Chapter 4 — The Mark
1611 Words
Chapter 4 — The Mark
“You were never supposed to see that.”
Xavier's words stayed in my mind long after we left the forest.
I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the silver key resting in my palm.
It was small.
Cold.
And impossibly old.
The crescent-moon symbol engraved across its surface seemed to move whenever the candlelight touched it.
I turned it over.
Nothing.
No writing.
No explanation.
Just the same strange symbol.
I closed my fingers around it.
The moment I did, the voice whispered.
The mark has awakened.
I froze.
“What mark?”
Silence.
I looked down at my wrist.
Nothing was there.
At least, nothing I could see.
“Show me.”
A sharp burning sensation suddenly spread across my skin.
I gasped.
Silver lines appeared beneath my skin.
They formed slowly, twisting into the shape of a crescent moon.
I stared at it in horror.
“What are you?”
The mark pulsed once.
Then disappeared.
I was left staring at my ordinary skin.
My breathing became uneven.
This wasn't normal.
None of it was normal.
The voice.
The visions.
The wolf.
The power.
The key.
And Xavier.
Especially Xavier.
He had recognized the symbol.
I was sure of it.
But why?
---
The next morning, I barely made it outside before I heard shouting.
The village square was crowded.
Warriors stood around the Alpha, their faces tense.
I pushed through the crowd until I could see what was happening.
Alpha Damon stood on the raised platform.
Beside him was Xavier.
He looked different from yesterday.
Colder.
More distant.
But the moment his eyes found mine, something changed.
His gaze immediately dropped to my wrist.
I instinctively covered it with my sleeve.
His jaw tightened.
Then he looked away.
“Our northern patrol discovered evidence of an intruder,” Alpha Damon announced.
A murmur moved through the crowd.
“Three sets of unfamiliar tracks were found near the border. There were also signs of a struggle.”
My stomach twisted.
He knew.
Maybe not everything.
But enough.
“If anyone has entered the northern forest without permission,” Damon continued, “you are to come forward immediately.”
Nobody spoke.
I kept my head down.
Then Alpha Damon looked directly at me.
“Judith.”
My heart stopped.
I stepped forward.
“Yes, Alpha?”
“Where were you last night?”
The square became silent.
I could feel dozens of eyes on me.
“I was…”
I glanced toward Xavier.
He was staring at me.
His expression gave nothing away.
I swallowed.
“I was at home.”
The lie tasted bitter.
Damon studied me.
“Are you certain?”
“Yes.”
A warrior stepped forward.
“Alpha, we found footprints near the northern boundary. They looked small.”
My heart hammered.
Damon's eyes remained on me.
“Did you go into the forest?”
“No.”
The word came too quickly.
Xavier suddenly stepped forward.
“She was with me.”
My eyes widened.
Everyone turned toward him.
Damon's expression hardened.
“With you?”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
“Most of the night.”
I stared at Xavier.
He was lying for me.
Again.
Damon looked between us.
Then his gaze narrowed.
“Why?”
“She injured her ankle.”
The Alpha looked down at my foot.
Then back at his son.
“You were responsible for her?”
“Yes.”
A strange silence followed.
Finally, Damon turned away.
“Double the patrols around the northern border.”
The warriors immediately moved.
The crowd slowly began to disperse.
I remained where I was.
Xavier walked toward me.
“You're welcome.”
I frowned.
“You lied.”
“So did you.”
“You could have gotten in trouble.”
“So could you.”
“Why did you do it?”
He looked at me for several seconds.
“Because I don't want you dead.”
My heart skipped.
Before I could respond, he walked away.
---
I followed him.
“Xavier.”
He didn't stop.
I hurried after him.
“Xavier!”
He finally turned.
“What?”
I stopped in front of him.
“You know what the key is.”
His expression hardened.
“No.”
“Don't lie to me.”
“I said I don't know.”
“You recognized it.”
Silence.
I pulled the key from my pocket.
His eyes immediately went to it.
“You shouldn't have that.”
“Why?”
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Judith.”
“What does it open?”
He didn't answer.
“What door?”
Still nothing.
I stepped closer.
“The voice told me to find the door they sealed.”
