Marked by the Alpha's Curse

You can use the episode title: #MBTACPrologue to express your opinions on this chapter in any social media accounts. I’m excited to know how you’re feeling about this chapter. Enjoy! — The fog in Evermoor was alive that night, thick and heavy as if it were trying to keep the secrets of the woods hidden. It crept through the streets, muffling sound, swallowing light, and pressing against my chest like a living thing. Evermoor had always been a place of whispers and shadows, but tonight, the air felt charged, like something was about to happen. Inside my family’s failing bookstore, I tried to focus on balancing the register, but my thoughts kept drifting. Nimbus sat perched near the door, his tail flicking back and forth in agitation. “You’ve been eyeing that door all evening,” I muttered, glancing at him. “Don’t even think about it.” He ignored me, his green eyes fixed on the handle. “I mean it, Nimbus. Stay put.” But the stubborn cat had other plans. In one smooth motion, he pawed the door open just wide enough to slip through and disappeared into the mist. “Nimbus!” I shouted, running after him. “You little—ugh!” The cold air slapped me in the face as I stepped onto the cobblestone street. The fog swallowed everything, turning the familiar into something alien. I could just barely make out the jingle of Nimbus’s collar, leading me toward the woods. My stomach churned. “Nimbus, stop messing around!” I yelled, but my voice felt small in the dense silence. The woods loomed ahead, their jagged silhouettes like black teeth against the murky sky. Every story I’d heard about them came rushing back: the disappearances, the strange sounds, the eyes that seemed to follow you even when no one was there. But I couldn’t just leave Nimbus. He was all I had left. Taking a deep breath, I stepped onto the dirt path, the fog wrapping around me like icy fingers. The farther I went, the quieter it became. No wind. No crickets. Just the sound of my boots crunching on the damp ground and the faint jingling ahead. “Nimbus, if I die out here, I’m haunting you forever,” I muttered, shivering. Then I saw him. At first, I thought it was a trick of the fog. A shadow slumped against the base of a massive oak tree. But as I got closer, I realized it was a man—a tall, lean figure sprawled awkwardly on the ground. His clothes were torn and bloodied, and his arms… I froze. Glowing scars crisscrossed his skin, faint but unmistakable, pulsing with an eerie light. They weren’t like anything I’d ever seen—intricate patterns that seemed almost alive. “Nimbus, what the hell did you find?” I whispered, my voice trembling. The man stirred, a low groan escaping his lips. His eyelids fluttered, revealing eyes that were an unsettling shade of amber. He looked at me, his gaze sharp despite the pain etched into his face. “Run,” he rasped. I blinked. “What?” “Run!” His voice was louder now, a growl of warning that sent chills down my spine. Before I could react, a low, guttural growl echoed through the trees. I turned, my heart slamming against my ribs as three pairs of glowing red eyes appeared in the darkness. Wolves. But they weren’t normal wolves. Their bodies shimmered as if they were made of shadows, their fur rippling unnaturally. They moved with an unnatural grace, their glowing eyes fixed on us like we were prey. The man staggered to his feet, clutching his side. “Stay behind me,” he ordered, his voice low and commanding. “Are you serious? You can barely stand!” I shot back, panic rising in my chest. “Just do it!” Before I could argue, the largest wolf lunged. The man moved faster than I thought possible, intercepting it mid-air and slamming it to the ground with a ferocity that took my breath away. I stumbled back, my foot catching on a root as the other two wolves circled. My hands fumbled for anything I could use as a weapon, finally grabbing a thick branch from the ground. One of the wolves charged me, its teeth bared. I swung the branch as hard as I could, the impact jarring my arms. The wolf yelped and retreated, but its companion was already on me, knocking me to the ground. I screamed as its claws raked across my arm, teeth flashing inches from my face. Then, suddenly, the weight was gone. The man stood over me, his glowing scars blazing like fire. He’d ripped the wolf off me and thrown it with inhuman strength. His chest heaved, his amber eyes burning with something primal and terrifying. “You shouldn’t have stayed,” he muttered, his tone both grateful and frustrated. “Yeah, well, I’m not big on leaving people—or cats—to die,” I snapped, scrambling to my feet. The remaining wolves growled, regrouping for another attack. But the man stepped forward, his scars flaring even brighter. The air around us seemed to vibrate, and the wolves hesitated. “Go,” he snarled at them, his voice reverberating with a power I couldn’t explain. The wolves whined, their glowing eyes dimming as they slunk back into the shadows. For a moment, the woods were silent again. I stared at the man, my heart still pounding. “What the hell just happened?” He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he turned to me, his expression a mix of exhaustion and determination. “You shouldn’t have found me.” “Well, it’s not like I was looking for you!” I shot back, my voice shaking. “I was chasing my cat!” Nimbus meowed from somewhere behind me, completely unbothered. The man sighed, swaying slightly before collapsing to his knees. “Hey, hey!” I rushed to his side, catching him before he could fall completely. “Don’t you dare die on me. What’s your name?” “Timothy,” he muttered, his voice barely audible. “Okay, Timothy,” I said, more to myself than him. “Let’s get you out of here before those wolves decide to come back.” As I helped him to his feet, I couldn’t shake the feeling that my life had just taken a turn I wasn’t ready for. And from the way he looked at me—with those glowing scars and those strange, amber eyes—I had a sinking suspicion he felt the same. To be continued...