Chapter 5

Samuel Kan

With a guttural roar, I broke free from the women restraining me and leapt through the window in my wolf form, making them stumble back in fear.

The potion my brothers had given me would have a weaker effect, but still — my time was short. I had to find a place to wait it out. I still had a chance.

For a brief moment, I thought I saw a shadow perched atop a tree — or perhaps… a woman? But it didn’t matter now.

I kept running through the trees, stumbling with every step. My blurred vision made the escape difficult, and I knew my brothers would soon send someone after me. I needed a place to hide and activate a magical barrier.

My wolf form was imposing, common among war wolves. My size and silver-gray fur made me an easy target. It was hard to hide among the bushes, especially under the potion’s influence. I shifted back into human form and lay hidden beneath the shield I could create.

Suddenly, a loud crack echoed behind me. A branch broke just a few meters away — someone was following me.

I crouched low among the foliage, feeling the potion seize my body. With all my strength, I focused on forming the barrier.

Slowly, the protective magic surrounded me. No one outside would be able to hear, see, or sense me. It was my only chance to stay safe from my brothers.

“It’s done…” I muttered to myself, letting out a groan of pain. My chest burned from the potion, and I needed to suppress it somehow.

As I focused on purging the poison from my body, a soft sound echoed through the garden between the trees and shrubs.

It wasn’t the heavy stomp of boots I expected from my brothers — but light, hesitant steps, as if someone was approaching with care.

My vision was still hazy from the potion, but I managed to make out the silhouette of a woman. She wore a voluminous white dress, though its details were impossible to discern.

Confusion clouded my thoughts. How could she see me? The barrier should have been active, blocking all visual contact. I frowned, suspicious.

“Sir… are you all right?” she asked softly, approaching slowly.

I shook my head, warning her to stay away. But who was she? An accomplice of my brothers? She shouldn’t have been able to touch me — the barrier would protect me.

Or so I thought. To my astonishment, she stepped through the invisible shield without hesitation, crouching beside me.

“Impossible…” I muttered, my breath unsteady. She didn’t hear when I told her to stay back.

“Heavens… what happened to you?” her voice trembled, filled with genuine concern. “Do you need me to call for help?”

I could sense my brothers drawing near. The woman beside me clearly didn’t recognize me — and judging by her fear, she had nothing to do with them. I grabbed her wrist and yanked her inside the barrier before they could find her — or me.

Darkness and the potion’s haze clouded my vision, but my sharp hearing picked up their rushed footsteps.

She struggled in panic at my sudden movement, but I held her tight in my arms.

“You’re insane! What are you doing?” she screamed, thrashing and kicking weakly. Her strength was pitiful — the weakest I had ever felt.

“He must’ve come this way! The girls said he jumped out the window!” one of my brothers’ voices echoed through the forest as their men spread out to search.

The woman suddenly went still, silent against my chest as she watched the shadows moving around us. It almost felt as though she, too, was running from something.

The barrier worked perfectly, shielding us from my brothers. But how had she managed to enter it?

Never before had anyone been able to cross my magical camouflage barrier — let alone see me through it.

This woman was different. Something inside me told me she wasn’t who she appeared to be. If she were a wolf, she could’ve easily escaped my hold. Was she… human? A human here? But even humans couldn’t see me, much less pass through the barrier.

As long as I was under the potion’s effects, my brothers might have a chance to get what they wanted. But I wouldn’t yield. My magic shield protected me, and I could keep it active as long as I wished.

Still, the wedding must have already begun long ago. I didn’t know how late I was. Maya must be terrified, thinking I had abandoned her. Each passing second gnawed at me, the anguish of not being by her side consuming my chest.

I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling the ache of longing and frustration burn within me.

Then, a soft moan of pain broke the silence. It was the woman I’d trapped within the barrier. Her weak, pleading voice stirred something strange inside me — pleasure, guilt, and confusion all at once.

