Malric At first, I had been drawn to this city, its beautiful walls and serene air, but by the time I was awake the next day and its people flooded the streets, everything changed. I loathed the boisterous air in the city so much, but Alruin seemed to love it. What I didn’t expect was for word about him to spread so quickly.‘The blood bearer’ he was called. Cain and the new girl, Nyari whispered words about Alruin as we walked through the streets of the city. I thought I would be recognized here, but Cain had told me that I didn’t need to draw a hoodie over my head, no one would know who I was. I still had my doubts. Vantheir was the most popular pack in our region, made possible by my father, who wouldn’t know who his son was? But it turned out that Cain was right. It felt so different when people looked at me and impassively looked away without bowing or acknowledging my presence. I felt completely invisible in a city that worshipped Alruin. Walking next to him practically turn
AlruinCain lied to us.We stood before the vast, bleak desert after descending from the cliff. Malric was never comfortable with him and kept glancing back to see if the beasts were keeping up with us. Cain urged him to relax as we were out of their reach for now. “Yeah, and how long until we are not? You are taking this life threatening journey of ours a bit too calmly for my liking.” Malric replied flatly, glaring at him suspiciously.The land hummed with emptiness as we stepped on to it, like a cemetery with no graves. I squinted ahead, trying to see how long it ran for, but only a dusty stretch drifted into the darkness ahead. Cain suddenly dropped to his knees and skimmed the dust with his fingers. I glanced at Malric, who carried a palpable, confused expression on his face, as Cain began to mutter strange words in an unfamiliar tongue.I placed a hand on his shoulder but right before I spoke, the ground suddenly rippled apart like a water current. I flinch, taking a step bac
LorakThere was something intriguing about the frozen cliffs that bordered the threshold of Silvermoon’s territory. I loved to stand there from time to time, staring into the roaring abyss below. It was like a memory coven, where all my deepest pains lay beneath. I sucked my teeth and tried to look away, but I couldn’t. It was all twisted now. I couldn’t forget the memories of the mate I once had, couldn’t stop hearing his screams, torturing every inch of what was left of my sanity. Now, all that trauma was coupled with twisted images of Alruin’s betrayal. I could feel him under me whenever I went to bed, writhing, gasping and calling out Malric’s name. I woke up each morning with a sting in my heart, a sour taste on my tongue. Nothing seemed right, everything that I had built for so many years came crashing down that terrible night Alruin left. I swallowed and my heart splintered as I recalled the night before the ceremony. The jubilation and festivity in the air, the congratula
Alruin How was this even possible?“These humans…how could that be? They turn into beasts in the daytime and humans at night?” I asked, utterly dumbfounded and I looked at Malric to see if he was as perplexed as I was…he wasn’t. “Malric?”“They were once human and now they are beasts,” the novice replied, “they only show glimpses of their true form whenever they enter this river, which is why they struggle to cross it. The water spirit keeps them from doing so and in the process, some of them are healed of the dark magic that has possessed them, but for only a limited time.” I ran my fingers through my hair, “This is insane. I never imagined…whose dark magic turned them into this? Was it the witch? Or her sister?”He shook his head, “Neither. I am Cain by the way,” he added, “these witches do not possess a magic strong enough to completely transform people into such things and the worst part of it is that they keep evolving with time.” I stared at the river again, watching the m
Lyra “The beasts are humans?” I mumbled, shocked, but not entirely in disbelief, “How is that even possible?”Eli stood at the door, watching me soliloquize. He had been silent ever since we returned from my pack. My father had called in sick again and needed me back at the pack. Of course, Draven had been appalled, but this was an issue concerning my father’s health, so of course he allowed me to go. He had also hinted something at the elders needing a luna that would be able to stay in the pack and show that she is actually interested in leading both of our people. Drekka had been waiting for me under the relentless rain. He had been standing at the pavilion in front of the mansion, his bloodshot eyes staring at me impassively, silently judging, and very observative. “You’re back. Your father has waited quite some time.” He had said, “And so have I. You didn’t come for your step mother’s burial.”I shrugged as I had walked past him, Eli following very closely behind, “I had othe
AlruinWe were back under the covers of the willow tree and I was still trying to catch my breath. He had beautiful, ludicrous green eyes that gleamed like embers in a night sky. His thin-lined lips were pursed attentively. His lean, diamond-shaped face carried a strange intensity that added more detail to his attentive features. I thought about it for a while, strained my mind until I felt an ache at the back of my head—I didn't know who this man was. He wasn't that old. Judging from what I could see, he had to still be in his early thirties. “Who the hell are you?” I asked and glanced behind me to see if Malric had noticed my absence, he hadn't. I had been stolen away from him so meticulously that Malric noticed nothing. “She sent me,” he replied and his eyes softened when she regarded me, “I'm sorry for dragging you away in that manner, but I didn't want,” he glanced behind me nervously, “to get his attention.” “Why? And who sent you?”“The witch, Marla,” he puffed out his