The Marked Warrior
634 Words
The council chamber became deathly silent.
No one moved.
No one even breathed.
The stranger standing near the shattered windows radiated something far worse than ordinary power.
He radiated ruin.
Dark chains hung loosely from his wrists while silver eyes glowed unnaturally beneath the storm outside.
Ava’s pulse hammered violently against her chest.
The Blood Moon mark beneath her skin burned hotter with every second he looked at her.
“The Blood Moon has finally chosen its queen.”
His voice echoed through the chamber like a curse.
Kael immediately stepped further in front of Ava.
Protective.
Deadly.
His silver eyes darkened dangerously.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
The stranger smiled faintly.
“And yet destiny always brings me back.”
Ava looked between them shakily.
“You know him?”
Kael’s jaw tightened.
“His name is Lucien.”
Fear crossed several council members’ faces instantly.
One ruler whispered:
“The Fallen Wolf…”
Another backed away slowly.
“I thought he died years ago.”
Lucien laughed softly.
“Many people hoped so.”
The sound sent chills through Ava’s body.
Darius crossed his arms carefully, watching Lucien with narrowed eyes.
“This changes things.”
Kael’s voice became ice cold.
“You don’t get to speak.”
But Lucien ignored both of them completely.
His glowing silver eyes remained fixed entirely on Ava.
Studying her.
Watching her.
Like she fascinated him.
Ava fought the urge to step backward.
Something about him felt horribly familiar.
The whispers inside her head suddenly became louder.
He survived the Blood Moon.
A sharp pain struck behind Ava’s eyes again.
Images flashed violently across her mind.
Blood.
Fire.
A throne covered in silver flames.
And Lucien standing beside a woman wearing a crown stained red beneath the Blood Moon.
Ava gasped sharply.
Kael turned instantly.
“What happened?”
She grabbed her head painfully.
“I saw him…”
Lucien’s smile widened slightly.
“Interesting.”
Kael growled low.
“Stay out of her mind.”
Lucien finally looked toward Kael.
And for the first time…
The chamber felt truly dangerous.
Not tense.
Not hostile.
Dangerous.
“You’ve grown attached quickly,” Lucien murmured calmly.
Kael’s expression hardened immediately.
“She’s under my protection.”
Lucien tilted his head slightly.
“That’s exactly why she’ll suffer.”
The temperature in the chamber seemed to drop instantly.
Ava’s breathing became uneven.
Every instinct told her Lucien was worse than Darius.
Far worse.
Darius at least looked like a man.
Lucien looked like something broken by darkness long ago.
Selene suddenly stepped forward.
“What do you want?”
Lucien finally looked away from Ava.
His expression became unreadable.
“The same thing everyone wants.”
Lightning flashed outside the shattered windows.
“The Blood Moon Queen.”
Kael’s silver eyes glowed violently.
“She belongs to nobody.”
Lucien smiled slowly.
“That’s where you’re wrong.”
Before anyone could react—
The Blood Moon mark on Ava’s wrist suddenly exploded with silver light.
Pain shot through her body.
Ava cried out sharply as visions flooded her mind again.
This time stronger.
Faster.
She saw:
kingdoms burning,
wolves slaughtering each other,
Kael covered in blood,
and herself standing beneath the Blood Moon surrounded by silver fire.
Then one final image appeared.
Kael dying in her arms.
Ava screamed.
The chamber shook violently.
Silver energy exploded outward from her body, cracking the walls and sending wolves crashing backward.
Kael reached for her immediately.
“Ava!”
But the moment he touched her—
The power reacted.
The bond between them surged violently through the chamber.
Silver flames burst around both of them.
And suddenly every wolf in the room saw it.
The glowing thread of moonlight connecting Ava and Kael together.
The mate bond had fully awakened.
- Writer