“Hey…” she whispered desperately. “Are you going to kill me? Let me go! Help! Someone, help me!”

She screamed as loud as she could, but her cries were useless. The barrier blocked every sound, isolating her from the world outside.

Panic overtook her eyes as she realized she was trapped.

“Who are you?” she asked. I let her move slightly away, though I kept her within the shield. But I could feel the loss of control creeping in — I couldn’t have a woman here, not now. Yet if I let her go, I would be found.

Another growl tore from my throat. The potion’s effect was reaching its peak. A burning red light radiated from my body, engulfing me completely.

The potion consumed me, driving me from reason — and now, I wanted her. She had become my escape, the release I didn’t want but couldn’t resist.

“Unlucky you, crossing my path…” I snarled, my voice rough and distorted. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw the crimson glow of mine.

In that moment, she was my prey.

Chapter 6

Maya tried to pull away the moment she had a chance, but he moved in a flash, his eyes glowing with a fierce intensity that made her tremble. His arm wrapped around her like a whip. Just a second ago, she had been above him—now she was beneath him, his weight pinning her to the ground.

“Be quiet,” Samuel warned after hearing footsteps in the distance.

“Who… who are you?” she gasped, trying to push him away, but he was solid as stone. The sound of tearing fabric filled the air as her clothes became nothing more than a pile of rags.

Samuel couldn’t think. His senses were in chaos—confused, tangled in a storm of instinct and desire. His eyes were a dark abyss, wild and unfocused. He held Maya so tightly her body ached, yet he couldn’t bring himself to release her.

His breath was hot against her face, and for a fleeting second, Maya saw something flicker in his eyes… pain? Awareness? But it vanished, swallowed by the beast within him.

“Let me go!” she cried, her voice trembling with fear. “Please, stop! What are you going to do?”

Her plea struck him, but he couldn’t stop. He heard her—felt every word like a blow to his soul—but the wolf inside him roared louder. He wanted to fight it, but couldn’t. Her scent drove him mad—sweet, unmissable, intoxicating.

“I can’t let you go…” he murmured, his voice low and rough, yet laced with desperation. Maya felt tears stream down her cheeks as she pushed against his chest one last time.

But he didn’t release her. Samuel took her there, on the damp grass, his instincts consuming every scream, every plea that no one would ever hear.

And even as he did it, he felt his heart shatter. Her sobs were like glass breaking inside his mind—because they were caused by him. Yet he couldn’t fight what the potion had awakened within him.

“I didn’t want to take your first time like this… but I need your body…” he whispered, clutching her in his arms while she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to silence her sobs and the pain tearing through her.

When it was finally over, Samuel collapsed beside her, his body trembling with exhaustion.

Maya curled up, tears streaming down her face as she clutched the torn remains of her dress and the mess he had made. His scent clung to her skin, and that only made it worse. She rose unsteadily, her body aching, driven by the need to flee from him in panic—though a part of her almost wished she had died under his touch.

Samuel tried to reach her, but his body wouldn’t obey. He fell back into the grass.

“Please… I need to know who you are!” he pleaded, ashamed of himself.

He watched as she ran, dressed in white like a ghost fading into the darkness.

As his consciousness wavered between lucidity and darkness, Samuel tasted the bitterness of guilt. He was the Alpha—the leader who was supposed to be married that day—and he had just taken a woman by force. A woman who, he realized with horror, had never been touched by any man before.

A storm of thoughts devoured him. He bitterly regretted not staying in that room with the women his brothers had sent. At least then, he wouldn’t have forced anyone.

After a few minutes, he gathered what strength he had left and deactivated the barrier once he felt safe enough.

The elders were already approaching, searching for him.

“Those triplets… always scheming something!” one of them grumbled. “When is Gael going to deal with those half-blood wolves?”

“Stay focused!” another barked. “Samuel must have activated the anti-tracking barrier. We won’t find him like this.”

Their voices sounded distant, as if from another world. Samuel let the pain of his mistake consume his thoughts for a while, not knowing how he could ever fix what he had done.

