MARK OF THE FORSAKEN

The morning light shone through the trees, showing golden signs on the forest floor. Liana sat on the old steps of her cabin, staring at the ground. Her thoughts became filled with lots of mixed emotions comprising of confusion, anger, and something she hadn't allowed herself to feel in years, hope.

Ryker stood a few feet away, his arms crossed, watching her with an unreadable expression. He had just dropped a revelation so big it felt like the ground beneath her had shifted.

"A prophecy?" Liana repeated, her voice filled with skepticism. "You expect me to believe I'm part of some ancient story about saving the world?"

Ryker stepped closer, his expression serious. "I know it sounds impossible, but it's the truth. Your bloodline has always been tied to The Mark. You're the only one who can control its power."

Liana shook her head, standing suddenly. "You've got the wrong person. I'm nobody. I'm an exile, the girl everyone abandoned because of this… this curse!" She rubbed her arm, where her mark burned faintly under her skin.

Ryker's gaze softened, but his tone remained firm. "You're not nobody, Liana. Your mark isn't just a curse—it's a connection to something far greater. Your family… they weren't just ordinary wolves. They were guardians of the balance, protectors of power so ancient most have forgotten it exists."

Liana froze, her heart kept pounding. Memories of her parents came as a flash through her mind, their various warnings, the manner they said their goodbyes before the pack cast her out. Could there be truth in Ryker's words?

"And why should I believe you?" she snapped, trying to cover her unease. "For all I know, you're just using me to save your pack."

Ryker pulled back at her accusation but didn't deny it. "I won't lie to you. My pack is dying, and we're desperate. But this isn't just about us. If the curse spreads, it won't stop at my borders. It will consume everything. You have the power to stop it, Liana. And if you help us…" He hesitated, and his voice became soft. "You won't have to live like this anymore. You'll have a place, a pack, a purpose."

Liana's breath seized in her throat immediately. His words struck a nerve within her. For years, she had dreamed of acceptance, of belonging. The thought of never being alone again was intoxicating

But she couldn't ignore the doubts that already lived in her. "What if you're wrong?" she asked, her voice shaking. "What if I can't help? What if I make things worse?"

"You won't and truly it can't be worse because we are already at an impasse," He said with lots of assurance in his voice

His confidence in her became visible and unwavering. Liana hated the fact that she wanted to believe him. But her experiences over the years of betrayal and loneliness had made her heart stiff to acceptance of people, and she wasn't ready to change now.

"Give me time to think," she said finally, turning away from him.

Ryker nodded. "Take all the time you need. But know this—if you refuse, others will come looking for you. And they won't give you a choice."

His words went through her like a knife through butter and now it made her shake to her bones. "Others?" she mentioned with her voice barely above a whisper.

"There are those who know about The Mark," Ryker explained. "They'll see you as a threat or a weapon, and they won't hesitate to take you by force."

Liana's stomach turned. She had spent years hiding, thinking her isolation was enough to keep her safe. But if Ryker was right, her mark had made her a target in ways she had never imagined.

"I'll think about it," she said again with a grin on her face and her voice being firmer this time.

Ryker studied her for a moment, then nodded. "I'll leave you to your thoughts. But I'll be nearby if you need me."

With that, he turned and disappeared into the trees, leaving Liana alone with her mixed thoughts and emotions.

The forest was bizarrely quiet as Liana walked fast outside her cabin. Her mind replayed Ryker's words over and over. Could she trust him? Could she trust herself?

She became so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice the strange markings carved into a nearby tree. She saw it only when her leg met a helpless branch on the floor which almost fell her and she had to held onto the carving to guide herself.

She approached the tree frowning and angry at the same time, running her fingers over the shallow markings. The symbols were complex, almost like runes, and they sent a shiver all over her body.

These weren't here before, she realized with a sinking feeling. Someone had carved them recently.

Her eyes checked around the clearing with her senses on high alert. Was Ryker spying on her? Or was it someone else?

She moved to another tree and found more symbols, each one more unsettling than the last. They seemed to form a pattern, leading deeper into the forest.

Liana's pulse quickened. She had spent years learning the pattern of the forest, and she knew when something was out of place. Someone had been here, and they were leaving her a message.

Liana returned to her cabin, her heart pounding. She locked the door and peeped out the window, checking the shadows for any sign of movement

Her thoughts raced. Could it be the "others" Ryker had warned her about? Had they already found her?

She glanced at the mark on her arm, its faint glow still visible even through her sleeve. Was it drawing them to her, like a beacon? she thought within her.

For the first time in years, Liana felt truly afraid. She had grown used to her solitude, thinking it was enough to keep her safe. But now, it seemed her isolation had only made her more vulnerable.

As fear threatened to overcome her, a spark of anger triggered within her. She was tired of running, tired of hiding. If these people wanted to find her, she wouldn't make it easy for them.

Liana grabbed a knife from her kitchen and hid it in her belt for protection even though she wasn't sure of her fighting skill, she promised herself not to go down without a fight.

she immediately thought of Ryker, even though she had her doubts about him, he remained the only one who seemed to understand what she was going through. Maybe he could help her figure out who was leaving the symbols—and why they were leaving them.

But could she trust him?

Liana's thoughts were disturbed by a distant sound—a low, mournful howl that sent shivers down her body and soul. It was coming from the direction of the marked trees.

Her grip tightened on the knife as she moved to the window, peeping into the darkness.

The terrifying howl sounded again, it became louder and closer this time. It was unlike any wolf she had ever heard, it was filled with a strange, supernatural sound.

Liana's heart raced again at the terrifying sound and she concluded that, whatever was out there, it wasn't just an ordinary wolf. And it was coming for her.