Chapter 3 The Mark

Ava woke up in her bed, sweating and confused.

She didn't remember walking back to the dorm. Her shoes were muddy, and her hoodie was ripped at the shoulder. Her body ached, and her mind felt like it had been through a storm.

But one thing was clear, Aiden had saved her.

Again.

Her hands trembled as she reached for her phone. No messages. Not from the school. Not from anyone. It was like nothing had happened.

But something had happened. She knew it. She felt it deep in her bones.

She pulled up her sleeve and gasped.

A faint mark had appeared on her wrist overnight. Circular and glowing lightly under her skin like silver embers. It wasn't a burn. It didn't hurt. But it was there, pulsing like it was alive.

Ava touched it gently. Her heart raced.

What was this?

She covered it quickly and threw on a jacket.

••••

In class, Aiden wasn't there.

Neither were the usual whispers. People avoided her now. It was like she'd become invisible overnight.

Even Talia seemed distant when Ava passed her in the hallway.

She went to the school library after classes ended, searching through old books and dusty archives like a woman possessed.

There was barely anything about mate rejection.

Even less about marks.

But in one half-ripped book tucked in the back corner, she found it.

She quickly opened the first page and it read:

"A mark upon the rejected signifies the awakening of ancient blood. Should the bond remain broken, the one marked may either perish from within... or rise."

Rise?

From what?

For the first time in her life, Ava felt afraid of herself.

That night, she sat alone on a bench near the training field, watching the moon rise again. A cold wind brushed her cheeks. She clutched her jacket tighter.

"Couldn't stay away, huh?"

She jumped. Aiden stood behind her, hands in his pockets.

She stood up fast. "Why did you save me?"

He looked at her for a moment. His face was unreadable. Then he said, "Because I had to."

"That's not an answer."

Aiden stepped closer, the moonlight casting sharp angles on his face. "You shouldn't be here, Ava."

"You already said that," she snapped. "You rejected me, remember?"

"I didn't have a choice!"

Silence fell between them.

Ava's voice dropped. "You always have a choice."

Aiden exhaled, then looked up at the sky. "There are things about me you don't understand. Things about this place. About you."

"What things?" she asked.

He hesitated, then said, "You're not just some ordinary girl from a rogue bloodline. I saw the mark."

Ava flinched. "How?"

"I carried you back last night."

She stared at him, her heart pounding.

"That mark... it's not supposed to appear unless the Moon's will is changing," Aiden continued. "It means something's coming. Something old and dangerous."

"Why me?" she whispered.

"I don't know yet," he said quietly. "But you're not safe. And neither is anyone around you."

Suddenly, a loud howl cut through the night.

Both of them froze.

More howls followed-about three or four from the east ridge where the wards were.

Aiden's eyes darkened. "That's not normal."

"What is it?" Ava asked, fear crawling up her spine.

"Rogues. But not just any rogues. These ones know where to find you."

She swallowed hard. "Why would rogues want me?"

"I don't know," he said again, but the look in his eyes said otherwise.

Another howl. Closer this time.

Aiden turned to her. "Go back to your dorm. Lock your door. Don't open it for anyone."

"What about you?"

He looked at her, something unreadable in his expression. "I'll handle it."

Then he shifted right in front of her.

Bones cracked, clothes tore, and fur burst from his skin.

And then he was gone, his black wolf sprinting into the night.

Ava stood frozen in place, her heart thundering.

Whatever this was... it was only the beginning.