The Alpha's Captive

Chapter one

Chapter One

A bloodcurdling shriek sliced through the woods' quiet, followed by a sickening crunch that sent a shiver down my spine. I dove behind a gnarled oak, its bark scratching like a thousand tiny claws. My heart hammered – a frantic drum solo against my ribs – as the wolf's howls echoed, a chilling symphony. Then, a final, desperate plea: "Run! Don't let it find you!" The woman's voice, a fading whisper, was swallowed by the night.

Then, a chilling voice, bypassing my ears entirely, echoed in my mind: "Aetherion soma." It resonated deep within my bones, a bone-jarring tremor.

"I can't... I can't..." I gasped, my breath catching. Goosebumps erupted; a wave of icy dread washed over me. It felt like the air itself had turned glacial.

Suddenly, my foot caught on a root, sending me sprawling. My knee slammed against a rock, pain exploding through me. Before I could scramble up, the wolf loomed, its hot breath a fetid caress on my face.

"No, please," I whispered, tears streaming.

In the wolf's eyes, a flicker of… something like recognition. That insidious whisper returned: "Aetherion soma... Aetherion soma," it growled, directly into my mind, before its gaze hardened into a terrifying, feral intensity. It was like staring into the abyss itself.

My scream echoed, a desperate, final cry, before a hand shook me violently.

"Nox! Nox! Wake up!"

My sister, Lyna, worry etched on her face, peered down. "It was just a nightmare," she soothed. "You're safe now. You're home." Her hug, warm and comforting, slowly calmed my racing heart.

"The same dream?" Lyna asked, gently releasing me.

I nodded, trembling. "The wolf chased me again," I managed. "And it… it spoke to me. Or maybe it was in my head. I don't know. Like angry growls, vivid voices."

"What did it say?" she asked, rubbing my arms.

"Aetherion soma. It kept repeating it," I replied, the fear creeping back. It felt like a malevolent mantra, stuck on repeat in my head.

Lyna's brow furrowed. "I don't know what that means, but we'll figure it out."

“A weak smile touched my lips. Her unwavering support was a lifeline. "You're safe now. You're with me," she reassured, holding me close. But the image of those piercing yellow eyes lingered, a predator's gaze burning into my memory.

Later that morning, still shaken, I went downstairs. My father was glued to the television, his face a mask of grim determination.

"Third victim in as many weeks?" he muttered, slamming his coffee mug down with a thud. "What's wrong with these investigators? Can't they track down a single wolf?"

I jumped at his outburst, then chuckled. He could be so dramatic sometimes. "Dad, you're going to break the coffee table," I teased.

He glared at the screen. "I'll break the wolf's neck when I catch it," he growled, his expression fierce.

Lyna giggled. "You're so dramatic," she teased.

Dad shot her a look. "I'm a wolf hunter, not an actor," he retorted.

""Sure, Dad. That's why you still have your'Wolf Hunters' baby cup," I quipped, earning a laugh from both of them.

"Your mother had a quirky sense of humor," he chuckled, settling back. But the laughter faded, replaced by a heavy silence.

"This wolf… it might be a newly-turned one," my father mused.

"Newly-turned?" Lyna asked, confused.

"Yes," he confirmed. "That would explain the haphazard attacks. The question is, what triggered the transformation?"

A shiver ran down my spine. Something about his observation resonated, a feeling I couldn't quite place.

"Dad… I need to tell you something," I began, glancing at Lyna, who gave me a reassuring smile.

His expression turned serious. "Yes, Noxaria? What is it?"

Taking a deep breath, I blurted it out: "I've been having these dreams for the past three days... I think they're connected to the attacks."

His eyes locked onto mine, intense. "What do you mean?"

"The woman from the news, the victim… I saw her in my dream. She was attacked by a silver wolf," I whispered, trembling. My father's face paled.

"I've seen the other victims too," I confessed.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, concerned.

"I was scared. I didn't know what it meant," I mumbled.

"Do you know now?" he asked softly.

"No," I admitted.

He softened, putting a hand on my shoulder. "We'll figure it out… you might be special, Nox."

Goosebumps prickled my skin. "What do you mean?"

"You might be a seer, Nox. Like our ancestors. A rare gift, almost mythical. Then, it faded," he explained.

Goosebumps prickled my skin at his words. "I still don't understand”

"You might be a seer, Nox. Like our ancestors. Long ago, some hunters possessed foresight, but it was rare, one in a hundred perhaps. Then, the gift… it faded, lost to time," he explained.

My heart pounded in my chest. Me? A seer?

But before I could process this revelation, the doorbell rang. Lyna got up to answer it, and my father's expression turned serious.

"I'll get it," he said, getting up from the couch.

I rushed to the door, my heart racing. And that's when I saw it.

My father, standing in the doorway, a look of shock on his face. And behind him, a figure I never expected to see again.

My mother. Who had been dead for five years.

I felt like I had been punched in the gut. My mother, standing in our doorway, alive and well. It was impossible. I had attended her funeral, mourned her death, and accepted that she was gone.

But here she was, standing in front of me, a small smile on her face.

"Mom?" I whispered, my voice shaking. "Is that... is that really you?"

My mother's smile grew wider, and she took a step forward. "It's me, sweetie," she said, her voice warm and familiar. "I'm home."

I felt like I was in a dream, like this was all some kind of crazy illusion. But as I looked into my mother's eyes, I saw something there that made my heart skip a beat.

A glint of something that looked almost... feral.

But here she was, standing in front of me, a small smile on her face.

"Mom?" I whispered, my voice shaking. "Is that... is that really you?"

My mother's smile grew wider, and she took a step forward. "It's me, sweetie," she said, her voice warm and familiar. "I'm home."

I felt like I was in a dream, like this was all some kind of crazy illusion. But as I looked into my mother's eyes, I saw something there that made my heart skip a beat.

A glint of something that looked almost... feral.