Lost Echoes

Lucian sat by the river, the rhythmic rush of water failing to soothe the hollow ache inside him. Something was missing. He didn't know what, but the emptiness gnawed at him like a wound that refused to heal. His wolf lay beside him, silent and restless, its golden eyes clouded with something Lucian couldn't name. Instinctively, he stroked its thick fur, trying to ground himself.

Then, it happened.

A sudden tension coiled in his muscles, sharp and unrelenting. A strange unease crawled under his skin, prickling at the back of his mind. His wolf's ears shot up, its entire body going rigid before it sprang to its feet.

Then it howled.

Not a call to the moon or a challenge to an enemy. No—this was something else. A raw, aching sound that sent a chill through Lucian's spine.

Lucian stood quickly, reaching out to steady his wolf, but the creature shook him off violently. Then, without warning, it ran.

"Wait!" Lucian called, but his wolf didn't stop.

His legs moved before he could think, his body surging forward in pursuit. The wind howled in his ears, the world blurring around him as his wolf tore through the trees, its howls growing more frantic, more broken.

Then they reached the cliff's edge.

And he saw her.

A figure stood at the precipice, her hair whipping in the wind. She was too far away for him to make out her face, but something about her… called to him.

His breath hitched. His heart pounded, not just from the run, but from something deeper.

Do I know her?

It made no sense. He was sure he had never seen her before, and yet…

A phantom touch brushed against his skin—soft fingers tracing his jaw. A distant laugh, warm and familiar, like sunlight breaking through a storm. The scent of wildflowers and rain.

He staggered, clutching his head as something inside him cracked, trying to break free.

Mine.

The word whispered through his mind like a forgotten promise. His wolf let out another cry, not in fear, but in agony.

She turned her head slightly, as if she had heard him. As if she felt it too.

"Wait—" His voice was hoarse, strangled by the storm raging inside him.

Then she jumped.

Lucian's entire body lurched forward, a snarl ripping from his throat.

His wolf collapsed.

A sharp, soul-wrenching whimper escaped from its maw before it crumpled beside him, its massive form falling lifelessly to the ground.

Lucian dropped to his knees, gasping as pain ripped through his chest. It wasn't physical—it was something worse, something deeper. It was loss.

But he didn't understand.

He didn't even know her name.

Yet as he stared down at the river below, at the place where she had disappeared, one thought burned through his mind.

I've lost something I can't remember.

Lucian jolted awake, his heart hammering violently against his ribs. A strange pull tugged at his soul, an invisible force calling out to him—no, to his wolf. His breath came in sharp gasps as an overwhelming sensation flooded his senses. His wolf was stirring, restless, agitated.

His vision blurred before sharpening into a brilliant, unnatural green. His wolf howled inside him, clawing at the edges of his mind, desperate to break free. There was someone—someone out there. Someone who was calling to him. Someone who was part of him. Someone who shared his heart.

A shudder ran through his body as the pull intensified, a deep, aching yearning taking root in his chest. His wolf would not be ignored. It demanded to be released.

Lucian gritted his teeth, trying to suppress the surge of raw power rushing through his veins, but it was useless. The transformation overtook him like a violent storm. His bones cracked, elongating with sickening snaps. His claws extended, razor-sharp and gleaming. His muscles stretched and shifted beneath his skin as thick, silver-white fur sprouted over his body. A deep, guttural growl tore from his throat, followed by a soul-piercing howl that echoed through the room.

Wherever she was—whoever she was—she was calling for him.

And his wolf was going to find her.

Selene entered the room. With a witch. They met Lucian in his wolf form.

Selene was surprised and scared. She had no idea of what was going on.

Before they could say anything. Lucian made for the door but the witch snapped her finger and Lucian fell. He winced in pain.

Selene looked at the witch as she sighed in relief.

Lucian lay on the cold floor, his massive white wolf body trembling as waves of pain tore through him. His green eyes, once sharp and wild with determination, dulled as the witch's spell tightened its grip on him. His wolf howled in agony, fighting to break free, but the magic was too strong.

Selene took a cautious step forward, her hands clenched into fists. Fear lingered in her eyes as she watched Lucian struggle. This wasn't supposed to happen. He was supposed to be fully hers. Yet, even now, Adira's pull on him was stronger than she had anticipated.

"He's trying to leave," the witch muttered, her voice dark with warning. "His true mate is calling him. If he reaches her, your spell will break."

Selene's breath caught in her throat. "Adira," she whispered. The name tasted bitter on her tongue.

"She might be in danger," the witch continued, her tone laced with something almost amused. "If he finds her now, it will be over for you. He will never return."

Selene's hands tightened into fists. "No." Her voice trembled, but she masked it with determination. "What do I do now?"

The witch's eyes gleamed. "I can strengthen the spell. It will sever his connection to her—at least for now. But it will cause him great pain."

Selene hesitated only for a moment before steeling herself. "Do it."

The witch smirked, bending down beside Lucian's twitching form. She raised her hands and began to chant, her fingers weaving intricate motions in the air. The energy in the room shifted, growing heavier, darker.

Lucian's body convulsed violently. His howl was raw, agonized. It echoed off the walls, filled with a despair that sent chills down Selene's spine.

She was calling, and he was leaving.

She was crying, and he was leaving.

She was dying, and he was leaving.

Selene swallowed down the unease creeping into her chest. She had won. She had to believe that.

The door creaked open, and a few of Lucian's men rushed in, alarmed by the noise.

"What's happening?" one of them asked.

Selene turned sharply, masking her nervousness with a stern glare. "Alpha Lucian is receiving treatment. Leave."

The guards exchanged wary glances but obeyed, stepping back and closing the door behind them.

Lucian's body twisted once more before he shifted back into his human form. His bare skin glistened with sweat, his chest rising and falling in shallow, erratic breaths. His temperature spiked, his body burning up as the magic took its toll.

Even in his unconscious state, something inside him was still searching.

He saw her in his mind—a shadow, a blurred figure reaching for him. But no matter how hard he tried, no matter how fast he ran, he never reached her.

He was trapped. Lost in an endless loop.

And Adira was slipping away.