Chapter 3 — The Beast's Command
The stream shimmered faintly beneath the dying moonlight — a ribbon of silver cutting through the wilderness. She knelt beside it, cupping the cold water in trembling hands. It bit her skin, yet somehow brought relief. Dirt swirled away in soft clouds, and with each splash, the reflection staring back at her looked less human, more hollow.
Her hair clung to her neck. Her lips trembled, not from cold, but from the silence. In that moment, she realized how terrifying peace could sound after a night of screams.
A rustle behind her made her freeze.
"Don't move," a voice murmured — low, deep, and sharp as a blade drawn from a sheath.
She didn't. The water stilled around her fingers.
The voice came closer. "You left without permission."
Slowly, she turned. The male beast stood a few feet away, his eyes glowing faintly in the darkness — a deep crimson that looked almost alive. His white hair fell over his shoulders like frost, his skin pale against the shadow of the forest.
"I… needed to wash," she said, barely above a whisper.
He tilted his head. "You humans always have excuses."
Her heart pounded. "I wasn't trying to run."
"Perhaps," he said softly, stepping closer until the air between them grew tight. "But if you had, the forest would have devoured you before sunrise."
The words sent a chill crawling down her spine. She wanted to speak, to defend herself, but when he looked at her — really looked — she couldn't. His gaze pinned her like a spell.
Then, without warning, he dropped something in front of her feet. A silver collar, delicate yet heavy.
"Put it on."
Her breath caught. "What is this?"
"The mark of my claim," he said simply. "You wear it, or the others will tear you apart before dusk."
Tears burned her eyes, but she didn't move. "And if I refuse?"
His expression didn't change, but the faint hum of energy in the air darkened — the kind that made even the trees seem to bow. "Then I'll make you."
For a moment, she saw something flicker in his eyes — something almost human, almost kind — but it vanished as quickly as it came.
Her fingers shook as she reached for the collar. Cold metal brushed her throat, and the moment it clicked into place, a faint pulse of light ran through it — binding, ancient, unbreakable.
The beast stepped closer again, close enough for her to feel his warmth. "Now," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, "you belong to me, little one."
She wanted to hate him. She wanted to scream. But as he turned away, her heart beat with something that terrified her even more than fear.
Because deep within that darkness, something in her responded — something she didn't yet understand.
And for the first time, she wondered if the true danger wasn't the beast before her…
but the one awakening inside her.