CHAPTER 003
1200 Words
CHAPTER 003
Anelia had always been proud of being able to stay out of trouble. She lived by a simple rule: was trying to keep her head down, focus on her own life. That rule had been broken the moment she met Deyan. Her perfectly put together world was crumbling and she didn’t know how to stop it.
Small things began, strange phone calls, strange faces hanging around her apartment, an uneasy feeling that someone was watching her. Anelia thought, at first, that she was imagining it. Her denial finally broke when she found a threatening note stuffed into her mailbox one morning.
Later that day she stormed into Deyan’s office with a pounding heart, fear and anger. The room was dim, the furniture sleek, and the air of cold authority matched its owner. She burst in and Deyan sat behind his desk, his expression unreadable.
“What is this?” Slamming the note onto his desk, Anelia demanded.
Deyan’s eyes flicked to the note, then back to her. “A warning.”
Her anger flared. “From who?”
Deyan said calmly, “From people who want to hurt me.” “And now, by extension, you.”
Anelia’s stomach twisted. “I didn’t ask for this. “I didn’t ask for any of this!”
Deyan stood and leaned toward her, “I didn’t ask for you to stumble into my world either.” “But here we are.”
They stared at each other, two small human bushels of tension crackling like a live wire.
“Well, what am I supposed to do now?” Her voice was quieter, but no less fierce, and Anelia asked.
Deyan said firmly, “You let me handle it.” “Keep close to me and I’ll see to it that nothing happens to you.”
Anelia wanted to fight. For her to tell him she didn’t need him to help, when clearly she did. The truth was, she was scared. She hated being dumb about it, but Deyan was the only one she was to protect her now.
---
Meanwhile, in the dense forests of the Shadow Moon territory, Katerina was beginning to feel something she hadn’t felt in years: hope. Viktor had promised her to protect her, and this time, that she had a chance feeling free.
One evening as they sat by a crackling fire in his pack’s safe-haven, Viktor told her: ‘Katerina.’ “I need you to trust me.”
She smiled and said, her voice soft, but steady; "I do."
Viktor grabbed her hand with his. You won’t go without a fight, Kiril won’t let you.” But I’ll face him. “I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you’re free.”
With gratitude and fear in her heart. “I don’t need you to risk everything for me.”
Viktor’s voice was firm, “I do.” “Because you’re worth it.”
They sat in silence for a moment their bond getting stronger. A warmth of which she had never known, a feeling of belonging that strengthened her.
Their peace was short lived.
---
Of course, Kiril was notorious for not backing down from a challenge so when Viktor mustered up his defiance, he just irritated the guy even more. One of Viktor’s outposts was attacked by one of his enforcers with brutal force, many pack members being injured. The message was clear: So Kiril wouldn’t give up control without a fight.
Viktor was standing at the middle of his camp rallying his pack. 'This ends now,' he said firmly and firmly. And we can’t let Kiril’s cruelty continue. For Katerina, for us, and for what this pack’s future is going to be…We fight.
Viktor did not need to see the expression on their face to know that pack was responding with a unified howl; their loyalty to the wolf unwavering. Her heart pumped fear and determination out as she watched from the sidelines. For so long she had been powerless, but she knew understood that she had a choice.
She stepped forward. 'I want to help,' she said.
Viktor looked at her, his face softening. “You don’t have to, Katerina,” he said.
“I do,” she interrupted. “This is my fight, too.”
Viktor nodded with pride in his eyes. “Then we fight together.”
---
Anelia’s fight was of a different kind in the city. However it was more by necessity than by choice that she spent more time with Deyan. Yesterday, every day was another danger: phone calls, anonymous letters, even one night a brick went through her window.
His presence was infuriating and in way comforting; it always was, Deyan was always there. Anelia had shown him a side seen by few, other than savage ruthlessness, which she glimpsed on glimpses.
After another day, another tense one, Deyan took her to a secret restaurant in the city. Hush and unassuming, far different from the chaos in which they lived.
“Why are we here?” "Anelia eyed him suspiciously, asking."
Deyan said simply, “You need to eat.” And, you need a moment to breathe.”
Across from him sat Anelia, her guard still upward. “Like you care,” you’re acting.
Deyan’s eyes softened ever so slightly, but his expression didn’t change. “Maybe I do.”
Anelia didn’t know what to say. Deyan had kept his promise: he had protected her, for all his flaws (and there were many). When the walls between them caved just a little bit, though, she couldn’t help but wonder if there was something to him she hadn’t yet realized.
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The fight was still on between Viktor’s pack and Kiril’s enforcers, back in the forest. Her instincts took control as Katerina found herself amongst the thick of it, fighting like hell beside Viktor, as well as his pack mates.
Viktor’s pack was stronger, more loyal to their Alpha, and just a whole lot stronger. Kiril’s forces were relentless.
When the fighting was at its peak, Katerina was fighting Kiril himself. His snarl told me that he was angry as fire burned in his eyes, saying, ‘You think you can defy me?’
Her voice was steady, but fear was in her chest, and Katerina stood her ground. “I’m not afraid of you anymore.”
Viktor tackled him to the ground and Kiril lunged at her. Two Alphas fought a brutal fight in a forest.
Viktor fought so hard for Katerina‘s life, his strength and determination never to be seen again. The forest exhaled and for the first time in weeks it did not breathe heavily, it was not panting to breathe anymore, the forest exhaled a collective sigh of relief when Kiril finally fled, bloodied and defeated.
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The lines had been crossed in the city and in the forest. They were no longer spectators in their lives; fighting besides the men who promised to guard them, Anelia and Katerina were fighters.
But as they each faced the challenges ahead, one question lingered in their minds:
**When the fight is more than survival, but becoming someone in the process of it.**
- Writer
