Claimed By The Lycan King

CHAPTER 2: He Shouldn’t Be Here

Elira’s POV

I couldn't sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw it again. The forest, the wolves. The poor man on his knees begging, and the way his voice broke right before his lifeless body fell forward.

I sat up sharply, dragging in a breath like I had been underwater. My room was quiet, it was morning already as the sunlight slipped through the curtains. My desk was exactly where I left it. My bag still lay on the chair, untouched.

Everything looked the same but I wasn’t. I pressed my fingers against my wrist. The mark was still there, as a reminder of what I saw.

It hadn’t faded overnight like I had hoped. It hadn’t even changed. If anything it feels like it is exactly where it should be. It feels settled.

“No,” I muttered, pulling my hand away. “No, no, this can't be happening.”

But it was, I hadn’t imagined the forest. He was not part of my imagination and what he did was not as a result of stress.

My stomach twisted. “I saw a man being killed” I whispered, “Someone was murdered in my presence,” Should I report it to the police, I thought. But how will I explain to them and the thoughts felt wrong.

I sat there, the mood felt too heavy for a quiet morning in Ashbourne City. A knock on my door broke my line of thought, “Elira? If you keep on sleeping we are going to be late!”

Maya, my best friend. I squeezed my eyes shut for a second, forcing everything down. Should I tell her or not, but how can I just walk up to her and say, hey, I accidentally walked into a hidden forest, watched a man get executed by something not human, and now I’m marked by the one who did it.

Yeah. That would go well, not weird at all.

“I’m up!” I called back, my voice tighter than usual.

I grabbed a long-sleeved top without thinking and pulled it on, covering the mark completely.

The walk to Ashbourne National University felt wrong. Every shadow made me tense, unfamiliar sound made my pulse spike.

I kept looking around and glancing over my shoulder. Expecting something or a wolf to jump at me.

Maya noticed immediately. “What’s wrong with you? You look like you saw a ghost and you keep looking around,” she said, eyeing me as we walked through the campus gates. I forced a small laugh. “I didn’t sleep well.”

“That bad?” she asked.

“You have no idea.”

If only she knew, she wouldn’t be this calm. Students moved around us, laughing, talking, living their normal lives.

Like I was watching a version of the world I no longer belonged to.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Maya pressed. “You’ve been quiet since yesterday and this morning you have been acting really suspicious."

Yesterday, the word hit me. Everything I know have changed in a single day.

“I’m fine, just tired” I said, trying to avoid further discussion. Maya raised a brow, “That sounded like a lie.”

“It isn't.” I replied in a defensive manner.

Suddenly, there was a change in the air, the same feeling from the forest crept over my skin.

My steps stopped. Maya kept on walking before noticing I wasn’t beside her anymore.

“Elira?” I didn’t answer.

There he was standing across the courtyard. Like he had been waiting for me to show up.

Like the world hadn’t just completely broken its own rules by letting him exist in it.

My chest tightened immediately and I placed my hand over it “No” I whispered.

Maya quickly came to my side. “What is wrong with you Elira?” she asked, coming to stand by my side.

“That’s him,” I said under my breath. Maya frowned. “Who are you talking about?” she looked around.

My heart started pounding again. “What is he doing here, He shouldn’t be here.”

The words slipped out before I could stop them. Maya blinked. “Okay, now you’re officially freaking me out.”

I took a step back instinctively and every instinct in my body screamed at me to run. But I couldn’t. Not in the middle of a crowded campus, He walked towards me and stopped a few feet away.

Close enough that I could see it clearly now. The same calm expression.

“You remember,” he said.

Instead of answering, I asked my own question, “How are you here?”

“Location does not restrict me.” That was not a normal answer.

“People are going to notice you,” I snapped quietly.

“No,” he said.

I frowned. “What do you mean no?”

“No one else is looking.” My stomach dropped.

I quickly glanced around. Students kept on walking past us, talking, laughing. Not a single one looked in our direction.

“That’s not possible,” I whispered.

“It is.” he answered back

My pulse quickened. “What do you want?”

His gaze flicked briefly to my wrist. Even through the sleeve, it burned as he looked at it.

“You were not supposed to leave,” he said.

I let out a shaky breath. “You told me to run.”

“Yes, I did.”

“Then why are you here? Are you stalking me?” I asked.

He sighs before responding “They will come after you.”

Cold fear slid down my spine. “Who are you referring to?” I asked, “The only person I know coming after me is you.” I said.

He stared at me before saying “Stormfang.”

The name hit harder this time, it sounded like a gang name. Now I understood something I didn’t before, they weren’t just wolves, they are more than that.

My voice dropped. “What do they want with me?”

“You.”

I stepped back with the sudden information. Maya stepped closer to me suddenly, her presence snapping me back slightly.

“Elira,” she said slowly, “Did you not really sleep well last night, why are you talking to yourself?” I froze.

I totally forgot that she was here with me and couldn't see him.

My grip tightened on my back pack slightly.

“I…” Kael’s voice cut through quietly.

“She should not stay near you,” he said.

Maya frowned. “Excuse me?”

Her eyes locked onto him now but she still could not see him.

And for the first time, she reacted. “Wait, did I just hear a voice.” she said slowly. “Who are you?”

“They are close,” he said without answering her.

My stomach dropped. “What does that mean?”

It happened before I could blink my eye, a sound low, sharp, unnatural cut through the air.

This time everyone heard it and saw them, students stopped walking. A figure moved at the edge of the courtyard.

Maya grabbed my arm. “Elira what is that?”

My heart slammed against my chest. Because I knew. “They found you,” Kael said quietly.

The world around us shifted from normal to chaos in seconds. Screams could be hea

rd everywhere.

All through it all a terrifying realization settled in. What started in the forest is not yet over.

It had just followed me home.