HE SAVED MY LIFE
1189 Words
The growl came again, closer this time.
I squeezed Kael’s hand tighter. My whole arm felt stiff. “What is that?”
“Stay behind me,” he said.
His voice was so steady, it scared me worse than whatever was out there. I tried to see into the trees. Only darkness. Not even the faintest shape.
But then—something shifted.
A figure stepped out from behind a tree. A black mask hid his face.
I stopped breathing.
A second masked figure slipped into view, then a third. Kael let go of my hand.
“Don’t move,” he told me.
“Who are they?” My voice came out small.
He didn’t answer.
The first masked wolf drew a silver blade. My stomach dropped.
“Kael…”
“I said, stay behind me.”
The man charged. Kael moved before I could even scream. Their blades crashed together, metal ringing through the trees.
Kael twisted the attacker’s arm and slammed him to the ground. Another one lunged from the side. Kael turned and punched him. Hard. The guy flew into a tree and crumpled.
I backed away, tripping over roots. There were too many. Five—no, six. I couldn’t keep count. My legs wouldn’t budge. I’d never seen anything like this.
But Kael stood in front of me, solid, unmoving. A wall.
One of them snarled. “Give us the girl.”
Kael’s eyes went cold. “No.”
“She’s not yours,” another said.
His jaw set. “She’s under my protection.”
Someone laughed—a harsh, ugly sound. “You rejected her.”
My heart twisted. Even now, they knew.
Kael said nothing. The first man attacked again.
This time, Kael’s wolf showed itself. Silver flashed in his eyes. The air changed—thicker, electric. A wave of Alpha power rolled off Kael, and I swear I felt it knock against my bones. My knees nearly buckled.
The attackers wavered. One dropped his weapon.
I just stared at Kael. This wasn’t the quiet man from the ceremony hall. This was something furious and huge and terrifying.
Kael growled, “Leave.”
He didn’t yell, but the whole forest seemed to tremble.
The attackers hesitated, then someone yelled, “Kill the girl!”
Everything exploded.
Two wolves sprinted at me. I screamed and ran—didn’t get far.
One caught my arm, fingers like iron. Pain shot up my shoulder. “Let me go!”
He raised his blade. I saw it shine—then Kael was there. He slammed the attacker into the ground so hard the knife went flying.
He spun toward me. “Are you hurt?”
I couldn’t answer. He grabbed my shoulders. “Elara!”
I nodded, barely. “I... I’m fine.”
His gaze searched my face, then dropped to my arm. A red mark bloomed where I’d been grabbed. His eyes darkened. Something sharp—angry.
He turned to the attacker, who was crawling away. Kael yanked him up by the collar.
“You touched her.”
The man’s eyes went wide. “Wait—”
Kael slammed him into a tree. I flinched. “Kael!”
He looked at me for half a heartbeat—then let the man drop.
The rest attacked at once. Kael didn’t even flinch. He fought all of them, one after another, moving so fast I couldn’t follow. A punch, a kick, that terrible growl, silver gleaming. And blood.
I covered my mouth. This couldn’t be real. Kael was doing this for me. The man who’d rejected me less than an hour ago was... fighting to keep me alive.
One of the masked wolves circled behind him. I spotted the blade before Kael.
“Kael!” I screamed.
He twisted, but not fast enough. The knife slashed his side, blood soaking through his shirt.
My heart stuttered.
“Kael!”
He staggered. The attacker lifted his blade again. I don’t know what snapped inside me. I grabbed a branch and threw it at the man.
He glanced my way—just enough. Kael drove into him, knocking the weapon across the ground.
The remaining attackers traded looks. One whistled. “Retreat!”
They melted into the woods.
Kael started to chase, then stopped. His hand went to his side. Blood trickled out between his fingers.
I rushed over. “You’re hurt.”
“It’s nothing.”
“That’s not nothing.” I reached for his hand.
He flinched away. “Elara.”
“Let me see.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re bleeding!” My breath shook.
He looked at me, and for a moment, neither of us said a word. Then he sighed.
“It’s a scratch.”
I stared at the blood on his palm. “A scratch?”
He almost smiled. “You worry too much.”
I wanted to hit him. “You could’ve died.”
His expression shifted, softer somehow. “I wouldn’t let them touch you.”
My heart skipped a beat. I looked away.
Why did he keep saying things that made it impossible to hate him? He broke my heart. He rejected me.
And here he was, bleeding because of me.
I pressed my lips together. “Why would they attack me?”
Kael’s face turned grim. “I don’t know.”
“You’re lying.”
His eyes narrowed. “I don’t lie.”
“You hide things.”
He didn’t say anything.
The woods were quiet now. Too quiet. I spotted a body not far away—one of the attackers hadn't made it out. I walked toward him. Kael followed.
“Elara, don’t.” He tried to stop me.
I ignored him.
The mask had fallen away. The man was barely breathing. Something was stitched onto his sleeve—a black symbol, like a crescent moon with three sharp lines.
I crouched down. “What is that?”
Kael’s face changed. He knew it.
“Don’t touch it.”
“Why?”
He didn’t answer.
Suddenly, the dying man’s eyes opened. He saw me, real shock flickering across his face.
“No…”
I froze.
He tried to sit up. “The mark…”
I glanced at my wrist. The crescent-shaped mark there started to burn. Hard, hot pain.
I gasped and grabbed my wrist. The man stared—like he’d seen a ghost.
“You…” His breathing came ragged.
Kael stepped between us. “Who sent you?”
The man didn’t look at him, only me. Then his voice rasped out:
“The Lost Luna…”
My blood went cold.
Kael’s face lost all its color.
The wolf on the ground tried to smile. “She must…”
He coughed blood.
I could barely breathe. “What does that mean?”
His eyes locked with mine. “The Lost Luna must die.”
Then he went still.
I stared at his dead body, the mark on my wrist aching.
When I finally tore my eyes away, Kael was looking right at me. For the first time since I’d met him, the Alpha King looked afraid. Truly afraid.
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