chapter 12
1062 Words
The forest no longer felt like a place of refuge.
It felt like a trap.
Every step Luna took seemed to echo too loudly, as if the world itself was listening… waiting. The air had changed since the mark appeared on her skin. It was heavier now, charged with something ancient and restless.
Alive.
She could feel it beneath her skin.
The curse.
It pulsed slowly, like a second heartbeat—unfamiliar, invasive, yet terrifyingly natural.
Kael walked ahead of her, his movements sharp, alert. But there was something different about him too. His shoulders were more tense, his breathing controlled… like he was holding something back.
Or losing control.
“Kael…” Luna called softly.
He stopped instantly.
Turned.
His eyes met hers—and for a brief moment, she saw it again.
That flicker.
Dark. Wild.
Dangerous.
“Yes?”
His voice was calm… too calm.
Her chest tightened.
“You’re feeling it too… aren’t you?” she asked.
A pause.
Then—
“Yes.”
The honesty hit her harder than she expected.
“It’s getting stronger,” he added quietly.
She swallowed.
“I know.”
Silence stretched between them, heavy with everything neither of them wanted to say.
Then suddenly—
The mark on her arm burned.
Hard.
“Ah—!”
Luna gasped, grabbing her arm as pain shot through her veins. This time it was worse than before. Sharper. Deeper.
Kael was at her side instantly.
“It’s happening again,” he muttered.
The glow beneath her skin intensified, spreading slightly from the mark like cracks of light.
“I can’t control it!” she cried.
“Don’t fight it!” he said firmly, gripping her shoulders. “If you resist, it will hurt more.”
Her breathing became uneven.
“How do you know that?!”
“Because I’ve lived with it for centuries,” he snapped. Then softer, “Trust me.”
Trust him.
Her heart clenched.
She nodded weakly.
“Okay…”
The pain surged again—
But this time… she didn’t resist.
She let it flow.
Let the energy move through her instead of pushing it away.
And slowly…
Something changed.
The pain didn’t disappear—
But it transformed.
Into heat.
Power.
Her breathing steadied slightly, though her body still trembled.
“I… I think…”
Her eyes widened.
“I can feel it.”
Kael’s gaze sharpened.
“Feel what?”
“The energy,” she whispered. “It’s not just pain… it’s like something inside me is waking up.”
A low sound escaped his throat.
“That’s not good.”
Her heart skipped.
“Why?”
Before he could answer—
The forest exploded.
A violent force slammed into the ground nearby, sending dirt and debris flying into the air.
Luna screamed as Kael pulled her down just in time.
“Hunters!” he growled.
But this time—
They were different.
Not just shadows.
Not just assassins.
They stepped out slowly from the darkness… and Luna’s blood ran cold.
Their eyes glowed unnaturally.
Their bodies… twisted.
Corrupted.
Like the curse had consumed them.
“What… are they?” she whispered.
Kael’s expression darkened.
“They’re not just hunters anymore.”
A pause.
“They’re cursed.”
Her breath hitched.
“That’s impossible…”
“No,” he said grimly. “It means someone is experimenting with the curse.”
Before she could process that—
They attacked.
Fast.
Brutal.
Kael moved instantly, stepping in front of her as claws and blades clashed against his defense.
“Stay back!” he ordered.
But Luna didn’t move.
Couldn’t move.
The mark on her arm burned again—
Stronger.
Responding.
Calling.
One of the cursed hunters lunged toward her.
Kael was occupied.
Too far.
“Luna!”
But it was too late.
The creature was already upon her—
And something inside her snapped.
Not fear.
Not panic.
Power.
Her eyes flashed.
A surge of energy exploded from her body—
Blinding.
Violent.
Uncontrolled.
The hunter was thrown back instantly, crashing into a tree with a sickening crack.
Silence fell for a split second.
Even Kael froze.
Luna stood there, breathing heavily.
Her hands glowing.
Her entire body trembling with power she didn’t understand.
“What… did I just do…?”
Kael stared at her.
Not with fear.
Not with anger.
But with something far more dangerous.
Realization.
“They were right…” he whispered.
Her heart pounded.
“Who?”
But he didn’t answer.
Because the ground beneath them began to shake.
A deeper presence emerged from the shadows.
Slower.
Stronger.
More terrifying than the others.
A figure stepped forward—taller, darker, surrounded by pure corrupted energy.
Luna’s breath caught.
“This one…”
Kael stepped forward, his body shielding hers again.
“Don’t move,” he said lowly.
But his voice…
It wasn’t just protective anymore.
It was tense.
Serious.
Even… uncertain.
The creature smiled.
“Yes…” it said, voice distorted. “There she is…”
Luna’s blood ran cold.
“You’ve finally awakened her.”
Kael’s eyes darkened dangerously.
“Say another word and I’ll tear you apart.”
The creature chuckled.
“You still don’t understand, do you, Alpha?”
Its gaze locked onto Luna.
“She doesn’t belong with you.”
A pause.
“She belongs to the curse.”
The words echoed.
Heavy.
Final.
Luna’s chest tightened painfully.
“No…”
Kael’s hand shot out, grabbing hers.
Hard.
Possessive.
“She belongs to me,” he growled.
The creature laughed louder.
“Then let’s see if you can keep her.”
It attacked.
Faster than anything before.
Kael met it head-on—
But this time…
He struggled.
The force pushed him back, claws clashing, energy exploding around them.
“Kael!”
Luna’s heart raced wildly.
He was losing ground.
And something inside her refused to accept that.
The mark burned again.
Calling her.
Demanding her.
“Enough…” she whispered.
Her eyes lifted slowly.
And this time—
There was no hesitation.
No fear.
Only power.
“I won’t let you hurt him.”
The air shifted.
Violently.
Kael turned just in time to see her step forward—
Not behind him.
Beside him.
Her body glowing brighter than before.
The curse fully awake.
“Luna—wait—!”
But she didn’t stop.
The energy erupted.
And everything changed.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD