**Seraphina's POV**
No matter how far I ran, the forest seemed endless. It's dark shadows blocking any hope of escape. My chest heaved, my heart pounding like a drum in my ear. Panic clawed my mind as a cold realization settled over me.
"There's no way out," I whispered, halting abruptly as my eyes landed on an oak tree that seemed eerily familiar. My pulse quickened. "I passed by this tree earlier."
My knees trembled, and I pressed my shaky hand to the bark of another tree. I let out a shaky breath. For a split second, I allowed myself to relax, though the storm within didn't subside.
Then the world titled.
The ground seemed to lurch beneath me, and I staggered, falling hard. Pain exploded in my limbs as I hit the forest floor. I bit back a cry, summoning the last shred of my strength to push myself upright. My fingers dug into the rough bark as I stood, but when I lifted my gaze, the forest was gone.
Instead, I found myself in a small, dimly lit room.
Panic surged through me like broad fire. I spun in place, my breath hitching. "How did I get here? ,what just happened?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. The air felt stifling, the air oppressive. My thoughts darted frantically and landed on one possibility.
Black magic.
Before I could put the puzzle together, the world flung open so violently that it made me flinch. I straightened instinctively as the elder strode in, his eyes burned with anger. The red tip of his rod glowed ominously in the dim light.
This time, there's no retreat. No escape. I thought as I braced myself for the pain that was about to come.
He halted before me, his expression darkened. "You shouldn't play games with me, mother", he growled, his tone icy and unforgiving.
I stood rooted in place, knowing any attempts to argue would be futile. Words would only feed his anger. I said nothing, steeling myself for the pain I knew was coming.
The elder’s lips twisted into a sneer, but before he could raise the rod, the door creaked open once more. A man stumbled in, his face pale with terror.
"El...der," he said stammering, unable to form a coherent sentence. "We....we are under attack."
The elder's eyes narrowed, his fury momentarily replaced with disbelief. "Wha...t?" "Who dares attack us?"
"The Lycan king," the man replied, his voice trembling.
A wave of fear covered his face, but he quickly masked it with his usual cold demeanor. Turning to me, his expression hardened. "Don't try anything foolish" he warned, his voice sharp as steel,"Or I'll forget that you're a mother witch and end your life right there." He hurled the rod aside and stormed outside, leaving the door ajar.
I exhaled shakily, relief washing over me. At least I'm alive for now. But outside, the sounds of battle filled the air—agonized growls and the crack of bones. Wolves fought savagely, the chaos echoing through the cave walls.
The open door tempted me, but fear kept me frozen. The elder’s warning rang in my ears. Still, the sounds of the fight outside and the thought of freedom pushed me forward. My heart pounded as I stepped outside.
The scene before me was like a nightmare. The cave’s entrance opened into a dark forest, its edges illuminated by the flicker of moonlight. The elder stood at the center of the chaos, wielding his magic with ruthless precision. Giant silver-furred wolves tore through smaller ones, their sheer strength overwhelming. The elder used his powers to halt the larger wolves in place or slam them to the ground, but they were relentless, their determination unyielding.
I took a hesitant step back, trying to find an escape route, when a massive wolf emerged from the shadows behind me.
I shrieked, spinning around, but before I could react further, the wolf shifted.
A man stood before me, his familiar face bringing a fresh wave of shock. "Y…oou",I stammed.
“Don’t be scared,” he said softly, his piercing gaze locking onto mine. His words should have soothed me, but my heart raced for an entirely different reason. He was completely naked, his chiseled form impossible to ignore.
This is not the time for this, Seraphina.
His voice pulled me back to reality. “You’re a descendant of a powerful witch,” he said, his tone laced with urgency. He held out a gleaming sword. “Take this.”
I blinked at him, confused, but he pressed on. “Cut yourself and smear the blood on this knife.” He produced a dark, ancient blade that seemed to hum with energy. “You’ll need to stab the elder in the chest. It won’t kill him, but it’ll neutralize his powers temporarily.”
“How am I supposed to get close enough to stab him? What if I doesn't work?" I asked, fear lacing my voice.
“Just trust me. Do it now,” he said sharply, leaving no room for argument.
I nodded hesitantly and pressed the sword against my palm. The sharp sting of pain made me gasp as blood welled up. I smeared the crimson streak onto the knife, its surface absorbing the liquid like it was alive.
He shifted back into his wolf form and lowered himself, motioning for me to climb on. With a deep breath, I swung onto his back. Who was I to decline?
We waited behind a tree, observing the elder as he continued his assault on the wolves. Every second felt like an eternity, my pulse roaring in my ears.
When the elder’s attention wavered for a moment, the wolf beneath me tensed. He darted forward with incredible speed, closing the distance in seconds.
The Elder realized it very late.
With every ounce of strength, I drove the dagger into his chest. He let out a guttural cry of pain, and I stumbled back, yanking the blade free.
His dark eyes locked onto mine, a sinister smile curling his lips. “You don’t understand what you’ve done, Mother Witch,” he said, his voice dripping with malice. He fell to his knees, the dagger’s magic rendering him powerless—for now.
The larger wolves made quick work of the remaining enemies. When they shifted back to their human forms, they quickly dressed and set about securing the elder.
“We need to move. The effect won’t last long,” the man said, his voice filled with urgency.
One of his men approached and bowed slightly. “Your Majesty, should we capture him?”
Majesty?
“Yes,” the man replied firmly. “Chain him. We need to be at the palace in three hours.”
The title sank in as I stared at him in disbelief. “You’re the Lycan King?”
He turned to me with a soft smile. “Yes, I am.”
Our eyes met, and for a moment, the world faded away. Then I cleared my throat, breaking the spell.
“You should wrap your hand before it gets infected,” he said, tearing a strip of cloth from his shirt. His hands were gentle, not as rough as I was expecting,as he bandaged my palm. “You did well,” he murmured.
I nodded, unable to find the right words. Exhaustion settled over me as we left the forest, the elder chained and dragged behind us. My legs felt heavy, my vision blurring.
When I finally collapsed, the Lycan King caught me before darkness claimed me.