Chapter 3: Scent Of The Hidden Wolf

"Stop trembling or you'll be dead before you reach the exit, Sora."

Vardan’s voice was flat. Cold. As if he hadn't just been growling like a beast over that mahogany desk minutes ago. The man stood composed, his long fingers buttoning a white shirt that was now a wrinkled mess. Sora remained seated on the cluttered desk. His legs shook violently. He struggled to pull the remains of his torn shirt to cover the flushed skin of his shoulders, which were now covered in deep purple blotches.

"You're an animal," Sora hissed. His voice broke, hoarse from too much moaning earlier.

Vardan didn't deny it. He snatched a black blazer from the back of the chair and threw it directly into Sora’s face. The expensive wool carried the scent of pine forests, rain, and masculine sweat. A scent that was now a claim of ownership over Sora’s body.

"Wear it. Cover your neck if you don't want your father to know what I just did to you," Vardan commanded without a shred of emotion.

Sora turned toward the large mirror in the corner of the room. He froze. At the base of his neck, the bite mark looked deep red, almost purple at the edges. The wound throbbed, sending a consistent sting through all his nerves. Vardan hadn't just touched him. He had planted a permanent scar that would pulse every time Sora’s heart beat.

Vardan ignored Sora’s shattered gaze. He checked the pistol magazine behind his waist with tactical movements. "That's a mark so the Corvin clan knows you aren't prey they can touch. Now get up. I don't have much time."

Sora forced his legs down to the floor. His knees nearly gave out, forcing him to grip the edge of the wooden desk to keep from collapsing. He wrapped his body in Vardan’s oversized blazer. The shifter’s scent swallowed his own, providing a sickening sense of security in the middle of this chaos.

The pounding on the office door grew more brutal. The iron hinges began to warp under the pressure from outside. "Master Vardan! The front hallway has been breached!"

Vardan moved quickly toward the massive bookshelf on the right side. He pulled a single dark red leather book. The iron mechanism behind the wall turned heavily, sliding the teak shelf until it revealed a dark passage smelling of damp earth.

"Get in there. This tunnel leads to the wine cellar in the arts district," Vardan said while roughly grabbing Sora’s shoulder.

Sora stared into the darkness ahead of him. "You’re just throwing me away?"

Vardan jerked Sora’s body to face the tunnel. "I’m saving your life. If your father’s men see you in this mess, they’ll know you’ve been tasted. They’ll put a bullet in your head faster than my enemies would."

"You’re just afraid I’ll be a burden," Sora challenged. He looked up, defying the pair of gold eyes that were now dimming in the shadows of the room.

Vardan smirked thinly. His fangs were still slightly visible behind his lips. "Exactly. I don't need a burden in the middle of a war."

A loud explosion hit from the direction of the main stairs. The floor vibrated violently. Several wine bottles on the shelves shattered, spreading a pungent smell of alcohol mixed with the scent of gunpowder from outside. Vardan pushed Sora into the dark passage without hesitation.

Sora stumbled into the gloom. When he turned back, Vardan’s silhouette stood in front of the bookshelf that was starting to close. The light from the office narrowed, leaving a view of the man who looked like a demon behind the shadows.

"Vardan!" Sora shouted. His voice echoed against the narrow tunnel walls.

The bookshelf continued to slide. Only a thin crack remained before it locked completely. Vardan stared at him through that gap. His eyes glowed a sharp yellow in the pitch blackness.

"Remember one thing, Sora Valente. You have the scent of a wolf now. No matter where you run, I can find you with a single breath."

The sound of teak hitting the wall frame ended the sentence. Silence. Sora stood alone in total darkness. His heart raced madly. He felt along the cold, wet stone walls, searching for an exit before the oxygen ran out.