The Hunters Warnings.

They all stood there looking up to my room. It dawned to me that maybe that was the reason why Lucian vanished, he was afraid of the hunters. Suddenly they all strolled off sight.

I sat back on my bed. “What does he mean by we are bound by fate and blood? I need answers.” I dropped to my bed allowing the duvet to swallow me in.

****

It was already break time and I walked through the school alley, just to avoid everybody and everything and just be alone. My face looking down, my both hands wrapped around my books to my chest, I trudged with thoughts fighting each of them in my mind. Out of nowhere I hit someone, facing up, it was the Hunters. What do they want this time?

I was cornered to the back of the alley with their hands on my mouth. Not like I was going to scream or maybe I would.

“We saw you Aria, what were you doing with Lucian?”

“Nothing!” my voice trembling with fear.

“You can't say that Aria. We've warned you to stay away, don't you know how serious this is?”

“I'm sorry but it wasn't my fault he came to me. Ever after our encounter at the crypt coupled with his bite, I've been dreaming of him.”

“Tell me, what do you see?” the masked lady asked with so much curiosity.

“My dreams are always about him on a throne, people bowing before him, bloody wars and destructive ruling.”

They all look at each. Behind those masks they wore, I could feel their fear. “This is bad,” one of them says. The masked lady squats before me, holding my hands into hers.

“Aria we have to tell you this.” She looks at her fellow elders as if she needed approval and she goes on.

“Your bloodline isn't normal. You are not as ordinary as other humans Aria. You are a descendant of witches who were cursed on a mission to either kill or bind Lucian.”

My eyes open in surprise. I refused to believe but at the same time, it made sense why I was never told anything about my origin. What I was only told was that my father and mother died immediately after my birth—they were killed. However they made sure I was safe before their death. They sent me to my aunt, Lillian, to train me.

“How do I know this is true?” I questioned, not wanting to believe what strange grown men and women with costumes and weapons told me. The masked lady brought out a bracelet. I immediately recognised it. My aunt told me it was my mum's favourite thing to wear and she passed it down to me.

“How did you get this?” I slowly took it from her hand while bringing out the one I had in my pocket.

“It was your father's. Your mum and your dad wore matching bracelets but before your parents died, they gave you hers. And we got this from your dad's dead body.”

“Who killed them?” I asked with tears full in my eyes ready to pour down. She hesitated, breathing in.

“The vampires. They killed them when the Hunters and vampires had a serious war.”

“So Lucian?”

“He was the leader of the pack.” I broke into tears.

“Crying will not solve the problem. Action will. So help us destroy him or die being his ally.”

I looked at them, searching their eyes for answers to who I truly am and all I saw was hunger for vengeance.

“I will need time to think about this, it's too much for me now.”

“Okay no problem. We give you a week and you give us a reply.” The masked woman patted my shoulder as they marched out in silence in order not to be seen.

I cleaned my tears, stuffed back the two bracelets into my pocket, picked up my books and strolled to my room. I felt betrayed by Lucian, bits of feelings started chipping in and in no time it was already destroyed. Lucian was dangerous, but the hunters were cruel too.

****

I left for the woods that night, because I wanted alone time and my room wasn't a comfortable space anymore. I made my fire and tent, preparing my food for the night. The breeze of the woods brushing through my skin, the moon and stars watching over. This was definitely the serenity I needed.

Around 2am in the morning, I couldn't sleep. I was wide awake reading the book when I heard a sound.

A snap of branches. Heavy breathing. My chest tightened.

Before I could move, it lunged—massive, fur bristling, eyes glowing like embers in the dark. A wolf. Its growl shook through me, primal and merciless.

I barely had time to scream before its weight crashed into me, teeth flashing for my throat. Nailed to the ground and helpless, I was able to reach for the fire, burning it. It wailed in pain retreating. Breathing in relief I looked up. I saw a pack of wolves all howling—calling out its pack members. My heart dropped to my stomach in fear of what to do.

Suddenly, his hand closed around my wrist like steel, dragging me away before I even saw the danger.

“Don’t fight me,” he growled, his breath hot against my ear. His voice was low, commanding, like every word was law.

The night trembled with threats, but he didn’t care, he shoved me behind him, fangs flashing as he hissed at the pack of wolves.

“No one touches what’s mine,” he snarled, his eyes wild and burning.

When I tried to protest, he only pulled me tighter against his chest, his strength suffocating but intoxicating, leaving me breathless. His possessiveness frightened me, yet the dangerous safety in his grip made me surrender.

Growling at each other for a while, the wolves retreated, backing off. Immediately I pulled out from his embrace as if I wasn't happy feeling his body warmth against mine.

“I just saved you, and this is how you act?”

“Well I never begged for your protection.” I snapped, sitting down.

His hands in his pockets, he walked in circles as if he was doing some sort of ritual.

“What are you doing?” I asked, looking at him.

“I admire how beautiful you are, Aria, and we being bethrode makes it so much better.”

“I'm not bethrode to you. Why would I be bethrode to a killer?” he freezes, my words like a sharp knife that cut through him. He stares at me, his reply too heavy to leave his mouth.

“Oh! And all of a sudden you keep quiet?” I scoffed.

“Who told you that?”.

“Told me what? That you are a killer? Come on Lucian is evident in your nature.”

“Killer or not Aria, this mark binds us forever, even your blood betrays you, you crave me.” Despite my attempts to reject him, my body, soul and everything wants him. He always ends up being right.

His breath brushed against my lips, hot, tempting, so close that I swore the world around us had paused, holding its breath with me. My heart raced, every nerve screaming for the kiss that was just a heartbeat away.

Then, movement. A presence. Shadows split, and figures emerged from the dark.

The moment shattered like glass. He froze, fangs retreating, his eyes darting past me. Their arrival cut the air like a blade, yanking us apart before our lips could meet.

Lucian’s eyes glowed crimson as he whispered “Run.”