The Locked Door

The sun was starting to go down, shining a soft golden light over the open space. I sat on the stone bench where Carlos had left me. His silver ring still felt cold on my finger. Everything around me was quiet, too quiet. The kind of quiet that makes you feel like someone’s watching you.

I told myself not to panic.

Carlos hadn’t been gone long, but it already felt like forever.

I stared at the trees, hoping he’d come back any second. Every little sound made my heart beat faster.

Then I heard a stick break somewhere nearby.

So I jumped to my feet. “Carlos?”

No reply.

I slowly turned around, my body tense. That warm, electric feeling I had earlier was gone. I was completely alone and vulnerable.

Then I saw a tall man standing at the edge of the woods, wearing dark clothes. His eyes had a faint amber glow in the fading light.

He wasn’t Carlos.

And he definitely wasn’t human.

“Who are you?” I asked, stepping back.

The man tilted his head and gave a small smile.

“So it’s true. The Alpha has taken a human bride.”

I clenched my fists. “What do you want?”

He took a slow step toward me.

“I came to see the girl everyone’s talking about. I thought you'd be... more. You don’t seem dangerous.”

His words felt like a slap to the face.

I stood up straighter. “I’m not here to hurt anyone.”

“No,” he said, his voice colder now. “But you will. When your powers fully wake up, you’ll become a weapon or maybe even a curse.”

“I never asked for this,” I said sharply.

He gave a quiet laugh. “No one ever does.”

Before I could say anything else, a deep growl came from the trees. Carlos suddenly charged out, shifting into his wolf form in mid-air. In the blink of an eye, he turned into a black wolf with glowing eyes and sharp fangs.

The stranger didn’t move.

Carlos slammed into him, knocking him down fast. Dirt flew everywhere. I heard a loud crack as Carlos bit into the man’s shoulder, a clear warning I guess.

The stranger growled but didn’t fight back. He just lay there, breathing heavily.

“I came to talk,” he said through gritted teeth. “Not to fight.”

Carlos changed back to his human form, breathing hard. “Then start talking before I rip your throat out.”

The stranger looked at me. “She’s been marked now. Others will come for her. And not just rogues this time.”

Carlos stayed silent.

The man slowly stood up, holding his bleeding arm. “You really think you can hide her, Alpha? She stands out like moonlight in the dark. They already know she’s here.”

“Who’s ‘they’?” I asked, my voice shaking.

“The Order,” he said quietly. “Ancient wolves with powerful bloodlines. They don’t want her powers to grow. They’ll try to kill her before that happens.”

Carlos moved in front of me, shielding me with his body.

“That’s enough,” he growled.

The man raised his hands and stepped back. “You’ve been warned. Either protect her… or be ready to bury her.”

Then he disappeared into the shadows.

Later that night, I sat in Carlos’s office with a soft blanket around me. My hands were still shaking.

Carlos stood by the window, quiet.

“He knew things about me,” I whispered. “He said they’re going to try to kill me.”

Carlos finally turned to face me. His expression was hard to read, but his voice was gentle.

“He was telling the truth.”

I stared at him. “You knew?”

“I had a feeling. That’s why I brought you here. I wanted to protect you before anything happened.”

“So what am I then? A walking time bomb?”

Carlos walked over and knelt in front of me.

“No. You’re much more than that. But yes, your power is dangerous to them, to anyone who wants to control it.”

“And what about you?” I asked. “Do you want to control me too?”

He looked straight into my eyes.

“I want to protect you, Sarah. Even if I have to burn the whole world down to do it.”

My heart twisted at his words.

“Why?” I asked.

He paused, then stood up, his jaw tight. “Because you’re mine.”

I didn’t know if it was the bond, the mark, or something deeper but I didn’t pull away.

Because in that moment… I believed him.

Even if everything else around me was falling apart.

The next morning, Carlos was already gone when I woke up.

I sat up in the big bed, the soft sheets wrapped around my legs. Everything that happened the night before came rushing back,the strange man in the woods, his warning, and Carlos’s promise to protect me.

But one thing still stayed in my mind.

The way Carlos looked at me when he said I was his.

It made my heart race, but it also left me confused. This marriage was supposed to be a contract deal, and just business. No love. No real connection.

So why did he look at me like I was already his mate?

I got up, took a long shower, and got dressed in the clothes someone had left out for me, a soft cream-colored sweater and black leggings. They were comfortable but fancy. It felt like someone wanted me to look like a Luna.

As I walked through the long hallways of the mansion, everything felt quiet. Too quiet. No sounds of people. No guards. Just the soft creak of the wooden floor under my feet.

Then I noticed a door I hadn’t seen before, tall, made of dark wood with strange silver symbols carved into it. I didn’t know what they meant. The door was at the very end of the hallway, partly hidden behind a curtain that had been pulled back a little.

Something about it made me want to go closer.

I looked around and no one was there, so I reached out and touched the handle, but It was locked.

Of course.

But then, something strange happened.

As soon as I touched the door, the strange symbols started to glow. A soft silver light moved under my fingers, and the metal felt warm. I quickly pulled my hand back, startled.

What was that?

Before I could decide if I should touch it again, I heard footsteps, slow and heavy.

Carlos.

He turned the corner and saw me right away, his eyes going straight to the door.

“What are you doing?” His voice was calm, but there was a warning in it.

“I was just… walking,” I said, stepping back. “The door lit up when I touched it.”

His jaw tightened.

“That door is off-limits.”

“Why?” I asked, crossing my arms. “What’s inside?”

He stepped closer, his eyes darker now.

“It’s sealed for a reason. That room is dangerous even for me.”

My heart started beating faster now. “So… what does that mean for me? Am I some kind of key?”

He didn’t answer right away.

Then he said quietly, “That room belonged to the last Moon Priestess.”

My stomach dropped. “You mean someone like me?”

He nodded. “She had great power. Too much, so ghe council locked everything she left behind. No one’s gone in since.”

“So why did it react to me?”

Carlos moved closer, speaking softly. “Because your blood remembers.”

A chill ran through me.

He gently touched my arm. “Sarah… your powers are starting to wake up. You need to be careful. That door is calling you but it doesn’t care if you’re ready or not.”

I swallowed hard. “But what if I want to know what’s inside?”

Carlos looked unsure for a moment.

Then he said firmly, “When the time is right… I’ll take you there myself.”

His tone made it clear, the decision wasn’t mine yet.

That night, I stood by my bedroom window, watching the moon rise. It was almost full, and its pale light made long shadows across the yard.

I couldn’t stop thinking about that door.

How it lit up when I touched it. And how Carlos looked at me like he was scared, but also trying to protect me.

There was something in that room. Something connected to me, I could feel it deep inside.

I turned to grab the blanket from my bed, and that’s when I noticed a small envelope sitting on the bedside table.

It hadn’t been there before.

I picked it up. My name was written on the front in fancy handwriting.

Inside was just one piece of paper.

“They will come when the moon is full. Do not trust the council. Watch your back, Luna.”

No name. No other message.

I stared at the note, my hands shaking.

Someone was watching me.

And they wanted me to know I wasn’t safe, not even inside Carlos’s mansion.

Not even with him.