Fated By The Moon, Claimed By Three

Saved By The Mysterious Three?

Elara woke up in a place that felt unfamiliar, but there was something comforting about it. There was a warmth surrounding her that wasn't from a blanket or a fire. It was more like having someone close by, almost like a tender touch. As she opened her eyes, the first thing that caught her attention was the canopy of leaves hanging above her. Everything around her was blurry at first, but then she noticed a gentle crackling sound nearby, likely a fire.

She realized she wasn't dead. She was alive. And, more importantly, she wasn't alone.

With a rush of adrenaline, Elara sat up too quickly, and a sharp pain shot through her ribs. It was a pain that felt different, maybe just a little bruised. She tried to remember how she ended up here. She had experienced a gut-wrenching fall... branches snapping, rocks jutting out, and the roar of wind drowned out her screams. She braced herself to feel broken and dead, but surprisingly, she only felt soreness, as if she had rolled down a hill instead of plummeting off a cliff.

Just then, a voice interrupted her thoughts.

"You're up."

Elara turned to find a young man leaning against a tree. He was tall, with silver blond hair that fell casually into his mischievous green eyes. He smiled as if they were the best of friends and walked closer, offering her a water pouch.

"You were out for a while," he said with an easy tone. "Thought we might need to start planning your burial."

Elara stared at him, trying to process what he was saying. He chuckled a little, sensing her confusion.

"Just kidding. Mostly."

He crouched beside her, and without a second thought, she reached for the water he offered. Her fingers brushed against his as she took the pouch. He didn't pull away, which surprised her.

"I'm Caelum," he introduced himself cheerfully. "And that grumpy guy cleaning the blade over there..." he nodded toward a tall figure sitting near the fire, focused on his task, "...that's Ronan. Don't expect him to say much unless he's upset when someone complains about his cooking."

Elara blinked, her throat still dry.

"And the other one?" she asked, curious.

Caelum flashed a grin, bright and genuine against his sun-kissed skin.

"Ah, that's Theron. You'll know him when you see him. He has this strange energy about him; kind of like he's got a storm brewing all the time."

Hardly had he finished speaking when a tall figure emerged from the shadows. The man had dark hair falling haphazardly around his jaw and his shirt was only half-buttoned. He glanced at Elara, and that split second of eye contact felt charged, almost jarring. It was as if she had interrupted something sacred, and he turned away sharply, vanishing into the trees nearby with a water splash against the rocks.

Caelum seemed to sense her discomfort.

"He's not really into... being close to people," he explained quietly. "Don't take it personally. I'm pretty sure he'd flinch if the moon tried to brush against his cheek."

Elara found herself wanting to know more. She forgot that she almost died. The only thing that she was concerned about was Why these people saved her and what they were doing there.

"Why did you save me?"

Caelum's expression shifted slightly, seriousness creeping into his playful demeanour.

"Because we wanted to."

"That's not an answer."

"I know," he admitted. "But that's all I can give you for now."

The group didn't nag her with questions or make her share anything. They allowed her to sit near the comforting fire, and as morning broke, all of them simply stood up and started walking. Where they were headed was a mystery, but Elara felt compelled to follow; what choice did she have at this point?

None.

As they made their way through the forest, Caelum kept pace with her, exuding energy and chatter as if they were just out for a leisurely walk on a sunny day. Meanwhile, Ronan led the pack, always scanning their path and remaining quiet. Theron lingered behind, his gaze sharp and watchful... always alert as if danger could strike from anywhere.

None of them felt like typical wolves, and there was an absence of the usual pack dynamics. They weren't discussing ranks or issuing commands, nor were they looking for prey to hunt, which only deepened her sense of confusion.

'Who the hell are these people?'

Elara rubbed her sore arm, examining the scrapes on her skin. They looked better than she expected; marks that should be healing were almost gone, the bruises fading too quickly. She stole a glance at Caelum.

"You did something to me, didn't you?"

He raised an eyebrow, that innocent look on his face almost comical. "Define 'something'."

"My body is healing way too fast," she replied, trying to sound serious.

His shrug was slow and casual.

"Maybe you just didn't realize how strong you were."

"I'm not... strong."

She lowered her head, sad. If she were strong, she wouldn't have gotten thrown off the cliff and left to die. If she were strong, she would have had friends to talk with and not become an outcast in the village.

He didn't argue, just favoured her with a soft smile, keeping any thoughts to himself.

By the time dusk settled in, her legs were aching from the marathon of walking. They paused by a serene stream, and Ronan set to work, starting up a fire with ease. Theron drifted off into the shadows again, leaving her and Caelum by the flames. He broke some dried meat apart and handed it to her.

Elara chewed slowly, her hands shaking a bit.

"You're not going to tell me the truth, are you?" she asked, her gaze focused on the flickering flames. "What are you, really? It's obvious that you three aren't hunters,"

Caelum tilted his head, amused.

"Would you believe me if I said we're just travellers?"

"No."

"Well, then, it's probably best I didn't say it," he teased.

Her frown deepened.

"What do you want from me?"

"We don't want anything from you. Not yet," he said, and the way he said not yet made her stomach churn a little.

Elara glanced down at her trembling hands. It was hard to tell if it was the chill of the night or the knot of fear that had formed inside her. The old life she had known ended at the cliff's edge. This new reality? It was beyond her understanding.

Caelum spoke softly. "You're not like the others, Elara. You'll figure that out soon."

Suddenly, she was too curious. "How do you know my name?"

His smile faded slightly, though it still clung to his face. "You talk in your sleep."

Her cheek flushed red with embarrassment that she couldn't even ask what she talked about in her sleep. She was sure it was something bad.