The image of the woman running, crying, and looking at him with disgust—even through the darkness—would haunt him for a long time. Still, he couldn’t tell who she was; his blurred vision made it impossible to distinguish anything around him.

“Here…” he grunted, forcing himself up as the elders came closer to help.

“What happened?” one of them asked, scanning him with concern.

“I just needed some time… wasn’t feeling well,” he muttered, still dazed by the potion’s effects. They could never find out what he had done.

They dragged him through the back halls to his room. His wedding suit was laid out on the bed, and a few maids waited anxiously.

“The bride’s parents are furious about the delay! What are you going to do? Get ready quickly—you look terrible!” one of the elders scolded.

“They’re being patient… this shouldn’t even be called a delay anymore,” he murmured anxiously. “Apologize to them for me and tell them I’ll be downstairs in a few minutes,” he ordered, keeping his composure as he dismissed the maids.

He fell to his knees on the bed, his body aching, his mind tormented by guilt. Yet amid the pain and confusion, a strange sense of pleasure consumed him.

The moment had been degrading, but he couldn’t deny it—it had been one of the most powerful sensations he had ever felt, as if he had known that woman countless times before.

After a cold shower, he dressed and left the room. Everyone seemed tense, and one of the elders approached him.

“The bride’s family was acting strange. I sensed something was wrong. They were walking through every room of the mansion, searching for something—or someone.”

“Whatever. As long as my bride is ready,” he muttered, not giving it much thought.

His brothers were in the hallway too. He approached them; they kept their heads down. But his father stopped him, examining him from head to toe before pulling him into another room.

“I questioned the triplets,” his father said tensely. “Did something happen? Did you have an affair with someone?” he pressed, but Samuel just tightened his lips.

“Let’s just say… what can’t be proven, can’t be discussed.”

“Kan, this is serious. You have to be careful,” his father sighed, then began sniffing the air. His eyes turned glowing blue, fixed on him.

“You tampered with the Goddess of Fate?” he asked, holding a shimmering stone in his hand.

“This is dangerous. If you were with someone like that… you may have gotten her pregnant. Have you thought about that?” His father’s tone grew tense, and Samuel’s worry deepened.

“I hope not—but it’s likely she will be pregnant,” he admitted quietly.

“It’s possible… The Goddess of Fate gave me this stone to reveal her identity, but it shows nothing. They said she was a woman untouched by any man.”

“I already knew… I feel like garbage because of it.”

“Let’s keep this between us for now. We should get to the ceremony—we’re already far too late. It’s a miracle they’re still waiting,” his father warned, cutting the subject short.

“There’s been a small issue—it seems the bride is having some kind of problem. We’ll have to wait a bit longer. And since the groom is late, we can’t exactly complain,” one of the elders added, rushing into the room.

Chapter

The garden was empty, but Maya didn't feel free. Each step she took felt heavier than the last, her white dress-now dirty and torn-dragging along the ground like a mantle of shame.

Tears streamed down her face, mixing with cold sweat and the dirt that stained her skin. She just wanted to leave, to run far away from that place where the memories of what had just happened wouldn't haunt her.

When she reached a more secluded corner, trying to hide in the darkness, a strong hand violently grabbed her arm. Her scream was muffled by the rough grip, and her body was yanked backward with force. She tried to break free, but the pressure intensified, and soon she found herself being dragged forward.

"What do you think you're doing, huh? Trying to escape?" Her father's voice sliced through the night like a sharp blade. He was there, furious, his eyes glowing with rage. "You ungrateful girl!"

Maya looked at him, her eyes swollen from crying, but the words wouldn't come out. She was so scared, still in shock, that she couldn't process what was happening. The weight of what happened in the garden hit her hard, and she could barely stand.

