CHAPTER ONE
982 Words
Luminous lights shone into the night sky and the horn of cars drowned out the stars. But beneath the noise, in the forgotten spaces of shadow and silence, the old blood still moved. Wolves walked among men, hidden in plain sight.
Kiara Veyra, reincarnation of kitara, did not know this truth. Not yet.
She sat in the silent corner of the university library, surrounded by piles of manuscripts. Her pale fingers trailed the sharp edges of an ancient scroll she was cataloguing. Most students hated this work, but for kiara, it kept her grounded even when the world felt.... strange. She often felt strange.
Her dreams were filled with visions – golden eyes watching her, voices whispering her name.
Sometimes, she woke up with claw marks on her arms that faded before morning. And she told no one.
Tonight, she was alone in the archive. Her pen rolled off the desk, and then she felt it. Like a hand pressing against her chest. A pull.
Her breath caught. "Not again...."
In the reflection of the glass, she could swore she saw herself dressed in white, her hair streaming under the blood moon. A voice whispered inside her head.
"A daughter shall rise....from my blood...."
Kiara jolted back, her chair scraping the floor. Her reflection returned to normal, pale and frightened.
In a penthouse, high above the city, kael Draven stood shirtless. His body still wet with sweats from sparring. His wolf burned underneath his skin, restless, prowling. He looked down at the humans below. His golden eyes narrowing.
He carried the dominance of every Alpha before him. His lovers were countless, yet none of them satisfied him. His victories unending. His empire was untouchable.
His beta, Marcus, entered the room, bowing his head slightly.
"Alpha, the council had called a meeting. They're restless about your habits."
Kael smirked, pouring himself a glass of whiskey.
"Let them be restless. They exist because I allowed them to be."
Marcus hesitated. "They say the prophecy stirred again."
The glass cup froze halfway to kael's lips. Slowly he turned.
"What prophecy?"
"The curse of Karl. The descendant of kitara. She's said to rise in this age. The one who will either tame you......or destroy everything."
Kael's jaw tightened. He has heard about the curse since childhood. The prophecy that haunted his ancestors. The curse they had never escaped.
He set the glass cup down with a sharp clink. His voice was low and dangerous.
"Then let her come. If she exists, she will be mine....mine to tame." He smirked.
----
Kiara had no interest in Gala but her professor had insisted she deliver the rare manuscripts to an exclusive event hosted by kael Draven foundation.
"Be polite," the professor said. "Do not embarrass the university."
She stood in the glittering ballroom in her simple black dress and moderately black high heels. She clutched the leather case of manuscripts like her life depends on it.
And then–
She felt it.
The same pull from the library, now stronger. Her breath quickened as the crowd seemed to move faster before her. And there he was.
Kael Draven.
He stood tall, dressed in a black suit that clung to his perfect body. His golden eyes surveying the room until they landed on her.
Kiara froze.
His eyes burned into her and she felt something ancient snap into place.
Mate.
Kael wolf growled loudly and Kael started taking slow steps towards her. The crowd parted ways for him. No one dared crossing his path. He stopped before her, hovering over her.
"You," he said simply. "What's your name?"
Kiara's fingers tightened on the manuscript case. "I– I'm just here to deliver these. Excuse me, please."
She tried to step aside, but he moved with her and caught her wrist. The touch burned like fire and ice at once.
Kiara's heart pounded heavily.
"Let go." She stuttered fearfully.
Kael leaned closer, inhaling deeply.
"Your scent....fragile but yet.... powerful." His lips curled in slow, dangerous smile. "You're not ordinary."
The lights above flickered violently. The chandelier rattled. Confusion spread among the guests.
For a heartbeat, Kiara's eyes shone silver.
Kael's wolf roared inside him. "There was no doubt. She was her."
"The moon child," he whispered almost to himself. "The curse truly exist."
Kiara yanked her hand free, her voice trembling. "I don't know what you're talking about. Stay away from me."
But Kael's eyes burned brighter, his voice lowering into a command. No, pretty moon. You're mine."
Kiara fled the gala. Her mind was in chaos. She ran as afar as she could. Away from the gala. Away from Him.
"Who was he? Why did his touch burn? Why did she feel as though she had knew him since ages?"
She stumbled into an alley. Her hands glowed faintly silver again, then dimmed. Tears filled her eyes.
"This can't be real...." She whispered.
Golden eyes watched her quietly from the shadows.
Kael had followed her. He leaned casually against the brick wall. His presence screaming dominance.
"You can run but the bond had already been formed." He said approaching her. "You're Kitara's blood. You're mine by prophecy."
Kiara shook her head backing away. "I don't know who Kitara is and I don't belong to anyone."
Kael chuckled darkly, his fangs showing as he let his wolf surface just enough for her to see. "Oh, you will learn. You can fight me. Hate me. Add more curse to the one your ancestor already did....but you cannot escape me."
Kiara's body trembled, torn between terror and strange pull she couldn't deny.
"Please stay away from me. I do not want anything to do with you" She whispered, before darting into the crowded street.
Kael watched her vanish into the night. His wolf pacing restlessly inside him. His smirk returned.
"Run, while you still can, little moon. You'll be mine soon enough."
- Writer
