Chapter three
515 Words
The Stranger in Black
The wolves disappeared as quickly as they came.
One second they were there, surrounding them in the darkness, and the next, the forest was silent again.
Lydia could still hear her own heartbeat though.
Fast.
Uneven.
The stranger slowly released her wrist before stepping away from her.
“Who are you?” she asked immediately.
He didn’t answer.
Instead, he glanced around the forest carefully, almost like he expected the wolves to return.
Lydia frowned. “You can’t just save my life and act mysterious after all that.”
Still nothing.
The rain had started getting lighter now, but her clothes were completely soaked. Cold air brushed against her skin, making her shiver.
The stranger finally looked at her again.
“You should go home.”
Lydia stared at him in disbelief. “That’s it?”
“What else do you want from me?”
“An explanation!”
His jaw tightened slightly, clearly annoyed now.
“You wouldn’t understand it.”
The arrogance in his voice irritated her immediately.
“Try me.”
For a second, his golden eyes held hers. Lydia hated how intimidating he was. Even standing still, there was something dangerous about him.
Something powerful.
Then his gaze slowly dropped to the glowing mark on her wrist.
His expression changed instantly.
The coldness in his eyes disappeared, replaced by something unreadable.
“Where did you get that mark?” he asked quietly.
Lydia quickly covered it with her sleeve. “I don’t know.”
“That symbol shouldn’t exist.”
“What does that even mean?”
Before he could answer, footsteps suddenly echoed through the forest.
“Lydia!”
Nina.
Relief washed over Lydia immediately.
“I’m here!” she shouted back.
Nina came running into the clearing seconds later before stopping abruptly at the sight of the stranger.
Her eyes widened.
“What the hell happened to you?” she asked Lydia breathlessly.
“It’s a long story.”
Nina looked between them suspiciously. “Who’s he?”
The stranger spoke before Lydia could answer.
“Nobody.”
Lydia blinked.
Excuse me?
Nina folded her arms. “Wow. He’s rude.”
The corner of Lydia’s mouth almost twitched.
Finally, someone else noticed it too.
“We need to leave,” the stranger said suddenly. “Now.”
“And why should we listen to you?” Nina challenged.
His expression darkened slightly.
“Because if those wolves come back, neither of you will survive.”
Silence followed his words.
Nina looked at Lydia nervously. “Please tell me he’s joking.”
Lydia wished he was.
The stranger started walking away without another word.
“Wait!” Lydia called after him.
He stopped but didn’t turn around.
“What’s your name?”
For a moment, she thought he would ignore her again.
Then finally—
“Kael.”
The name suited him perfectly.
Cold.
Sharp.
Dangerous.
Kael glanced over his shoulder one last time, his golden eyes meeting Lydia’s.
“Stay away from the forest, Lydia.”
Her breath caught.
She never told him her name.
- Writer
