Chereads / MELANIA / Chapter 3 - Chapter 3

Chapter 3 - Chapter 3

Conrad's Pov

Today,a special ceremony was going to be held for the packs children

I was going to sit with the children tell the children a story,so I was prepared and then I heard a knock from the door,the Children are all set your majesty, they awaits u in the royal library, okay I replied.

I entered the library and it was all silent, every living souk fears me ,especially the humans,I'm death to them. The children were all looking at the ceiling and floors avoiding my eyes ,while some bold ones were looking at me in awe, and I understand it's the first time see their king, the all stood and greeted me and I could sight some of their mother's waiting at the library entrance, the students were like 50 approximately in total, this is going to be alot of work I sigh and looking at a book to read in library so I choose the one my parents use to read to me when I was younger too,the thoughts of it makes me miss them but I can't afford to be emotionally in front of the kids so I comforted myself and started reading

### The Tale of Aelin and Draven

The full moon was high above the ancient forests of Whispering Pines, casting an ethereal glow on the world below. Aelin and Draven stood at the edge of the woods, looking out toward the village where they had spent many years hiding in plain sight. The village was quiet now, its lights dimming as the people retreated to their homes for the night. But Aelin and Draven knew they could never join them. They were different, born of the moon and the night, their fates forever intertwined with the curse of the wolf that ran through their veins.

Aelin's silver hair shimmered in the moonlight, her golden eyes gleaming with a mixture of sadness and longing. Draven, dark and brooding, stood beside her, his sharp features tense with worry. His hand rested protectively on her shoulder, but there was little comfort in his touch. They both knew that their time was running out.

"We can't stay here much longer," Draven whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "The humans are growing suspicious. They've already started hunting our kind."

Aelin nodded, her heart heavy. "I know," she said softly. "But where will we go? No matter where we run, the humans will always find us. They've always feared us. And that fear has turned to hatred."

Draven clenched his fists, his wolf blood surging through his veins, fueling his anger. "I won't let them hurt you," he growled. "I'll protect you, Aelin, no matter the cost."

Aelin smiled sadly and leaned into his embrace. She knew Draven would do anything to keep her safe, but she also knew that their love was doomed from the start. They had been born into a world that would never accept them—creatures of both man and beast, cursed to live in the shadows, forever hunted by those who feared what they could not understand.

Their love had blossomed despite the dangers that surrounded them. It had begun innocently enough, years ago when they were still young and learning to control the wolf inside them. Aelin had been the first to catch Draven's eye, her beauty wild and untamed like the forest itself. She had an aura about her that made even the most hardened warriors stop and stare.

Draven, with his dark charm and fierce loyalty, had captured Aelin's heart the moment he had sworn to protect her. They had found solace in each other, knowing that only another of their kind could truly understand the burden of being a werewolf. Together, they had built a life of quiet defiance, hiding in the village among the humans while secretly roaming the woods at night, their true forms only unleashed when the moon called to them.

For years, they had managed to keep their secret safe, blending in with the humans by day and becoming one with the forest by night. They had even dared to dream of a future together, far from the prying eyes of those who would seek to destroy them.

But fate, it seemed, had other plans.

It had started with a single death—a hunter found slain in the forest, his body torn apart in a way that no human could have done. The villagers had whispered of wild beasts and monsters lurking in the woods, but the elders knew better. They had heard the stories passed down through generations—the tales of the cursed ones who walked as wolves under the full moon. They knew the truth.

The village turned against them, suspicion spreading like wildfire. Soon, men with silver-tipped arrows and weapons blessed by holy men began patrolling the forests at night, searching for the werewolves that they believed were hiding among them. Aelin and Draven had managed to stay one step ahead, but they knew it was only a matter of time before the humans would find them.

One evening, as the sun set behind the hills and the village prepared for another night of fear and uncertainty, Aelin and Draven made the decision that would seal their fates. They would run, flee to the distant mountains where no human dared to go, and live out the rest of their days in peace. It was their only hope for survival.

But as they prepared to leave, tragedy struck.

