Chapter12 :The shock
1128 Words
Stephanie woke slowly…
It wasn’t a normal awakening. It felt as though she was rising from the depths of a dark ocean toward an unfamiliar surface. Her heavy eyelids fluttered open with effort, a faint ache pulsing through her head—as if something had happened… something she couldn’t quite remember.
Where am I?
The first thing she noticed was the ceiling—high and intricately decorated, silver carvings stretching across it. A massive chandelier hung from the center, glowing with a dim, warm light. The room was vast… far too vast.
The bed beneath her wasn’t just a bed—it was enormous, draped in dark, luxurious fabrics, heavy curtains framing it on all sides.
She sat up abruptly, her breathing quickening.
This wasn’t her room.
The air was different.
The scent was different.
And then…
She saw him.
He was sitting in front of her on an elegant wooden chair near the window. His posture was straight, his expression rigid, his eyes fixed on her as though he had been watching her since the moment she woke.
She gasped and recoiled, her back hitting the headboard.
“Who are you?! Where am I?!”
Her voice trembled—but there was defiance in it.
He stood slowly. His movement was calm… yet carried a strange weight.
“I am Erling,” he said evenly.
Then after a pause, “Alpha Kristoff Erling. Leader of all werewolves… and your eternal mate. The one destined for you—the only man you will marry and spend your life with… whether you wish it or not.”
Silence filled the space between them.
Then she exploded.
“What?!”
She stared at him in disbelief.
“You—what did you just say? Werewolves? Marry you?!”
A short, stunned laugh escaped her.
“Is there something wrong with your head? Are you insane? How dare you kidnap me?!”
She moved as if to stand, but his gaze shifted instantly. His features hardened. His eyes darkened.
“Do not raise your voice at me,” he said sharply.
“And speak properly.”
She lifted her chin stubbornly.
“Or what?” she challenged.
“What are you going to do to me?”
A dangerous stillness fell over him.
“I’ll show you.”
He turned toward the door.
“Enter.”
The door opened immediately. A guard stepped inside and bowed deeply.
“Your orders, Alpha—”
He never finished.
In a movement too fast for Stephanie to comprehend, Erling struck. There was no full transformation—just a sudden surge of brutal strength. A short cry escaped the guard… and then silence.
The body collapsed lifeless onto the marble floor.
Blood spread across the white surface.
Stephanie’s scream echoed through the entire wing of the palace.
“Nooooo!”
Her body shook violently, her eyes locked on the horrifying sight before her. It had happened so quickly… so coldly.
Erling said nothing.
He offered no explanation.
He didn’t even look at her.
He walked to the door and opened it.
“Remove the body. Clean the wing,” he ordered coldly.
“And bring food for the lady inside.”
He tossed the words behind him and walked away. His footsteps faded down the long corridor… as though the shock he had left behind meant nothing to him.
#
Beyond the Walls
On the other side, near the forest border behind the massive stone wall—
Leo was on the verge of exploding.
“I’m going in! I won’t just stand here!”
His eyes burned with rage, fists clenched as the image replayed in his mind—his little sister being taken before his eyes by that stranger… that creature who had shifted from man to wolf.
Ian held him back firmly.
“Leo! Think! You won’t help her if you get yourself killed!”
Carley had collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.
“He took her… he took her right in front of us…”
Their parents arrived quickly. Despite their shock and grief, they tried to remain composed.
Their mother stepped toward the guard at the gate.
“Please… try to understand us. She is our daughter. She was taken by a savage wolf who entered this forest. She’s just a young girl—she cannot defend herself against that monster. Please… let us in. Don’t you have children you fear for?”
The guard sighed nervously.
“Believe me… it’s not in my hands. These are direct orders from the Alpha himself. If you step even one centimeter inside… we will all die. You and us.”
His voice lowered further.
“He is merciless. He would not hesitate.”
A heavy silence followed.
“But… I can try to help another way,” he added quietly. “Write a letter addressed directly to the Alpha. Explain everything in detail. Sign your names clearly. I will try to deliver it to the palace as soon as possible.”
Carley and Ian immediately began writing, their hands trembling.
When they handed it over, Mr. Anderson asked anxiously,
“Are you certain it will reach him?”
The guard nodded.
“If it is addressed to the Alpha, it will reach him. No one dares touch anything that belongs to him.”
He hesitated.
“Time is the only obstacle. If that is not a problem for you… then this is your best hope.”
#
Back at the Palace – Night
Evening fell over the royal palace.
Erling returned late, as usual.
He opened the door to his wing… and stopped.
Stephanie was lying on the floor near the bed, asleep in an awkward position. Tear stains marked her face.
The dining table had been overturned. Plates shattered. Food spilled across the marble floor.
He stepped forward.
“It seems she won’t surrender easily,” he murmured to himself.
He summoned the servants quietly.
“Clean. Without disturbing her.”
They bowed and worked in silence.
Erling approached her and paused for a brief moment.
Then he bent down and lifted her effortlessly into his arms.
She felt small—fragile—compared to him.
He carried her to the sleeping area within the large chamber and placed her gently on the massive bed.
For a moment, he studied her face.
She wasn’t afraid now.
Only exhausted.
He removed his coat, sat at the edge of the bed… then lay down beside her without touching her.
Silence settled over the room.
In the dining area, the servants finished cleaning, closed the doors quietly, and left.
The wing fell still once more.
And as the night deepened…
a fate far greater than either of them had begun to move within the shadows.
- Writer
