CHAPTER 6: THE MONSTER THEY CREATED
1605 Words
The tunnel trembled violently.
Kael stood motionless, the silver dagger clenched in his hand.
Dark blood dripped steadily onto the cracked concrete.
For one terrifying second...
No one moved.
Then—
Kael smiled.
It wasn't the calm, restrained smile Selene had seen before.
This one was different.
Cold.
Dangerous.
Almost... merciless.
The lead wolf instinctively took a step back.
"...Impossible."
"You should be on your knees."
"The wolfsbane should have weakened you."
Kael glanced at the blood staining his palm.
"It did."
He slowly looked up.
"But not enough."
A violent gust of wind swept through the tunnel.
The lights overhead flickered.
One after another...
They exploded.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Darkness swallowed the tunnel.
Only the red glow of Kael's eyes remained.
They burned like twin embers in the night.
Selene felt her heartbeat quicken.
She had never been afraid of him before.
Not truly.
But now...
Something ancient stirred inside the darkness surrounding him.
Something that didn't belong in the human world.
---
The wolves began growling nervously.
"Where is he?"
"I can't smell him."
"He disappeared."
"No..."
The leader whispered.
"...He's hunting."
A heartbeat later—
CRACK!
A howl of agony echoed through the tunnel.
One wolf crashed into the ceiling before falling lifelessly onto the road.
His chest had been crushed inward.
Another howl.
A second wolf flew past Selene so quickly she barely saw him.
He slammed into an abandoned truck parked along the emergency lane.
Metal folded around his body.
Silence.
Then...
Footsteps.
Slow.
Measured.
Kael emerged from the darkness.
His white shirt was torn, revealing the wound in his side.
To Selene's disbelief...
The bleeding had already slowed.
The flesh around the injury was knitting itself back together.
He rolled the silver dagger between his fingers.
"You came here hoping to frighten my Queen."
His voice echoed unnaturally.
"So allow me..."
"...to teach you what fear really is."
The remaining wolves froze.
For the first time...
They wanted to run.
---
Inside Selene's chest...
Her heart refused to slow.
"My Queen..."
Why had he called her that?
She wasn't royalty.
She wasn't even part of this world.
She looked at Ethan.
"...What's happening to him?"
Ethan's jaw tightened.
"The dagger."
"What about it?"
"It awakened his Blood Fury."
Selene frowned.
"Blood Fury?"
"It only happens when a Lycan King is gravely wounded..."
"...or when someone precious to him is threatened."
She looked back at Kael.
"...Me?"
Ethan remained silent.
That silence answered everything.
---
The lead wolf roared.
"Attack!"
Three wolves lunged together.
Kael didn't dodge.
He met them head-on.
His fist collided with the first wolf's jaw.
BOOM!
The beast spun through the air before crashing through a concrete support pillar.
The tunnel shook.
The second wolf leaped onto Kael's back.
Huge mistake.
Without even looking...
Kael grabbed the beast by the throat.
Lifted him effortlessly.
Then threw him straight into another charging wolf.
The two bodies collided with a sickening crunch.
The final wolf hesitated.
Fear clouded his glowing eyes.
Kael slowly walked toward him.
Every step echoed.
The wolf backed away.
"P-Please..."
"I..."
"I was only following orders."
Kael stopped.
"And if Ronan ordered you to slaughter innocent children?"
The wolf lowered his head.
"I..."
"You would."
Kael answered for him.
The wolf's breathing became ragged.
"No..."
"I..."
"You always have a choice."
Kael's voice remained calm.
"But tonight..."
"...you chose wrong."
The wolf suddenly turned and ran.
He never made it three steps.
Kael vanished.
A blur of crimson.
The wolf collapsed face-first onto the road.
Unconscious.
---
Only the leader remained.
He looked around frantically.
His entire team...
Defeated in less than a minute.
His legs trembled.
"This..."
"...this wasn't supposed to happen."
Kael stood directly before him.
"What did Ronan promise you?"
The leader swallowed.
"...Power."
"What else?"
"...Land."
"What else?"
"...Freedom."
Kael nodded slowly.
"And you believed him."
The wolf suddenly laughed.
Not out of confidence.
Out of desperation.
"You still don't understand."
Kael remained silent.
The wolf's grin widened.
"This attack..."
"...was never about killing you."
Kael's expression hardened.
"It was a distraction."
The words hit like thunder.
Ethan's eyes widened.
"...Alpha."
"The hospital."
At that exact moment...
Kael's phone vibrated.
He looked at the screen.
One message.
EMERGENCY. ROOM 307 HAS BEEN BREACHED.
For the first time since Selene had met him...
The color drained from Kael's face.
Selene's blood turned to ice.
"My mother..."
The wolf burst into laughter.
"By the time you get there..."
"...she'll already be in Ronan's hands."
Selene felt as though all the air had been ripped from her lungs.
"...My mother."
The words barely escaped her lips.
No.
No.
Not after everything.
She turned toward Kael.
"We have to go!"
Kael had already reached the limousine.
"Ethan."
"Drive."
The engine roared to life.
