Chapter 2 The Spark That Burned Cold

Liah sat frozen, her back pressed against the damp wall, staring at her hand as the glow faded.

It had only lasted a second – a soft, pale shimmer that lit her skin like moonlight. Now her finger looked normal again. Dirty. Shaking. Human.

" What was that?" She whispered, hugging her knees tightly.

No answer came.

No power surged through her veins.

Just silence.

The warmth that had bloomed in her chest was gone, replaced by a familiar hollowness.

She closed her eyes. "Maybe I'm going mad", she said to herself.

The days that followed were cruel.

Liah was treated worse, insulted. She washed bloodstained clothes that reeked of battle. She cleaned the warrior's quarters on her hands and knees. If she was too slow. Someone would throw a bucket at her. If she made eye contact, they would growl,

"Know your place, human".

She barely slept. Barely ate.

Kael never spoke to her.

Except once.

It was late. The moon was high, a full circle in the sky. Liah was scrubbing the stone floor outside the Alpha's chamber when his door opened.

She flinched automatically, bowing her head.

"You're still alive", kael said, stepping into the corridor.

Liah nodded, not daring to look up.

"Disappointing", he muttered.

Her jaw clenched.

One day, she thought. One day. I'll be free of this.

But when she looked up – just for a second – she saw something strange in his eyes.

A flicker of confusion.

Maybe even ...curiosity

That night, the glowing came back.

Not in her hand this time – in her dream.

She was standing in a forest, surrounded by mist. A silver wolf watched her from the shadows. Its eyes were her eyes – dark, frightened, but fierce beneath the fear.

Then she saw chains – glowing, floating around her wrists.

But when she reached to touch them, they burned.

She woke up with a gasp.

And screamed.

Her arm was covered in red marks – like rope burns – but no one had touched her.

The pack healer came the next morning. He examined the marks in silence, then looked at her eyes.

"She's cursed", he said flatly to the guard beside him. "Weak...but dangerous"

The guard spat at her feet.

"You'll die before you ever figure out who you are", he sneered.

That night, Liah wept.

Not because of the pain.

Not because of loneliness.

But because a part of her was beginning to believe them.

Maybe she was cursed.

Maybe this pain will never end.

Maybe...she would never escape.

But far, far away in the dark corners of the forest, something was watching her.

Something old

Something powerful

And it was waiting.

For the moment she broke.

Or the moment she rose.