Chapter Three — The Ones Outside
1722 Words
“They’re here.”
Kael’s words were quiet, but they carried through the darkness.
I stared at him.
For a moment, I couldn't move.
The mansion had gone completely black. The only light came from the moon slipping through the tall windows, painting pale shapes across the floor.
Something moved outside.
A branch snapped.
Then another.
My mother's fingers tightened around mine.
“Who is here?” I whispered.
Kael didn't answer.
He was standing several feet in front of us, his attention fixed on the windows. His entire body had gone still.
Not relaxed.
Ready.
I had never seen anyone look like that before.
He wasn't simply listening.
He was waiting.
Another sound came from somewhere beyond the house.
A low growl.
My stomach twisted.
Kael finally turned toward us.
“Stay here.”
My mother stepped forward.
“No.”
His eyes moved to her.
“Elena.”
“You're not going alone.”
“You're not coming.”
“I know this house better than you think.”
Something unreadable crossed his face.
“This isn't about the house.”
My mother's grip on my hand tightened.
“What is it?”
Kael looked toward the windows again.
“They've crossed the boundary.”
“Who?”
He didn't answer.
My frustration finally broke through my fear.
“Can somebody please tell me what is happening?”
Both of them looked at me.
I could feel my heartbeat in my throat.
“I've spent the entire night being told to stay quiet, stay upstairs, stay behind someone, don't go into the forest, don't ask questions. I'm done.”
My mother's eyes softened.
“Rose—”
“No.”
I stepped away from her.
“I want to know why everyone is acting like I'm some kind of emergency.”
Silence.
Then another sound came from outside.
This time, it was followed by several more.
Footsteps.
Around the house.
My mother looked toward the windows.
Kael's expression hardened.
“At least six,” he said.
“Six what?” I asked.
He looked at me.
“Not people.”
My blood ran cold.
Before I could ask anything else, something struck the front door.
The entire house seemed to shake.
My mother grabbed me.
Kael moved instantly.
“Stay behind me.”
The door shook again.
Then silence.
I held my breath.
Nothing.
Kael slowly approached the entrance.
My mother pulled me backward.
“Don't move.”
A shadow passed across the frosted glass beside the door.
Then another.
My heart hammered against my ribs.
Kael's eyes flashed gold.
I blinked.
They were dark again.
“What was that?” I whispered.
He looked back at me.
“Not here.”
He opened a narrow door beside the dining room.
I frowned.
“What are you doing?”
“There's another way out.”
My mother stared at the doorway.
“You knew about this?”
Kael gave her a look.
“You've been living here for six months.”
“I haven't explored every room.”
“You should have.”
He pushed the door open.
Behind it was a narrow passage hidden between the walls.
I stared.
“You have got to be kidding me.”
My mother pulled me inside.
“Come.”
We entered.
Kael followed and closed the door behind us.
The darkness was almost complete.
My mother switched on her phone.
The small light illuminated the stone walls.
I stared around us.
“This house has secret tunnels?”
“Apparently,” my mother said.
“You knew.”
“I knew there was a passage.”
“That's not the same thing.”
We moved deeper.
The sounds from above became distant.
For the first time since the lights went out, I could breathe.
Then I noticed something carved into the wall.
A symbol.
A circle surrounded by strange lines.
I slowed.
“What is that?”
My mother immediately caught my wrist.
“Don't touch it.”
I looked at her.
“Why?”
“Just don't.”
I stared at the symbol.
Something about it felt strangely familiar.
Not familiar like I'd seen it somewhere.
Familiar like I had forgotten it.
A sudden pressure formed behind my eyes.
I stumbled.
“Rose?”
I grabbed the wall.
For a split second, an image flashed through my mind.
A forest.
Moonlight.
Something running.
Four legs.
Golden eyes.
Then another image.
A man standing beneath a full moon.
I gasped.
The vision vanished.
My mother caught my shoulders.
“What happened?”
“I don't know.”
“What did you see?”
“Nothing.”
She searched my face.
I could tell she didn't believe me.
Neither did I.
We continued.
The passage opened into a small underground room.
There were old wooden shelves along the walls and several boxes covered with dust.
My mother shut the hidden door.
“Stay here.”
I stared at her.
“Where are you going?”
“To make sure the way out is clear.”
“No.”
