Chapter 2 - Mine To Claim

[SOME DAYS LATER]

After Aniya had confessed to her sister, she had found a way to help her. They summoned witches to perform different rituals to suppress the creature that possessed her. Also, they had captured the strange man she had encountered in the forest. He had told them that the creature that possessed her was one of the Ringers that had escaped from the dungeons in their realms, and he had been sent here to kill every host those Ringers had possessed - a mission he had been successful at so far until he met her.

He had further explained that in their realm, they were lycans - meaning that many were born with a wolf counterpart. Those who weren’t born with a wolf counterpart were called omegas; they were in the lowest position in the rank of power. Some weren’t satisfied with this, and they sacrificed their souls to Blood Magic to acquire a wolf counterpart of their own. The result was, however, nothing they expected; they became beasts controlled by darkness, filled with madness, and with the power to manipulate dark magic.

As if the souls they had sacrificed weren’t enough, their bodies started deteriorating. For that reason, they needed a host but the Alpha of the Lycan's realm had locked them all in a dungeon where they were supposed to rot away while he tried to figure out how he would kill them without risking anyone being possessed by them. However, something had gone wrong in the balance of time; a portal had appeared in the dungeon, and some of the Ringers had escaped to different realms, including that of the humans.

He said there was no way she could survive in this realm and that they would have to give Aniya to him. He claimed that she was his soulmate and said many other ridiculous things.

Such a liar! All he wanted to do was kill her! Wasn’t that what he was sent here to do?

Aniya was glad her sister didn’t listen to him - happy that they had that monster locked away in the dungeon instead, Ikrus or whatever he called himself.

She was living proof that he had lied about her chance of survival. The witches her sister and her friends had brought for her had suppressed the monster forever. Aniya was now back to being herself, and she felt healthier than she had ever felt before. She had also spoken to Zesika and apologized for keeping everything a secret from her. Everything was perfect once again.

By Ignas, Nothing could ruin this!

Despite her relief and happiness, Aniya hoped they would kill Ikrus soon. Something about knowing that he was still alive for more interrogation made her feel agitated. Although she had been told that he had been chained down with silver, and since that was the shifters’ weakness, she had nothing to worry about.

Still, her mind wouldn’t be at peace till he was dead.

Although sister Bell had told her that they had given her an herb he had given them feed to her while she had been passing through pain and it had worked to help in healing her, Aniya still couldn’t trust him.

By Ignas, he was more beast than man! He could shift into a wolf. He existed in the same realm as the one that had possessed her and made her do evil; they were the same kind.

He was sent to kill her and many others. Maybe the herb was just a way of buying their trust since they had him locked up with silver.

She couldn’t trust him. They had to end their interrogation of him already!

Her mind would know no peace till he was dead.

There was so much to worry about but Aniya had to suppress her worry as Zesika pulled her along to the village square to celebrate the festival while she carried Arlo, her baby in one arm.

Quickly they got lost in the crowd to the loud bangs of the drums and the melodic rhythm of the instruments that filled the air.

Nothing could ruin this perfect time.

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A muscular man in a pair of black fur clothes was seated on the dungeon floor, his hands resting on his knees as his cold black eyes focused on the silver bars in front of him. His black beard covered the lower part of his face and some strands of his hair fell over his eyes.

He took in a deep breath and a glare took over his face.

Silver.

Everything was silver, including the mighty chains around his wrists and his ankles.

But something else caught his attention, the light of the moon that seeped into the dungeon from the very tiny and silver-barred window many distance above him.

Slowly, a corner of his lips tugged up in a devilish smirk.

It was the Full Moon.

Silver was nothing to his kind on the Full Moon.

He stood up, and a shadow of his towering figure was cast on the floor due to the light of the moon. In a flash, he was right in front of the bars. He grabbed the bars and pulled them aside. They bent to his command, creating a way out for him. As he stepped out, his canines began to extend, his fingers elongating into thick, sharp claws, his eyes turning into the shade of embers as rage grew in him.

They should have handed her to him when he asked. Now, he was going to take her and kill anyone that would stand in his way.

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It was late, and despite the fun Aniya was having, it was time to retire for the night.

After dancing with Zesika, Aniya decided to visit the Food Stalls where she had seen Sister Bell.

It was fun.

But now, Arlo needed a bath, and she needed rest.

“Goodnight,” she said to them and they returned the greeting. Belladonna had given her a wrapped pack of food to take along with her. “Just in case you wake up hungry in the middle of the night.”

“Thank you. Goodnight, Sister Bell, Sir Eli.” He nodded in response.

“Goodnight,” Belladonna said to her and pinched Arlo’s cheeks. “And goodnight to you too, little Candle.”

Aniya and Arlo departed and headed to the Guest Quarters after that.

When Aniya stepped into her room, she lit the candles, locked the doors, and decided to bath Arlo.

After that, she laid sleeping Arlo on the bed.

It was time for her to take a bath too. She felt so tired, so exhausted.

She stepped into the bathroom, but when she stepped out with a towel wrapped around her body and her hair damp with water, she couldn't find her son where she had laid him.

Her heart skipped a beat.

He must have rolled over. He must have fallen to the other side of the bed.

She ran there but she didn't find him.

“Arlo? Where—” her voice vanished as she stared at the shadow in front of her. She turned sharply to the intruding presence in her room and quickly realized that the stranger was holding her sleeping son in his left arm.

Her eyes bulged, and she clutched her towel to her chest. “No! Who are you? Give me my son! Take whatever you want but let my son go!”

This stranger had on black fur cloth. His eyes were red and like those of a serpent. Strange. He was bigger than she was, which meant that he would easily take her down in a fight. Her only option was to run away but she had locked the door earlier. Her eyes darted to the door quickly, then to him.

The door was slightly opened; he had broken it.

Good.

Now she just had to get her son and make him move away from the door.

She moved her hand forward, begging for her son who was still sleeping soundly despite the chaos. “I will give you any—”

“Aniya.” He had a thick accent.

That was when it hit her.

“Ikrus?”

He smiled boyishly, and she caught a glimpse of his fangs. “Yes, yours.”

Aniya shook her head instinctively, her heart hammering in her chest. This could not be happening. She thought she would never have to see him and now, he had come to her.

“Your son.” He held Arlo far from him and Aniya quickly grabbed her son.

With adrenaline rushing in her veins, she ran to the door but she never made it.

He grabbed her by her waist and his canines sank into a part of her neck.

Her screams echoed into the night, along with Arlo’s cry, before the trio vanished.