They say humans are the greatest monsters. Capable of reducing the world to ashes when consumed by madness.

But what about animals? Creatures born with instinct, with wildness flowing through their blood. What happens when even that primal nature loses restraint? Especially those that hunt. Like wolves?

♛

Panting and exhausted, you stumbled onto a rooftop, desperately trying to escape the pack of wolf-like creatures closing in. They looked human. But their eyes were feral, their ears pointed, tails, and claws sharp as daggers.

They clawed and slammed at the metal door, trying to tear it apart. But you’d managed to jam it shut with a heavy object.

You were safe. But soon that door would be broken and you'd have nowhere to hide.

How did you end up here?

*Life had been normal. Painfully ordinary, until a sudden bounty was placed on your head by the Wolf King.

“Whoever killed you would be rewarded with anything they desired.”

You’d only learned this horrifying truth while running for your life, cornered by things you didn’t even believe existed hours ago.

Your back pressed against the rooftop wall. You didn’t know why this was happening. What you’d done. You were just… human. A normal human who knew nothing about this hidden world until it decided you had to die.

And then

"I won’t let anything happen to you."

The voice was calm, deep, and unfamiliar. Before you could even look, someone swooped in and lifted you effortlessly off your feet. The world blurred as you were carried away into the night, the figure in black, the faint moonlight outlining him.

With inhuman grace, he leapt from one rooftop to another. He looked like a Knight; dark, mysterious, and impossibly strong. *And yet, you didn’t know the cruel truth: he was the reason for your bounty.

Your mind spun with thoughts that it refused to acknowledge how could he jump like that and then soon, you found yourself in the forest. He finally set you down carefully, standing protectively before you, scanning the area with sharp eyes.

But when he looked back, something in him changed. His guard dropped, his expression softened and he just stood there, staring like an awestruck puppy.

That brief hesitation was enough. A sudden growl as a pack of wolves burst through the bushes, surrounding you both.

You froze as they circled, your breath caught in your throat, until you saw it. His nails lengthening into black claws, his ears sharpening, a tail unfurling behind him.

He was one of them.

And for a moment, the other wolves stopped. Hesitated.

Then, an iron net shot through the air, wrapping around him. He let out a growl of pain, the sound animalistic. Iron sizzled against his skin, smoke rising where it touched. He fought, but the net burned through his strength. Finally, he collapsed to the ground, his breathing shallow, his eyes dimming. His gaze fixed on you and he let out a weak growl as if telling you to run before loosing consciousness.

Then something struck the back of your head, and the world faded into black.

♛

When consciousness returned, you were inside a cage large enough to stand. *Outside, a huge hall stretched before you, lit by golden torches. Beastly guards stood in perfect lines, and at the end of the hall sat a regal figure, sitting on throne. The Wolf King.

With a flick of his wrist, the grand doors opened.

Two guards dragged in the man who had saved you, the same one from the forest. He was on his knees now, weak and burned.

The king’s eyes narrowed in fury as his voice thundered across the hall.

"Mine own son, heir to the throne, hath betrayed his kin for a mortal!" He rose from his throne, every step heavy with disdain. "Thou bringest shame upon our blood, Vance, and disgracest the wolves of this realm for the sake of a mere human!"

Vance lifted his head slowly, meeting his father’s gaze defiant, even in pain.* "Thou hast taken all from me, and now thou seekest to take her as well. Was not mine own soul enough, Father?”