####Chapter Four

I woke with a start, my breath coming in sharp, panicked gasps. My heart pounded as my eyes flickered open. The room was dark and still, save for the soft rustle of the curtains in the breeze. I blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of my surroundings. I’d expected to find Kai beside me, but the bed was empty. I sat up quickly, my pulse racing, and reached for the side of the bed where he should’ve been. The sheets were cold.

"Kai?" My voice trembled, but there was no answer.

A sinking feeling settled in my stomach. Where was he? Had he left without a word? I forced myself to ignore the rush of panic that threatened to overwhelm me, but it was hard to shake the hollow emptiness in my chest. We had shared something—something raw, undeniable—and now he was gone.

I scrambled out of bed, trying to steady myself. What was going on? I couldn’t deny that the night before had been real, the intense connection I’d felt with him. But now, it was as if he had vanished. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

I dressed quickly, the fabric of my clothes feeling too tight, like a second skin I couldn’t escape. My mind raced, spinning with questions I didn’t have the answers to. I had to find him, to understand what was happening between us.

Outside, the air was thick with fog, and the streets of Raven Hollow lay shrouded in a quiet, oppressive silence. The town felt empty, as if it were holding its breath. I could hear the sound of my footsteps echoing off the cobbled streets, and my unease deepened. Where was everyone? It was as though the town had been abandoned, left to decay in the shadows.

I pushed forward, not sure of where I was heading but needing to get away from the creeping loneliness of the town. My thoughts spiraled as I made my way to the only inn in town. The door creaked open as I entered, and the faint scent of dust and old wood filled my nostrils.

The innkeeper, a frail old woman with sharp, knowing eyes, greeted me with an unsettling smile. "You’ve come to stay, then?" The woman’s voice was low, as though she were speaking a secret.

I nodded quickly, though my mind was elsewhere. I couldn’t shake the feeling that the woman knew far more than she was letting on. The old woman’s eyes glittered with something that made me uneasy.

"Let me show you to your room," she said, leading me down a narrow corridor, the floorboards creaking beneath our feet. As we passed through the dim hallway, my eyes flickered to the strange, old trinkets on the walls, the faded portraits of people long forgotten. The air was thick with the scent of something ancient.

The woman turned to me, her face growing serious. "Have you heard the stories about Raven Hollow?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

I frowned. "Stories?" I repeated, my mind not entirely focusing on the conversation.

The woman nodded, her wrinkled fingers tapping the doorframe. "The curse. The wolves. The cult. They all still linger here, you know. You can feel it, can’t you?" Her eyes searched my face, like she was trying to see into my very soul.

My stomach tightened. "What do you mean by wolves?" I asked cautiously. "I thought they were just... just myths."

The innkeeper’s lips curved into a tight, knowing smile. "Oh, they’re no myth, child. The pack has been here for centuries. They still roam these woods at night, watching, waiting. But it’s not just them—it’s the blood. The curse that binds this town to the land. A dark, ancient power."

My throat went dry. I wanted to protest, to tell her to get lost, to laugh it off, but the old woman’s words had a particular gravity. As if she were speaking the truth, and I couldn’t turn away from it.

“You have to be careful, my dear,” the woman went on, low and urgent. “The shadows of the town… have teeth. And not everyone of wolves is what they may seem.”

I gazed at the walls, swallowing hard enough to make sense of it all. I had come here to get answers, but instead, it seemed I was throwing myself into something so much darker than I’d expected.

The innkeeper set her hand on the counter and leaned back, squinting at me. "Stay inside after dark. Do not venture out alone. Trust no one. They’re all... part of it."

I nodded wordlessly, too shattered to answer, and the old woman left me there, in the center of the room. I did not know what to think. Was this a warped take on local folklore? Or was it the truth?

I exited the inn, re-entered the fog. The streets were more deserted now, the silence almost suffocating. I quickened my steps down the barren road, my mind racing. There was something important I was missing, but I couldn’t get there.

I hardly noticed the men in the handful gathered by the corner until one stepped forward, a sly grin on his face. There was an almost predatory hunger in his eyes.

“Well, well,” he intoned, low and playful. “But where do you think you’re going, sweetheart?”

My stomach clenched. I felt their eyes, their gaze crawling on my skin. I attempted to ignore them, but then, the man came a step closer, blocking my path with his body.

“Just passing through,” I said, my voice strong, but my heart was beating in my chest. I attempted to dodge around him, but he pivoted with me, his hand snapping out to seize my wrist.

“With the come I didn't so quickly,” he said, tightening his hold. “You’re not going anywhere, pretty thing.”

I gasped, my heart racing in my ears. Panic flared in my chest as I fought against him, but his hold was stronger. As I was about to scream, a smooth, deep voice cut through the tension.

“Let her go,” it said, low and cold.

I froze, glancing up as a tall silhouette stepped into view. He filled so much space, and presence, that it was almost too much. His light skin appeared to sparkle in the faint light, his dark eyes fixed on the men who had grabbed me.

"Who the hell are you?" one of the men muttered, stepping closer.

The stranger didn’t flinch. "I said, let her go."

Before I could react, the man struck with a flash, seized the lead assailant by the throat and shoved him against the brick wall. Cracking bones echoed all around, and the men stood frozen in fear.

“Do you have an issue with me?” the man asked, quiet as the grave.

The men, who were now shaking, backed off, leaving me standing in stunned silence. With one last thrust, the man freed the first man, who crumpled to the floor, wheezing.

“Run,” said the stranger, and they ran off into the night without another word.

I froze in place, still unable to comprehend what I had just seen. The stranger faced me, his ice-cold, driving stare locking with mine.

"Are you all right?" he said, his voice low yet carrying an intensity I couldn’t miss.

I nodded, too stunned to answer. But then I heard a growl behind me, low and dangerous. I looked back and found Kai stepping out of the shadows, his eyes blazing with fury.

“This is none of your business,” Kai growled, his eyes flicking between me and the stranger.

A smirk curled the vampire’s lips. "Oh, but it is. You’re late."

Kai’s fists clenched. “I warned you about staying away from her.”

The vampire didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he looked at me, his expression softening for the barest moment before hardening once more. “You’re mine,” he said, his tone imperious.

Kai’s jaw clenched. "What did you say?"

The vampire’s eyes never strayed from me. “Pure,” he said, his voice low and steady, “is my fated mate."

The words hung there thick in the air, the world around us freezing in place as my heart thundered in my chest. The vampire’s statement sent shock waves through me, stunning and terrifying me. What did this mean? Was this a twisted game of his, or was it the truth?

Kai moved in closer, his face a blend of jealousy and cold anger. “We’ll see about that,” he muttered, although his voice was not as sure as it had been seconds before.

I remained frozen between them, my head spinning with questions and emotions. What had started off as an ordinary night had quickly turned dangerous, and now I found myself entrapped by it.