Chapter 1 : The encounter.

The night air was biting, heavy with the scent of an impending downpour.

In that sudden, fragile silence, our home ignited. Within moments, everything we owned was reduced to ash. Ten men, all clad in black and wearing masks, had descended upon the Volt estate. They moved with lethal precision, systematically cutting down our guards and the staff. They showed no mercy; no one was spared.

My father shoved me toward the woods, his face tight with urgency as he held the line against them.

"Go, Elaine! Run while you still have time!" he shouted.

His body was already riddled with bullet wounds. I knew I shouldn’t have left him, but terror paralyzed my logic, replaced only by a desperate instinct to survive. Against every fiber of my being, I obeyed and sprinted into the darkness of the forest.

I was gasping for air, drenched in a cold sweat. I stumbled constantly, falling and rolling across the rough terrain. I could feel the sting of cuts and bruises from the jagged ground, but I forced myself to stand and keep moving. I didn't know where I was going, or if the path I had chosen was right; all I knew was that I had to get away.

"I don't want to die," I whispered, sobbing. "Please, someone help me."

As I ran, the sharp crack of a gunshot echoed through the trees, followed immediately by a searing pain in my leg. I collapsed, tumbling down the side of a steep embankment. Each time my body slammed against the rocks, I could hear the sickening snap of bones.

"Agh!"

The agony was indescribable. I trembled, not just from the pain, but from the crushing realization that my end was near. I watched the blood pooling around my body, staining the soil.

"I can't take it anymore," I wheezed, staring at the growing crimson stain. "Please, anyone... help me."

Unable to stand, I began to drag myself across the dirt, desperate to escape whatever was hunting me.

"She’s here! Get her!"

Even at the bottom of the slope, they were still coming. I knew they had no intention of letting me live. As I clawed at the earth, I heard the rustle of leaves and heavy, rhythmic footsteps approaching. I braced myself for the final blow.

"Please... don't kill me. I'm not ready to die yet."

A figure stopped in front of me, watching in silence. "You say you don't want to die, yet you just lie there and let them slaughter you."

The voice caught me off guard. I forced myself to move, straining to lift my head to see who was speaking. I froze as I looked up. His eyes were a piercing, vivid red. His expression was chillingly cold, detached, as if he were entirely unmoved by the chaos unfolding around us.

"Who are you?" I gasped.

"If you want to live, then fight," he said, his voice hard. "Running away and begging for help will never save you."

I heard the gunfire again, but this time, a shimmering barrier rose to protect me.no, it was the man himself—he was busy shielding his own position.

"Insolent fools."

Between the blood loss and the mounting injuries, the world began to tilt. Darkness crept into the edges of my vision. My body finally gave out, my arms collapsing beneath me.

" I can’t do this anymore. Is this really where I die?"

I slumped to the ground. The last thing I saw before my eyes drifted shut was the mysterious man engaging my attackers. I surrendered to the dark, certain that this was the end of my story.

The next morning, I woke to the sight of an unfamiliar ceiling. As I surveyed the room, I realized I was in a large, luxurious bedroom.

"Where am I?" I whispered.

My body felt frail, but I forced myself into a sitting position. Moments later, a servant entered the room. "Oh, you're finally awake! That’s a relief. I’ll go get the Master."

"Master?"

A few moments later, the man entered. He was tall, pale, and strikingly handsome. In the darkness of the woods, I hadn't been able to see his face clearly.

"Wait," I said, my voice weak. "I remember the attack. Were you the one who saved me?"

He walked toward me, his expression stern. "Last night? You've been asleep for two days. I’ve healed your wounds, but it will be a major problem if my family finds out I’ve let a stray dog into this mansion. If you’re feeling better, get out."

I blinked in surprise, stunned by his sudden hostility. "What? A stray dog?"

"You look well enough. Let’s go," he replied coldly.

He grabbed my arm and hoisted me off the bed, pulling me toward the door without hesitation.

"Wait, where are you taking me? Stop!"

"You're a wolfkin, aren't you? Your kind is naturally resilient," he said, his tone icy as he dragged me through the hallway. "You should be able to find your way home."

"Let go of me! I can walk on my own!" I protested, shaking his hand off.

He sighed, turning to face me. "You aren't welcome here."

I was bewildered. He had saved me, healed me, and now he was kicking me out. "I don't understand—why?"

"Why do you ask so many questions?" he snapped.

Without another word, he scooped me up and carried me out of the house. "Keep quiet and leave, unless you want to die."

"I'll die?" I stammered. "Wait, put me down! What are you talking about?"

He shoved me into a black car parked at the rear of the mansion and drove off, tearing through the vast ten-hectare property at high speed.

"Why are you rushing me?" I asked, frustration boiling over. "You saved me, yet now you're throwing me out?"

He didn't answer, his eyes fixed on the road, watching me through the rearview mirror. After a few minutes of silence, my irritation peaked. "You're the one who saved me! Why are you treating me like this?"

"I don't like getting dragged into other people's problems," he muttered. "If I had known who you were, I never would have bothered. I saved you—consider that enough."

I was confused by his attitude. Still, there was only one thing that mattered. "My family... we were attacked by assassins. Do you know what happened to my father? To my family? Please, tell me."

He silenced me with a sharp look. "Be quiet. I’m dropping you off in town. You can find the answers to your questions yourself."

I despised his arrogance, but because I owed him my life, I couldn't bring myself to fight him. I sat in silence for the rest of the ride.

He stopped in front of the police station and didn't even turn off the engine. Before I could step out, he thrust a wad of cash into my hand.

"What is this for? Why are you giving me money?"

"Just take it," he said, forcefully pressing the cash into my palm. He was insufferably rude. As soon as he had given it to me, he reached over and slammed the car door shut.

"Live with courage," he said, his voice barely audible before he rolled up the window. "And... my condolences."

"So arrogant," I muttered, shaking with irritation as I watched the car pull away. "Who does he think he is?"

I stood alone in front of the police station, not knowing where to turn, but I stepped inside the building regardless. I knew nothing about the man who had saved me, and I didn't care to wonder further. My only focus now was discovering what had become of my family.