marked By fate

– Among Wolves and Shadows

The tension in the air was palpable. Naomi felt as if the cabin itself were holding its breath with her.

Outside, the shadowy figure remained still. Just watching.

Ethan didn’t look away from the window, like a predator studying another.

"Go upstairs, Naomi. Now."

She crossed her arms.

"You really think I’m just going to accept this? That I’ll ignore there’s someone out there and that you’re acting like this is normal?"

His eyes narrowed.

"I didn’t say it’s normal. I said go to your room."

Naomi hesitated.

She didn’t want to admit it, but there was something in his voice that made her shiver.

Then the figure outside stepped forward.

The moonlight revealed a tall, strong silhouette.

A man.

Naomi shuddered.

The stranger wore a long, dark coat, but what caught her attention was his gaze. Even from a distance, she could see they were dark eyes, almost black, far too intense to be ordinary.

The stranger tilted his head slightly.

As if analyzing Naomi.

Her heart raced.

Ethan cursed under his breath.

Before Naomi could react, he was already opening the door.

"What are you doing?!" she whispered, alarmed.

"Stay where you are," was all he said before stepping outside and closing the door behind him.

Naomi stood frozen.

Through the window, she saw Ethan approach the man.

Then something strange happened.

They didn’t speak. Not in the usual way, at least.

It was like they communicated only with their eyes.

The air's tension became almost unbearable.

The stranger stepped forward.

Ethan immediately blocked the path.

Fists clenched, shoulders rigid.

Naomi couldn’t hear what they were saying. But she saw Ethan shift slightly, as if ready to attack.

Then, the man simply... smiled.

It was a cold smile. Calculated.

And without warning, he turned and disappeared into the forest.

Ethan stood still for a long moment, breathing deeply.

When he finally came back inside, his eyes were full of something Naomi couldn’t decipher.

"Who was he?"

Ethan didn’t answer right away.

He ran a hand through his hair, visibly tense.

"No one you need to worry about."

She scoffed.

"That doesn’t answer anything."

Ethan sighed heavily, but his expression softened a bit when he looked at her.

"I just want to protect you, Naomi."

The way he said that...

There was something in the tone of his voice.

Something too intense.

Naomi felt a different kind of shiver run through her.

Ethan noticed.

Because his eyes gleamed, even if only for a moment.

And that was when she realized.

Something was very wrong here.

Something that involved Ethan.

And now, she was at the center of it all.

But this... was only the beginning.

The next day arrived with a thick fog blanketing the forest around the cabin. The weather seemed to mirror exactly how Naomi felt: confused, restless, with too many questions and no answers.

Since the strange encounter the night before, Ethan had barely spoken to her. His eyes were always distant, as if analyzing something only he could see.

Berry noticed the strange atmosphere.

"Okay, what happened between you two?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Naomi hesitated. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to drag Berry into this. But before she could answer, a loud knock echoed through the house.

Everyone froze.

Naomi’s stomach twisted.

Teddy, always cautious, was the one who opened the door.

And there, standing at the threshold, was a man Naomi had never seen before.

But something inside her… recognized him.

He was tall, imposing. The kind of presence that made it clear no one dared challenge him. His red hair glowed under the dim morning light, and his eyes were dark as an abyss. He wore a long black coat like the man from the night before, but on him it looked natural, like an extension of his very being.

The silence in the cabin was absolute.

The stranger tilted his head slightly.

Then, he smiled.

"Finally," he said, his deep voice filling the entire space. "I found you."

Naomi’s heart raced.

That man was looking straight at her.

And before she could react, he knelt before her.

"My chosen one," he whispered.

Naomi froze.

Teddy stepped forward.

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

The man raised his eyes to him.

"Aleph Etero," he said simply. As if the name alone explained everything.

Ethan paled.

Berry’s eyes widened.

And that’s when Naomi realized.

They knew who he was.

But she didn’t.

And that meant she was caught in something far bigger than she had imagined.

And there was no turning back

The silence that filled the cabin was thick, suffocating. Naomi could hear her own heart pounding erratically in her chest.

Aleph was still kneeling before her, as if his presence in that exact moment was the most natural thing in the world. But Naomi knew it wasn’t.

His eyes were intense, analyzing every detail of her face like he wanted to memorize it. There was something there, something she couldn’t quite decipher.

"My chosen one," he repeated, his deep and firm voice surprisingly gentle.

A shiver ran down Naomi’s spine.

"What... what does that mean?" she asked, hesitant, her voice sounding small compared to the weight of his declaration.

Aleph rose slowly. Now standing tall, he looked even more imposing, more dominant. He didn’t answer right away. His dark gaze swept over Teddy, Ethan, and Berry, all of whom remained tense, as if ready to strike at any moment.

Ethan stepped forward.

"Aleph Etero," he repeated the name coldly. "What do you want here?"

Aleph raised an eyebrow, as if the question was unnecessary.

"I came to claim what’s mine," he replied simply, turning his gaze back to Naomi.

Her blood ran cold.

"I’m not yours," she snapped, her body stiffening.

Aleph gave a faint smile—but it wasn’t amusement. It was something else. Enigmatic.

