The Devil's Mark
579 Words
The forest fell into complete silence.
Even the wind seemed afraid to move.
Lyra stood frozen before the mysterious man. His crimson eyes remained fixed on hers, glowing with an ancient power that made her heart pound wildly.
She could still feel the strange silver mark burning on her neck.
"What... what are you?" she whispered.
The man did not answer immediately.
Instead, he raised a hand and gently touched the glowing mark.
The moment his fingers brushed her skin, a surge of power exploded through the forest.
A dazzling silver light surrounded Lyra while black flames circled around the stranger.
The rogue wolves cried out in terror.
"It's really the Ancient Mate Bond!"
"No... that's impossible!"
"The Devil Alpha was cursed!"
The mysterious man slowly turned his cold gaze toward them.
"You talk too much."
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
Before anyone could react, he snapped his fingers.
Boom!
An invisible force slammed into the three rogue wolves.
They were thrown through the air like broken dolls, crashing into ancient trees with enough force to split the trunks in half.
The leader coughed blood as fear filled his eyes.
"Mercy... please..."
The stranger walked toward him without emotion.
"You threatened my mate."
The rogue wolf trembled violently.
"We... we didn't know..."
"You should have."
The stranger lifted one hand.
Dark energy gathered around his palm.
The air itself seemed to crack beneath the pressure.
The rogue leader screamed.
"Please! Spare me!"
Lyra stepped forward.
"Wait!"
The stranger paused.
She looked at the terrified rogues before meeting his eyes.
"Don't kill them."
His crimson eyes narrowed.
"They wished to sell you."
"I know."
"They would have destroyed your life."
"I know."
"Then why show mercy?"
Lyra lowered her eyes.
"Because... I don't want to become like the people who abandoned me."
For the first time in a thousand years...
The Devil Alpha smiled.
It was only a faint smile.
But it was enough to shock the rogue wolves.
Legends claimed he had never smiled.
"You are different," he said quietly.
He waved his hand.
The dark energy disappeared.
"Leave."
The three rogues did not hesitate.
They fled into the darkness as fast as they could.
When they were gone, silence returned.
Lyra finally gathered enough courage to ask,
"Who are you?"
The man looked toward the stormy sky.
"My name is Kael."
"The first Alpha."
"The Devil Alpha."
"I have been imprisoned beneath this forest for one thousand years."
Lyra's eyes widened.
"One thousand years?"
Kael nodded.
"Long ago, I defied the Moon Goddess to protect the woman I loved."
"For that crime, I was cursed."
"My soul was chained beneath Hell Forest until the day my true mate appeared."
He looked at Lyra again.
"And that day... is today."
Before Lyra could respond, a sharp pain shot through her chest.
She cried out and fell to one knee.
The broken mate bond with Lucian was reacting.
Kael's expression darkened.
"He still has a connection to you."
"That bond must be destroyed."
At that exact moment...
Far away in the Silver Moon Pack...
Alpha Lucian stared toward Hell Forest.
His wolf growled violently inside him.
"I don't care who he is," Lucian said through clenched teeth.
"No one takes what belongs to me."
The Moon Priest stepped forward in horror.
"Alpha... if you enter Hell Forest now..."
"You may awaken a war that ended a thousand years ago."
Lucian's eyes burned with determination.
"Then let the war begin."
- Writer
