chapter 3
592 Words
Chapter 3: Crimson Eyes in the Shadows
The forest surrounding the Silver Crescent Pack was never truly silent.
Leaves whispered secrets to the wind, owls watched from ancient branches, and somewhere deep in the darkness, predators hunted their prey.
Lyra welcomed the solitude.
She shifted into her silver-white wolf and ran through the woods, letting the cool night air wash away the pain that had settled in her heart. Every stride carried her farther from the whispers, the pitying stares, and Kael's cold indifference.
When she finally stopped beside a crystal-clear stream, she shifted back into her human form and sat on a smooth rock.
"Moon Goddess," she whispered, gazing at the moon reflected in the water, "what did I do wrong? Why does my own mate look at me as if I'm a burden?"
Only silence answered.
A single tear slipped down her cheek.
Suddenly, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up.
She wasn't alone.
A powerful aura swept through the forest, ancient and commanding. It wasn't hostile, but it was overwhelming.
"Who's there?" Lyra called, her voice trembling.
No answer.
The bushes rustled.
A massive black wolf stepped into the moonlight.
He was unlike any wolf Lyra had ever seen. His fur shimmered like polished obsidian, and his crimson eyes glowed with an unsettling intelligence. He was nearly twice the size of a normal Alpha wolf.
Her wolf instinctively lowered its head in respect.
The stranger simply watched her.
For a long moment, neither of them moved.
Then, without warning, the black wolf turned and disappeared into the darkness as silently as he had come.
Lyra stood frozen.
"What... was that?"
She had never sensed such overwhelming strength before.
...
Miles away, atop a cliff overlooking the forest, the black wolf shifted into a man.
He was breathtakingly handsome, with raven-black hair, sharp features, and crimson eyes that seemed to burn in the night. Power radiated from him effortlessly.
Behind him appeared another man with ash-blond hair.
"My King," the newcomer said, bowing his head. "You finally found her."
The mysterious man kept his gaze fixed on the distant pack lands.
"Yes."
"Is she truly the one the prophecy speaks of?"
"I've waited centuries for this moment."
The blond warrior frowned.
"Then why not claim her now?"
The King's expression darkened.
"Because she still belongs to another."
His fists tightened.
"The Moon Goddess herself forbids me from interfering until the bond is broken."
A cold wind swept across the cliff.
"But when that happens..."
His crimson eyes flashed.
"...no one in this world will stop me from protecting what is mine."
...
Back in the Silver Crescent Pack, another pair of eyes watched Lyra return through the gates.
Selene.
Beautiful, ambitious, and admired by nearly every warrior in the pack.
She smiled sweetly as Lyra passed.
"Out for another lonely walk?" she asked.
Lyra nodded politely.
"Good night, Selene."
As soon as Lyra disappeared, Selene's smile vanished.
"So she's still standing," she muttered.
A hooded figure emerged from the shadows beside her.
"The Alpha is growing colder toward her," he whispered.
Selene's lips curled into a satisfied smile.
"Good."
"Keep spreading the rumors."
"By the time the Blood Moon Festival arrives, Kael won't even hesitate to reject his pathetic mate."
The hooded figure nodded before melting back into the darkness.
Above them, storm clouds slowly covered the moon.
Far away, the mysterious king looked toward the heavens.
"The countdown has begun."
Neither Lyra nor Kael knew it yet.
But fate had already begun to rewrite their destinies.
- Writer
