The front door of the house shook violently.
Zara was still hiding behind the bookshelf, her body rigid as she listened to the growls outside.
She didn't dare move.
Didn't dare breathe too loudly.
But one thing gave her a little relief.
Alaric had returned.
"You have quite a nerve coming into my territory."
Alaric's voice was cold.
Too cold.
Zara had never heard that tone from him before.
There was no explosive anger.
No shouting.
It was Alaric's calmness that made the atmosphere far more terrifying.
One of the intruders laughed.
"Your territory?"
Another voice answered.
"Do you still think this forest belongs to Moonforge?"
Silence.
Zara heard something fall.
Then—
BANG!
Someone's body slammed into the wall of the house.
Zara flinched.
"Alaric!"
She almost came out of hiding.
But a louder growl made her stop.
"Don't come out."
Alaric's voice.
Brief.
Firm.
Zara bit her lip.
She stayed hidden.
Outside, the fight broke out.
The sounds of blows came one after another.
Crash!
Bam!
Kraaang!
One of the windows shattered.
Zara covered her ears.
She knew Alaric was strong.
She had once seen the man tear apart a huge wolf with his bare hands.
But this time was different.
There were more enemies.
And they had come to Alaric's home.
A few seconds later, a long roar rang out.
The roar sent chills through Zara's entire body.
It wasn't human.
Nor was it the sound of an ordinary wolf.
It was the voice of a creature far larger and stronger.
Zara slowly peeked out from behind the bookshelf.
What she saw took her breath away.
Alaric stood in the middle of the main room.
His eyes had turned sharp.
A dark aura enveloped his body.
One of the intruders had transformed into a huge gray wolf and attacked from the side.
Alaric caught it by the neck before its claws could reach him.
With one movement, he slammed the wolf onto the floor.
CRASH!
The wooden floor cracked.
Zara covered her mouth.
He wasn't an ordinary human.
The question that had been haunting her grew stronger.
Who was Alaric, really?
The other two intruders moved at the same time.
Alaric dodged the first attack, then struck one of them in the chest.
The man's body went flying.
The other tried to attack from behind.
Alaric didn't even turn around.
His hand moved swiftly and clamped around his opponent's neck.
"Why did you come here?"
The man smiled.
"We weren't the ones who wanted to come."
Alaric narrowed his eyes.
"Then who did?"
"He wants the human."
Alaric's expression changed.
"Who?"
The man let out a quiet laugh.
"The bearer of blood even you don't understand yet."
Zara froze.
The bearer of blood?
Were they talking about her?
Alaric tightened his grip around the man's neck.
"Explain."
"Her blood…"
The man struggled to breathe.
"That woman's blood isn't ordinary human blood."
Alaric's eyes shifted toward the reading room.
Toward the place where Zara was hiding.
His anger changed into something darker.
"Come out."
Zara flinched.
She knew the command was meant for her.
Hesitantly, Zara stepped out from behind the bookshelf.
"Alaric…"
The man's gaze immediately locked onto her.
"Why did you come out?"
"I just—"
"Go back inside."
"But…"
"Now."
The tone of his voice silenced Zara.
She had never seen Alaric this angry.
But before Zara could return to the reading room, one of the intruders who had fallen got back up.
His gaze immediately turned toward Zara.
"So it's true…"
He grinned.
"She's here."
In an instant, Alaric moved.
His body shot forward like a shadow.
BAM!
Alaric's fist slammed into the man's face.
The man went flying and crashed into a table.
Alaric stood in front of Zara.
His body formed a shield.
"Don't ever look at her like that."
Zara fell silent.
There was something in Alaric's voice.
Something that made her heart pound.
It wasn't simple anger.
It sounded like a warning.
As if the man truly believed Zara's existence was something that had to be protected.
The fight began again.
This time, Alaric gave them no chance.
Within a few movements, the intruders were defeated.
One of them tried to escape through the window.
Alaric dragged him back.
"Who sent you?"
The man laughed.
"Grimclaw."
The name made Alaric's expression go still.
Zara noticed the change in his face.
Grimclaw.
She had heard that name before.
The clan hunting her.
The clan that made Alaric so angry.
"Robert still remembers you, Blackthorn."
Alaric didn't answer.
"He knows you're still alive."
The man smiled.
"And he'll come to take what belongs to him."
Alaric's eyes darkened.
"Nothing in my territory belongs to Grimclaw."
His hand moved.
The man collapsed unconscious.
Silence filled the house once more.
Zara stood still.
Alaric turned toward her.
"Are you hurt?"
Zara shook her head.
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Alaric let out a sigh.
For the first time since entering the house, the tension in his face eased slightly.
But Zara was still thinking about one thing.
"Alaric."
"What?"
"They said my blood is different."
Alaric was silent.
"They also said I'm not an ordinary human."
"Don't listen to them."
"But is it true?"
There was no answer.
Zara stepped closer.
"Do you know something about me?"
Alaric looked into her eyes.
There was hesitation in his gaze.
As if he himself were searching for an answer.
"I know your scent is different."
Zara frowned.
"My scent?"
"Your senses wouldn't understand."
"Then what do you mean?"
Alaric looked away.
"Nothing."
Zara let out an annoyed sigh.
"You're really hard to talk to."
Alaric didn't answer.
Instead, he walked toward one of the intruders' bodies sprawled on the floor.
A small black object hung at the man's waist.
A shard of stone marked with a strange symbol.
Alaric picked it up.
The moment his fingers touched its surface—
a flash appeared.
Alaric saw the symbol of Moonforge.
Then the symbol changed into another shape.
A shadow.
Shadowplay.
Alaric immediately squeezed the stone shard until it cracked.
Impossible.
Grimclaw shouldn't have been able to carry that mark.
Someone was helping them.
And that person came from a clan that had existed only in legend until now.
Shadowplay.
Alaric slipped the stone shard into his pocket.
He wouldn't tell Zara.
Not yet.
"Alaric?"
The man turned toward her.
"Go to sleep."
"But your house is a mess."
"I can fix it."
Zara was still looking at him.
"Thank you."
Alaric fell silent.
"What for?"
"For saving me again."
Their gazes met.
Alaric wanted to say it was no trouble.
But the words wouldn't come out.
Instead, he simply said,
"Don't make me save you too often."
Zara gave him a small smile.
"I'll try."
Alaric walked past her.
But when Zara wasn't looking, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
A smile he didn't even realize he was wearing.
The night grew later.
Zara eventually fell asleep.
Alaric stood alone in his study.
The black stone shard from earlier lay on the table.
He stared at the symbol carved into its surface.
Moonforge.
Grimclaw.
Shadowplay.
Three symbols that should never have been in the same place.
Alaric's finger touched the surface of the stone.
Another flash appeared.
This time, it lasted only a moment.
But it was enough to make his eyes widen.
He saw a woman.
Long hair.
A face he didn't recognize.
The woman was holding a baby.
And around the baby's neck was a crescent-shaped mark.
The flash disappeared.
Alaric stood frozen.
His heart beat faster.
He didn't know who the woman was.
Didn't know who the baby was.
But one thing made his blood run cold.
The symbol around the baby's neck…
was exactly the same as the symbol slowly beginning to appear on Zara's body.
Alaric turned toward the room where Zara slept.
For the first time, a possibility he didn't want to admit rose in his mind.
Zara might not be an ordinary human.