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They hold the power.

Everyone fears them, including you.

They are many—too many—so be vigilant.

Run if you can.

Survival is almost impossible.

Akira

I was in a deep sleep on my soft, king-sized bed, lost in a dream of running through a field of lilac flowers. My arms were outstretched, embracing the freedom and joy that filled me.

"Ignis." My name echoed through the air, pulling me from my reverie. I stopped and turned toward the voice. At the far end of the road stood a figure. I squinted, trying to focus, but I couldn't recognize the person, who stood with their back to me.

"Ignis," the voice called again, but this time it confused me. No one else was in the field—just the stranger who seemed unaware of my presence, yet somehow, they captivated me. My heart quickened as he moved, turning slowly toward me, the world around us slowing to a crawl, building tension with every moment.

"Ignis!" My eyes snapped open as I realized it was my mother calling me. Her voice, sharp with urgency, matched the alarm etched on her face. I knew something was terribly wrong.

"Ignis, wake up! We have to run! The Akiras are coming—they could attack our kingdom at any moment!"

The gravity of her words hit me like a wave. We were in danger.

The Akiras—our enemies. Like us, they are werewolves, but they possess far greater powers. We stand no chance against them. Fighting would only end in our defeat. The Akiras could annihilate us in mere minutes, just as easily as we could overpower humans.

Our only option was to run, to reach the fortress—the one place they cannot breach—before they descend upon the Aqua kingdom.

Reality snapped back into focus when my mother called my name again. "Ignis," the name of the fire within me, the wolf I carry. It's not my birth name, but the pack calls me that because they say I'm like fire—I can warm those around me, but I can also burn them.

I dashed after my mother, struggling to match her pace. Outside, chaos reigned—people running for their lives, the air thick with the sounds of crying, screaming, and pain.

I despised everything about this moment—the helplessness, the fear. I wanted to fight back, but I knew I couldn't do it alone. I wasn't even sure I could take on one of them. Every time someone tried, they never returned.

The Akiras are the oldest, the strongest of our kind—creatures beyond compare.

Closing my eyes, I focused on my hearing, straining to detect how close they were. We have enhanced hearing, able to catch the faintest sounds from great distances, but even that pales in comparison to the Akiras. Only one sound stood out to me—the soft sobs of Indy, a seven-year-old werewolf I often played with and helped train.

I couldn't leave her behind.

"Mom, keep going. I need to do something," I blurted out, then bolted in another direction before she could stop me. I knew she wouldn't let me go if she understood my intentions. I heard her shouting after me, but I focused on finding Indy.

"Ignis! Where are you going? Come back right now! You can't be reckless in a situation like this!" she yelled.

"Sorry, Mom, I'll make it up to you later," I muttered, guilt tugging at me for disobeying her.

Following Indy's sobs, I found her deeper in the forest, curled up, hugging her knees. She looked up at me with tear-streaked eyes and then rushed into my arms, her face lighting up with a smile as if she had found salvation. "Ignis..." she stuttered before clinging to me tightly.

"Don't worry, I'm here. Let's find your parents," I whispered, stroking her hair. Cupping her small face in my hands, I met her gaze and vowed, "I won't let those monsters touch you."

I forced a smile, hoping to comfort her.

"Indy, can you transform now?" I asked. She shook her head, pouting. She was still too young to control her power, especially under such stress.

I took her hand and led her toward the forest's edge. We could run fast in human form, but nothing like our speed as wolves.

Then I heard it—someone was approaching. Danger.

In an instant, a massive gray wolf leaped toward us, but I dodged just in time, clutching Indy tightly to me.

I quickly got to my feet, positioning myself between the Akira and Indy, ready to defend her. She trembled behind me, and I knew her fear would only fuel his strength, just as we grow stronger when we sense weakness in our prey. Clenching my fists, I waited for his next move. With lightning speed, he lunged, but I managed to kick him back, watching as his large form flew a few feet away. I knew it wouldn't keep him down for long.

"Indy, run that way!" I pointed toward the exit, praying she would make it out safely. The Akiras hadn't reached that area yet—or so I hoped. I needed to distract the one in front of me to give her time to escape. I bared my fangs and extended my claws.

"Why are you here again, you bastards?" I yelled.

The wolf snarled in response.

Just as he prepared to attack again, another werewolf appeared out of nowhere, rushing at the Akira and sinking his teeth into him. It was Roffy, one of my closest friends.

"Run, Ignis!" Roffy's voice echoed in my mind. We can communicate telepathically, sharing thoughts with one another—another power we possess that the Akiras cannot breach.

"I can't leave you alone! They're too dangerous!"

"Go, now! I can't hold him off for long!"

Hearing this shattered my heart. I couldn't even transform into my wolf form, too paralyzed by the fear that overwhelmed me. Everything happened in a blur—Roffy lunged at the Akira, but the next moment, the Akira bit him, and Roffy fell, transforming back into his human form, lifeless.

"No...no...no..." The words trembled from my lips.

My best friend died because of me... because he tried to save me...

The Akira turned his gaze toward me, and in that moment, I knew I had to run if I didn't want to be next.

I ran as fast as I could, the Akira close behind. I couldn't transform, not with my clothes on, and it would take too long. It's not as simple as the movies make it seem. I kept running, unsure of when or how this would end. Suddenly, I was thrown through the air, slamming into a tree, a hand clamped around my neck, choking me. It all happened so fast, I barely had time to process what was going on.

When I finally opened my eyes, I was met with a pair of piercing blue eyes—blue as the ocean. He was an Akira, I realized, in his human form. Our eyes locked, and my heart pounded in my chest. His gaze sent shivers down my spine.

My wolf mumbled something inside me, but I couldn't make it out.

Then his irises shifted, turning golden. My heart skipped a beat—everything about him was captivating.

Even in this dire situation, I couldn't help but notice how handsome he was. I wouldn't be surprised if someone told me his power was to kill with a glance.

Seconds passed, and I started to feel the burning need for air. I groaned, trying to pry his hand off my neck, but my eyes never left his.

Then I froze as I heard something I never expected... something I never imagined. My wolf was screaming inside me, "Mate... mate..."

werewolf || Kang daniel Ft JungkookWhere stories live. Discover now