All Chapters of Marked From Birth: Chapter 11 - Chapter 17

Chapter 11: The Blood-Steel and the SunThe sun rose over the Silver Mountains not with a glow, but with a sharp, biting glare. Audrey woke to the sound of steel clashing against steel. For a moment, she was back in the Moon Shadow kitchens, flinching at the sound of dropped pots, but the scent of cedar and the warmth of the heavy furs reminded her where she was. She was in the Alpha’s bed. And she was no longer a servant.Lucas was gone, but the indent in the pillow beside her was still warm. On the stone hearth sat a fresh tunic of boiled leather and silver-spun silk—warrior’s clothes.When Audrey stepped onto the training grounds ten minutes later, the chatter of the Silver Pack warriors died instantly. Lucas stood in the center of the ring, stripped to the waist despite the freezing air, his skin glistening with sweat. He was sparring with Vane, their movements so fast they were a blur of silver and gray."You're late," Vane called out, parrying a blow from Lucas that would have s

Chapter 13: The Price of a SoulThe interior of Selene’s cottage felt larger than the outside suggested, the walls lined with jars of shimmering starlight and dried herbs that smelled of ancient winters. In the center of the room was a circular basin carved from a single block of obsidian, filled with water so still it looked like a mirror."The Blood-Link is a parasite," Selene said, her voice echoing with a weight that made the air vibrate. "It feeds on the shared essence between parent and child. To kill the parasite, we must make the host—Audrey—momentarily invisible to the world of spirits. We must create a void where her identity used to be."Lucas stood by the door, his hands clenched into white-knuckled fists. "And the void consumes the memories of us.""It consumes everything that has happened since her power woke," Selene confirmed. She began to draw runes in the air with a finger made of light. "The mind is a map of connections. If I cut the connection to her father, I must

Chapter 15: The Judges of the MoonThe arrival of the Great Council was not marked by trumpets, but by a sudden, unnatural silence that smothered the mountain. The birds stopped singing; the wind ceased its howling. Even the forge fires of Kharos seemed to dim as three black-and-gold carriages, pulled by horses with eyes of solid obsidian, rolled through the gates.Audrey stood on the balcony of the High Hall, her fingers digging into the cold stone railing. Beside her, Vane stood in full ceremonial plate, her face a mask of iron."They are here," Vane whispered. "The Arbiters. The High Inquisitor herself, Lady Morana. She hasn't left the Council Seat in fifty years. To come here personally... she wants to see the White Wolf executed.""Lucas should be here," Audrey said, her voice trembling."The Alpha is still in the healing trance," Vane reminded her, her tone softening slightly. "That mercenary’s blade was dipped in wolfsbane and silver. If he wakes too early, the poison will reac

Chapter 17: The Echo in the BoneThe Guardian of the Threshold lunged, a mass of shadow and jagged silver spikes that moved like liquid mercury. Lucas stepped forward, his claymore whistling through the air as he parried a strike from one of the creature’s bladed limbs. The impact sent a shower of sparks across the tunnel, the force of it vibrating through the floor."Audrey, get back!" Lucas roared, his wounded shoulder bleeding through his tunic.But Audrey didn't move. Her gaze was locked on the spirit of the White Wolf chained to the Guardian’s back. The woman’s eyes weren't just golden; they were a mirror of Audrey’s own soul."Strike!" the Guardian bellowed, its voice a tectonic shift. "Strike the ancestor and claim the throne of light! Only the heart that can sever its own past is fit to lead the future!"Audrey ignored the Guardian. She ignored the chaos of Lucas’s battle. She stepped into the reach of the creature, her hands raised, palms open."I am not here to sever my past