"This isn’t about possession, Naomi. It’s about destiny."

The mention of her name, spoken so naturally by a stranger, made her stomach churn.

Berry finally found her voice.

"This must be a mistake," she said, stepping beside Naomi. "She’s just a normal girl."

"Normal?" Aleph echoed, his expression turning contemplative. "Is that what you really think?"

Naomi frowned.

"What are you talking about?"

Aleph looked at her like he’d been waiting for that question. He let out a soft sigh before approaching slowly, keeping a respectful distance.

"Haven’t you ever wondered why you’ve always felt... out of place?" he asked, his voice low, almost a whisper.

Naomi’s chest tightened.

She’d never said it out loud, but yes—she had felt that way countless times. Like something was missing. Like there was a void she never knew how to fill.

Aleph noticed her hesitation and continued:

"You’re special, Naomi. More than you realize."

Ethan gritted his teeth.

"Stop it."

His voice was sharp, and Naomi noticed the tension in his shoulders. He looked ready to explode.

Aleph just raised an eyebrow.

"I’m not the one resisting the inevitable."

Naomi blinked, confused.

"I... I don’t understand any of this."

Aleph studied her for a long moment before finally speaking:

"Then I’ll explain."

He held out his hand to her.

"But not here."

Naomi looked at his hand, a strange unease stirring inside her.

"You want me to go with you?" she asked, her voice a little shaky.

"I want you to discover the truth," he corrected. "And then decide for yourself."

His gaze was intense, as if offering something Naomi didn’t even know she longed for.

But before she could respond, Ethan stepped between them, his body rigid with tension.

"She’s not going anywhere with you."

Aleph remained silent for a moment before a small smile curled his lips.

"You know you can’t stop her from discovering who she truly is."

Ethan said nothing, but Naomi saw his jaw clench.

The tension in the cabin became almost unbearable.

She looked at Aleph, then Ethan, and finally Berry, who watched her with concern.

Then she took a deep breath and said:

"I want to hear it."

The silence was absolute.

Aleph smiled faintly.

Ethan closed his eyes, as if trying to hold back a storm.

And Naomi knew, from that moment on, her life would never be the same.

The weight of Naomi’s decision lingered in the air like an approaching storm. She had no idea what was waiting for her, but something deep inside—an instinct, maybe—told her there was no turning back.

Aleph watched every shift in her expression, as if he could read the answer before she spoke. He seemed content with her decision, but not triumphant. It felt more like someone who had simply waited a long time for something inevitable.

"Let’s go," he said, reaching out his hand again. This time, with no pressure, no rush.

Naomi hesitated.

Ethan stood next to her, looking like he was one breath away from tearing Aleph apart.

"This is a mistake," he hissed through clenched teeth.

Berry looked at Naomi with concern.

"Are you sure?"

No. She wasn’t sure. But the truth was, she had spent too much time feeling like something in her didn’t fit. Like something was off inside her.

Maybe this was her chance to finally understand.

Naomi swallowed hard and murmured, "Yes."

Ethan’s eyes burned with anger.

"You don’t have to do this."

"But I want to," she said without looking at him.

It was the first time she made a choice without worrying about Ethan’s feelings. A small part of her felt guilty.

But only for a moment.

Aleph took a step back, giving her space to follow. Naomi expected fear to rise up inside her with that first step, but all she felt was a strange anticipation.

She looked back one last time. Teddy remained still, his expression unreadable, as if he had known all along this would happen.

Berry grabbed her arm gently, voice low:

"If you need me... you know where to find me."

Naomi nodded and followed Aleph out of the cabin.

The night was cold, the sky blanketed with stars. The forest around them whispered old secrets, and for a moment, Naomi shivered.

Aleph walked beside her in silence.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Somewhere you’ll see the truth with your own eyes."

Naomi squinted at him.

"You talk like my whole life has been a lie."

Aleph gave a faint smile.

"You’ll understand soon."

Naomi sighed.

"Do you always speak in riddles?"

"Only when necessary."

She rolled her eyes.

"Perfect."

They walked a while in silence. The night air was rich with the scent of pine and something else... something warm and familiar.

Aleph’s scent.

It was unique. Like fresh earth after rain mixed with the comforting heat of fire. Calming and... unsettling.

"Why did you call me your chosen one?" Naomi asked, breaking the silence.

Aleph stopped and turned to her. The moonlight reflected in his eyes, giving them a silvery glow.

"Because you are."

The simplicity of his answer made her grit her teeth.

"That tells me nothing."

"You feel it, don’t you? That something inside you always knew there was more."

She frowned.

"That means nothing."

"It means everything."

He stepped closer.

"There’s a bond between us, Naomi. From the moment I saw you—I knew."

Naomi’s breath caught in her throat.

"And what exactly does that mean?"

Aleph studied her for a long second before answering, softly:

"That you’re mine."

Her heart skipped a beat.

Naomi instinctively stepped back, but Aleph didn’t stop her. He just stood there, waiting.

"You talk like I have no say in this."

"There’s always choice. But destiny... it doesn’t wait for permission."