His face lost all color.
I noticed.
“You know what I'm talking about.”
“Who told you that?”
“The voice.”
He looked around quickly.
“Don't talk about it here.”
“Why?”
“Because someone might hear you.”
“Who?”
He lowered his voice.
“Everyone.”
I stared at him.
“What are you afraid of?”
He looked directly into my eyes.
“You.”
I frowned.
“Me?”
“Not you.”
He paused.
“What you might become.”
Before I could ask anything else, he walked away.
I stood there, confused.
What could I possibly become that frightened an Alpha?
---
That afternoon, I went to the infirmary.
Mara was sorting herbs when I entered.
She looked up.
The moment she saw me, her expression changed.
“You went into the forest.”
It wasn't a question.
I froze.
“How do you know?”
She stared at me.
“Show me your wrist.”
My heart began beating faster.
I slowly pulled back my sleeve.
Nothing.
The mark was gone.
Mara stepped closer.
“It's hidden.”
“What is?”
“The mark.”
I stared at her.
“You know about it.”
Mara sighed.
“I knew this day would come.”
“What day?”
“The day you started remembering.”
I felt anger rising inside me.
“Everybody keeps saying that. Nobody tells me anything.”
Mara looked away.
“Because your mother made us promise.”
“Promise what?”
“To keep you safe.”
“I've been safe?”
My voice cracked.
“People have spent my entire life calling me useless. Weak. Worthless. I don't even know who my parents were!”
Mara's eyes softened.
“Your mother loved you.”
“Then why did she leave me?”
“She didn't.”
I froze.
“What?”
Mara looked at me.
“She didn't leave you.”
My heart stopped.
“Then where is she?”
Mara's lips parted.
But before she could answer, something crashed outside.
We both turned.
A scream followed.
Then another.
Mara's face went pale.
“They're here.”
“Who?”
She grabbed my hand.
“The people your mother was running from.”
---
We rushed outside.
Smoke filled the air.
People were running through the streets.
Warriors were shifting into wolves.
The northern gate had been destroyed.
A group of unfamiliar wolves entered the village.
Their fur was dark.
Their bodies were scarred.
And their eyes were glowing amber.
Rogues.
No.
Something worse.
Mara grabbed my shoulders.
“Listen to me.”
“What?”
“Go to the old chapel.”
“Why?”
“Your mother left something there.”
“What?”
“I don't know.”
“You don't know?”
Mara looked toward the approaching wolves.
“But whatever it is, she wanted you to have it.”
A roar sounded nearby.
Mara pushed me backward.
“Go!”
I turned to run.
A strange man stepped into my path.
He was tall and heavily built, with long black hair tied behind his head.
A scar ran from his forehead to his jaw.
His amber eyes fixed on me.
“There you are.”
I stopped.
My heart pounded.
“Who are you?”
He smiled.
“Someone who has been searching for you for seventeen years.”
Mara moved between us.
“You won't touch her.”
The man's smile disappeared.
“Move, healer.”
“No.”
His eyes flashed.
Then he lunged.
Mara raised her hand.
A powerful force exploded from her palm and sent him crashing into the wall.
I stared at her.
Mara's eyes had turned golden.
“Mara…”
“Run!”
The stranger slowly stood.
Blood ran from his mouth.
But he was smiling.
“So it's true.”
His eyes locked onto me.
“The bloodline has awakened.”
My wrist suddenly burned.
I cried out.
The silver mark appeared.
Brighter than before.
The stranger's smile disappeared.
“No.”
Outside, a powerful howl shook the entire village.
Everyone froze.
A massive black wolf stood in the middle of the street.
Silver eyes.
Black fur.
Powerful shoulders.
Xavier.
His gaze found mine.
At the exact same moment, the mark on his neck appeared.
Silver light spread across his skin.
My mark responded.
The two symbols glowed together.
The stranger stepped backward.
His face filled with fear.
“They've awakened together.”
I stared at Xavier.
He stared at me.
Neither of us understood what was happening.
But somewhere beneath the ancient forest, something answered our connection.
A deep rumble moved through the earth.
And the voice inside my head whispered—
The prophecy has begun.
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