CHAPTER FOUR: THE MESSAGE

The words were carved into the window frame.

WE

FOUND

HER.

Fresh blood filled the cuts. The metallic smell crawled into my nose, sharp enough to make my stomach twist.

I stared at the message until the letters blurred. Someone had been outside. Someone had watched us fight. Someone had come looking for me.

“Elara.”

Cassian’s voice reached me from behind.

I couldn’t answer. My fingers remained locked around the edge of the broken window frame. The wood felt damp beneath my palm, and something sticky slipped between my fingers.

I pulled my hand away.

Blood.

My breath caught.

Cassian crossed the room in three quick strides.

“Move away from there.”

His hand closed around my waist and dragged me backwards. My back struck his chest.

Heat rushed through me, but it disappeared beneath the cold spreading through my veins.

He pushed me behind him. His injured side pulled as he moved, and I saw his fingers press hard against the cloth wrapped around his ribs. Blood seeped between them.

He ignored it.

His eyes remained fixed on the forest.

“Who wrote that?” I asked.

Cassian didn’t answer.

“Cassian.”

“I don’t know.”

His voice was low.

Too low.

I looked past his shoulder at the dark trees. The forest stood still beneath the moonlight. Branches swayed gently, but nothing moved between them.

That should have made me feel safer.

It didn’t.

The silence felt watchful.

As if the darkness had eyes.

“You said you didn’t know what the rogue was,” I whispered. “Now someone leaves a message saying they found me, and you still don’t know anything?”

Cassian’s jaw tightened.

“I know we need to leave.”

“Leave for where?”

“Anywhere that isn’t here.”

A faint sound drifted from the forest.

Scrape.

Cassian’s hand shot out. He caught my wrist and pulled me behind him again. The movement sent a sharp pain through my injured arm, and I bit down on a cry.

His gaze dropped to my sleeve.

“Is the mark burning?”

I swallowed.

“Yes.”

“How badly?”

“Like something is trying to tear its way out of my skin.”

His fingers tightened around my wrist. For the first time, his grip wasn’t steady.

It trembled.

Only slightly.

But I felt it.

“What does that mean?” I asked.

His eyes lifted to mine.

“It means you need to cover it.”

“I already did.”

“Then keep it covered.”

Another sound came from outside.

Scrape.

This time, it was closer.

Cassian’s shoulders rose. His nostrils flared as he inhaled slowly. The scent of wet earth drifted through the broken window, mixed with blood and something bitter.

Ash.

My throat tightened.

“Is someone there?”

Cassian raised his blade.

“Show yourself.”

Nothing answered.

The silence stretched.

Then a voice floated through the darkness.

“Little Hollow.”

Every muscle in my body locked.

The words slid beneath my skin.

My fingers curled into Cassian’s shirt before I realised I had reached for him.

His body went rigid.

The blade in his hand lowered by an inch.

“Who are you?” he demanded.

A quiet laugh came from the trees.

“You still ask questions when you already know the answer.”

Cassian stepped closer to the broken window.

I caught his arm.

“Don’t.”

His gaze flicked towards me.

Something flashed across his face.

Not recognition.

Not exactly.

It was closer to dread.

The voice came again.

“Tell her what she is.”

Cassian’s hand closed around mine.

“Leave.”

“Tell her.”

“Leave now.”

The forest remained empty.

Then a dark figure appeared between two trees.

A hood covered its head. Only the lower half of its face showed beneath the fabric.

A thin smile curved its mouth.

My mark pulsed.

Pain ripped through my wrist.

I gasped and bent forward.

Cassian spun towards me.

“Elara?”

The figure outside moved closer.

“Ah.”

Its voice softened.

“She can feel us.”

Cassian’s blade flashed.

He launched himself through the broken window.

The figure vanished.

Cassian landed outside with a heavy thud. Branches snapped. Leaves scattered.

“Cassian!”

I rushed towards the window.

He turned sharply.

“Stay inside!”

The command struck through the room.

I stopped.

Cassian scanned the forest. His chest rose and fell heavily. Blood darkened the side of his shirt, but his eyes searched the trees with deadly focus.

“Show yourself!” he roared.

A low laugh answered him.

Then something struck him from the side.

THUD!

Cassian slammed into a tree. The trunk shook.

His blade flew from his hand and disappeared into the grass.