The surviving wolf suddenly burst into laughter.
"You'll never make it!"
"Our people are already inside the hospital."
"They're taking the Queen's blood!"
Kael stopped.
The atmosphere around him became terrifyingly still.
He looked over his shoulder.
"What did you say?"
The wolf grinned.
"The ritual has already begun."
He never finished the sentence.
Kael disappeared.
A blur of crimson flashed through the tunnel.
The next sound was the wolf crashing against the concrete wall.
The entire tunnel shook.
Kael wrapped one hand around the wolf's throat, lifting him effortlessly off the ground.
"You have three seconds."
His voice was frighteningly calm.
"Tell me everything."
The wolf struggled to breathe.
"I..."
"...can't."
"You can."
"If Ronan finds out..."
"...he'll kill my family."
Kael's grip loosened slightly.
"And if your lies cost Selene's mother her life..."
"I'll make sure you wish Ronan had found you first."
The wolf's eyes filled with terror.
"H-he doesn't want the old woman."
Kael's expression remained unreadable.
"He wants Selene."
"The hospital..."
"...is only bait."
Selene frowned.
"Bait?"
The wolf coughed violently.
"The old woman was never the target."
"The moment you rushed to save her..."
"...our scouts surrounded the hospital."
Ethan cursed under his breath.
"It was a trap."
The wolf nodded desperately.
"Alpha Ronan said the Lycan King would choose her over everything."
"And..."
He laughed weakly.
"...he was right."
Kael released him.
The wolf collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air.
"Ethan."
The assistant understood immediately.
"He'll be taken into custody."
Kael nodded once.
"Alive."
"Yes, Alpha."
---
The limousine tore through the empty streets.
Red traffic lights blurred past.
The driver ignored every signal.
The hospital came into view within minutes.
But something was wrong.
Police cars blocked the entrance.
Ambulances lined the driveway.
Doctors and nurses rushed in every direction.
Selene's heart sank.
She threw open the limousine door before it had completely stopped.
"My mother!"
She ran.
Rain soaked her hair again as she pushed past the crowd.
"Room 307!"
"Please!"
A nurse grabbed her arm.
"You can't go upstairs!"
"My mother is there!"
"The floor has been evacuated!"
Selene froze.
"...Evacuated?"
"Someone triggered the fire suppression system."
"The entire wing filled with smoke."
"No patients were left behind, but we're still checking every room."
Selene didn't wait for permission.
She sprinted toward the staircase.
Kael followed close behind.
---
Third floor.
Smoke still lingered in the corridor.
Fire alarms echoed relentlessly.
Doctors rushed stretchers toward the elevators.
Selene's eyes searched desperately.
307.
308.
There!
The room door stood open.
She rushed inside.
The bed...
Was empty.
"No..."
She whispered.
"No..."
The oxygen machine had been knocked onto its side.
The heart monitor cables hung loose.
The blanket lay crumpled on the floor.
Her knees buckled.
"I'm too late..."
Kael slowly entered behind her.
His sharp eyes scanned the room.
He noticed something Selene hadn't.
The IV stand had fallen.
But there was...
No blood.
No signs of a struggle.
He crouched beside the bed.
His fingers brushed over the floor.
Still warm.
"They left recently."
Selene looked up.
"What?"
"They didn't hurt her here."
Hope flickered inside her.
"You mean..."
"She could still be alive."
Before anyone could speak—
A slow clap echoed from the doorway.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
Every instinct in Kael's body screamed.
Danger.
He rose instantly, placing himself between Selene and the entrance.
Standing there...
Was a young woman dressed in a white nurse's uniform.
She smiled sweetly.
Too sweetly.
"Wonderful."
She applauded again.
"The great Lycan King."
"Always one step behind."
Kael's crimson eyes narrowed.
"I don't recognize you."
"You wouldn't."
She reached up...
And peeled away what looked like part of her face.
It wasn't skin.
It was a mask.
Underneath was a woman with striking silver hair and glowing violet eyes.
Selene gasped.
"Who are you?"
The woman bowed dramatically.
"My name..."
"...is Lyra."
She smiled at Selene.
"And we've been waiting a very long time to meet you..."
"...Your Highness."
Kael's voice turned cold.
"Where is Eleanor?"
Lyra's smile widened.
"Safe."
"For now."
She lifted a small silver pendant.
Selene's eyes widened in horror.
It was her mother's necklace.
The one Eleanor never took off.
"If you want her back..."
Lyra said softly,
"...come to Black Hollow Forest."
She looked directly at Selene.
"But come alone."
Then—
The hospital lights exploded.
Darkness swallowed the room.
A powerful gust of wind burst through the broken window.
When the emergency lights flickered on a second later...
Lyra was gone.
Only Eleanor's silver necklace remained on the floor.
Selene picked it up with trembling hands.
A single tear rolled down her cheek.
Kael gently closed his hand over hers.
His voice was low.
Steady.
Resolute.
"I made you a promise."
"I will bring your mother home."
"But first..."
His gaze shifted toward the dark forest visible beyond the hospital windows.
"...we're going to war."
- Writer
