Chapter 11: I was claimed
1066 Words
The basement cell was a tomb of stone and silence.
No windows pierced the thick walls, no sliver of moonlight to remind me that the world above still turned.
Only the faint drip of water somewhere in the distance marked the passing of time. Hours? Days? It all blurred into one endless night.
I lay on the thin cot, the rough blanket doing little to ward off the chill seeping from the floor. My body still ached from the beating on the training field, but the bruises were fading faster than they should.
The warmth in my chest—the golden ember that refused to die—pulsed steadily now, like a second heartbeat.
It soothed the pain, knitting flesh and bone with an unnatural ease.
Rest, Little Moon, the voice rumbled again, deep and ancient, wrapping around my thoughts like velvet chains. They cannot break what is already mine.
I sat up slowly, pressing my back against the cold wall. “Who are you?” My voice echoed hollowly in the small space. “Why do you call me that?”
A low chuckle vibrated through me, sending shivers down my spine.
Not fear—something warmer, more dangerous. I have many names. To the packs above, I am the Cursed One. The Monster in the Abyss. Kael Draven, Alpha King of what they tried to erase. The presence swelled, filling the cell with an invisible pressure that made the air thick. To you… I am salvation.
I closed my eyes, letting the warmth spread through my limbs.
Memories that weren’t mine flickered at the edges of my mind: vast shadowed forests, armies clashing under blood-red moons, a throne carved from obsidian and bone. Power. So much power. And betrayal—deep, searing betrayal that mirrored my own.
“They sealed you here,” I whispered. “The packs… my ancestors.”
For a thousand years, Kael growled, his voice laced with ancient fury.
They feared what they could not control. A king who refused to bow to their Moon Goddess and her fragile laws. They bound me beneath the Northern Cliff, feeding me sacrifices to keep me slumbering. His tone softened, almost tender. Until you, Seraphina. Your blood called to me the moment you signed that cursed certificate. Your pain woke me.
I hugged my knees to my chest, the Sacrificial Certificate still hidden in the folds of my torn dress. “I volunteered to die. To be useful for once.”
Die? The word sparked with possessive anger. The warmth flared hot, chasing away the damp chill until sweat beaded on my skin. You will not die, Little Moon. You will rise. Your wolf was never lost—it was bound to me. Sleeping. Waiting for its true mate.
A gasp escaped me as a vision slammed into my mind. I stood on the edge of the Northern Cliff, but instead of jumping into darkness, strong arms caught me. A man—no, a beast of a man—towering and crowned with jagged shadows. His eyes burned like molten gold, his presence radiating raw, dangerous power. He pulled me close, his touch igniting every nerve.
Feel it, Kael murmured. The bond between us hummed, a golden thread tightening around my heart. For the first time in years, something inside me stirred—not emptiness, but a wild, feral strength. My senses sharpened. I could hear the guards’ distant murmurs above, the faint cheers from Lyra’s celebration still echoing through the estate.
“They’re happy,” I said bitterly. “Celebrating my death while planning her wedding.”
Let them. Kael’s voice dripped with dark promise. Their joy will turn to ash when you return. The sister who stole your light. The mate who discarded you. The family who forgot. A phantom touch brushed my cheek, cool yet burning. I will give you the power to make them kneel. But first, you must accept me. All of me. The curse. The darkness.
I hesitated, fingers tracing the fading bruise on my ribs. Part of me—the broken girl who once begged for their love—wanted to cling to the old life. But that life had never truly been mine. Not after Lyra returned. Not after the wolf failed to awaken.
“What if I’m not strong enough?” I whispered.
You are. The voice grew closer, as if Kael stood just beyond the bars. Your glow as a child? That was my echo. The power they feared in you was always tied to the Abyss. They suppressed it. I will unleash it.
A surge of energy coursed through me. I stood, legs steady despite the days of isolation. The air around my hands shimmered faintly—shadows curling like smoke at my fingertips. I reached for the iron bars, and they groaned under my grip, frost forming where I touched.
The guard outside stirred. “Quiet in there, wolfless!”
I smiled into the dark. For the first time, the title didn’t sting.
Footsteps approached—lighter than the guards’. The door at the top of the stairs creaked open, and a familiar presence descended. The Beta. His silhouette appeared at the cell bars, carrying a small tray of bread and water. His sharp eyes scanned me, lingering on my healed face.
“Seraphina,” he said quietly. Concern etched his features. “The Alpha… he’s under pressure from the council. This confinement—”
“I know,” I cut in softly. The warmth in my chest pulsed in warning. Kael didn’t like him near me. He is loyal to them, the voice hissed.
The Beta set the tray down. “You don’t deserve this. None of it. If there was a way—”
A distant roar shook the foundations—the cliff’s darkness stirring early. The Beta tensed, glancing upward.
I stepped closer to the bars, the golden thread in my chest pulling taut. “Tell them the sacrifice is ready. One month will pass quickly.”
He searched my face, as if sensing the change. “You’ve changed. Even down here.”
I didn’t deny it. As he turned to leave, Kael’s voice echoed with dark satisfaction. Soon, Little Moon.
The Blood Moon rises. And when you jump, I will catch you.
The cell fell silent once more. But I was no longer alone.
I was claimed.
- Writer
