Chapter One

The wind cried through the old woodland, its melancholy cry reverberating through the contorted trees and over the rugged cliffs of Bloodstone domain. Alpha Marcus stood on the most elevated top, his sharp look clearing over the war zone underneath. His pack clashed with the rival Shadow Fang wolves, their snarls and yelps filling the air. This fight was just another in a long line of skirmishes that had become a bitter routine.

Marcus felt nothing. Not the bite of the cold wind against his skin, nor the thrill of the battle. His immortality had dulled all sensations except for one, an unending, gnawing loneliness. For centuries, he had led his pack with a ruthless hand, knowing that death was never an escape for him. His curse was a prison, one he had earned by rejecting his first love, and now he was condemned to an eternity without a mate.

He descended the cliffside with the grace of a predator, joining the fray. His presence alone sent waves of fear through the Shadow Fang wolves. He was a legend, a monster whispered about in fearful tones. As he tore through their ranks, his movements were precise and deadly, a testament to centuries of combat experience. The battle was over swiftly, the Shadow Fangs retreating into the darkness.

Liam, Marcus's loyal Beta, approached, his fur matted with blood and dirt. "Alpha, we have secured the territory."

Marcus nodded, his eyes already scanning the horizon. "Good. Make sure the wounded are tended to. We leave no one behind."

As Liam turned to carry out his orders, Marcus felt a strange sensation tugging at him, something he hadn't felt in ages, curiosity. He followed the pull, his senses sharpening as he moved deeper into the forest.

***

Clara Thompson adjusted her camera, focusing on a rare flower blooming amidst the underbrush. She had continuously felt an association to the woodland, a drag she couldn't clarify. Her grandma had regularly told her stories of their family's puzzling heredity, but Clara had continuously expelled them as whimsical stories.

Today, though, the forest felt different. The air became thick with a strength that made her skin tingle. She brushed a bolt of reddish brown hair behind her ear, her eyes green in color, narrowing as she caught motion out of the corner of her eye. A figure developed from the shadows, tall and forcing, with eyes that shined like liquid silver.

She whispered nervously "Who are you?"

Marcus stepped forward, his gaze locked on her. "You should not be here right now."

Clara hesitated, her heart beating. "I... I didn't mean to trespass. I'm just here to take some photos."

Marcus tilted his head, evaluating her. There was something about her, something that stirred a long-buried reminisce. "This forest is dangerous. You should leave."

Clara's defiance flared. "I'm not afraid of the forest."

"You should be afraid of me."

She met his gaze, her fear momentarily overshadowed by a surge of curiosity. "Who are you?"

Before he could answer, a rustling in the bushes made them both turn. Marcus snarled, stepping in front of Clara as a Shadows Fang wolf lunged at them. With a swift, brutal motion, Marcus dispatched the intruder, his eyes never leaving Clara.

"Go home," he ordered, his voice brooking no argument.

Clara gestured, bumbling back towards the way that drove to the little town she called home. As she vanished into the trees, Marcus felt a new throb in his chest. He observed her go, a sense of premonition settling over him. 

***

Clara couldn't shake the experience from her intellect as she made her way back to town. She replayed all that had befell, time and again, trying to make feel of the strong connection she had felt with the stranger. As morning came, she stirred to weird dreams and a sense of unease that clung to her like a shadow.

"You won't believe what happened yesterday Ethan", she said to her childhood companion as they sat in their favorite café.

"Did you find another weird plant?" Ethan asked.

Clara shook her head, her expression serious. "No, I met someone. In the forest."

Ethan leaned in, his interest piqued. "And? Who was it?"

Clara hesitated. "I absolutely have no idea. But he was... different. He warned me to stay away."

"Sounds like a lunatic," Ethan scoffed. "You should be careful, Clara."

"I know, but there was something about him. I can't explain it."

Ethan sighed, patting her hand. "Just promise me you'll be careful."

"I promise," Clara said, though she knew she couldn't keep it. The pull of the forest, and the mysterious man within it, was too strong to ignore.

***

Back in the Bloodstone Pack's territory, Marcus paced his chambers, his mind returning to the woman he had encountered. Liam entered, his expression concerned. "You seem troubled, Alpha."

Marcus stopped, his eyes distant. "I met a woman in the forest. A human."

Liam's eyes widened. "A human? That's unusual."

"There's something about her, Liam. Something... familiar."

Liam frowned. "We need to be cautious. Humans bring trouble."

"She's different," Marcus insisted, his voice low. "I can feel it."

Before Liam could respond, a scout burst into the room, breathless and wide-eyed. "Alpha, the Shadow Fangs are mobilizing. They're heading towards the town."

Marcus's blood ran cold. "Clara."

He moved swiftly, issuing orders to his pack. They had to protect the town, and more importantly, they had to protect Clara. As they hustled through the woodland, Marcus couldn't shake the feeling that Clara was the key to everything, the revile, his recovery, and maybe, his heart.

***

Clara was in her small condo, sorting through the photographs she had taken within the woodland, while the howl pierced the night time. She froze, her blood turning to ice. The sounds of the battle grew closer, and she grabbed her phone, dialing Ethan.

"Ethan, something's happening. There are wolves"

Earlier than she should finish, the door crashed open, and a darkish figure loomed in the doorway. It was Marcus, his eyes wild with urgency.

"Come with me," he commanded.

Clara pondered only for a minute before nodding. She snatched her coat and took after him into the night, her heart beating in her chest. The town was in anarchy, the Shadow Fang wolves assaulting anybody in their way. 

"Stay close," Marcus ordered, his tone brooking no argument.

As they made their way through the boulevards, Clara felt a surge of power inside her, something arousing in the profound interior. She looked at Marcus, who was battling off the wolves with a fierceness that was both unnerving and awe-inspiring.

They reached the edge of the forest, and Marcus pulled her into a hidden cave. "You need to stay here. It's not safe."

Clara grabbed his arm, her eyes wide with fear and determination. "I'm not leaving you."

Marcus stared at her, a war raging within him. Before he could respond, a Shadow Fang wolf lunged at them. Clara instinctively raised her hand, and a burst of energy shot out, sending the wolf flying.

Marcus's eyes widened in shock. "What are you?"

Clara shook her head, just as bewildered. "I don't know."

The cave fell noiseless, the fight seething exterior, but for a minute, it was the two of them, confronting a questionable future. Marcus knew then that Clara was more than just a human. She was the key to breaking his curse, but she was also something more, his salvation.

As the howls of the Shadow Fangs grew louder, Marcus made a silent vow. He would protect Clara, no matter the cost. And together, they would discover the secrets of her lineage, and possibly, discover a way to shatter the curse that had bound him all along.

The floor shook as a powerful, ancient force awoken, attracted to the surge of Clara's newf

ound energy. The air crackled with energy, and a haunting voice echoed via the cave, "the key has been located.”