Chapter 3

I could not tear my eyes away when the man was fighting with the wolves.

As he was winning over them, the wolves started to run away with their wounded bodies. However, it seemed they left their leader to the man.

The air was thick.

The wounded wolf lay broken in the slush, its gray fur turned red with blood.

The mysterious man raised his hand as he was holding a weapon, a sharp wooden stake. He was going to kill that gray wolf in front of my eyes.

There was no hatred in his eyes, but only grimness. He was inches away from killing him.

"NO!"

The word burst from my mouth with a loud gasp.

Before the wooden stake could touch the wolf's body, I moved from the tree and rushed toward the mysterious man.

My hands were small and trembling before him. I held his wrist with a shaky grip and whispered,

"Please don't. Don't commit such cruelty."

The man paused.

He glanced at my hands, which were holding his wrist. Then he shifted his gaze to my face.

I was too afraid to look into his eyes. He stared at me for a moment then he curled his lips into a dark, dangerous smile.

"Interesting."

His deep voice came like a blow of wind to my face as a strand of my hair moved.

But then he yanked his hand away from my grip. I was terrified that he would not listen to me and would kill the wolf right away.

But to my surprise,

He withdrew his hand from killing the wolf.

That time, I lifted my head to meet his eyes with a surprised look. But before I could lock my eyes with him, he collapsed on the ground.

I looked down at the man with a shocked face.

He was wounded, so he passed out. Even as he lost consciousness, I could still feel the overwhelming aura radiating from him.

The half-dead wolf groaned and limped to flee away. I gulped, watching the wolf look so fearful.

I returned my gaze to the wounded man.

"Who is he?" I murmured under my breath.

I got to my knees to check on his wounds as blood was coming out of his head.

As soon as I moved closer to him, his scent hit my nostrils.

I blinked as his scent was strangely intoxicating, pulling me in a way I could not describe.

"No, no. I have to help him. I can't see anyone dying before my eyes," I told myself to suppress the fear.

I got up and started to search the area for herbs. I found a few, as I knew about them well for my regular wounds.

I went back to him and tried my best to treat his wounds.

It took everything I had, but I dragged him to my dwelling—a small wooden cabin.

As I always slept on the floor, I had no bed there. So I had to prepare a place for him to rest on the floor.

I rushed to take a soft, soaked cloth and knelt beside the man.

"Should I?" I mumbled to myself as I was hesitant to touch his face.

I took a deep breath and lifted my hand. I gently wiped the blood from his face.

Gasp!

My eyes widened.

I had never seen a man more handsome than Justin.

The man in front of me was breathtaking. His features were striking, sharply defined, and haunting.

He didn't look like a monster or a victim; he looked like a work of art hidden in the ruins of the Forbidden Mountain.

My breath caught for a second as I leaned closer, staring at his sculpted face silently.

That was when he opened his eyes and our gazes met.

I gasped again, but this time loudly. I stumbled back in shock and fear.

"Who are you?" the man asked with a deep and cold voice.

I tried to calm myself and replied,

"M-My name is Erica."

His eyes narrowed instantly. “Which pack?”

My expression remained composed when he mentioned my pack. I exhaled deeply. “The Nightfall Pack.”

But I quickly shook my head in denial. “Maybe that’s not quite right. I used to belong to it. Not anymore.”

I once hoped my adoptive parents would contact me. But they never did.

My eyes redden at the thought. The man noticed my expression and remained silent.

After a moment of silence, I asked, "What is your name?"

His eyes clouded, and his gaze blurred. He answered in a low voice. His pronunciation was faint and rough from his injuries.

I assumed he said "Kael."

"Did you just say your name is Kael?" I asked him to correct me if I was wrong.

The man did not respond to correct me. I thought I guessed right.

"Where is your home?" I asked softly. "And how did you end up in such a dangerous place?"

"I don't belong to any pack," he replied flatly.

I was stunned.

A rogue?

'Should I send him away? ' I thought with nervousness.

But when I saw how pitiful he looked in his weakened state, I changed my mind.

'He is just like me. Helpless and homeless! 'I said to myself as I saw myself in him.

"You can stay here. I will help you recover and find a home, okay?" I said to him,

The man's brows slightly moved when he heard me. But he did not say anything in reply.

I went to my small kitchen and prepared a simple meal for him.

"Eat it first," I told him.

He heard me. But he did not speak. I wondered if he hurt his mouth.

"I need to finish my work. I am leaving."

I hurried out of my wooden cabin and went back to the way to fetch water.

The river was far away, and by the time I reached there, my legs were aching in pain.

I worked until night fell.

As I was holding the water bucket tightly with my shaky hands, I ran into Sally.

Sally was a vicious woman who had never lost a hunt. To see her here, on the Forbidden Mountain, meant that death had finally arrived.

It was my bad luck that she admired Alpha Justin and had always despised me.

"Whore, you are here!" Sally spoke with disgust.

I tried to walk past her, ignoring her.

But I felt a kick on my knees from behind. I immediately fell on the ground with my water bucket.

Sally looked down at the full water bucket and kicked it over on purpose.

The water splashed everywhere, soaking my clothes and making the ground muddy.

"Look what you did," Sally laughed, her voice mean and loud.

"Why did you do that?" I asked Sally with a dry voice.

Sally's friends came to stand next to her. "You talk back to Sally? Don't you know what power she holds here?"

After saying that, they started to kick my body on the ground.

I struggled to break free, but they didn't give me a chance as they beat me viciously.

When I could no longer move on the ground, they scoffed at me and left me there injured.

“Die here.”

I was lying there for a long time, staring at the night sky with tears rolling down from my eyes. I wondered why my fate was punishing me like this.

I was there like that... I could not move in pain.

Darkness was closing in, and I was alone until I heard footsteps. Someone was coming close.

Before I could move, a pair of strong arms swept me up and held me tight. I was locked in a strange, deep warmth I had never felt before.

Then everything around me went black.