She looked at me.
“I'm not leaving you.”
“You're staying here.”
“I'm not hiding in a basement while you go outside.”
“You don't understand.”
“Then explain it!”
My voice echoed through the room.
My mother went quiet.
Tears gathered in her eyes.
“You aren't supposed to know yet.”
“Know what?”
She looked at me.
“The truth about your father.”
My heart stopped.
“My father?”
She nodded.
I hadn't heard much about him growing up.
My mother had always said he died when I was young.
Whenever I asked questions, she changed the subject.
“What about him?”
She opened her mouth.
A violent crash came from above.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
We both looked up.
My mother grabbed her bag.
“We have to go.”
“Mom—”
“Later.”
“You keep saying later!”
She pulled open another door.
Cold air rushed inside.
The passage led directly into the forest.
I stopped.
“You told me never to go into the forest.”
“I told you not to go alone.”
She took my hand.
“Now run.”
We stepped outside.
The forest was almost completely dark.
Moonlight barely reached the ground through the thick branches.
We moved quickly.
I could hear my own breathing.
Then something moved behind us.
A howl rose in the distance.
My mother pulled me faster.
“Don't look back.”
I looked anyway.
Nothing.
Then a figure stepped between the trees ahead.
My mother stopped.
I crashed into her.
A man stood several yards away.
He looked human.
At first.
Then his eyes caught the moonlight.
Golden.
My mother stepped in front of me.
“Don't come closer.”
The man smiled.
“Elena.”
My mother's face hardened.
“You shouldn't be here.”
“Neither should she.”
His eyes moved to me.
My skin prickled.
He stared at my neck.
“The mark has awakened.”
My mother went pale.
“Leave.”
The man laughed softly.
“You knew this would happen.”
I looked at my mother.
“What is he talking about?”
She didn't answer.
The man took one step forward.
A blur suddenly crossed the space between us.
He was thrown sideways.
Kael.
He landed between us.
“Run.”
The man's snarl wasn't human.
I froze.
Kael's shoulders tightened.
“Rose, move.”
The man attacked.
Kael met him halfway.
The impact was violent.
They crashed into the ground.
I watched in horror.
Kael moved too quickly.
Far too quickly.
The man twisted and something flashed in the moonlight.
Claws.
Actual claws.
I stumbled backward.
My mother pulled me away.
“Don't watch.”
But I couldn't look away.
Kael grabbed the man's arm and threw him into a tree.
The impact made the branches shake.
The man disappeared into the darkness.
Kael turned toward us.
His breathing was heavy.
There was blood on his cheek.
“Are you hurt?”
I couldn't answer.
My mother stepped forward.
“Who was that?”
“Someone looking for her.”
“From where?”
“My pack isn't the only one that knows about the mark.”
My mother went pale.
Kael looked at me.
His eyes briefly flashed gold again.
“We need to leave.”
“Where?” my mother asked.
“My territory.”
“No.”
“They're already here.”
“I won't take her there.”
“Then where will you take her?”
My mother had no answer.
Kael's voice softened.
“There's nowhere else.”
She looked at me.
Then at him.
Finally, she reached into her bag and removed the small wooden box she'd taken from the mansion.
She opened it.
Inside was an old silver pendant.
The same symbol from the passage was engraved on it.
My breath caught.
“What is that?”
“My mother gave it to me,” she said.
“And now I'm giving it to you.”
She placed it in my hand.
The instant the pendant touched my skin, the mark on my neck burned.
I gasped.
Kael stared at it.
“What did you give her?”
“A protection pendant.”
“Where did you get it?”
“It was hers.”
His expression changed.
“Whose?”
My mother didn't answer.
Kael looked toward the forest.
“We don't have time.”
He opened the door of a black vehicle parked among the trees.
“Get in.”
My mother hesitated.
I looked at her.
“Mom.”
She nodded.
We climbed inside.
Kael got behind the wheel.
The engine came alive.
As we drove away, I looked through the rear window.
The forest disappeared into darkness.
But just before the road curved, I saw them.
Several pairs of golden eyes.
Watching us leave.
I touched the pendant beneath my shirt.
For the first time in my life, I wondered if the person I believed myself to be had ever really existed.
And beside me, my mother sat silently, holding the wooden box against her chest.
As if she already knew the answer.
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