Claimed By The Moon
692 Words
Ava's wrist burned like fire beneath her skin.
She cried out and stumbled backward, clutching the glowing crescent mark now etched across her arm.
Silver light pulsed beneath the rain.
The warriors surrounding Kael looked horrified.
One even dropped to one knee immediately.
"The Blood Moon mark…" he whispered shakily.
Ava's pulse pounded painfully.
"What does that mean?"
Nobody answered her.
Kael's silver eyes remained fixed entirely on the mark.
His expression had changed.
The dangerous confidence from earlier was gone.
Now he looked tense.
Almost furious.
And somehow… worried.
The forest suddenly felt colder.
The crimson moon above them glowed brighter through the storm clouds, casting blood-red light across the trees.
Ava backed away slowly.
"Somebody tell me what's happening."
One warrior glanced nervously toward Kael before speaking.
"The mark vanished centuries ago. It was destroyed with the Blood Moon Queen."
Kael's voice turned deadly sharp.
"Enough."
Silence crashed through the forest instantly.
Ava stared at him in disbelief.
"You keep ordering everyone to stay quiet while I'm the one standing here with something burning through my skin!"
Kael stepped toward her slowly.
Rain dripped from his dark hair while silver eyes locked intensely onto hers.
"You need to calm down."
"I am calm."
"You're shaking."
Ava hated that he was right.
Fear crawled through every part of her body now.
Nothing about tonight made sense anymore.
First the wolves.
Then Kael.
Now this strange symbol glowing beneath her skin like something alive.
The mark suddenly pulsed again.
Pain exploded through Ava's arm violently.
She gasped sharply as her knees nearly gave out beneath her.
Kael caught her instantly.
One arm wrapped around her waist before she could hit the ground.
The moment he touched her—
The pain vanished.
Completely.
Ava froze against him.
So did Kael.
The connection between them slammed through her chest without warning.
Warm.
Powerful.
Dangerous.
A strange energy spread through her entire body where his hand rested against her waist.
Kael's grip tightened slightly.
His silver eyes darkened.
The warriors exchanged nervous looks immediately.
"My king…" one started carefully.
Kael ignored him.
Ava became painfully aware of how close they were standing.
Rain slid down Kael's face slowly while his scent surrounded her completely—smoke, pine, and something wild she couldn't explain.
It should not have affected her this much.
But it did.
Kael looked down at her like he was fighting something inside himself.
Then Ava noticed it.
His wolf eyes had begun glowing brighter.
The realization made her heartbeat quicken.
Slowly, Kael released her.
But not before his fingers brushed lightly against her wrist again.
The burning mark flickered beneath his touch.
Both of them noticed.
Kael's expression darkened instantly.
"That's impossible."
Ava stepped away quickly.
"There's that word again."
One of the warriors suddenly spoke nervously.
"If the council discovers her existence, they'll demand her execution."
Ava's stomach dropped.
"Execution?"
Kael turned toward the warrior with lethal calm.
"No one touches her."
The forest became silent again.
Even the warriors looked shocked by his reaction.
Ava frowned.
"Why do you even care what happens to me?"
Kael looked back at her slowly.
His silver gaze moved across her face like he was memorizing every detail.
"Because I think you're the reason the Blood Moon returned."
Thunder cracked violently overhead.
The wolves in the forest suddenly began howling again.
But this time…
They sounded afraid.
Ava wrapped her arms around herself uneasily.
"What am I?"
Kael stayed silent for several seconds.
Then he answered quietly:
"The beginning of a war."
Before Ava could respond—
A horrifying scream echoed through the forest.
Everyone turned instantly.
One of the warriors near the trees was suddenly dragged violently into the darkness.
Blood splattered across the mud.
Ava screamed.
The remaining wolves growled immediately.
Kael stepped protectively in front of her.
Something enormous moved between the trees.
Not a rogue.
Something worse.
Silver eyes appeared in the darkness.
Then another.
And another.
Dozens.
A deep voice echoed through the forest coldly:
"Bring me the Blood Moon girl."
Kael's entire body tensed.
For the first time since meeting him…
The Alpha King looked ready to kill.
- Writer
