Shadow In The Dark
1114 Words
The entire mansion went dark.
My breath caught instantly as darkness swallowed the room completely. The only sound came from the low growl echoing outside the mansion walls.
Deep.
Aggressive.
Dangerous.
Fear slammed violently into my chest.
“What’s happening?” I whispered shakily.
Damien’s arm tightened around me immediately.
“Stay behind me.”
His voice changed completely.
Cold.
Sharp.
Alpha.
The calm, protective man from a few minutes ago disappeared instantly, replaced by something far more dangerous.
Another loud crash echoed outside.
Glass shattered somewhere downstairs.
I flinched hard against Damien’s chest.
Then suddenly—
Every emergency light inside the mansion flickered on dimly, covering the room in a faint red glow.
And somehow that looked even scarier.
Ethan came rushing downstairs immediately, completely serious for the first time since I met him.
“Three wolves breached the outer gate,” he said quickly.
My stomach dropped instantly.
Breached?
Damien’s expression became lethal.
“From Black River?”
Ethan nodded once.
“Yes.”
Rage exploded across Damien’s face immediately.
“They actually sent wolves here.”
Fear crawled painfully through my chest again.
Was this because of the baby?
Oh God.
This was really happening.
Damien turned toward me instantly.
“You’re going upstairs.”
“No.” I shook my head quickly. “I’m not leaving you down here.”
“Ava.”
“I said no.”
The dangerous look in his eyes should have scared me.
Instead, it only made my heartbeat more nervous.
Because even angry, Damien still looked more worried about me than himself.
Another growl echoed outside.
Closer this time.
Very close.
Ethan grabbed a weapon from beside the staircase while muttering under his breath, “I really hate dramatic pack politics.”
Damien ignored him completely while staring at the front entrance.
Listening.
Calculating.
Then suddenly—
A massive bang shook the front door violently.
I jumped immediately.
Something outside slammed against the wood hard enough to crack it slightly.
“Oh my God,” I whispered.
Damien stepped directly in front of me protectively.
“Stay back.”
The command in his voice left no room for argument this time.
Another hit slammed against the door.
Harder.
The wood splintered slightly.
Then a familiar voice suddenly shouted from outside.
“Damien!”
My entire body froze.
Logan.
Ethan blinked in confusion. “Wait. What?”
Damien’s jaw tightened instantly.
Another loud bang followed.
“Open the damn door!”
Logan sounded furious.
And strangely…
Panicked.
Damien moved toward the entrance carefully before opening the door halfway.
The second Logan stepped inside, cold rain and night air rushed into the mansion with him.
He looked terrible.
Soaked from rain.
Breathing heavily.
Eyes glowing dangerously.
And somehow…
Terrified.
The moment he saw me standing safely behind Damien, visible relief flashed across his face before disappearing again.
“You’re okay.”
I frowned immediately.
“What’s going on?”
Logan dragged a frustrated hand through his wet hair before looking toward Damien.
“They’re not my wolves.”
Silence.
Heavy silence.
Damien’s eyes narrowed dangerously.
“Explain.”
Logan looked furious now.
“My father sent them.”
The room froze instantly.
Even Ethan stopped moving.
I stared at Logan in disbelief.
“What?”
“He found out Ava was staying here,” Logan said tightly. “The elders think Damien protecting her confirms the mutation rumors.”
Fear twisted violently through my chest again.
This was getting worse.
Much worse.
Damien crossed his arms slowly.
“So your solution was bringing them to my territory?”
“I came to stop them.”
Something about the anger in Logan’s voice made me pause.
Because for the first time tonight…
He sounded honest.
A loud howl suddenly echoed outside again.
Ethan immediately moved toward the windows.
“They’re still out there.”
Damien’s expression darkened dangerously.
“How many?”
“At least five now.”
My breathing stopped briefly.
Five?
Oh God.
Logan looked toward me again, his face tightening slightly.
“This is why I wanted you hidden.”
I laughed bitterly despite the fear crushing my chest.
“You mean controlled.”
His jaw clenched immediately.
“This isn’t a joke, Ava.”
“I know that!”
Emotion cracked through my voice instantly.
“I know this isn’t a joke because apparently people are hunting my baby before it’s even born!”
Silence crashed heavily across the room.
Pain flashed across Logan’s expression immediately.
Good.
Maybe he deserved to hurt too.
Another crash sounded outside, followed by snarling wolves.
The front gate finally broke completely.
Ethan cursed quietly.
“Well,” he muttered, “that’s definitely not ideal.”
Damien looked toward Logan coldly.
“Your pack attacks my home and you expect cooperation?”
“They aren’t acting under Alpha orders.”
“Still your responsibility.”
Tension exploded between both men again instantly.
And honestly?
That terrified me almost as much as the wolves outside.
Because if Damien and Logan turned against each other right now…
Everything would collapse completely.
I stepped forward before thinking.
“Stop it.”
Both Alphas looked at me immediately.
My heartbeat pounded painfully while fear and anger mixed together inside me.
“I’m tired,” I whispered shakily. “I’m tired of everybody fighting while talking about my baby like I’m not even here.”
The room became silent again.
I looked directly at Logan first.
“You hid things from me.”
Guilt flashed across his face instantly.
Then I looked toward Damien.
“And you keep trying to protect me from everything.”
Damien frowned slightly.
“That’s not a bad thing.”
“Maybe not.” My voice softened slightly. “But I deserve the truth too.”
Another howl echoed outside.
Closer.
The wolves were moving toward the mansion now.
Danger crawled through the room immediately.
Ethan looked toward Damien sharply.
“We’re running out of time.”
Damien’s expression hardened instantly before he turned toward me again.
And suddenly something terrifying flashed inside his eyes.
Decision.
“You’re leaving with me.”
I blinked in confusion.
“What?”
“There’s a safer place outside the territory.”
Logan stepped forward immediately.
“No.”
Damien ignored him completely.
“We leave tonight.”
My heart pounded faster.
Leave?
Tonight?
Everything was happening too fast.
But before anyone could argue again—
A massive explosion suddenly shattered the front windows.
Glass flew everywhere.
I screamed instinctively as Damien grabbed me instantly, pulling me against his chest while the room erupted into chaos.
And through the smoke pouring inside the mansion…
A pair of glowing red wolf eyes appeared.
- Writer
