Rejected then Claimed by the Alpha
the bloodline I had set free: “I am human. I am free.
I set the book down and struck a match. The flame flickered to life, small and fragile at first, and then I pressed it to the edge of the page. It caught, curling, blackening, and I whispered softly as the fire danced:
“All that binds me, all that claims,
Leave this world, return your flames.”
Smoke spiraled upward, carrying the words with it, and I moved to the next book. One by one, I let the fire take them, letting the flames consume every page, every line, every trace of power I never wanted. The smell of burning paper filled the room, sharp and earthy, but I welcomed it.
By the time the last book was ash, I sank to the floor, hands t