Her father gripped her even tighter, but when his eyes fell on her state, a heavy silence fell between them. Maya's hair was messy, her face pale and smeared with dirt. The dress, once a symbol of purity and celebration, was now torn and stained with blood. Something was wrong-and for the first time, he felt a chill run down his spine.

"What happened?" he asked, his anger giving way to concern. "What... what did you do, Maya?"

Still in tears, Maya didn't know what to say. The pain was still so vivid inside her-the memory of what Samuel had done, the confusion and terror in his eyes... But without thinking, the words escaped her lips, as if desperate to relieve the weight she carried.

"Someone... someone abused me," she whispered, her words dragged by sobs and pain as she stared at her own trembling hands.

The silence that followed was crushing. Maya's parents looked at her, and for the first time, she saw them in a way she never had before. There was no empathy, no comfort. They exchanged a look that said more than a thousand words.

"What are we going to do about this?" her mother asked, her voice as hard as stone and laced with disdain. She wasn't worried about her daughter's suffering, but about what this meant for the wedding-for the plans she had for her daughter. "How are we supposed to let this happen and still go through with the ceremony?"

"What do you think?" Maya's father asked, staring at her with growing contempt.

They blamed Maya. They didn't care about her pain. In that moment, she realized they only saw her as a tool, a pawn in a game that had nothing to do with her. The shame, the disgust-it all came from them. And now, she was the one to blame. She had "ruined" their opportunity.

"You ruined everything, Maya!" her father shouted, his face twisted with rage. "You ruined the dress! Ruined the wedding! Ruined everything!"

"Father... please..." she begged, grabbing the lapel of his suit, but he pulled away from her like she was something filthy.

"Sweetheart..." her mother sighed, sitting beside Maya. "You carry a curse that could kill you if anyone touches you. How are you still alive?" she asked, and Maya's sob caught in her throat.

"What? So... you're saying I was supposed to be dead?"

"Of course not!" her mother replied quickly, looking away toward her husband, as if asking for help.

"You've lost your honor. Think of it as an even greater curse. Who will want to marry you now?"

Maya felt like she was drowning. The weight of her parents' words crushed her-stronger than any physical pain. She had been used by everyone, and now, it seemed like even her own existence no longer held value to them. They didn't see her pain, didn't see what she had gone through. They only saw a flaw-an obstacle.

Then, something even more cruel happened.

Her mother, with the same cold indifference as always, gave her daughter a frosty look. Maya trembled, her eyes wet, her chest rising and falling with silent sobs. There was no compassion. No hesitation. To them, Maya was just a problem to be eliminated-a nuisance unworthy of consideration.

"Lana will take your place at the wedding," her mother announced, her voice icy and devoid of emotion. "She cannot be tainted by your failure."

Maya barely had time to process the words before the bedroom door opened, and Lana stepped in. Her sister didn't need to say a thing for Maya to feel the weight of her contempt. The slow, venomous smile, the triumphant expression. And then, the final blow:

"You were never good enough, were you?" Lana mocked, tilting her head slightly, her eyes filled with scorn. "I always knew you'd mess everything up. Just like always."

Each word pierced Maya like sharp blades, cutting deep. She wanted to fight back, wanted to scream, to beg someone-anyone-to see her as more than a mistake. But no words came out. Her chest tight, her body weakened by the weight of helplessness. Everything around her seemed to collapse, crumbling like sand slipping through her fingers.

Suddenly, cold, firm hands grabbed her. She tried to resist, but her movements were weak-useless. Without a shred of hesitation, her own parents dragged her down a hallway to a secluded room. The place was small, suffocating, the shadows closing in like sharp fangs.

"Stay there. We don't want any more problems," her father said, his voice deep and cutting before slamming the door shut.

The silence that followed was deafening. Maya stood still for a moment, her eyes wide in the dim light. Her heart pounded, her mind spiraled in despair. Her legs gave out, her body collapsing onto the cold floor. Alone. Forgotten. As if she had never mattered to anyone.

She didn't have the strength to get up-her body was still processing everything that had happened all at once.