Lycan Castiel

Chapter 2

Sophia

I ran.

Breathing and panting through the woods, I ran as if my life depended on it, not looking back, fear rushing through my veins.

When Eli had brought me to these woods, I was blindfolded. I wasn’t as strong as him and didn’t know what direction I was headed, maybe even towards the enemy.

I was incapable of making decisions on my own, and I never had to. Whenever Eli asked me something, I did it. It had always been like that.

My legs stopped moving as I heard a loud and earth-shaking growl, followed by a weak howl. This wasn’t good.

“Eli.” I drew my breath, stopped in my steps, and turned at the speed of light. Whatever it was, that thing I had just heard was not a werewolf. It could not be.

I had to go back.

I had to help him.

Turning my heel, I ran back deeper into the woods. “Please, Eli.” I pleaded, hoping he would be just fine. He had to be. No one was supposed to beat him—one of the strongest shifters alive.

“El…” Out of shock, I stood still and didn’t move an inch. The creature, with his back, turned against me, had my shifted husband in his grip. That thing got ahold of Eli, and it wasn’t just a thing…

It was a Lycan.

Unbelievable.

Many said they had been extinguished, erased from existence or were nothing more than a simple myth.

They were wrong.

Terrified by the creature in front of me, I stepped back and hid behind a nearby tree like a coward. Even if I wanted to do something, it was impossible.

Incapable of showing any emotions, I watched as the Lycan held Eli’s wolf by the back of his neck, the wolf’s gold and harmless eyes meeting mine. He knew I was watching.

A sad howl left his snouth, and his gold eyes softened. It felt like a final goodbye from both of them.

No…

The Lycan ripped him into shreds, killing him in cold blood. All the while, I had to sit back and watched as several body parts of my soulmate flew in every direction.

He was dead.

A sharp pain found its way through my heart.

“Eli!” My loud wail could be heard through the woods as I was left to grieve on my own.

My mate was gone.

The shriek made the Lycan turn around, allowing me to see his big figure from the front. He was inches tall, and I wasn’t talking about several.

No wonder the pack couldn’t fight back. No one could stand a chance.

Not daring to look into those eyes, I stepped back and lost my balance, making me fall to the ground.

The Lycan let out a growl and took small steps toward me.

Run, Sophia—run!

No matter how hard I tried planting those words inside my head, I couldn’t get myself to stand up, so I crawled backward, using every bit of strength left inside of me as the Lycan got closer and closer.

All hope was lost when my back reached a branch, and I knew that was it.

That thing would kill me the same it killed everyone else.

Frightened, I held my breath as the Lycan reached me and lowered himself to meet my level.

Whatever you do, don’t look into his eyes, Sophia.

An unexpected groan of fear left my body the moment I felt a claw around my neck.

This was no way to die.

I was supposed to grow old with Eli.

We were supposed to start a family and raise pups.

We’d had it all planned out.

First, two boys, one of them his successor, and then three girls who would be protected by their brothers.

If I couldn’t have that with Eli, perhaps dying would be the best choice after all.

I couldn’t survive without my best friend, my soulmate, my one and only mate.

The Lycan tightened the grip around my neck, and I closed my eyes, waiting for my final moments—but nothing happened.

Small and quick breaths escaped from my lips at the Lycan’s warm breath, which eventually reached my nostrils.

I could feel him smell my scent, and before I knew it—I had opened my eyes, making direct eye contact with the beast in front of me.

My body felt numb, and so did my mind as I stared into a pair of blood-thirsting purple eyes.

My insides began heating up, same as my skin. I felt an itching sensation all over and was at a loss for words over his eye-catching beauty.

The beauty of a beast who had just killed my mate.

What was wrong with me?

The Lycan’s purple-colored eyes had softened, and his sharp claw moved from my throat to my jaw. The two of us stared at each other.

“W-what d-d-do y-you w-want f-from m-m-me?” The side of my lips twitched and trembled as that sentence left my mouth.

The beast tilted his head, observing me closely. If he planned on killing me I’d rather have him do it now.

“Stop it!” I yelled out.

Suddenly the Lycan growled and let go of me. Then he sped off in a flash, leaving me bewildered.

He didn’t kill me.

Was this a dream?

Was I really still alive?

What had just happened?

Facing reality, I covered my mouth with my hands and sobbed loud and uncontrollably. He was gone, my Eli was gone, and he would not be coming back.

“No, Eli!” My fist hit the soil as I cried out his name. “No, no, no!”

I dug my hands into the soil and yelled. My voice echoed through the woods as if I had just unlocked a new power from within, and looking down at my hands, I could see them glowing white.

What is this?

A mixture of voices found their way through my head, and I concentrated on the whispers. Those were the voices of older women, ancient witches—no doubt about it. What was happening to me?

‘The moon daughter.’

‘At last, they found each other.’

‘She’ll doom all of us.’

‘Poison! She’s poison.’

Petrified, I removed my hands from the soil and stared at my glowing palms. This had never happened to me before.

It was all becoming too much.

“Please, stop!” I balled my fist, peeking through my eyes. “No—please!” My heart beat out of my chest. I felt myself grow more powerful, and I couldn’t take it anymore.

My body hit the ground.

Suddenly everything went black.