Chapter Two
1300 Words
The gym smelled sharp with iron, leather, and the faint tang of sweat.
Draven’s knuckles collided again with the punching bag, reverberating across the room. Each strike precise, brutal, controlled, but his eyes betrayed a storm beneath the surface.
Ryker stepped in, boots silent on polished hardwood. “There are more,” he said, voice low, cautious, weighed with dread.
Draven paused mid-strike, letting the bag swing back. His jaw tightened, dark eyes narrowing. “How many?” His tone was measured, but the tension curled like a whip in the air.
“Eight this time,” Ryker answered, steady but heavy. “A mix of women and younglings.”
Draven’s fist slammed the wall. Wood cracked slightly beneath his power. Silence stretched, charged and deep. He didn’t speak.
“They’ve been taking them for a while,” Ryker continued, careful. “I don’t know why, but—
Whoever is behind this, it’s not just holding them hostage. I have a bad feeling—”
“Not a bad feeling,” Draven interrupted, stepping closer. His presence filled the gym, shadowing Ryker. “A fact. They are being slaughtered. Hidden species are involved, but which one? That I do not yet know.”
“They want to shorten the breed,” Draven said finally, voice low, sharp. “Extinction is the goal. Not ransom. Not bargaining. Wolves are being targeted.”
Ryker pursed his lips. “Old records? History books? Maybe we can find patterns—”
“No time,” Draven snapped. “Call Soren. Now. We need a meeting. You, me, and her. Immediately.”
Ryker hesitated, knowing Soren’s manipulative streak, but Draven’s glare was enough to halt all questions. “Understood,” he said, voice low. “She doesn’t like me.”
“I don’t care,” Draven replied, fists unclenching but tension still coiling like a predator ready to strike. “Empire waits for no one. Neither do enemies. Move.”
Ryker bowed slightly and left, every step echoing ominously. Draven turned back to the bag, hitting it again, each strike punctuating the storm brewing inside him.
---
Later, the balcony of Kaelen’s room glimmered under the soft moonlight. Four figures lounged casually, laughter spilling into the night, drinks in hand.
Ravik leaned forward, smirking. “I saw Loki all over that new boy yesterday. Seriously, right in front of everyone.”
Veyron raised an eyebrow, arms crossed. “That’s her job, isn’t it? Principal literally told her to show him around. She was doing her duty.”
Eryndra tilted her head, lips pursed. “Duty? That was flirting. Don’t even try to defend her, Veyron.”
Veyron shrugged, eyes flicking between the two. “I’m just stating facts. Not defending. Observing.”
Ravik snorted. “Always defending her, huh, Veyron? Admit it—you like her. You’re soft.”
Veyron’s lips twisted into a half-smile. “Soft? Ha. You’re imagining things, Ravik.”
Ravik grinned, nudging Eryndra. “See? He’s soft. Deny it all you want.”
Kaelen stayed silent, gaze fixed on the stars, jaw tight. His friends noticed, exchanging quick glances.
“Hey, Kaelen,” Ravik said finally, leaning back. “Why are you staring at the sky? There’s no full moon tonight. None. So… what’s up?”
Kaelen’s shoulders tensed. “Something feels off.” he murmured, voice barely audible. “Something is weird.”
Veyron waved him off. “Too much wine, man. That’s your problem.”
Eryndra giggled. “Stop being dramatic. You’re staring at clouds like a romance novel hero.”
Kaelen said nothing, letting the words pass. His dark gaze remained locked on the stars.
Ravik nudged him again. “Seriously, Kaelen, something’s going on. You’re too quiet. Too tense. It’s freaking me out a little.”
Kaelen finally turned his head, eyes cold, controlled. “I don’t know yet. But I will know soon enough.”
he loosened up and joined them
The teasing started again, the way it always did.
“I still can’t believe Loki does this,” Ravik said, taking a sip of his drink. “She knows exactly what she’s doing. The way she talks to him—he’s practically melting in her presence.”
Veyron snorted. “You mean the new boy? He’s lucky she even bothers to glance at him.”
Eryndra laughed, swiping hair from her face. “Oh, come on! You two are such nerds sometimes. She’s popular. It’s her job to drive everyone insane.”
Ravik smirked. “Veyron, admit it. You’re jealous.”
Veyron crossed his arms again, mock scowl. “Jealous? Hardly. I just… appreciate balance. That’s all.”
Eryndra elbowed Veyron playfully. “Yeah, right. You’re totally soft for her.”
Kaelen leaned forward, finally joining the conversation. “Loki is beautiful. She has attitude. Fire. That’s what I like. Someone with character. Not… predictable, obedient.”
Veyron’s eyes flicked to him. “Ah. So you finally talk. About her?”
Kaelen nodded. “Exactly. She has personality, presence. Melakini… she does what she’s told, exactly. Submissive. Obedient. Always following.”
Eryndra smirked. “So she’s your little puppy?”
Kaelen’s lips curved faintly. “A little too eager. Always wants to learn tricks. Never has her own ideas. Unlike Loki, she’s… pliable.”
Ravik laughed, leaning back. “Sounds like a golden retriever. Adorable, but not interesting in battle.”
Veyron snorted. “Battle? Kaelen, it’s not war. It’s high school… well, college. Social war, maybe.”
Eryndra leaned in, whispering with a smirk. “So he likes fire, personality, and sass. Got it. Melakini is out of the game.”
Kaelen’s gaze stayed on the horizon, dark and distant. “Exactly. Obedience isn’t attractive. Not to me. Fire is what matters. Life. Attitude.”
The conversation shifted to gossip, teasing, laughs spilling over, until a soft step interrupted them.
“Master Kaelen,” the servant said, voice firm but respectful. “You are requested in the council room. Your parents… it’s urgent.”
Kaelen’s brow furrowed. “I’ll be there shortly.” His voice was calm, but deliberate, edged with the tension that had been coiling inside him all night.
“You all should head home,” he added, voice low, controlled.
The friends exchanged quick glances, curiosity and unease dancing in their eyes.
Kaelen descended the stairs, each step deliberate, silent except for the faint scrape of polished floors. The air felt heavier. Charged. Something lurked, subtle but undeniable.
His pulse ticked faster as he approached the council room. Questions rippled in his mind—what did they need him for? Had he done something wrong? Or was it something else entirely?
He pushed the thought aside as he reached the hall, noting the shift in air, the subtle, almost imperceptible chill. Something was coming. And this time, it wasn’t just intuition.
Every instinct in his body screamed at him—tonight, nothing would remain the same.
Kaelen paused at the council room door, hand hovering over the handle. The quiet was oppressive.
Even the stars seemed dim...... He knew, without seeing, that every eye that mattered would be watching him, every decision scrutinized.
The first knock came from within, soft but deliberate.
“Enter,” a voice called. Calm, controlled, yet edged with authority.
Kaelen’s hand tightened around the doorframe. He stepped in, fully aware that tonight, the world as he knew it was about to shift.
And somewhere, unseen, eight figures waited in shadow, women and younglings taken, vanished from the world. A predator unseen, manipulating, eliminating, setting the stage for the storm that was coming.
Kaelen’s pulse quickened. The wind outside howled, the night deepened, and the moonlight fell unevenly across the marble floors. Something was very wrong. Something unavoidable.
He took a deep breath, and stepped fully inside.
- Writer
