CURSED DESIRE

I Choose You

It was a beautiful, quiet morning, the kind that makes you believe everything might just be okay. But underneath the surface, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

Lucian had been more distant than usual, slipping in and out of my life like a shadow. I knew he was trying to protect me, but it felt like we were teetering on the edge of something dangerous.

That sense of foreboding only grew stronger when I ran into Leah, one of my closest friends, at the market. She was unusually quiet, her eyes darting around like she was looking for someone-or avoiding them. Leah and I had known each other forever, but lately, things had felt off between us, especially since Lucian had come into my life.

"Elara," Leah said, her voice hushed. "Can we talk?"

"Of course," I replied, though a knot tightened in my stomach. "What's on your mind?"

She hesitated, then looked around before

pulling me into a quiet corner. "It's about Lucian."

My heart skipped a beat. "What about him?"

"There are things you don't know," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "Dangerous things.

People are talking, Elara. They're saying that Lucian isn't... well, that he isn't human."

My blood ran cold. "What are you talking about?"

"I didn't believe it at first," she continued, her eyes wide with something like fear. "But then I started noticing things. The way he disappears at night, how the animals avoid him, and... other things I can't explain. People are scared, Elara. And they're planning to do something about it."

I stepped back, feeling like the ground was shifting beneath my feet. "Leah, you don't understand. Lucian is-"

But she cut me off, her voice urgent. "I'm trying to protect you! You're my best friend, and I don't want to see you get hurt. Please, just stay away from him."

The look in her eyes was one of genuine concern, but there was something else there too

-something darker. A flicker of jealousy? Fear?

I couldn't tell. But it was enough to make me realize that Leah had already made up her mind about Lucian. And worse, she might have already said something to the wrong people.

"Leah, what did you do?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

She looked away, guilt written all over her face.

"I... I told someone. I thought it was the right thing to do, to protect you."

Before I could respond, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the marketplace. My heart sank as I turned to see a group of men-hunters, armed with silver weapons and a look of grim determination on their faces-marching toward us.

"Leah, no!" I gasped, but it was too late. The hunters were already on their way, and there was no stopping them.

.

I bolted from the market, my feet barely touching the ground as I raced toward the forest. I had to find Lucian before they did. The thought of him being hunted, cornered, like some kind of animal-it tore at my heart. He might be strong, but even he couldn't take on all of them alone.

I found him near the river, his eyes dark and filled with the storm that was about to break.

He saw the fear in my eyes and didn't need to ask why I was there. He knew.

"They're coming," I panted, grabbing his arm.

"You have to run, Lucian!"

But instead of running, he stood his ground, his expression hardening. "I'm not running anymore, Elara."

The hunters appeared from the trees, surrounding us, their weapons glinting in the sunlight. Lucian pushed me behind him, his body tense, every muscle coiled like a spring.

"Stay back," he growled, the sound more animal than human. But they didn't listen.

What happened next was a blur of violence and blood. The hunters charged, and Lucian met them head-on, his eyes flashing with a fury I had never seen before. He moved with a speed and strength that was almost terrifying, his true nature bursting forth in a whirlwind of claws and teeth.

I could barely keep up with what was happening. All I could do was watch in horror as Lucian fought them off, one after another.

But no matter how strong he was, there were too many of them, and they were armed with weapons meant to kill his kind.

Blood splattered across the ground, and I realized with a sickening lurch that some of it was Lucian's. He was hurt, badly, but he kept fighting, refusing to let them take him down. I wanted to scream, to throw myself into the fray, but I knew I'd only be a distraction-one that could get us both killed.

And then, just when it seemed like the hunters might overwhelm him, Lucian let out a roar that shook the ground. It wasn't just a sound —it was a force, a wave of power that sent the hunters staggering back, fear flashing in their eyes. He had tapped into something deep within him, , something primal and unstoppable.

The hunters, realizing they were outmatched, began to retreat, dragging their wounded with them. But I knew this wasn't over. They would be back, and next time, they would come in greater numbers.

As the last of the hunters fled into the trees, Lucian collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily, blood staining his clothes. I rushed to his side, tears streaming down my face.

"Lucian," I whispered, my voice trembling.

"You're hurt..."

He looked up at me, his eyes filled with pain, both physical and emotional. "I warned you, Elara. This is what happens when you stay with me."

I shook my head, my hands shaking as I tried to stop the bleeding. "I don't care. I'm not leaving you."

But he grabbed my wrists, forcing me to look at him. "You saw what I am-what I can do.

There's no going back from this. You need to leave, to save yourself."

I stared at him, my heart breaking at the thought of walking away. But deep down, I knew he was right. Being with Lucian meant living in constant danger, always looking over our shoulders. And yet... I couldn't imagine my life without him.

"Elara, please,

" he begged, his voice cracking.

"If you stay, you'll be in danger every day. I can't protect you from everything."

Tears blurred my vision as I leaned in, pressing my forehead against his. "I don't care, Lucian. I choose you. No matter what."

He closed his eyes, a shuddering breath escaping him. "You're choosing a life of fear."

"I'm choosing you," I repeated, my voice firm.

"Whatever that means, I'll face it with you."

Lucian pulled me into his arms, holding me as if I was the only thing keeping him from falling apart. And in that moment, I knew there was no turning back. Our lives had changed forever, bound by blood and betrayal. The world outside might be dangerous, but I knew that leaving Lucian would destroy me more than any hunter's blade ever could.