I screamed.

A shape moved between the trees.

It was too fast.

Too dark.

Cassian pushed away from the trunk and swung his fist. The stranger ducked, and Cassian’s fist struck the tree instead.

CRACK!

Bark exploded beneath his knuckles.

The stranger twisted and drove a clawed hand into Cassian’s chest.

Cassian staggered backwards.

Blood spilled across his shirt.

He grabbed the attacker by the throat and slammed it against the ground.

BOOM!

The earth shook beneath my feet.

The creature’s hood slipped.

Gray fur covered its face.

Its red eyes flashed in the moonlight.

It wasn’t the rogue.

It was something else.

Something that looked almost human.

Cassian’s fingers tightened around its throat.

“Who sent you?”

The creature smiled through its broken teeth.

“The same ones who have been waiting.”

Cassian slammed its head against the ground again.

THUD!

“Who?”

The creature’s claws scraped across his forearm.

Black blood ran down its fingers.

“The Hollow has awakened.”

My mark burned.

A sharp cry tore from my throat.

Cassian’s head snapped towards the library.

The creature used the distraction. It drove both feet into his stomach.

Cassian flew backwards and crashed through the low stone wall surrounding the library garden.

CRASH!

Stone broke beneath his body.

“Cassian!”

I ran outside.

The cold air struck my face. The smell of blood thickened around me.

Cassian was on one knee, one hand pressed against his stomach.

The creature stood several feet away.

Its red eyes moved towards me.

The moment it saw my wrist, its smile disappeared.

Its claws lowered.

Its breathing changed.

A rough, frightened sound scraped from its throat.

I stopped.

The creature stared at the mark beneath my sleeve.

Then it took one step backwards.

Cassian looked between us.

“What are you doing?” he growled.

The creature didn’t answer.

My wrist pulsed.

Thump.

The creature flinched. Its shoulders hunched, and its red eyes widened—not with surprise, but with something closer to panic.

I could feel the mark moving beneath my skin.

Not like a heartbeat.

Like a warning.

The creature backed away again.

“What is it?” I whispered.

Cassian pushed himself to his feet.

“Get behind me.”

The creature shook its head violently.

“No.”

Its voice came out cracked.

“No, no, no…”

Cassian stepped in front of me.

The creature’s gaze remained fixed on my covered wrist.

“She’s awake.”

My stomach dropped.

“Who is awake?”

The creature looked at Cassian.

“You were supposed to keep her sleeping.”

Cassian’s face hardened.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The creature laughed.

The sound broke into a harsh cough.

“You really don’t.”

It turned towards the forest.

Cassian moved.

He grabbed the creature by the back of its neck and dragged it down. The creature fought violently, its claws slicing across his arm.

Cassian grunted but didn’t release it.

He drove his knee into its spine.

“Tell me who sent you.”

The creature’s claws dug into the soil.

“Too late.”

Cassian pulled its head backwards.

“Tell me!”

The creature’s red eyes shifted towards me.

“They know where she is now.”

My lungs locked.

Cassian’s grip tightened.

“Who knows?”

The creature smiled.

“All of them.”

Then it slammed its elbow into Cassian’s ribs.

He recoiled.

The creature twisted free and sprinted towards the trees.

Cassian chased.

He moved with brutal speed despite his wounds. His boots struck the earth as branches whipped across his face.

The creature leapt over the broken wall.

Cassian followed.

For a moment, both figures disappeared into the darkness.

Then a howl ripped through the forest.

Not Cassian’s.

Not the rogue’s.

This howl was deeper.

Older.

It vibrated through my bones.

My mark flared.

White-hot pain shot from my wrist to my shoulder.

I fell to my knees.

A scream tore through my throat.

The forest answered with another howl.

Then another.

My palms pressed into the cold earth. The ground felt as if it were moving beneath me.

The mark burned brighter beneath my sleeve.

Something whispered inside my head.

Not a voice.

A word.

A single word.

Run.

I gasped.

Cassian burst through the trees.

He stumbled into the garden and caught himself against the broken wall. Blood ran down his face. His chest heaved.

“Get up.”

I stared at him.

“What happened?”

“Get up, Elara.”

His voice cracked.

I had never heard it sound like that.

I pushed myself upright.

He reached me and grabbed my arm.

