The next morning, the forest felt different.
The air was heavier, the wind quieter, as if the trees themselves were watching me. I picked up my axe and walked toward the jungle as I did every day, my mind still confused by the strange power I had awakened the night before. My body felt stronger, lighter, as if something wild now lived beneath my skin.
As I walked deeper into the forest, I noticed a young woman ahead of me on the narrow dirt path. She was incredibly beautiful—more than anyone I had ever seen in our village. Her hair shimmered under the sunlight, and her walk was graceful yet cautious, as if she feared the jungle.
Before I could warn her, three thieves appeared from the trees like shadows. One of them grabbed her bag, another pushed her to the ground, and within seconds they ran toward the deeper part of the jungle.
"Help!" she cried.
Without thinking, I ran after them.
The thieves were fast, and soon they disappeared between the trees. But something inside me stirred. I closed my eyes for a moment and inhaled deeply. Suddenly, the world changed. Scents became clear—fear, sweat, blood. I could smell the thieves as if they were standing beside me.
I followed the trail like an animal.
When I finally reached them, I froze.
A massive wolf stood before me, its eyes glowing with hunger. Blood stained its mouth. The thieves lay torn apart on the ground, lifeless. My heart pounded violently. I tried to step back, but the wolf turned toward me, growling.
It leapt.
At that exact moment, pain exploded through my body. My bones cracked, my skin burned, and I screamed as my form twisted. Within seconds, I was no longer human.
I was a wolf.
But not just any wolf.
The giant wolf before me suddenly stopped. Its eyes widened, and it lowered its head. One by one, other wolves emerged from the shadows and knelt before me.
"Our king has returned," they howled.
Confused, I stepped back—and my body shifted again. I stood human once more, shaking, terrified, but alive. I picked up the stolen bag and rushed back to the woman.
She stared at me in shock.
"Are you… are you alright?" she asked.
I nodded and handed her the bag. "Your bag."
Tears filled her eyes. "Thank you. You saved my life. My name is Alisa."
That day, my life changed forever.
Word spread quickly through the village about how I had saved a woman from thieves. People looked at me differently now—with respect, even fear. Alisa often visited me to thank me again, and each time I saw her, my heart beat faster.
I fell in love.
But fear followed love.
What would happen if she discovered my secret?
Days passed. Alisa and I grew closer. Eventually, I gathered my courage and asked her to marry me. To my surprise, she accepted. Our wedding was simple, but it was the happiest day of my life.
For a while, I believed I could live a normal life.
I was wrong.
One night, as Alisa slept beside me, a wounded wolf appeared at our door. Blood covered its fur, and its eyes were filled with terror.
"My king," it spoke in a trembling voice, "the lions have attacked us. Many are dead. We need you."
Alisa woke up, screaming.
"What is that? Who are you really?" she cried.
I couldn't answer her.
I stepped outside, and the wolf within me awakened again. I followed the wounded wolf deep into the forest. What I saw there broke my heart—dead wolves, injured cubs, blood everywhere. A large group of lions surrounded them.
Rage consumed me.
I attacked.
The battle was brutal. I fought lion after lion, my claws tearing flesh, my fangs crushing bone. But they were too many. Eventually, I fell, bleeding, crushed beneath their weight.
As death approached, lightning exploded from my body.
Power beyond imagination surged through me.
I rose.
Every lion that came near me fell. The survivors fled in terror. The wolves gathered around me, bowing once again.
"Stay with us, my king," they begged.
"I can't," I said. "I have a wife."
When I returned home, the house was silent.
Alisa was gone.
I searched everywhere. No one knew where she had gone. Each night, I drank to forget the pain. Even the wolf inside me tried to comfort me.
"There will be others," it whispered.
But my heart belonged to Alisa.
And deep inside, I knew—
This was only the beginning of my curse.