Hunted By The Shadows
685 Words
The forest turned deadly silent.
Rain poured heavily through the trees while the glowing silver eyes in the darkness slowly surrounded them.
Ava's heartbeat pounded painfully inside her chest.
There were too many.
At least twenty wolves stood hidden between the shadows now.
Watching.
Waiting.
The warrior beside Kael gripped his weapon nervously.
"Shadow rogues," he muttered.
Kael's expression darkened instantly.
Ava frowned.
"Shadow what?"
"No ordinary rogues hunt during a Blood Moon," Kael said coldly.
The deep voice from the darkness echoed again.
"Hand over the girl, Alpha King."
A massive wolf slowly stepped into view.
Unlike the others, this creature's fur was completely black, with silver scars running across its body like burned markings.
Its eyes glowed unnaturally bright.
Danger radiated from him.
The wolf shifted suddenly.
Silver smoke wrapped around his body before a tall man appeared beneath the rain.
Dark armor covered his chest while a long scar stretched across his jaw.
His silver eyes landed directly on Ava.
And smiled.
Ava instantly hated him.
"Well," the stranger murmured softly, "the rumors were true."
Kael stepped in front of Ava protectively.
"You crossed into my territory, Darius."
So that was his name.
Darius looked completely unbothered.
"I didn't come for war."
His silver gaze slid toward Ava again.
"I came for her."
The way he said it made Ava's skin crawl.
Kael noticed.
His wolf growled low inside his chest.
"You're not touching her."
Darius laughed softly.
"That sounds dangerously possessive for a man who just met her."
The warriors around Kael stiffened awkwardly.
Ava's pulse quickened.
Even she had noticed it.
The way Kael stood too close.
The way he kept shielding her.
The way his eyes followed every movement she made.
None of it felt normal.
Darius tilted his head slightly while studying Ava.
"Interesting."
Kael's voice turned colder.
"Leave."
Instead, Darius stepped closer.
Rain dripped slowly from his dark hair while his expression remained calm.
"But you haven't told her yet, have you?"
Ava frowned immediately.
"Told me what?"
Silence.
Kael's jaw tightened.
Darius smiled wider.
"The Blood Moon mark only appears for one reason."
A cold feeling slid through Ava's stomach.
Kael spoke before Darius could continue.
"Enough."
But Darius ignored him completely.
"The mark means you're bound to someone now."
Ava blinked.
"What?"
Darius pointed lazily toward Kael.
"The Alpha King."
The entire forest seemed to freeze.
Ava stared at Kael in disbelief.
"No."
Kael remained silent.
That silence terrified her more than anything.
"You're lying," Ava whispered.
Darius chuckled darkly.
"Am I?"
Ava looked desperately toward Kael.
"Tell me he's lying."
Kael's silver eyes met hers.
The tension between them suddenly felt suffocating.
"The Blood Moon chooses mates differently from ordinary wolves."
Ava's chest tightened painfully.
"No."
She shook her head immediately.
"No, absolutely not."
Kael stepped closer carefully.
"Ava—"
"You don't even know me!"
A strange emotion crossed Kael's face.
Something dangerous.
Possessive.
"That doesn't change what the bond says."
Ava backed away instantly.
The glowing mark beneath her wrist suddenly burned hotter.
The same moment Kael's eyes darkened.
Darius looked amused watching both of them.
"Fascinating."
Kael snapped toward him furiously.
"You've seen enough."
"Oh, I disagree."
The atmosphere changed instantly.
The shadow wolves surrounding them growled low.
Darius smiled coldly.
"Because now I know why the kingdoms have been searching for her."
Ava's pulse quickened again.
Searching?
Before she could ask—
Darius suddenly moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
He lunged directly toward Ava.
Kael attacked instantly.
The force of both Alpha wolves colliding shook the forest violently.
Trees cracked.
Warriors shouted.
Shadow wolves charged from every direction.
Chaos exploded beneath the Blood Moon.
Ava stumbled backward as wolves fought around her violently.
Snarls echoed through the storm.
Blood stained the rain-soaked ground.
Kael slammed Darius against a tree with terrifying force.
"Run!" Kael roared toward Ava.
But before she could move—
Something grabbed her from behind.
Ava screamed.
A shadow wolf dragged her violently into the darkness.
And the last thing she saw before disappearing into the forest…
Was Kael killing every wolf in his path to reach her.
- Writer
