The Cursed Bride

They were going to kill her.

Nyra paused to catch her breath but the sound of footsteps approaching made her start running once more. She didn't even bother to turn around to see how close they were.

The Lycans were a supernatural breed of creatures that had more special abilities than she could imagine. She'd heard of their speed and strength, and knew there were more wicked things to them from the whispers in the town.

That's why she knew running was futile. The three Lycans that were following her were still catcalling as they walked, a casual ease to their chase. She knew if they wanted to, they would have her head in a matter of seconds, but instead, they were drawing this out. Enjoying the hunt like she was some sort of prey.

"Come on, Red," One of them leered, his voice echoing in the dense silence of the forest she'd stumbled into. "We just want to talk."

The sun had begun to set mere moments ago but it was already getting dark. She sent up a prayer of gratitude that it wasn't a full moon tonight, or else she was as good as dead.

Stupid. She felt so stupid for even being here. For letting herself even get caught in this situation. She should've gone back home with everyone else after the festival ended.

All the humans in Chaolsen, young and old alike, knew better than to hang around outside past sunset, especially this close to the full moon. Yet she'd defied that rule today when she had hung back to take down some of the decorations.

Why hadn't she just left it until tomorrow? Her breathing was becoming strained now as she leaned against a tree, panting harder than ever, and remembering the stern warning her aunt and best friend had given her before they'd left. She had been going stall to stall, making things easier for her tomorrow when the three Lycans had shown up. All too late, she looked around and realised she was the only human left in the square.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. The voice in her voice echoed as the sound of footsteps trampling on the fallen leaves on the forest floor got even louder.

"Where are you?" One of them called out in a singsong tone, his voice even more menacing in the dead silence.

"Don't worry, human. We won't hurt you."

A trickle of fear ran through her body as she turned her head, feeling herself freeze at the sight of their silhouettes just a few feet away. She willed her body to run but something about their approach made her suddenly feel like a deer caught in headlights with no chance of escape.

She was an idiot. That was something her family, and her best friend, had said several times but today it was confirmed. Why did she run into the forest, and not towards the town where people could save her? How stupid was she?

Chaolsen had a running peace treaty between the Lycans and the humans who lived there. They had their own parts of the town, and while the Lycans mingled freely in human territory, the humans never dared to step foot on the Lycan side.

It was a tentative peace they had shared after years of endless feuds and petty bloodshed. No Lycan had hurt a human since it had been set in place and no human would even think of attacking a Lycan. At least, not until today.

"There you are." The tall one sneered as they came ever closer. A wicked grin was plastered on each of their faces and Nyra felt her heart sink. She was going to die. This was it.

In a moment, they were all around her, surrounding her and making the trapped air in her chest burn as she struggled against her rising panic. Of all the times to have a panic attack, this had to be the worst.

Nyra tried to take one step back but her back was already against the tree and with the Lycans crowding her from the front and both sides, she had nowhere left to run.

She could feel the tightness in her chest becoming even more painful but she still defiantly looked at the lead man and rasped, "Please...help! Somebody!!..." She managed to let out a scream at the last word. Her legs gave way and she sank to the ground as the sound of their boisterous laughter boomed through the woods around her.

Nyra kept her eyes on the ground, trying to focus on her breathing and to think of a plan. Anything. She couldn't die today. Not like this.

Just then, she heard a quick flurry of steps and the three pairs of feet standing around her were gone. Confused and slightly terrified by the quick sequence, Nyra looked up and met a dark gaze piercing into her.

The sun had finally set, and the last of its radiance cast an ethereal glow over the stranger who was wearing a dark coat that seemed to stretch across his muscular frame. Tourist season had been and gone in Chaolsen, but he had to be one. She was definitely sure she had never seen this man before.

His face was one she would remember. He looked like a modern day Adonis with his wavy dark hair, angular cheekbones and a sharp jaw, but it was his eyes that made it impossible for her to look away. Dark eyes that reminded her of a moonless night. Eyes that seemed to strip her bare, burrowing into her soul.

Nyra didn't know how much time passed with the two of them regarding each other silently. Then, just as quickly as he had shown up, he was kneeling before her. All thoughts of the Lycans who had been terrorising her, and of the world around her had faded away. Nothing seemed to exist but the man who stood a few breaths away from her.

He reached out a hand and her breathing stilled, her heartbeat racing as he curled it around a lock of her red hair, tugging slightly then gently caressing. He seemed mesmerized by it as though he'd never seen anything like it. "Flames," He said, voice husky and deep, the timbre of it making her shudder. "The sunset turns your hair into glistening flames. It's fascinating."

"What?" She managed to say, trying to get her voice clear and her thoughts in order. Why was she having such a visceral reaction to this stranger? She'd met lots of handsome tourists but none of them had ever made her feel so...

"Electric." The stranger said, his eyes darkening impossibly more. He moved his face closer to her and quietly inhaled. "That scent." He growled and moved his face back again. "What is that impossible scent?"

Nyra felt herself bound in place. She tried to get herself to move away but her traitorous body moved closer to him. She'd never felt so attracted to someone before.

Distantly she could hear alarm bells in her head, but they turned off when his hand moved from her hair to rest on her cheek, setting off a thunderclap that ran through her. They both gasped and moved back, as though they'd been burned.

The man gave her another once-over, the look in his eyes now turning wary.

Before Nyra could open her mouth to ask him the words that were at the tip of her tongue, the three Lycan men appeared out of nowhere surrounding him and immediately bowed their heads. ''Alpha, we found the girl,'' they echoed in unison, coming to him with equal looks of concern.

Nyra felt her heart drop and she moved back until her back hit the wall as she watched the man-the male Lycan, the Alpha King-stand up to address them. They instantly raised their heads but that look of reverence was obvious in the way they regarded him.

The Alpha King. Of course. How could she have not realised? It was clear now with the way he held himself and the stillness with which he moved that he was not human. She had been so stupid allowing herself to get swept up by a Lycan, their Alpha no less.

But wait...found the girl? What did they mean by that?

Nyra wasn't sure what they meant, but she didn't want to find out. Her eyes darted round, waiting for the right moment to escape, but the Alpha followed her every glance. His lips were curved in a smirkish smile, and then he said;

"You are coming with me." He spoke matter-of-factly, as though she had no choice but to obey,

Nyra scoffed, emerald eyes blazing now., her body feeling repulsed for being attracted to him, to be attracted to a kind she detested down to her bones. "I would never go anywhere with you."

There was a moment of silence, and then an amused laugh left his lips;

''I wasn't asking,'' he said, and with a flicker of his hand, the guards moved instantly and Nyra's world faded to black.