The humans, led by a zealous group of hunters, had tracked them to their hiding place deep in the heart of the forest. Armed with silver weapons and fueled by hatred, the hunters descended upon them without warning.

Draven fought with the ferocity of a wolf protecting his mate, his claws slashing through the air as he tore through the hunters who dared to threaten them. But even he could not withstand the onslaught. He was wounded, silver-tipped arrows piercing his flesh, weakening him with each passing moment.

Aelin, desperate to save him, transformed into her wolf form and fought beside him, her fur streaked with blood as she took down as many hunters as she could. But it was too late. The humans were too many, and their weapons too powerful.

In the end, it was Draven who made the ultimate sacrifice.

With his strength fading, he pushed Aelin away, forcing her to run while he stayed behind to hold off the hunters. "Go!" he shouted, his voice hoarse with pain. "Run, Aelin! You have to survive!"

Tears streamed down Aelin's face as she hesitated, torn between her love for Draven and the instinct to flee. But she knew that if she stayed, they would both die. With a final, anguished howl, she turned and ran, disappearing into the depths of the forest as Draven's final roars echoed behind her.

For days, Aelin wandered the wilderness, her heart shattered by the loss of her mate. She knew Draven was gone, but the pain of his absence was unbearable. The bond between them had been severed, leaving her hollow and broken.

The humans had won.

As the days turned to weeks, Aelin found herself drawn back to the village, despite the danger. She wanted to see the place where she and Draven had once lived, where they had dared to dream of a future together. But when she arrived, she found only ruins. The village had been abandoned, the humans having fled after the battle with the werewolves. Fear had driven them away, leaving nothing but empty homes and memories behind.

Aelin stood in the middle of the village square, her heart aching with grief and anger. The humans had destroyed everything—her home, her love, her life. And for what? Because they feared what they could not understand? Because they believed that anything different from them was a threat?

In that moment, Aelin made a vow. She would not let the humans' fear and hatred destroy her. She would live on, not just for herself, but for Draven. His sacrifice would not be in vain.

With the moon high above her, Aelin let out a long, mournful howl—a tribute to the love she had lost, and a promise to the world that she would never forget.

And as the sound of her howl echoed through the empty village, a new resolve filled her heart. She would survive. She would endure. And one day, when the time was right, she would return to the world that had tried to destroy her and show them that love, even in its most tragic form, could never truly be defeated.

### The Days That Followed

Time passed slowly for Aelin, each day a painful reminder of the life she had lost. But she refused to give in to despair. She roamed the wilderness, honing her abilities as a wolf, growing stronger with each passing moon. She became a force of nature, feared and respected by both humans and creatures alike.

The legends of the Silver Wolf began to spread—tales of a beautiful and deadly she-wolf who haunted the forests, protecting the land from those who sought to harm it. The humans who once hunted her now spoke of her with reverence and fear, warning their children to stay away from the dark woods where the Silver Wolf ruled.

But Aelin's heart remained heavy with grief. She had lost the one person who had truly understood her, the one who had loved her despite the curse that marked them both. Draven's memory was a constant presence in her mind, his voice whispering to her in the stillness of the night, urging her to carry on.

One evening, as Aelin stood on a cliff overlooking the valley, she felt a familiar presence beside her. She turned, expecting to see Draven standing there, his dark eyes watching her with that same intensity she had always loved. But there was nothing—just the wind rustling through the trees and the distant cry of an owl.

She closed her eyes, letting the wind carry her thoughts to him. "I miss you," she whispered. "I wish you were here."

The wind seemed to whisper back, carrying with it a sense of peace that Aelin hadn't felt in a long time. She knew then that Draven was still with her, his spirit watching over her, guiding her even in death.

Aelin took a deep breath and opened her eyes. The pain of losing Draven would never truly fade, but she knew now that she could live with it. She would honor his memory by continuing to protect the land they had loved, by living the life they had dreamed of together.

And so, with the moon as her guide, Aelin embraced her destiny as the Silver Wolf. She would roam the wilderness for the rest of her days, a guardian of the forest and a symbol of the love that had once burned so brightly between two lost souls.