THE AWAKENING
1610 Words
The world spinned when I opened my eyes and my body ached everywhere, my chest still burnt where the bond tore and I could taste blood in my mouth and I was lying on cold grass, far from the ceremony ground.
The moon was still shining above, but it looked strange, red and fierce, like it was alive and my rang fast. I tried to sit, but my legs shook..
“No,” I whispered. “No, no, no…”
Images flashed in my head, Kian’s face, his cold eyes, his voice saying he rejected me and the crowd laughed and the pain.
Something broke inside me and I pushed myself up and started running.
The forest swallowed me whole and branches cut my skin, but I didn’t care. I just ran and my breath came out in sobs.
“Why me?” I cried “Why did it have to be me?”
The bond pain spread again, sharper this time and my whole body burnt from the inside and I fell on my knees and my vision blurred.
Then, I heard a voice. It was soft, a female inside my head.
“Finally, you called me.”
I froze. “Who’s there?”
“Your wolf.”
My heart stopped. My wolf? But I was born without one and everyone said I was broken.
“You were never broken, Lyra,” the voice said. “You were hidden.”
Light flashed before my eyes and I screamed and my body bent back, shaking and then I felt it, power, raw and wild, rushing through my veins and my bones cracked, my skin also glowed..
A howl ripped from my throat and my hands turned into claws, silver and shining.
The air filled with energy and the pain turned to strength. My wolf , Selene, rose inside me, her voice was deep and calm.
“Breathe, Lyra. Let me show you what you are.”
Suddenly, movement and growls echoed around me and shadows slipped through the trees. Rogues.
Their red eyes flashed in the dark. One lunged at me, teeth bared.
Before I could hink, Selene took over.
I moved fast, faster than I ever thought possible and my claws slashed through the air, glowing silver.
One rogue fell and another jumped from behind, I spinned and threw it off with a roar that didn’t sound human.
Blood splashed on the ground and my body moved like it was not mine anymore.
One by one, the rogues drop until silence fills the forest. The last one whimpers and runs.
Then everything faded and my knees hit the ground. My body shook all over and my eyes blurred.
“Selene…” I whispered weakly.
“Rest, my Moonborn,” she whispered back. “You will understand soon.”
Darkness pulled me down and when I woke again, I was lying on something soft and the air smelt like herbs and smoke. I blinked slowly, I was inside a cave.
A man sat beside the fire, his hair was dark, and his eyes were bright silver, the same color as my claws.
“Don’t move,” he said, his voice calm. “You’re still weak.”
I tried to sit. “Who are you?”
“Luca,” he said and crushed leaves in his palm and pressed them on my wound. “You’re lucky I found you before the rogues came back.”
“How long was I out?”
“Half a night.”
I looked around and the cave walls glowed faintly, and covered in strange marks. “Where am I?”
“Safe,” he said simply.
I touched my arm and my skin was covered in faint silver lines, like tiny rivers of light. “What happened to me?”
He looked at me for a long time before he answered. “Your wolf woke up.”
“I don’t understand,” I whispered “I was born without one.”
He shook his head. “No, Lyra. You were never without one. You were sealed.”
My chest tightened “Sealed? By who?”
He didn’t answer, instead, he leaned closer and his eyes glowed brighter. “You’re not like them. You’re Moonborn.”
The word made the air heavy.
“What does that mean?” I asked quietly.
He smiles faintly, almost sad. “It means your destiny is only beginning.”
The Forced Marriage
I stared at Luca, his words still echoed in my head.
“Moonborn?” I repeated quietly. “What does that even mean?”
He threw a dry branch into the fire and sparks rose between us. “It means you are marked by the Moon Goddess herself. You are not just a wolf, Lyra. You are her chosen.”
I blinked at him. “That’s impossible.”
He gave a faint smile. “You will see soon enough.”
Before I could speak again, a deep rumble shook the cave and the ground trembled. A strange howling filled the night air and Luca’s eyes widened.
“They found us,” he said.
“Who?”
“The Silvercrest guards.”
My heart skipped “They’re looking for me?”
“Yes, and you must go back.”
I shook my head. “No. I can’t. They hate me. Kian…”
He cut me off. “If you don’t return, war will begin. You’re part of something bigger now.”
Before I could protest, light flashed from his palm and I felt the world spin, and darkness swallowed me again.
When I opened my eyes, I was back in Silvercrest territory and soldiers surrounded me. One of them grabbed my arm roughly.
“Alpha ordered us to bring you,” he said.
I tried to pull away. “Why?”
He didn’t answer, they dragged me toward the main hall and the pack house looked different … half of it was broken, and smoke rose in the air. Warriors ran everywhere and people were crying.
Inside, the council was gathered and Kian stood near the table, his face hard, and his shirt torn from battle, when his eyes met mine, I saw no warmth.
“What is happening?” I whispered.
Elder Corbin stepped forward. “The Bloodfang Pack attacked our borders tonight. Many are dead.”
My heart sank. “Why would they do that?”
“They demand peace,” Corbin said and glanced at me. “And they say the Moon Goddess already chose the bridge.”
Kian’s jaw tightened. “Don’t say it.”
The elder continued anyway. “They said the girl with the Moonmark must be bound to our Alpha. Only then will the war end.”
Everyone turned to look at me and my legs was weak.
“Me?” I whispered.
Corbin nodded “You, Lyra. You carry the divine mark.”
Kian stepped forward, and his voice was sharp. “She is nothing but an omega. I rejected her and she means nothing to me.”
“Then reject peace too,” the elder snapped. “Let your people die for pride.”
The room fell silent and Kian’s hand curled into a fist and I could see the war inside him.
His father, the former Alpha, leaned heavily on his cane. “Kian,” he said quietly, “you will do what must be done. The goddess doesn’t choose for nothing.”
Kian glared at me, and his eyes were full of fire.
“Prepare the ceremony,” his father ordered.
“No,” I whispered and I shook my head. “You can’t force this.”
But no one listened and the guards took me away before I could escape.
By evening, I was standing in the grand hall, dressed in white and my hands trembled. The same crowd that once laughed at me now watched in silence.
Kian stood beside me, his face like stone and the priest began the vows anc my heart rang so loud that I could barely hear the words.
“Do you, Alpha Kian Blackthorn, accept this bond for peace and unity?”
Kian’s eyes met mine and his voice was cold as ice. “I accept.”
The priest turned to me. “Do you, Lyra, accept this bond?”
I swallowed hard and my throat was dry. “I… accept.”
The moment the words left my lips, a wave of heat shoots through my body and the Moonmark on my hand glowed and gasps filled he hall, the mark connected with Kian’s through a thin thread of silver light.
Kian flinched, and tried to pull back, but it didn’t break and the bond was sealed.
The priest announced, “The Moon has joined what man cannot.”
Cheers rose weakly, some whispered and some looked afraid.
Kian leaned close, his breath was cold against my ear. “Don’t dream, little omega. I will never love you.”
The words stabbed deeper than claws and I blinked fast, and tried not to cry.
But before I could speak, the Moonmark on my hand burned again, it was hot, fierce, and angry.
I gasped and clutched my wrist and the silver light flashed brighter, and crawled up my arm.
Kian stepped back, frowning. “What’s happening?”
The light spread to my chest and I heard the same voice from before, whispering in my head.
“He sealed what he should never have touched.”
The room trembled and the Moon outside glowed blood-red again.
Everyone stared as the wind whirled through the hall and the mark blazed like fire.
- Writer
