.
And they were coming for me.
- Writer
