The Bond That Burns
747 Words
"Ava!"
Kael's roar tore through the forest like thunder.
The shadow wolf dragging her through the trees tightened its grip painfully around her waist while rain lashed against her face.
Branches clawed at her skin as she struggled desperately.
"Let me go!"
The creature only growled.
Its claws dug deeper into her arm.
Fear crashed through Ava's chest violently.
The forest around them blurred from speed.
Behind her, wolves howled.
Closer.
Kael was coming.
The shadow wolf cursed under its breath and moved faster.
But suddenly—
A burning pain exploded beneath Ava's wrist.
She cried out sharply.
The Blood Moon mark blazed silver beneath her skin.
The wolf dragging her suddenly screamed.
Smoke rose from its hand where it touched her.
"What the hell—"
Its grip loosened instantly.
Ava twisted free and stumbled hard against the muddy ground.
She barely had time to breathe before another wolf appeared from the darkness.
Then another.
Three shadow wolves slowly circled her now.
Ava backed away shakily.
Her pulse thundered inside her ears.
She had nowhere left to run.
One wolf shifted into human form.
A scarred woman with silver eyes stepped forward beneath the rain.
"You should come quietly," she said calmly.
Ava glared at her fearfully.
"I'm not going anywhere with you."
The woman sighed.
"You really don't understand how important you are yet."
Ava's chest tightened.
"What do you people want from me?"
Before the woman answered—
A violent growl ripped through the forest.
Every shadow wolf froze.
Fear flashed across their faces instantly.
Then Kael appeared.
And Ava stopped breathing.
His clothes were stained with blood.
Silver eyes glowing unnaturally bright.
Pure rage radiated from him.
The forest itself seemed afraid of the Alpha King now.
The woman beside Ava cursed quietly.
"Move," Kael said coldly.
Nobody moved.
Rain dripped slowly from his dark hair while his gaze remained locked entirely on Ava.
Checking her.
Making sure she was alive.
The terrifying thing was how relieved he looked for one brief second after finding her.
Then the rage returned immediately.
One shadow wolf lunged first.
Big mistake.
Kael caught the wolf by the throat before slamming him violently into a tree hard enough to crack the trunk.
The other wolves attacked together instantly.
Chaos exploded around Ava again.
Kael moved like something inhuman.
Fast.
Deadly.
Merciless.
One wolf fell.
Then another.
Blood splattered across the rain-soaked forest floor.
Ava stared in horror.
This was the real Alpha King.
Not the controlled version she met earlier.
This version was terrifying.
The scarred woman suddenly grabbed Ava's arm again.
"We're leaving."
Ava fought back immediately.
"No!"
The woman's silver eyes narrowed.
"You don't understand. If Kael keeps protecting you, the northern kingdoms will declare war."
Ava froze.
"Why?"
The woman looked toward Kael briefly.
"Because the Blood Moon Queen was prophesied to destroy the Alpha bloodlines."
The words slammed into Ava painfully.
Queen?
Destroy?
Nothing made sense anymore.
A wolf crashed through the trees suddenly.
Kael.
His silver eyes landed on the woman holding Ava.
And something dark crossed his face.
"Touch her again," he said quietly, "and I'll kill you slowly."
The woman immediately released Ava.
Even she looked afraid now.
Kael walked toward Ava carefully.
The wolves around him backed away instinctively.
Not one dared challenge him again.
Ava's breathing became uneven.
Because despite the blood covering him…
Despite the violence…
She still felt safest near him.
And that terrified her most of all.
Kael stopped directly in front of her.
His silver eyes moved across her face slowly.
"You're hurt."
Only then did Ava notice the blood on her arm from the wolf claws.
Kael's jaw tightened instantly.
The air around him became dangerous again.
"It's nothing," Ava whispered.
But Kael reached for her wrist gently.
The moment his fingers touched her skin—
The Blood Moon mark flared brightly again.
A sharp pulse of energy exploded between them.
Both of them froze.
Ava suddenly felt everything.
Kael's rage.
His fear.
His overwhelming need to protect her.
The emotions crashed into her chest so intensely she gasped.
Kael looked just as shocked.
The bond.
It was growing stronger.
The scarred woman stepped backward nervously.
"My king…"
Kael ignored her completely.
His eyes remained fixed on Ava.
And for the first time…
She saw something vulnerable beneath all that terrifying power.
"You feel it too," he murmured.
Ava swallowed hard.
Yes.
She did.
And somehow…
That frightened her more than the wolves.
- Writer