His fingers were warm.

His grip was desperate.

“We’re leaving.”

“Where did it go?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“Who was it?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“What did it mean when it said they know where I am?”

Cassian pulled me towards the library doors.

I resisted.

“Cassian, stop!”

He turned.

His breathing was rough. Blood dripped from his chin onto his shirt.

“What?”

“Tell me the truth.”

His eyes burned into mine.

“I am trying to keep you alive.”

“That isn’t the truth.”

His jaw tightened.

“You don’t understand what is happening.”

“Then explain it!”

My voice cracked through the garden.

The mark throbbed beneath my sleeve.

I pressed my injured wrist against my chest.

“First, I had no wolf. Then this mark appeared. A rogue attacked me. You knew what the symbol looked like. Someone wrote that they found me. Now another creature calls me Little Hollow.”

I stepped closer.

“What am I, Cassian?”

He looked away.

That small movement hurt more than I expected.

“What am I?”

His silence pressed against my throat.

I grabbed the front of his shirt.

“You keep telling me to hide, run, and stay quiet. You keep acting like everyone knows something except me.”

My fingers tightened in the blood-soaked fabric.

“I’m tired of being the only person who doesn’t understand my own life.”

Cassian’s gaze dropped to my hand.

His expression changed.

The anger drained from his face.

For one second, the ruthless Alpha heir disappeared.

He looked exhausted.

Wounded.

Trapped.

“I don’t know what you are,” he said.

The words left me empty.

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not.”

“You recognised the mark.”

“I recognised the symbol.”

“Then what is the difference?”

His throat moved.

“I have seen it in old records.”

“Records about what?”

“The Hollow Clan.”

The name settled between us.

I had heard it before.

Every child in the kingdom had.

A clan erased from history.

A bloodline blamed for ancient violence.

A warning whispered whenever someone spoke about forbidden power.

“The Hollow Clan was destroyed,” I said.

“That is what we were told.”

“Were you told something else?”

Cassian’s eyes flickered towards the dark forest.

“I was told never to search for them.”

“Why?”

“Because some things are buried for a reason.”

A sudden sound echoed from the pack house.

A bell.

One sharp strike.

Then another.

Cassian’s head snapped towards the main building.

His entire body tensed.

“What is that?” I asked.

“An alarm.”

“Why?”

He looked at me.

The colour drained from his face.

“Because someone has entered the pack grounds.”

The bell rang again.

This time, several voices shouted in the distance.

“Seal the gates!”

“Search the eastern wing!”

“Find the girl!”

My stomach dropped.

Cassian grabbed my hand.

“Run.”

We barely reached the library doors before the corridor filled with heavy footsteps.

Armed guards appeared at the far end.

Silver weapons glinted in their hands.

The leader raised his blade.

“Cassian Riven!”

Cassian stepped in front of me.

His wounded body became a wall.

“Lower your weapons.”

The guard didn’t slow down.

“By order of the Council, Elara Vale is to be taken into custody.”

My fingers went cold.

“Why?” I demanded.

The guard’s eyes moved towards my covered wrist.

“The Council has received reports of an awakened mark, a rogue attack, and an unknown creature inside the pack grounds.”

His gaze hardened.

“They believe you are connected to all three.”

Cassian’s voice dropped.

“She is under my protection.”

“You are ordered to step aside.”

“No.”

The guard stopped several feet away.

His companions spread out, blocking the corridor.

“Refuse, and you will be treated as an accomplice.”

Cassian’s shoulders rose.

His fingers curled around the silver blade.

Behind him, I could hear his breathing.

Slow.

Heavy.

Controlled.

But beneath it, something strained.

The guard pointed at me.

“Bring her forward.”

No one moved.

Cassian’s eyes flashed gold.

“Touch her and you will lose the hand.”

The guards lifted their weapons.

My mark began to burn again.

The corridor lights flickered.

Once.

Twice.

Then every candle went out.

Darkness swallowed us.

A cold breath brushed against the back of my neck.

I froze.

Something stood behind me.

Close enough that I felt its presence against my skin.

Cassian’s hand found mine.

His grip tightened.

“Don’t turn around,” he whispered.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

A voice breathed beside my ear.

Soft.

Almost gentle.

“Too late.”

The mark erupted.

And every guard in the corridor dropped to their knees.