06 – THE PECULIAR HUMAN

POV: DAIMON

“Did you hear that?” Fenrir growled inside me, his deep, cold voice echoing through my mind.

I gave a slight nod, studying the small creature in front of me. She was trembling, huddled against the cold, trying to warm herself with her own hands. Trapped. Fragile. Far too small to be here.

“Why her?” I asked Fenrir, watching the human approach the engravings carved into the stone. Only vessels of the great ancestral wolf could read them. But Airys… she seemed to understand something.

Her fingers slid across the inscriptions. I noticed when her eyes closed for a moment and her breathing grew heavier. A second later, she recoiled sharply, as if she had seen a ghost. Her scent changed. The usual fear was still there, but now mixed with something different. Something deeper.

“She fears more than we do.” Fenrir clicked his tongue, impatient. He was too close to the surface.

“There’s something about her.” I tilted my head to the side, touching her back and pushing her forward into the imposing mansion. Her skin felt cold beneath my warm fingers. She obeyed without resistance, taking short, hesitant steps as she crossed the entrance of the grand mansion.

Airys looked around, her eyes attentive to the surroundings. When the murmurs began, I saw her posture shrink even further. The gazes on her weren’t threatening—they were pitying.

“Why are they staring at us?” Her voice came out uncertain, almost a whisper.

“You’re standing too close to me.” I shrugged, leading her through the dimly lit corridors. “And you’re still alive…”

“Why?” The human stopped at the foot of the spiral staircase, her voice hesitant. “Do you plan to kill me, Supreme Alpha?”

I turned slowly, letting my presence weigh down on her. My eyes pinned her in place, the threat clear in the way my fangs subtly extended.

“If I wanted you dead,” I said, my voice low and sharp, “you’d already be on the floor.”

She shuddered, her body tense. But to my surprise, she lifted her chin. Her fear was obvious—fists clenched at her sides, muscles contracted—but she refused to back down.

“What do you plan to do with me, beast?” Her voice sounded firm, yet there was a slight tremor. Her honey-colored eyes sparkled, with subtle greenish nuances emerging in her irises.

“The divine mark.” Fenrir growled inside me, scraping his claws against my mind. His curiosity was as clear as my own.

“Not yet.” I cut off his impatient hunger. It wasn’t time. Not yet.

“Why so much interest in a traitorous human?” Airys forced the words out, her breathing faltering as my gaze weighed upon her. I took a step forward, absorbing her scent. Sweet. Striking. Her emotions were in chaos, and I liked it.

I liked the way her skin revealed what her mouth tried to hide.

I leaned forward, forcing her into silence. The only sounds coming from her were her racing heart and uneven breathing. I scraped my fangs across her cheek, drawing a thin line of blood. I licked the red droplet slowly. Her body trembled, and a muffled gasp escaped her throat.

“That’s what I intend to find out.” I whispered, growling softly before pulling away. I watched the confusion on her face, her breathing still irregular.

We resumed walking. Airys looked around, absorbing every detail of the environment. She stopped in front of the paintings on the wall—portraits of the ancient Fenrir. Her fingers touched the carved eyes with reverence.

— The Ancient Supremes… I’ve heard many stories about them. Powerful and feared Lycans. Her tone carried clear curiosity. She stepped closer, carefully studying the details. But the eyes… yours are different.

She turned to me, hesitant. Her gaze traveled across my face before she took a step forward. With a trembling hand, she reached toward me. I growled in warning, baring my canines. Airys hesitated, but something pushed her to continue. Her fingers touched my skin, tracing the scars on my cheek, sliding up to my eyebrow, and then down around my eyes.

“Yours are unique.” Her voice was a whisper.

I gripped her wrist firmly. She gasped, her eyes widening.

“Alpha…” The word slipped from her lips.

“It’s dangerous to touch me without permission, human.” I growled low, the sound heavy with threat. She didn’t seem to understand—or fear—the instability of my beast. If she truly knew the Fenrir, she should have been terrified like everyone else.

“Don’t fool yourself. You’re nothing more than merchandise—bought and sold. Don’t try to convince yourself it’s anything different.” My eyes locked onto hers, reinforcing her place.

“And what exactly would I be fooling myself about, beast?” Airys replied with disgust. “As far as I know, I’m your prisoner against my will, at the mercy of a monster whose intentions haven’t been made clear to me yet.”

I arched an eyebrow, eyes narrowed.

“Would you prefer the brothel? Or serving your husband and his unfaithful sister?”

“I prefer to be free!” She shouted.

I opened the door behind her and pushed her inside the room without patience.

“Freedom is something you earn, little rabbit.” I snarled, canines fully exposed. “Go to sleep. Tomorrow, your life will change forever.”

I slammed the door shut, hearing her fists pound against the wood, followed by a scream.

“I hate you, Supreme Alpha!”

A smile curved my lips.

“Hate is a feeling.” Fenrir taunted inside me.

“It’s a start.” I replied, walking toward the room where Symon waited.

My eyes turned to the surveillance screens. Airys was curled up on the bed, hugging her knees and trembling. She pulled the blanket over her head, trying to hide from the world.

“Crying.” Fenrir snorted inside me. I could feel his hot breath in my mind. Since that night, he could scent and feel her emotions. It was… “Intense.”

“My King, are you sure about this?” Symon bowed, drawing my attention.

I turned to him and then looked back at the screens.

“She’s only a human. She doesn’t have a wolf. She could die.” The beta argued.

“If she is the chosen one, she’ll survive.” I sat down in the majestic armchair. “If not… I’ll have wasted time and resources on an interesting little prey.”