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Mir stared at the figure lying on the ground before him, not yet understanding what he was seeing, not even sure if it was a girl or a boy. His eyes widened further.
In front of him stood three white she‑wolves, and from the girl on the ground trying to get up, a golden mate bond stretched toward him.
"Impossible," he said, swallowing hard. "No one has ever had three wolves. And royal white she‑wolves at that." He shook his head, staring as if to convince himself it wasnt real. But what he saw was unmistakable.
Three wolves. Bound by the mate bond. And all three belonging to a single person.
Alyona snatched the necklace from the ground and fastened it around her neck. The mate bond vanished. The three she‑wolves vanished.
Mir stared at her, bewildered. "This stinks of trouble," he said. "But I like it."
He'd finally figured out she was a girl.
Mir laughed mockingly. "So, what'll it be, little girl? Gonna cry? Or are you going to fight?"
Alyona pulled herself together and laughed back, just as mockingly.
She waited for Mir to make the first move. Time was short. The Sky Guardians could descend any moment.
Mir lunged, two steps, hand reaching for her shoulder, but Alyona spun, quick as a snake, vaulted onto his shoulder.
"Maybe I'm a girl," she said. "Don't underestimate girls, you oversized mutt." In seconds, she'd whipped out a knife from her pocket, flipped it open, and sliced from under his eye all the way up over his brow.
Mir, stunned, touched his face. "What did you do?"
Alyona dropped from his shoulder and kicked his leg out from under him, sending him crashing to his knees.
She leaned down toward his belt, mocking. "I win, Alpha Mir. You should pray I didn't take your eye. Here's some free advice: eye patches are all the rage with pirates these days. Might make that ugly mug of yours borderline handsome, my sweet oversized mutt." She planted a kiss on his cheek. "Winner's decided, gentlemen. Place your bets."
In seconds, she'd scooped up the gold and coins and was bolting for the door when the sky split open. The gates of heaven swung wide, and every Guardian descended upon the earth. People scattered in terror.
Chief Guardian Abel raised his hand. "No one moves."
Alyona made for the gate. A Guardian blocked her way.
"Where do you think you're going, freak?"
"None of your business. We have no business with each other."
"Come here. We'll see if we have business or not."
"Touch me, and you'll pay the heaviest price."
"Who do you think you are? You know who I am?"
She tapped her lip, pretending to think. "I thought about it. And I've decided I don't care. So get your hand off me before I break it."
The Guardian raised his hand, a ball of light gathering when a deep, commanding voice rang out. "Touch her and I'll break that hand."
Alyona looked past the Guardian and raised her eyebrows in surprise.
Alpha Mir.
"We have no business with you," the Guardian said. "We're looking for a fugitive."
"There's no one like that here. And even if there were, I wouldn't harbor them."
"A signal fell from the sky just now. The boy we've been hunting for twenty years was here."
"You're wrong, Guardian. The woman before you is my wife. She has nothing to do with your fugitive."
The Guardian laughed. "Her? A girl?"
Alpha Mir smiled coldly. "My choices are fine. But if you keep detaining my wife, things here will get very unpleasant."
He grabbed Alyona's arm, pulling her to his side. "Show him your face, darling, so the Guardian believes. Or I'll find other ways to make him believe." He gritted his teeth.
Alyona shrugged. "Fine." She lowered her veil. "I'm completely nude under this. The bastard still won't believe."
Mir's blood rushed south as her words replayed in his head. He leaned close to her. "You're hideous, but you're driving me out of my mind, darling wife."
Alyona jabbed him with her elbow. "You're the hideous one. I just scarred your face and you still haven't learned."
She turned to the Guardian. "So. You've seen I'm not your fugitive. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to make dinner for my husband." She walked over to Mir. "I don't know which mountain you killed a wolf on to help me, but I won't forget this kindness." Mir raised one eyebrow. She smirked. "Though calling a beast like you a wolf‑killer is a bit much. But I'll let it slide."
"Fine," the Guardian said. "Get out. Don't let me see you again."
Mir grabbed her arm. "Wait outside. We're not done. You owe me for my eye, you half‑portion excuse for a person."
"Whatever you say, hubby," Alyona called loudly. "I'll make you dinner tonight!" She laughed as she walked out then bolted. "Like hell you'll find me, you oversized mutt."
She met up with her crew as planned, took the cart they'd prepared, and fled the city.
When Mir searched for her after the Guardians left, he found nothing. Not even a trace.
She'd come and gone like a ghost.
He turned to Beta Alex. "Get me a good‑looking eye patch."
"The cut's tiny. It'll heal in a day or two. No need."
"Don't question me, Alex."
That day, a great rift opened in the sky.
The child of prophecy had surfaced for the first time in twenty years.
The cold war among the gods reignited.
When the Chief Guardian stood before them, empty‑handed, Kromos hurled a sphere of light at Aden's head.
"You incompetent worm. Years on this task and you've accomplished nothing."
Hades laughed and approached. "The mess you made years ago, if the man can't clean it up, that's on you, Kromos. Not him."
Kromos rose in fury, flashing to Hades in an instant. "Do you want to shut that empty mouth of yours, or shall I do it for you?"
"Easy, champ. I'm just saying the prophecy scares me too, one god ruling over all, the rest of us gone. And if he finds his mate on earth? No one stops him. Not even you. And if the seven great thunders come to pass... it's the end of everything. I don't even want that. And I'm the Lord of Evil."
Kromos raised his hands to the sky and roared.
He ordered every god to assemble.
But in that moment, the first violent thunderclap echoed across the heavens.
The first chain on the gates of hell had broken.
- Writer
