Chapter 2 Protector or Destroyer

Gaia took a trembling step back, her wide eyes locked onto the figure advancing towards her. Her voice broke into panic, as she screamed, "Stay away from me!" She turned to the security guards, her fear escalating, "I don't want to see him. Take me away, please....."

The guards hesitated, their eyes shifting to their superior for instructions.

The chief doctor nodded solemnly and approached the man with a measured calm. "Gaia's condition has worsened. She's not in the right state of mind to see you now. Perhaps you could return on the next visiting day."

But the man disregarded the chief entirely, his focus fixed solely on Gaia, as if nothing else in the room existed.

The guards moved swiftly, raising their batons in a show of force, while Gaia, eyes still on the stranger, inched backwards, her mind racing with something far deeper than fear.

"Hey, mister, you heard the chief," one of the guards said, stepping forward with authority, hands outstretched to block the man's path.

Chief Dan, frowned deeply, approached more cautiously. "Young man-" his voice was abruptly cut off as the stranger seized his wrist in one swift, violent motion.

A sharp, bone-chilling crack pierced the air, followed by Dan's shrill scream.

The guards froze for a split second, while Gaia's heart pounded in her chest as she pressed herself further against the wall, watching the man, unmoved by the chaos around him, step closer.

It wasn't fear that gripped her just now-it was something far more dangerous.

"Who are you? Stay back!" One of the guards shouted, his voice rough with fear, aiming his gun at the stranger.

The man strode forward, crushing his pistol in one swift move.

The guards backed away, caught in his icy, fierce stare.

Something was wrong.....

"Hand her over!" The stranger demanded, his voice a dark rasp that chilled them.

They glanced back-Gaia was gone.

The man's brow creased, a deadly aura radiating from him. In an instant, he snapped both guards' necks.

"Gaia!"

His roar echoed, shaking the hospital walls until they cracked.

★ ★ ★

A sleek black sedan crept to a halt at the entrance of Ironhaven Asylum, its dark silhouette blending with the looming gray sky. The driver stepped out, swiftly rounding the vehicle to open the passenger door. From within emerged a tall figure draped in a finely tailored black suit, his gaze sharp and calculating.

As if on cue, the sky darkened further, and rain began to pour. The driver, quick to respond, snapped open an umbrella, holding it above his boss's head with a respectful bow. The man's presence was magnetic, demanding attention.

Two rows of men clad in black stood aligned at the entrance, each bowing slightly. Their voices echoed in unison, steady and loyal, "Yes, boss!" With a nod, they strode inside.

A figure approached, his eyes narrowed and glinting like embers, a fang visible as he spoke. "Alpha Valtor," Damon's voice held a note of urgency. "One of our kind is here-a powerful one. Stronger and more...unnatural than the others."

A low growl rumbled from Valtor's chest, his eyes flashing with a cold, deadly light. "We know what he's after. Don't let him leave with her," he ordered, his voice like thunder under the falling rain.

Without hesitation, Damon nodded, his form contorting as he shifted into a dark, sleek wolf. In a blur of motion, he vanished down a narrow passage, his paws echoing softly as he disappeared into the shadows within the asylum.

The human mercenaries strode down the dim corridor toward Damon's direction, their footsteps echoing ominously. Each man was armed with wolfsbane-loaded firearms, fingers tense on the triggers, their eyes trained on the shadows ahead.

Meanwhile, Gaia dashed into her room, her monolid eyes scanning frantically for anything of importance. Her gaze landed on her necklace-her most cherished possession. She darted over, slipping it carefully around her neck, letting out a small sigh of relief.

"What have you done?" The brittle voice startled her, and she turned to see Margaret standing in the doorway, her face carved with lines of disappointment and fear, barely visible in the room's dim light.

"Mama Maggi?" Gaia whispered, stunned by the hard look in the old woman's eyes. She took a step forward, but Margaret shrank back, edging toward the wall to keep a safe distance.

"Don't touch me, Gaia!" Margaret's voice was harsh, trembling. "You've brought nothing but bloodshed and suffering to this home... our once-peaceful home."

Gaia's lip curled into a bitter smile, suppressing the urge to snap back. Home? She wanted to scoff but reminded herself this wasn't the time.

"Leave us, Gaia." Margaret's voice was firm, her gaze averted. "Leave, and don't ever return here."

Gaia inhaled deeply, a pang of sadness flickering in her eyes. She nodded, accepting the dismissal with quiet resignation, and slipped out of the room, the door closing softly behind her.

Gaia moved swiftly down the narrow corridor, her heart pounding in her chest as she clutched her necklace tightly. Shadows flickered against the walls, and the faint sound of footsteps echoed from behind. She was nearly at the exit when a hoarse voice rang out.

"Gaia..."

She froze, her breath catching as she recognized the voice. Turning slowly, she saw the man from earlier-the one who had been watching her with a dark, unreadable gaze. Panic rose within her, but she forced herself to keep moving, slipping around a corner to put more distance between them.

But as she rounded the next bend, she came to a sudden halt, dread washing over her.

Valtor stood there, blocking her path, his piercing gaze fixed on her. His presence was overwhelming, radiating an aura of lethal power. Gaia's heart skipped as he took a step forward, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. She knew she was trapped, cornered between Valtor and the man closing in from behind.

Without a word, Valtor's body began to shift, his form stretching and twisting as his human guise melted away. Gaia's eyes widened in terror, her vision blurring as she watched the monstrous transformation unfold. His limbs elongated, muscles bulging, his face contorting into something dark and feral.

Fear overtook her, her knees buckling as her vision tunneled. She stumbled back, her hand reaching out to steady herself, but it was no use. Everything faded to black as her body slumped to the ground, leaving her unconscious at the feet of her would-be protector-or destroyer.