Three
1101 Words
Kaiden
Warmth. Birds chirping. A stinging pain.
My eyes fluttered open slowly as the constant stifling pain surged through my body. My eyes went straight to my hands that were sprawled on the cold stony floor.
They were free. My heart skipped a beat. I rose to my feet immediately and that proved to be a bad idea. My whole body ached in pain. I groaned and I held my shoulder. It hurt the most.
My eyes searched for the chains through the darkness but there was nothing there. The sunlight that crept in slowly managed to illuminate my surroundings. That was when I saw it. The chains shattered into a thousand pieces.
I gulped and rubbed my shoulders as I realized what might have happened after I broke free. I must have done something unimaginable. Maybe it was a good thing that I didn’t usually remember what usually happened on nights like that. It was better that way.
My eyes searched the cold stony walls that surrounded me. I was in my private cave. A place I had come to know too well in the last few years. The walls had numerous claw marks on them, but there were ones that seemed too fresh.
I touched them, tracing the marks from the tip to the bottom. They were fresh. These were from last night. I sighed and pulled away from the cave.
I was naked. That was my last realization. I usually took off my clothes when this happened. I was tired of changing clothes now and then.
I moved deeper into the cave, my memories hazy and I tried to remember where I had kept them. I found them a couple of moments later and put them on—a black shirt and faded blue jeans.
The morning sun was high and warm when I stepped out of the cave. The sounds of the birds chirping were louder than I thought. The smell of wood, green grass, and fresh pine filled my lungs again.
I smiled as I absorbed the thrill of nature, and then I was interrupted by a voice.
“I never understand why you do that every time,” the male voice said.
I sighed and shoved my hands in my pockets. I turned around and found a man leaning against the outer walls of the cave. I had been so absorbed by the scent of fresh forest wood that I hadn’t sensed his arrival.
He was tall, lean with short black hair like mine and warm brown eyes that glowed in the morning sun. There was a smile on his face as the sunlight bathed his pale skin. He had his arms crossed as he watched me, his dress, a black denim jacket with black jeans, and leather boots covered with mud.
He was Alex Wayne. My beta.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, staring at the sky. It was clear with birds flying around.
“Wondering when you started becoming a philanthropist,” he replied leaning off the wall.
I laughed as I turned to face him again.
“You still haven’t answered my question though,” I said.
“You’re needed back at the pack,” he said.
I sighed and rubbed my forehead.
“Just give me a few minutes, I’ll be with you shortly.”
I walled back to the cave’s entrance, the morning sun warming my face, but the ache in my bones lingered like a stubborn shadow.
Alex’s presence grounded me, though his teasing grin made me want to shove him into the nearest pine tree. His brown eyes flicked over me, and the smile faded, replaced by a crease of worry.
“You okay, Kaiden?” he asked, stepping closer. “You look like you got dragged through hell last night.”
I snorted, rubbing my sore shoulder. “Shapeshifting was worse this time. It felt like my bones were splintering.”
The memory of the pain—sharp, relentless—made me grimace.
“It’s worse than the last full moon.”
Alex raised an eyebrow, his tone light but edged with truth.
“A curse isn’t supposed to be painless, you know.”
I rolled my eyes, shoving my hands deeper into my pockets.
“Thanks for the reminder, genius. Now fill me in—what happened last night? My head’s foggy, as usual.”
I gestured for him to walk, and we started down the narrow path toward the pack settlement, the crunch of leaves under our boots filling the quiet.
Alex fell into step beside me, his expression shifting to something more guarded.
“We got another message from the Ironfang pack,” he said, his voice low. “They’re ranting about a ‘demon wolf’ crossing their borders every full moon. Said it’s been tearing through their territory, leaving a mess.”
I chuckled, the sound was rough.
“Demon wolf? They’re getting poetic now.”
The idea of their scouts cowering over my cursed form almost amused me—almost.
Alex didn’t laugh. His jaw tightened, and he glanced at me sideways.
“Kaiden, they’re serious. The letter said they’ll start a war if it keeps happening. They’re convinced it’s you.”
Heat crept up my neck, a mix of embarrassment and fury.
“They don’t know it’s me,” I snapped, though the lie tasted bitter. Of course, it was me. Each full moon, I turned into something I couldn’t control, something that left claw marks and chaos in its wake. The Ironfang pack wasn’t stupid—they’d pieced it together, even if they didn’t have proof.
“What do they expect me to do? Chain myself tighter?”
Alex sighed, kicking a pebble down the path.
“They don’t care about your excuses. They want blood if it doesn’t stop.”
He paused, his voice softening.
“The council’s called a meeting. They want you there to figure out our next move.”
I stopped walking, staring at the trees ahead, their branches swaying in the breeze. The pack settlement wasn’t far now—I could smell the faint smoke of cookfires, hear the distant hum of voices.
But the weight of the council’s summons pressed on me heavier than any chain. They’d demand answers I didn’t have, solutions I couldn’t give. My curse was my burden, but now it threatened everyone I led.
“Great,” I muttered, clenching my fists. “Just what I needed.”
Alex stayed quiet, his worry lingering in the air as we resumed our trek to face the council’s judgment.
- Writer
