Chapter four: Decision made
1369 Words
Killian
The battle ended faster than expected. The Nightfang Pack retreated, but I knew they would be back. They never attacked without a bigger plan.
Still, something else bothered me. The pull with the slave girl.
While in thoughts, l crossed paths with Ares.
I turned to him as we walked back through the pack’s borders. His energy was different. Stronger. Almost unnatural.
"What happened to your eyes today?" I asked, watching him closely.
"My eyes?" He raised an eyebrow like he didn’t know what I was talking about.
"Yes. They were glowing red. I’ve never seen that before."
Aren let out a short breath, his expression unreadable. "I just found my new wolf potential. I’ve been training to unlock more of my strength."
I nodded, but the unease in my chest didn’t fade. Training? I had trained with Ares for years, and this… this wasn’t normal. Though l knew he couldn't match up to me, he had become incredibly strong, just over night.
I needed to know what he was up to.
Maybe he's playing with some forbidden portion or something.
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Serena
The warriors returned earlier than usual. I could hear Killian speaking to Aren, but their words blurred in my tired mind. My body ached, still sore from the punishment two days ago.
Then, her voice echoed in my head again.
"Leave this place."
I had been thinking about it since the glowing woman appeared to me. If I had more time, I might have convinced myself to run. But everything was happening too fast.
The glowing woman appearance
Ares’ new kind attitude
The pull I felt toward the Alpha.
The Nightfang attack.
It all felt… wrong.
"Serena!"
My heart stopped.
Killian’s voice cut through my thoughts like a blade. I forced my aching body to move, rushing toward him with my eyes on the ground.
"Yes, sir," I whispered, my voice small.
"I told you to keep the place properly, u didn't!"
He turned angrily and before I could explain myself, his hand struck my face.
Pain exploded through me.
I staggered but held my breath, refusing to make a sound. One of his guards started weeping me, and I couldn’t hold back the cry that escaped my lips. The sting ripped through my skin, each lash burning deep.
"Please," I begged, my voice breaking. Tears blurred my vision, but I didn’t dare lift my head.
He then commanded them to stop.
They stopped.
I could feel his heavy breaths, his anger still thick in the air. But this wasn’t just about the arrangement of the place. I knew that.
He was punishing me for something else. Something he couldn’t admit.
He looked at me with his fists folding tightly before he suddenly turned away. "You can leave."
I forced my body to move, every step shaky and weak.
But as I walked away, something inside me shifted.
I wasn’t going to stay here and wait for my death.
I was going to follow the glowing woman’s advice.
I was going to leave.
But I had to plan my escape.
Cause if l was caught, I would be burnt to death.
Tomorrow, Killian would be in an important meeting to strengthen the borders of the Crimson Moon Pack. His pack. It was the perfect opportunity. On days like that, only high-ranked servants were needed, and outcasts like me were usually overlooked. No one would think twice about my absence until it was too late.
I just had to make sure I wasn’t caught.
My mind drifted to Ares and his recent kindness . If I had felt the mate bond pull toward him instead of Killian, maybe I wouldn’t be so afraid. At least with Ares, I was forcing myself to feel safe.
No one had ever kissed me before, and when he did, I felt love. something I didn't know he had. I am beginning to trust him, and l believe he would be my salvation.
"Serena!"
I froze.
It was almost as if I had been expecting him to call my name.
Since the glowing woman appeared to me, something strange had been happening. My wolf, the one I had never been able to shift into, stirred inside me. It trembled, restless, like it was waking up.
Aren approached, his sharp gaze softening as he took me in. "Did you rest well yesterday?"
I hesitated, unsure whether to answer or just nod. A part of me was still afraid of him.
He sighed. "You need to relax. Remember, I’m your friend now."
I remained silent, and I could see the flicker of frustration in his eyes.
"Speak up," he urged, his voice firm but gentle.
"I slept well, sir," I whispered.
Aren stepped closer and lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. His fingers brushed against my cheek, warm and deliberate. I looked away quickly, avoiding direct eye contact.
Without another word, he took my hand and led me through the corridors. Soon, we reached a secluded spot where food and water had been prepared for me. I tried to refuse, but he didn’t let me.
"Eat," he said, his voice leaving no room for argument.
I took small bites at first, but with every bite, I felt a little stronger. A strange warmth settled in my chest. Now around Aren, I felt something close to peace.
It wasn’t like what I felt for Killian.
But that pull toward the Killian the Alpha was deep, overpowering, something I couldn’t fight even if I wanted to. I knew a little about mate bond pull.
Just as I started to let my guard down, Ares reached for me again.
And then it happened.
His eyes flashed red.
A deep, beautiful red glow. The same as before.
Just like the last time he kissed me. I thought that it was a normal, but it seems this happens after he kisses me.
I wanted to tell him. I wanted to say something.
But I stayed quiet.
Instead, I let myself enjoy his presence,has who else in the whole of my pack recognised and cared for me recently like he did.
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Killian’s POV
The day was dark and heavy, as if the sun had been swallowed by the sky. Thick clouds hung low, casting deep shadows over everything. Fire raged around me, swallowing cars, buildings—everything in sight. My warriors were falling, their cries lost in the chaos. The air smelled of blood and smoke, burning my lungs. I had seen battles before, but nothing like this.
Then, through the destruction, a bright light appeared. It was blinding at first, cutting through the darkness like a blade. My eyes adjusted, and that was when I saw her.
Serena. The cursed slave.
She walked toward me, untouched by the fire, calm like she belonged in the storm. A soft smile played on her lips as she reached out. The moment her fingers brushed against my skin, something inside me awakened. A force unlike anything I had ever felt—stronger than my wolf, deeper than my own power. My body began to heal, my strength returning, growing. It felt unstoppable.
But just as I embraced the power, a dark evil force with heavy shadow slammed into me from behind.
I woke up.
The dream clung to me, too vivid to ignore. I never remembered my dreams. But this one—it burned in my mind, refusing to fade. And Serena… she was in it.
A knock on the door pulled me back. "Alpha, the council is waiting."
Ohh, the meeting l had planned.
The meeting dragged on for six long hours, filled with talk of war, territory, and enemies lurking in the shadows.
The meeting was over and I remembered Selena. I just felt a bit sorry, unexplainably for her. And that mate bond pull, that strange energy—I needed to make things clear to her. We can't work out.
Maybe.
"Bring her to me," I ordered.
Minutes passed. Then more.
The guards returned, their faces uneasy.
"Alpha…" One hesitated. "She’s gone."
A sharp silence filled the room.
"What do you mean… gone?" My voice was dangerously low.
"We searched everywhere. Serena is missing."
- Writer
