Chapter 1 – Crossing the Bridge🌁
689 Words
POV: Nyra
The night was colder than she remembered. The air hung thick and heavy, pressing against her skin like an unspoken warning. But Nyra didn’t care. She pulled her hoodie tighter over her head, the fabric shielding her from the wind that had died hours ago. Headphones dangled uselessly around her neck—their music silenced by the pounding in her chest.
She shouldn’t be here.
Not tonight. Not alone.
But rules had never been her thing.
She took a step off the gravel road and onto the cracked forest path. Each footfall was a small rebellion, a beat in the rhythm of escape. The forest was alive, dark and breathing, its shadows twisting like ancient secrets just out of reach.
Her mind raced, replaying the argument with her aunt—the slammed door, the cold words, the way her voice had cracked on the last “You don’t belong here.” Like a mantra that echoed in her bones.
She needed this. Needed to disappear into the trees, where no one could find her. Where the noise of the world dimmed and her thoughts didn’t scream.
Ahead, the old bridge waited. Rusted, creaky, and almost forgotten. It was more than wood and nails—it was a boundary. A line drawn in stories whispered in the pack, stories Nyra had never dared to believe.
But tonight, the stories didn’t matter.
She stepped onto the planks. The bridge groaned beneath her weight, like a beast waking from a long slumber.
The moon should have been full and bright, but clouds swallowed it whole, leaving only a faint silver glow.
Keep moving, she told herself. It’s just your mind playing tricks.
Halfway across, a sudden chill ran down her spine. The forest seemed to hold its breath. The air thickened. Her wolf—dormant for so long—twitched deep inside her chest. Something was watching. Waiting.
Then, a sound—a low growl—not close, not far, just enough to freeze her in place.
Her heart slammed against her ribs, wild and unsteady.
“Hello?” Her voice cracked.
No answer.
Only the sound of heavy, measured breathing.
Nyra’s instincts screamed. This was no ordinary animal. No bear or stray wolf.
A flash of movement to her left—sharp, fast. She whipped her head, but darkness swallowed the figure before she could see more.
A breath caught in her throat.
Before she could react, the world spun.
When Nyra’s eyes opened, she wasn’t in the forest anymore.
Stone walls loomed, cold and damp, the flicker of a single torch casting twisted shadows. The scent of moss and iron filled the air.
Her body felt heavy—drugged, but not tied. She tried to sit, her throat dry, pulse raging.
Where the hell am I?
The door creaked.
Heavy boots echoed, slow and deliberate.
Kael stepped inside.
His presence filled the room like a storm. Tall, broad-shouldered, wrapped in dark clothes that clung to muscle and power. His black hair was tousled, and icy blue eyes locked onto her with a cold fire.
Tattoos crawled across his chest—runes she couldn’t read but felt like they were carved into her soul.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he said, voice low, steady like steel wrapped in velvet.
Nyra swallowed her fear, standing unsteadily.
“Kidnapped, actually,” she spat. “So, yeah. Definitely shouldn’t be here.”
A ghost of a smile flickered on his lips. Not warm, not cruel. Something… different.
“You crossed into my territory. That bridge isn’t just wood. It’s a seal. And now, you’re bound.”
“What does that even mean?” Her voice wavered.
He took a step closer. The heat from him was real—dangerous.
“You’re my mate.” His words dropped like thunder.
Nyra’s breath hitched.
“No. I’m not.” She shook her head. “This is crazy.”
Kael’s eyes darkened.
“You don’t know what you are yet. But soon… you’ll feel it. The bond. The curse.”
Her wolf howled inside her.
And for the first time, Nyra felt it too.
- Writer
