Chapter 3 Man from my dreams

My fingers elongated into razor-sharp claws, ready to strike. However, to my surprise, the werewolves didn’t attack immediately.

They exchanged confused glances instead as though speaking to one another in a language only they could understand.

I’d read about their mind link before, a telepathic connection within their pack, and I couldn’t help but find it strangely fascinating, even now.

Then, all at once, they turned their glowing eyes on me, their collective growl vibrating through the night.

Without hesitation, one of them lunged at me, and in self-defense, I delivered a powerful punch squarely across the face, the force sending it crashing into a nearby tree.

Another charged, and I kicked it hard in the chest, knocking it back the way it came.

A third came from the side, and I slashed at its belly, my claws slicing through fur and flesh. It howled in pain as I seized the moment to throw another attacker far away from me.

Adrenaline coursed through my veins and I could hardly believe it. I was fighting werewolves… and winning.

But my brief rush of confidence shattered when one of them darted behind me and raked its claws across my arm. Pain seared through me as I stumbled to the ground, clutching the wound.

“Ah… ow,” I gasped, my voice trembling as the throbbing agony spread through my body.

I forced myself upright, breathing hard, only to see one of them advancing toward me again, its golden eyes burning with fury.

My heart pounded as I shuffle backward in terror, too weak to defend myself this time.

The werewolf growled low in its throat, lips curling back.

In a panic, I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the final strike.

But instead of pain, a sharp whimper filled the air.

I opened my eyes slowly.

And froze.

A tall, broad-shouldered man stood before me, his body rigid, his gaze burning with power.

As I took in his presence, my eyes widened in disbelief. I had never seen anyone so breathtakingly handsome, though, to be fair, I’d spent my whole life locked away.

Yet something about him felt strangely familiar.

As if I’d seen him before…

In my dreams.

But this was nothing like the man from those dreams. There, he was warm, smiling. Here, his gaze was sharp and cold, his cerulean eyes cutting into me like blades.

"How dare you?”

The words rolled from his lips like thunder wrapped in silk… calm, but terrifyingly commanding and a shiver ran down my spine.

It wasn’t his volume that frightened me; it was the weight behind his voice, the sheer authority that made me feel small.

This wasn’t how he looked in my dreams at all. In those, he was gentle, someone I foolishly imagined saving me.

"You dare trespass into my territory, you vampire filth," he spoke once more, causing me to gulp.

It was evident that the man was seething with anger.

I froze. Vampire? Oh no.

“I…I didn’t know,” I stammered. “I didn’t realize…”

He said nothing, only stared, his expression unreadable.

I had no idea I’d crossed into werewolf territory. I just wanted to run… from fear, from pain, from everything. And now I was here, standing before the one creature I should have avoided most.

"I'm sorry," I managed to utter, fear gripping me tightly. But would he end my life?

It would be ironic if the man from my dreams turned out to be the one responsible for my death.

“Alpha,” another man said, stepping out from the trees. “There’s no need to waste words on it. Let’s just kill the vampire and be done with it.”

My gaze snapped toward him, and a faint frown tugged at my lips. How cruel.

Then I looked back at the one they called Alpha

So, this was an alpha, the leader among the werewolves, and it made sense that he exuded such an intimidating presence. After all, alphas were known to be the strongest of their kind.

"Take her to the dungeon."

“What?!” The word escaped me before I could stop it and, amusingly, the other man beside him echoed my disbelief.

“Alpha, we don’t keep vampires alive,” the man protested. “We execute them on sight.”

The alpha narrowed his eyes at me, studying me like I was some puzzle that didn’t fit.

“But this one is different,” he murmured. “Look at her eyes.”

I blinked as I realized my eyes hadn’t turned back to their normal color.

Then I looked up at him, pleading silently with my eyes. “I’m sorry,” I said quickly, my voice trembling. “I didn’t mean to trespass. Please, please don’t lock me up.”

He let out a cold, humorless laugh. “I don’t show mercy to trespassers, especially vampires. We’ll see how you fare in confinement.” He turned to his subordinate. “Take her away and lock her up. Vervain should quell her feisty attitude."

And with that, he turned his back to me, walking away as if my fate were already sealed.

I could only stare after him, heart sinking with dread.

The man from my dreams had just sentenced me to a dungeon.