The Mark That Burns
1506 Words
A cold breeze jolted me awake as I realized this wasn’t my room. It was cold, not the kind of cold from sleeping with the AC on too high; this was different.
My head throbbed violently. I forced my eyes open, instantly hating myself for doing so as pain exploded behind them. All I saw were a bunch of silver light and darkness, both blurring into each other.
As my eyes adjusted, I observed my surroundings: stone walls, a couple of torches and…chains. My stomach dropped; heavy restraints were wrapped tightly around my wrists, which were connected to a compartment bolted to the wall behind me.
“What the hell—“ I jerked hard against the restraints, and for some reason it only made it worse. “No no no”, this had to be a nightmare.
The last thing I remembered was dying, or at least I thought I was going to. I remember Cynthia calling me, and I remember the sensation that got me into this mess in the first place. My hand immediately flew to my neck.
A part was burnt, not warm but burnt.
I inhaled sharply; the silver mark had always been strange. A little too sensitive, yes. But lately things had changed; it felt different. Hotter, almost…alive.
The room looked old, made circular and entirely of stone. Torches lined the wall, their light barely illuminating whatever “facility” I was being held in. There were no windows that I could see. And no obvious exits either.
My breathing quickened. “Hello?” My voice came out lighter than I had hoped, unfortunately. “Is someone there?!”
No one answered me, so I pulled harder on the chains till I heard my bones cracking, desperation rising so fast that the pain faded as quickly as it came.
“HEY!” Again…nothing. My heart kept hammering so hard it became the only form of sound I could hear. Think, Sapphire. Think.
Maybe this was an elaborate k********g?
Maybe it’s a prank?
Maybe I’m hallucinating from another episode?
The only conclusion believable was that this was a hallucination and I was finally going crazy. A migraine bubbled to the surface once again, and God, I was so tired of this.
The sleepless nights, the shaking hands, the feeling that something inside me was constantly trying to claw its way out. I squeezed my eyes shut; maybe it will pass if I just ignore it.
It didn’t.
Maybe Professor Alex was right; maybe I really was losing it.
Footsteps echoed suddenly somewhere beyond the room; every muscle in my body instinctively tensed up. Unfortunately, I could only expect the worst.
Footsteps stopped just beyond the shadows, then he stepped into the light.
And just like that, I forgot how to breathe.
He was tall and exceptionally fit, with muscles that made him look even more majestic. His shoulders were wrapped in a brown coat, and black hair that looked like it shone in the moonlight.
His eyes were what stood out the most—silver. Not blue, not grey. But Silver was radiating an aura that felt sharp enough to cut through me despite being chained up.
He looked young. Maybe mid-twenties, but there was something terrifying about the way he carried himself. Every movement was calm, precise, and controlled. Like death sat comfortably beneath his skin.
So I came to one finally conclusion
He was a predator and he saw me as his prey. Every instinct in me screamed 'danger', and yet my flame of defiance only grew.
“Who the hell are you?” He didn’t answer right away, his gaze moving slowly over me before settling on my collarbone.
The mark grew hotter, totally ignoring my pain as it began to draw blood
His expression changed for a split second before he got his defences up again. It was a shock.
“You should still be unconscious,” he said finally.
His voice was making more of a growl than a low note, and yet it carried authority. The kind most people instinctively listen to. But I’m not most people.
I glared at him. “Funny. I was just about to say the same thing about your sanity. " The corner of his mouth twitched, which only angered me more. “You find this amusing, don’t you?”
"Well, you are unusually calm for someone being chained up underground." He placed his hands on my neck while carefully inspecting the mark on my collarbone.
“I see." He chuckled; that almost gave me a reaction…almost.
“Name,” he said. The command in his tone increased the irritation I had for him further.
“Sapphire”
“Full name.”
“Voss. Sapphire Voss." The second I said it, something shifted in his expression.
It was subtle, but it was there.
Recognition? Fear? Concern? I couldn’t actually put a finger on it.
The stranger stepped closer, and my body betrayed me completely. Heat spread violently beneath my skin as the mark burnt harder this time.
My pulse stuttered, and for one life-threatening second, I wanted him closer.
What the actual f**k is wrong with me? I sucked in a breath and leaned back against the wall. His jaw tightened like he felt it too.
“You entered into restricted territory,” he said carefully
“I crashed my car."
“You crossed into the Moon pack territory."
I blinked once, then twice. “…What?”
“Moon pack territory", he repeated. I stared at him for a few seconds before laughing nervously; of course he ignored that.
“You survived crossing the barrier."
“Because I died??”
“No because no human survives crossing the barrier."
The certainty in his voice forced me to search his face for any sign this was a joke; it was not.
“You’re serious,” I whispered. His silver eyes remained locked on me.
“You smell human,” he muttered to himself as a cold chill ran down my spine. “…excuse me?”
“But you aren’t human." The room grew hotter as trinkets of sweat poured down my face.
I stared at him, waiting for some kind of surprise; maybe it’s my birthday? Maybe it’s a surprise party?
Nothing came. "Okay," I said slowly, “either I hit my head way harder than I thought…or you belong in a psychiatric hospital.”
Still, he said nothing. He crouched down slightly so close that I could see the scars running along his jawline. Everything about him screamed dangerous and tired.
It was obvious that he was exhausted like he was carrying something too heavy for anyone else to help him with.
“You truly don’t know,” he said quietly as he took one or two steps backward.
“Know what?”
Before he could answer, images slammed into my head. Moonlight flooding through the trees, yellow eyes glowing in darkness.
A woman’s voice echoing through the trees
I gasped as I forcefully try to yank off the chains
“Stop fighting it,” the stranger ordered
“Get away from me!” I couldn’t think, couldn’t shout, and couldn’t see. My entire body just felt wrong.
The Stanger grasped my chin so suddenly, his touch sending electricity through me. “What did you see?”
“I don’t now!”
“What did you see?” The force behind his words hit me like a shockwave. My head went blank, freezing me in place.
“What…what was that?” For the first time he seemed uncertain of what to say.
You are highly reactive,” he muttered.
“That doesn’t answer my question!”
His expression hardened immediately again as he demanded an answer from me.
"No," I said plainly. "Are you serious right now?” I finally spoke, my voice quivering from anger. “You kidn*pped me!”
“You crossed into OUR land.”
“I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW IT EXISTED!”
The room fell silent, and before either of us could say anything, a second man entered the dungeon. His eyes gleaming with disapproval as he stared at me
“Alpha,” he said sharply, “the council is demanding answers.”
Alpha? I thought to myself
“They can wait.”
“They’re already beginning to question why she’s still alive."
Wait…WHAT??
I stared at both of them, hoping one would at least look my way
The second man finally looked directly at me as he referred his question to the ‘Alpha’
“That’s the girl?" …GIRL?? Not a woman, not a person, GIRL??
They were talking about me like I was some kind of problem; it enraged me, and the first time I screamed.
They both paused, visibly shaken by my display, but what really stuck with me was what the other man said.
“How can she use that?" He was now visibly shaking.
“She shouldn’t be here.”
“No,” the alpha said quietly. “She shouldn't."
- Writer
