The Lycan's Hidden Flame

Elsa

I woke up to the sound of rustling. The pain in my chest was gone, but the lingering ache in my bones remained, as if my body had been through something far worse than I could remember. I blinked, taking in the sterile walls of the room I was in. There were no windows, no warmth. Just cold stone, cold air, and a smell of herbs that made my head spin.

A soft voice broke through my foggy thoughts. "You're awake. My name is Freya."

I turned my head, and there she was—Freya. Her gentle eyes and calm smile immediately put me at ease. She was older, with silver hair pulled into a loose braid that hung down her back. She wore a simple white dress, like someone from a different world entirely. But she was here, in the castle.

"Freya," I said, my voice weak. I tried to sit up, but the world around me tilted, and I fell back against the pillows. "What happened? Where am I?"

"You're in Kieran's castle," she replied, stepping forward and sitting on the edge of the bed. She had a soothing energy about her, and I felt myself relax, despite everything that had happened. "Don't worry. You've been unconscious for two days. The pain from the bond breaking was too much for your body to handle. I did what I could to ease the worst of it."

I wanted to ask more, to demand answers, but before I could speak, she placed a finger on my lips. "You need rest. And when you're strong enough, we can talk."

I nodded, grateful for her kindness. But even as I sank back into the pillows, my mind was whirling. Kieran... the bond... I couldn't forget any of it. I couldn't stop thinking about the things he had said. How could he be my mate? How could he treat me like I was nothing? I didn't even have a wolf.

And yet, here I was, trapped in his world, with no way out.

Freya's voice interrupted my thoughts. "Kieran is complicated," she said quietly, as if reading my mind. "I know you're confused, but you must understand something—he has a dark past. A past that will catch up with him. And you, Elsa, you're caught in the middle of it."

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. "What do you mean?"

She looked around, as if checking for anyone listening, then leaned closer, her voice barely above a whisper. "You've heard of the Shadow Forest, right?"

I nodded. Everyone had heard the rumors—the forest was cursed, dangerous. People who went in never came out. But that was all I knew.

"The Shadow Forest isn't just a place," she continued, her eyes intense now. "It's a boundary between worlds—between the supernatural and the human realm. Kieran's pack, his people—they have been watching over it for centuries. But the cult…" She paused, her face growing dark. "They are more dangerous than anyone realizes. They want to break through. And Kieran is the key."

I could feel the weight of her words settling in my chest. The cult. Zoran's cult. The one that had been hunting me, that had been trying to sell me. They weren't just some group of fanatics—they were connected to Kieran's world.

Before I could process more of what Freya had said, the door creaked open, and Kieran stepped in, his presence filling the room like an oppressive shadow.

I didn't want to look at him, but I couldn't help myself. He was standing there, towering, with that same cold, distant look on his face. His eyes flicked from Freya to me, his expression unreadable.

"Freya," he said, his voice low and commanding. "Is she well enough?"

Freya nodded, standing up as if to give him room. "She's healing. But I think you both need to understand the gravity of the situation."

I could feel Kieran's gaze on me as he approached, his every step measured, deliberate. "What situation?" I asked, narrowing my eyes, unwilling to show weakness. "The one where I'm your prisoner?"

His jaw tightened, and I could see the irritation building in his eyes. "You're not a prisoner, Elsa," he replied, his voice like steel. "You're a guest. But you're in danger. You don't understand what's at stake here."

I scoffed, not bothering to hide my anger. "Then explain it to me. Because all I've gotten so far are lies and half-truths."

Kieran didn't answer. Instead, he turned his back on me and faced Freya. "The symbols," he muttered, running a hand through his dark hair. "They're getting closer. I've found traces of them in the forest. The cult is making their move."

Freya's face turned pale. "It's worse than I thought," she said softly, more to herself than anyone.

"What's worse?" I demanded, sitting up despite the lingering dizziness. "What symbols? What cult? What does this have to do with me?"

Kieran finally turned to face me, his eyes narrowed. "It has everything to do with you, Elsa. You're the key. The cult believes that you're the one who can open the portal to the other side. The Shadow Forest is a place of power, and they want to control it."

I recoiled, fear crawling up my spine. "You're saying they want me to—what, open some door to the supernatural?"

Kieran nodded. "Yes. And if they succeed, everything will be lost. Not just for me, but for everyone. They'll unleash chaos—something even I can't stop."

Freya spoke up, her voice filled with concern. "Kieran, you can't keep her here. Not with the cult this close. They'll come for her, and they'll do whatever it takes to get what they want."

"I'm not letting her go," Kieran said, his voice firm. "She's not safe out there. And I'll be damned if I let them get their hands on her."

"Then what?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "What do you expect me to do? Just stay here, locked in this castle, while you deal with the mess your cult's created?"

Kieran's jaw tightened again, and I saw something flicker in his eyes—something dark and dangerous. "You'll stay here. You're under my protection now."

The words didn't offer me any comfort. If anything, they filled me with more dread. I was no closer to understanding what was going on, no closer to finding my way out of this mess.

But before I could say anything else, the air in the room shifted. The tension grew, and I felt it—the pull of something dark and ominous. A chill ran down my spine as the door suddenly burst open, and a figure stepped into the room.

It wasn't one of Kieran's warriors. It was someone else. Someone familiar.

Zoran.

He was standing there, smirking, his eyes filled with malicious intent.

"You've made a mistake, Kieran," Zoran said, his voice dripping with venom. "You can't protect her. She belongs to us."

And just like that, everything I thought I understood—the safety, the protection—crumbled in an instant.

Kieran's grip on control had slipped. And with Zoran here, everything was about to spiral out of control.