MARKED BY TWO ALPHAS

The city of Serene always looked calm from the outside—clean streets, warm streetlights, and rows of small shops that made it feel modern, friendly, and effortlessly peaceful. But for Aurin, that peace was only a thin sheet of glass, clear but hiding something far deeper behind its reflection. Almost like a mirage. And for some reason she couldn’t explain, uneasiness had been clinging to her for days. Her heart kept whispering that the world she walked in had two faces: the one she could see… and the one that called to her through strange, vivid dreams. That night, an early-winter breeze brushed her cheeks as she lowered the café’s blinds. Serene Brewhouse was usually crowded during the after-work rush, but now only two customers remained, both lost in their laptops. No surprise—it was almost midnight. Normally at this hour, the café would already be closed and she’d be on her way home. Aurin checked the last order, then returned to the bar. She tied her long brown hair back; the black shirt and apron made her slim figure look a little older than her barely twenty years. And as always… she felt someone watching her. In the farthest corner sat the man in the black jacket. He came every Wednesday—eight sharp, always ordered an unsweetened Americano, and only spoke in short, clipped sentences. His receipt always had the same name, Raven. Aurin never paid much attention; customers came in, she served them, they paid. That was it. But little by little, her lack of interest turned into curiosity. She had once wondered why he carried several IDs but never changed the name he used. Still, that wasn’t what made him stand out. What made him impossible to ignore was his aura—cold, dense, like he carried a dark storm no one else could see. Whenever Raven entered, the café grew quieter. The room felt smaller. And lately, Aurin kept feeling sudden waves of warmth spreading through her body—strange bursts that came and went. Not enough to break her focus, but enough to unsettle her. When she walked toward his table to take the empty cup, Raven lifted his head. Those eyes—dark, sharp, as if they could cut right through a person—made her stop for a second. “You forgot to turn on the heater tonight,” he said quietly. His voice was low, gravelly, yet gentle in a way she couldn’t describe. For a moment she froze. Then he smiled—soft, brief—and Aurin swore she had never seen a smile that disarming. It almost felt like he had cast some kind of spell. She inhaled sharply. “Oh—right. Sorry. I’ll fix it.” Raven nodded once. He said nothing else, but his gaze followed her as she walked back to the bar, warm enough that the back of her neck tingled. She touched it, startled at the heat there. *Maybe I’m just tired,* she told herself. But her instincts didn’t agree. ─────── A little after nine, the city lights suddenly went out. The café lamps flickered once before dying, leaving only the glow from phone screens. “Another blackout?” one customer muttered. Aurin held onto a table so she wouldn’t trip in the dark. “I’ll check the breaker. Just a sec.” She took one step—then the world seemed to shudder. Just for a split second, but enough for her to feel it. A faint vibration, not from any machine… but from the air itself. She turned instinctively toward the corner. And for the first time ever, she saw it clearly. Raven’s eyes had turned silver—sharp, merciless, glowing even in the pitch-black room. And behind him, his shadow stretched upward, lengthening into the silhouette of a massive wolf standing on two legs. Aurin froze. Her breath lodged in her throat. But before she could react, the lights flicked back on—bright and steady, as if nothing had happened. Raven looked normal again. Dark eyes. Calm face. Aurin didn’t know if she had imagined it. He watched her for a moment—longer than usual—with an expression she couldn’t read. An expression that made the hairs on her arms stand. “You alright?” he asked, voice even. Aurin nodded slowly. “Y—yeah. Just startled.” He didn’t reply. Raven simply left a tip on the table, stood, and walked out without looking back. The café door closed. Silence returned. Aurin bit her lip. Was that… real? ─────── The café closed at ten. Aurin walked home alone, thankfully her small apartment wasn’t far. The shops along the way had already dimmed their lights, and the streetlamps flickered lazily as if they were tired too. She rubbed her arms. “Why is it so cold tonight…? This is unusual.” Halfway home, she heard a rustling sound behind her. Aurin turned. Nothing. Her pulse quickened. She walked faster. The sound came again. Krek… krek… Like heavy footsteps crushing branches—even though there were no trees around. Her stomach tightened. She turned once more— —and saw a pair of glowing red eyes at the end of the alley. “W-what…? That’s not human…” she whispered, without knowing how she knew. The creature stepped forward. Massive. Black. Its form blurred like a living shadow. Its movement wasn’t natural—too fast, too silent. Aurin stumbled back. “Help…” Her voice cracked. She started running. The creature growled. A deep, vibrating sound that rattled the air. She screamed and sprinted. Her feet pounded against the pavement, breath hitching. She didn’t dare look back. She felt the creature’s hot breath at her neck. She turned into the city park, hoping someone was there. But the park was pitch black. Aurin tripped and fell. Pain shot up her knee. Panic clawed at her chest. The creature lunged— —and suddenly the world… fractured Like glass cracking around her, thin glowing lines spreading through the air. The creature roared and clawed at something invisible. Aurin clutched her head. The ground spun beneath her. “What—what is happening?!” The cracks brightened—then shattered. And the world changed. In an instant, she was no longer in the city park. She stood in a strange forest filled with towering trees glowing faintly blue. The air smelled like earth and flowers she had never known. Aurin looked up. The sky had two moons. “W-what…?” she whispered. Both moons shone brightly, their light pouring over her like warm water. The freezing cold she’d felt earlier melted away into a gentle heat that seeped into her bones, almost comforting. “Is this… a dream?” But the wind felt real. The ground beneath her feet felt real. And the distant howl of a wolf—deep, echoing, calling her—felt real as well. Suddenly her body weakened. The moonlight shifted to a reddish glow, sinking into her skin, tingling like electricity. Her vision blurred. “Don’t faint… don’t…” she whispered. But her body didn’t listen. Before darkness claimed her, someone caught her. Warm arms. The scent of pine and earth. A familiar male voice—soft, steady, unmistakably real. “You’re safe now.” Aurin tried to look up, but her eyelids were too heavy. The last thing she heard was a quiet whisper at her ear. “I never thought we’d meet here… Aurin.” Then everything went dark.