"You think you're ready to face it?"
Kaelen's head snapped toward the voice, his jaw tightening. The Elder Werewolf stood before him, his silver eyes piercing through the darkness of the abandoned temple. Moonlight seeped through the cracked ceiling, illuminating the dust floating in the air. The atmosphere was thick with tension, a palpable reminder of the weight of the past that Kaelen was about to confront.
"I have no choice," Kaelen said, his voice rough. "If I don't face this now, it will haunt me forever."
The Elder's lips curled into something between a smirk and a warning. "Very well, Alpha. But be warned—your past does not forget so easily."
A cold gust of wind surged through the temple as the Elder raised his hand. Shadows coiled around Kaelen's feet, creeping up his legs, crawling under his skin. The sensation was chilling, as if the very essence of the temple was alive, eager to reveal the horrors that lay ahead.
And then—
The world twisted.
The temple faded.
Kaelen found himself standing in the ruins of his old village.
His breath caught in his throat. The air was thick with the scent of blood and burning wood. Screams echoed in his ears—some distant, some terrifyingly close. Memories flooded back, vivid and raw, each one a dagger to his heart.
He knew this place.
It was the night everything had been taken from him.
"No…" Kaelen whispered, his hands curling into fists, nails digging into his palms as he fought against the rising tide of despair.
And then he saw him.
Lucian.
Standing among the wreckage, his black cloak billowing in the wind, a cruel smile painted on his face. His golden eyes gleamed under the fire's glow, a stark contrast to the devastation surrounding them.
"Did you miss me, brother?" Lucian taunted, his voice dripping with malice.
Kaelen's chest burned with anger. "You're not my brother."
Lucian laughed, stepping closer, the sound echoing ominously in the charred remains of their home. "And yet, you hesitate."
A movement behind Lucian caught Kaelen's attention. His heart stopped.
Seraphina.
Her auburn hair was soaked in blood, her body barely upright. She was bound, her wrists bruised and raw. Her lips trembled, but she still held his gaze, a flicker of hope amidst the chaos.
"Kaelen…" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the cacophony of destruction. "You promised you'd protect us."
Pain sliced through him like a blade, a reminder of his failure.
"Seraphina…"
Lucian's smirk deepened, a predator savoring the moment. "Ah, memories. You were too blind to see the truth, weren't you? Too consumed by your pride."
Kaelen's breath grew heavy, the weight of guilt pressing down on him.
"It wasn't my fault."
Lucian's laughter echoed, cruel and mocking. "Wasn't it?"
The shadows shifted. The air thickened. Suddenly, Seraphina wasn't Seraphina anymore.
It was Ariana.
Her golden-brown eyes widened in terror as she struggled against the invisible force holding her in place. "Kaelen!" she cried, her voice laced with desperation.
He lunged forward—
But his body wouldn't move.
His muscles locked. His lungs squeezed tight, as if the very essence of his past was suffocating him.
Lucian stepped behind Ariana, his fingers grazing her throat, a sinister smile playing on his lips. "Will you fail her too?"
—
Ariana jerked awake, gasping.
Her body was covered in sweat, her hands trembling. The remnants of the nightmare clung to her like a shroud, the images too vivid to shake off.
Another nightmare.
Her eyes darted around the dimly lit room, her breath still uneven. The wooden walls of the cabin felt smaller than before, suffocating her. The shadows seemed to whisper secrets, taunting her with the knowledge that Kaelen was facing something far more sinister.
Her mind raced back to Kaelen.
She hadn't seen him since he left with the Elder. Something about a trial. A trial that could change everything.
She swallowed hard, anxiety knotting in her stomach.
Kaelen wasn't the type to show weakness, but there was something in his eyes before he left—something that made her chest tighten with worry.
A soft knock at the door snapped her from her thoughts.
Ariana hesitated before stepping toward it, her fingers curling around the handle. Her heart raced, a mix of hope and dread swirling within her.
The moment she opened it, a gust of cold air rushed in—along with Kaelen.
He looked… different.
His shirt was torn, his knuckles were raw, and there was a wildness in his silver eyes. His chest rose and fell heavily, as if he had just fought a war within himself. The sight of him sent a jolt of fear through her.
"Kaelen?"
He didn't respond.
He just walked past her, his hands running through his hair, frustration radiating off him in waves. Ariana could feel the tension in the air, thick and suffocating.
Ariana closed the door behind her, turning to face him. "What happened?"
Silence.
Kaelen's jaw clenched, his back turned to her as he struggled to regain his composure.
"Nothing."
She crossed her arms, refusing to back down. "That's a lie."
His eyes flickered toward her, sharp and guarded, like a wolf ready to snap.
"Drop it, Ariana."
But she didn't.
"You look like you've been through hell," she pressed, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her. "And considering where we are, that's probably not an exaggeration."
Kaelen let out a sharp exhale, turning away, his frustration palpable.
She saw it then—the way his fingers curled ever so slightly, like he was gripping something invisible. Like he was trying to hold himself together, but the cracks were beginning to show.
"Kaelen…"
He didn't move.
She took a careful step closer, her heart aching for him.
"I know what it's like to be haunted by the past."
His shoulders tensed, the muscles coiling like a spring ready to snap.
"You think I don't hear the screams at night?" she continued, her voice softer, more vulnerable. "You think I don't wake up gasping for air, feeling like I'm still trapped in the moment that broke me?"
Kaelen turned to her then, his silver eyes stormy, a tempest of emotions swirling within.
"You don't understand—"
"Don't I?" she cut him off, her voice rising slightly. "Because it sure as hell feels like I do."
A heavy silence settled between them, thick with unspoken words and shared pain.
Ariana swallowed, forcing herself to hold his gaze. "I get it, Kaelen. It's easier to shut people out. To act like you don't care. But you're not alone anymore."
His throat bobbed as he swallowed, the tension in the air almost unbearable.
For a moment, Ariana thought he might actually say something. Something that would bridge the chasm between them.
But then—
"I need to be alone."
She stared at him, her heart sinking.
And then, with a small, bitter smile, she nodded, trying to mask the hurt.
"Right. Of course you do."
Kaelen's hands clenched, frustration and pain etched across his features.
Ariana took a slow step back, her heart heavy. "You keep pushing people away, Kaelen. But one day, you'll realize that being alone isn't the same as being strong."
She turned toward the door, her heart aching for the connection they had almost forged.
Kaelen's breath hitched, a flicker of desperation crossing his face.
"Ariana—"
She paused, her hand on the door handle, her heart racing.
For a second, he thought she might turn around. That she might stay and fight for him.
But she didn't.
She didn't even look back.
She just whispered—
"Who hurt you so badly that you think you don't deserve to be saved?"
And then, she was gone.
—
Kaelen stood in the silence of the cabin, the weight of her words hanging in the air like a storm cloud. He felt the walls closing in around him, the shadows of his past creeping back into his mind.
He had faced many battles, but this—this was different. This was a war within himself, a struggle against the demons that had haunted him for years.
The memories of his village burned in his mind, the screams of his family echoing like a haunting melody. He could still see Seraphina's terrified face, the way she had looked at him with trust and hope, only to be betrayed by the very blood that ran through his veins.
Kaelen clenched his fists, the pain in his knuckles a welcome distraction from the turmoil inside. He had to confront Lucian, to face the truth of his past, but the thought of it filled him with dread.
He moved to the window, staring out into the night. The moon hung high in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the landscape. It was beautiful, yet it reminded him of the darkness that lurked within.
What if he failed? What if he couldn't overcome the shadows of his past?
The thought gnawed at him, a relentless whisper that threatened to consume him.