On the planet Zorkan, many different species of creatures inhabit the land, which is divided into two regions. One is separated by a high mountain range on one side and a vast sea on the other. Few have managed to cross these two barriers and reach both regions.
The first region is home to the most powerful creatures on the planet: the magicians of light and the magicians of darkness, all under the rule of Queen Sophia, a magician of light. This region also includes the Shadow Pack, the largest and most powerful pack with more than five thousand individuals, and they are the de facto rulers of the land. Alongside them are the Lucifer vampires, some of the fiercest and most dangerous creatures. However, after committing many crimes, they were exiled to the other side of the planet, which became known as the Western Kingdom.
The second region, known as the Eastern Kingdom, is made up of many kingdoms and packs that live in peace according to treaties and laws that govern their relationships.
In the Eastern Kingdom
At night, deep in the heart of the vast forest, where the thick trees stretch toward the sky as if trying to escape, the air grows heavy... as if the forest is holding its breath. The cold wind whispers through the branches, and the leaves dance in a mysterious murmur.
By daylight, the forest carries a hidden sense of dread, but with the onset of night, it transforms into a living nightmare, more brutal and terrifying. Just the thought of staying here quickens my breath... This is a place I never want to be.
While the sounds of predatory animals rise, there's something else... faint whispers, rustling among the leaves, irregular breathing... as if the forest is hiding a secret it doesn't want discovered.
Should we approach to find out, or move away before it's too late? Curiosity is deadly to its owner, but... who can resist?
The sound of heavy footsteps running swiftly on the forest floor, the fallen leaves scattering beneath the weight of the feet, grows louder and closer until a pack of wolves appears, running at full speed. Behind them is a massive wolf, larger than any other, radiating fierce power.
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When you look into his eyes, a sense of dread creeps in, as if the entire night has settled within his gaze. His eyes are pitch black, darker than the darkness of night itself, filled with mystery and suppressed anger. His gaze is fixed intensely on the wolves before him, and whenever they attempt to flee, it seems impossible for them to escape. If he wanted to kill them, he would not hesitate for a second, but he is not here to finish them off. His purpose is to warn them, to make it clear that they should not approach the borders of his pack again.
Finally, when they are far enough from the boundary of his territory, he lunges at them with fierce speed. His strike is like a flash of lightning cutting through the dark forest.
He inflicts wounds that will leave scars, scars that time will never erase. But these scars will serve as the greatest warning: never touch the pack's land again.
The wolves flee until their traces disappear among the shadows of the trees, but his sharp ears still catch the sound of their stumbling steps and their ragged breaths, heavy with fear and pain. He stands tall, unmoved, his gaze sweeping over those who tremble before him, unconcerned with what he has left behind.
He lifts his head to the sky, where the moonlight filters through the tangled branches, casting a silvery glow on his dark fur, as if whispering an ancient secret: In the darkest of nights, there will always be a light to guide you.
He takes a deep breath and, with calm steps, turns away and heads toward his pack, indifferent to the events that just transpired, as if they were nothing more than a page turned in silence.
He returned to his human form and donned the clothes he had set aside earlier. Adrian appeared as a man in his late twenties, with soft black hair and eyes as dark as the night itself. His gaze was sharp, intense, yet empty-as if the body before you was nothing more than a shell without a soul. His wheatish skin, smooth as polished bronze, and his towering height of over 190 cm, coupled with a strong, muscular build, told any observer the amount of effort he had invested in achieving such strength.
He heard footsteps approaching him, quiet and deliberate. He didn't need to look to know who it was, but he didn't acknowledge the presence. His eyes remained fixed on the moon, as if seeking solace in its glow, as if whispering his pain to it-pain that never left.
A calm, deep voice reached him, but it carried a hint of reproach:
"I'm back."
Adrian slowly turned towards the speaker, to find a young man in his mid-twenties, with curly yellow hair and brown eyes, his tanned skin not much different from his own, and his muscular build was almost identical to his. This was his friend Arkon.
Arkon finally spoke after losing hope that Adrian would start talking: "Why didn't you tell us that the Rogers crossed the border? You didn't have to run after them alone, we could have dealt with them. Why do you always ignore us? It didn't require all this trouble, it was just a passing incident that could happen at any time!"
Adrian looked at him sharply, his angry tone carrying clear disapproval: "Really? Do you think it's unnecessary?"
Arkon was silent for a while, struggling to find a suitable response, but he couldn't find anything to say. Before the silence was broken by Adrian's voice again: "I didn't have time to wait for anyone, so I dealt with the situation."
He said it with obvious sarcasm, making his stern appearance acquire an unexpected touch of sarcasm.
Arkon studied him for a moment, then spoke in a calm voice:
"The chance of an accident due to the presence of Rogers on the border does not exceed 5%."
Adrian raised his eyebrow in mockery, then gave him a sideways glance before replying with obvious sarcasm and impatience:
"Really? I didn't know that information, remind me to write it down in my notes."
He then turned and made his way through the trees, heading towards his house, before adding in a tone that carried anger and determination: "We will not repeat that previous mistake... Enough of what happened before, and how the losses we suffered."
Arkon felt pain for his friend, and he said hesitantly: "Haven't you forgotten about it yet? It's been several years, and we've been combing the border constantly. No one comes close to it anymore..."
But deep down he knew... that some wounds never heal, even if years passed.
Adrien smiled, but it was a smile that didn't reach his eyes. Brief images flashed before him, reminding him of a past that had left unhealed scars on his soul, and the pain of losing someone dear to him. He looked at his hands silently, as if searching for an answer that hadn't been written yet.
How could I forget? She died before she even realized she had her mate... Her innocence was taken away in cold blood. And if I forget, how could I forget the scent of her blood clinging to me? No matter how many years pass, there are things that time cannot erase.
Her features are still engraved in his memory - her honey-colored eyes that glowed when the sun's rays touched them, her laughter that sparkled in the place, and the way she made his heart flutter with love and passion. But whenever he recalled that memory, the ugliest scene came back to him... her blood-stained body, her pure blood that covered her innocent features. Then, his heart screamed in pain, and one thought echoed in his mind that never left him...
"Why me?!"
Arkon approached him and patted his shoulder tenderly. He was truly pained by the pain his friend was going through, but he knew that Adrian had to get over what happened in the past. However, sometimes words are not enough to describe what we feel.
If Adrian had not been strong, if his companion had not been so young and her wolf had not appeared, his wolf would have died with her. But he survived... perhaps because fate did not want this to be his end. Hope is always born from the womb of suffering, no matter how long it takes.
Arkon cleared his throat and spoke as he walked beside Adrian:
"Man, I forgot... The Alpha was looking for you."
Adrian nodded indifferently as if it didn't matter to him, then said calmly:
"Let's go to him together."
They arrived at the headquarters. Adrian opened the door and entered, and the noise of the place overwhelmed them, as voices were loud in every corner. They made their way to the Alpha's office, and Arkon knocked on the door. They received permission from inside, so they entered the room.
1. Why was the Alpha looking for Adrian? Is there a new threat to the pack, or does it have something to do with his dark past?
2. Despite the passing years, the pain of loss still burns in Adrian's heart... But could what he believes about his mate's death be only half the truth?
Share your thoughts!
Do you think Adrian will remain trapped in the past, or will his meeting with the Alpha reveal something that changes everything? And is there an undiscovered secret about his mate's death? Your predictions matter to me!