Chapter 4: He Said, You Are Mine
795 Words
The ear-splitting howl hung in the air, a primal, thunderous sound that made the ground tremble and the corrupted wolves cower, their tails tucked between their legs. Ella’s grip on Eva’s wrist faltered, her golden eyes widening in terror—fear she’d never shown before. “No… that can’t be,” she whispered, her voice shaking, the dark magic swirling around her beginning to waver. Eva took the chance, yanking her wrist free, the sharp claws leaving four thin, bleeding gashes on her skin. She stumbled back, collapsing into Kaelen’s arms as he shifted back to human form, his body still bloodied but his strength renewed by their bond.
Kaelen wrapped his arms tightly around her, his amber eyes fixed on the darkness of the forest, his jaw set in a hard line. “Stay behind me,” he murmured, his voice low and protective, his hand brushing the hair from her face. Lia stumbled over, her arm still sore but her resolve unshaken, and stood beside them, gripping the fallen branch tightly. The corrupted wolves, once ferocious, now huddled together, whimpering, as the mysterious howl echoed again, closer this time—so close that the trees swayed, their leaves rustling like whispers.
Ella’s face twisted with a mix of rage and terror, her scales flickering as her dark magic struggled to hold. “Whatever that is, it won’t save you,” she snarled, trying to regain her composure, but her voice betrayed her fear. She lunged at Eva again, claws bared, but Kaelen stepped in front of her, catching Ella’s wrist mid-air, his grip so tight that she screamed in pain. “You touch her again, and I’ll tear you apart,” he growled, his eyes blazing with a fury Eva had never seen—raw, primal, unforgiving.
The forest around them grew brighter, the silver glow from the trees intensifying, wrapping around Kaelen and Eva like a warm embrace. Eva felt the resonance in her fingertips grow stronger, pulsing in perfect harmony with Kaelen’s heartbeat, as if the forest’s magic was merging with their bond. Her wounds began to tingle, the gashes on her wrist healing slowly, while Kaelen’s remaining cuts closed, the last traces of venom fading from his veins. Lia watched in awe, the branch in her hand lowering as she realized the forest was fighting with them, not against them.
“You can’t win, Ella,” Eva said, her voice steady now, the faint glow on her fingertips brightening into a soft silver light. “The forest doesn’t want your dark magic. And neither does Kaelen.” Ella shrieked, pulling against Kaelen’s grip, her body contorting again as she tried to transform into her snake form, but the silver light from the trees wrapped around her, trapping her in her half-human state, her scales melting away. “No! I won’t lose!” she screamed, her golden eyes wild with madness.
Kaelen tightened his grip, pulling Ella closer, his voice cold and final. “She’s mine,” he said, his gaze never leaving Eva, the words heavy with promise and possession. “You’ve tried to take her, tried to break us, but you’ve failed. Now, pay for what you’ve done.” Just as he raised his free hand, ready to strike, the mysterious howl echoed once more—this time, so close that a massive shadow emerged from the mist, towering over them, its eyes glowing a bright, unearthly silver. It wasn’t a wolf, not quite—its body was larger, more ancient, with fur like stardust and antlers that twisted toward the moon.
Ella went silent, her body going limp with terror, as the creature lowered its head, its gaze fixed on Eva. Kaelen stepped in front of her, shielding her, but the creature made no move to attack. Instead, it let out a soft, rumbling sound, as if speaking in a language no one could understand. Eva felt the resonance in her fingertips surge, a warm pulse that seemed to answer the creature’s call. Before she could reach out, the creature turned, vanishing back into the mist, but not before leaving a single, glowing silver feather on the ground—its tip stained with a dark, viscous liquid that looked like dried blood. Kaelen picked it up, his brows furrowed, and Eva leaned closer, her heart pounding. The feather’s glow dimmed, revealing a faint symbol carved into its surface—a symbol she’d seen before, in a dream, the same symbol that marked Kaelen’s wrist. And in that moment, she knew: the creature wasn’t their enemy. It was a messenger. And it had come to warn them of something far more dangerous than Ella—something that would test their bond, and their strength, beyond anything they’d ever faced.
- Writer
