Chapter 3
1117 Words
CHAPTER 3
The Mark Beneath the Moon
The days that followed should have been ordinary.
They weren't.
Ever since the mysterious stranger had appeared at Lunaris Academy, Criliah couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed.
Not around her.
Inside her.
She began waking before sunrise, always at the same hour, with the strange sensation that someone was calling her name from somewhere beyond the forest.
Sometimes she heard a whisper.
Sometimes a distant howl.
And sometimes, just before she opened her eyes, she felt the warmth of golden light against her skin.
But whenever she looked around, there was nothing.
Only her bedroom.
Only silence.
Only the gray Moonstone hanging from a silver chain around her neck.
It had been given to her on the night of her fifth birthday.
Her father had called it a reminder of what she was.
Criliah had never asked what he meant.
She already knew.
Wolfless.
---
At Lunaris Academy, the bullying continued.
The students had discovered that Criliah wouldn't fight back.
That made her an easy target.
"Wolfless!"
The shout echoed across the training courtyard.
Criliah stopped walking.
She didn't turn.
Another voice laughed.
"Maybe she's finally found her wolf!"
More laughter followed.
Criliah continued toward the library.
She had learned that ignoring them was easier than explaining herself.
But one afternoon, someone grabbed her shoulder.
She spun around.
The same boy from her first day stood behind her.
His name was Darius.
His father was an Alpha from the Blackfang Pack, and Darius had inherited enough strength to make most students afraid of him.
"You think you're important now?" he asked.
Criliah frowned.
"I never said that."
"You've been avoiding me."
"I've been studying."
He laughed.
"Studying?"
He stepped closer.
"What are you going to become? A scholar?"
Criliah said nothing.
Darius leaned toward her.
"Everyone knows you're useless."
Her jaw tightened.
"I don't care what you think."
That answer surprised him.
For a moment, Darius stared.
Then he smiled.
"Maybe we should find out how useless you really are."
He raised his hand.
A golden aura began gathering around his fingers.
Criliah's instincts screamed at her to run.
But her feet refused to move.
Before Darius could release the energy—
CRACK!
A sharp sound split the courtyard.
The stone beneath Darius's feet fractured.
Everyone froze.
A cold wind swept through the academy.
Criliah's gray Moonstone suddenly became warm against her chest.
Her eyes widened.
The stone—
was glowing.
Not gray.
Not completely.
There was a faint silver light moving beneath its surface.
Darius stepped backward.
"What is that?"
Criliah grabbed the pendant.
"I don't know."
The moment her fingers touched it, the glow disappeared.
Silence returned.
Then a familiar voice came from behind her.
"Because you were never supposed to awaken yet."
Criliah froze.
She knew that voice.
She turned.
The stranger stood beneath the archway.
The same dark cloak.
The same golden eyes.
But this time, there was something different about him.
He looked worried.
Very worried.
"You," Criliah whispered.
The stranger's gaze moved toward Darius.
"Leave."
Darius's face hardened.
"Why should I listen to—"
The stranger lifted his eyes.
Darius immediately stopped.
His wolf trembled beneath his skin.
"I said leave."
Darius swallowed.
Then he turned and walked away without another word.
The surrounding students quickly followed.
Within moments, the courtyard was empty.
Criliah looked at the stranger.
"How did you do that?"
He didn't answer.
Instead, his eyes fell upon the Moonstone around her neck.
"Where did you get that?"
"My father gave it to me."
"Your father?"
She nodded.
The stranger stepped closer.
"Does your family know it reacts?"
"No."
His expression darkened.
"Good."
Criliah frowned.
"Why?"
"Because if they knew, you'd already be in danger."
Her heart skipped.
"What are you talking about?"
He looked toward the forest.
"Your family believes you're wolfless."
"I am."
"No."
The word came immediately.
Criliah stared at him.
"What?"
"You don't have a wolf."
He paused.
"But that doesn't mean you're wolfless."
She didn't understand.
"What's the difference?"
The stranger looked directly into her eyes.
"Everything."
Before Criliah could ask another question, the academy bells rang.
The stranger stepped backward.
"Go to your dormitory."
"But I need answers."
"You aren't ready for them."
"Then make me ready."
For the first time, something almost like amusement crossed his face.
"You sound braver than you look."
Criliah frowned.
"I am brave."
"I know."
Those two words silenced her.
Because no one had ever said them to her before.
Not her father.
Not her mother.
Not even her teachers.
The stranger turned away.
"Wait."
He stopped.
"At least tell me your name."
For several seconds, he remained silent.
Then he glanced over his shoulder.
"Rhaevan."
Criliah repeated the name in her mind.
Rhaevan.
Somehow, it sounded like a name that belonged to a secret.
Before she could ask anything else, he disappeared into the shadows.
---
That night, Criliah couldn't sleep.
She stood before her bedroom window, staring at the moon.
The forest beyond the academy was unusually still.
Then—
Howl.
Her heart stopped.
Another howl answered from somewhere farther away.
Then another.
Criliah pressed a hand against her chest.
The Moonstone began glowing.
This time, the light was stronger.
Silver veins spread across the gray surface.
Criliah's breathing quickened.
"What are you?"
A voice answered.
Not from outside.
Not from the hallway.
From inside her.
Run.
Criliah froze.
Her eyes widened.
The voice came again.
They're coming.
"Who?"
Silence.
Then the window shattered.
Criliah screamed and stumbled backward.
A shadow landed inside the room.
Its eyes burned crimson.
Criliah couldn't move.
The creature snarled.
And before it could reach her—
BOOM!
A powerful golden aura exploded through the room.
The creature was thrown backward.
A figure appeared between Criliah and the beast.
Rhaevan.
His eyes were no longer merely golden.
They burned like the sun.
"Stay behind me."
Criliah stared at him.
The creature growled.
Rhaevan's expression became cold.
"Tell your master..."
His aura expanded.
"...that she is not ready to be taken."
The creature suddenly vanished into the darkness.
Rhaevan remained still for several seconds.
Then he turned toward Criliah.
She was trembling.
"Who was that?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he looked at the Moonstone.
Its gray surface was now covered with thin silver cracks.
His face went pale.
"That's impossible."
Criliah looked down.
"What?"
Rhaevan whispered the words as though saying them aloud might make them real.
"The seal is breaking."
Criliah looked at him.
"What seal?"
Rhaevan slowly raised his eyes to hers.
For the first time, she saw genuine fear in them.
"Criliah..."
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"Your wolf isn't missing."
A pause.
"She's sleeping."
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