A week passed.
The air felt wrong that morning. Ayla noticed it as soon as she stepped outside, the way conversations dropped and eyes lingered a moment too long. Whatever the elders had begun the night before, it had not ended with sunrise. She gently looked out through the window and took a deep breath. Qadira sent her to get some herbs from a herbalist in the village.
Ayla had stayed indoors for days, longer than she ever had before. At first, no one questioned it. But in a village where everyone noticed everything, even silence could become suspicious. She could already feel the lingering looks from neighbors passing by their house, the quiet curiosity growing.
That morning, when her mother asked her to fetch some herbs from the edge of the village, Ayla did not refuse. Perhaps stepping outside would quiet the whispers or at least quiet her own thoughts.
The sun was warm against her skin as she walked along the narrow path, basket in hand. For a moment, she tried to pretend that everything was normal. But the air felt different, heavier somehow.
As she passed a small group of villagers gathered near the well, she slowed her steps. They were speaking in low, excited tones.
"Have you heard?" one of them said. "The Alpha is coming."
"The greatest and wildest Alpha ever known," another added. "A prince by blood."
Ayla frowned slightly but kept walking, pretending not to listen.
"They say no one challenges him and lives to tell the tale."
"And he fears nothing. Not even the Moon Goddess."
"Legends says he's also a vampire"
The words lingered in her mind long after their voices faded behind her.
A prince.
The greatest Alpha.
Wild.
A vampire too.
She had never met an Alpha before, only heard stories told in hushed voices at night. Powerful. Ruthless. Untouchable.
She shook her head lightly, trying to dismiss the strange chill that crept up her spine. Whoever this Alpha was, he had nothing to do with her.
At least, that was what she believed.
She was relieved that they weren't talking about her, so she smiled past them and kept going. She got to the herbalist's home. She knocked gently on the roughly looking door and waited patiently for the door to be opened. Suddenly she heard a voice from inside "who's there"
"I'm Ayla, daughter of Qadira, I was sent to fetch some herbs for my mum" Ayla replied
The door opened, an old, poor looking man supported with a walking stick stood in front of the door staring at her continuously, as though his eyes were fixed. Ayla felt scared and uncomfortable at the same time, she didn't know why he was staring at her in that manner and was extremely confused.
She looked behind her as though someone was at her back but no one was. Now she was sure that the old man was staring at her. Before she could speak, she noticed he was blind, that was when she was relieved "oh, sir" she said as she stretched forth her hand to hold his "I'm over here, please can I have the herbs my mum asked for"
The man replied"oh dear, of course you can." He entered inside and brought out a piece of cloth, inside it was a large leaf with nuts around it. It looked old and smelled good. She quickly appreciated him and headed back home. As she walked down the old street, she admired the silence and tranquility of everyone there. She greeted and smiled at everyone. For a moment after a very long time, she seemed to be very happy. "Coming out wasn't such a bad idea anyway" she said to herself and smiled.
Lost in her thoughts, Ayla wasn't paying attention to where she was going.
She turned a corner too quickly and walked straight into someone.
The impact was solid, like hitting a wall. The force sent her stumbling backward, and the herbs slipped from her hands, scattering across the ground. She tried to regain her balance, but her foot caught on the edge of her dress and she nearly fell.
Strong hands gripped her shoulders, steadying her before she could hit the ground.
She looked up, startled.
A tall man stood in front of her, firm and unmoving, as if she had bounced off stone rather than flesh. His jaw tightened slightly, and his dark eyes flickered down to the crushed herbs at his feet.He was taller than any man she had ever stood beside, broad-shouldered and built like someone who had never known weakness.
His presence alone demanded space. Dark hair fell slightly over his forehead, not messy, just enough to make him look less polished and more dangerous. His jaw was sharp, defined, and set in permanent control. His eyes were the most unsettling part deep, steady, and unreadable. The kind of eyes that didn't wander. The kind that looked at you like they already knew what you were thinking.
There was nothing soft about him. Even the way he stood straight, unmoving carried authority. Not loud authority. The quiet kind. The kind that didn't need to prove itself.
He wasn't just handsome.
He was the kind of man people lowered their voices around.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then he said,coldly, "Are you this careless? Can't you watch where you're going or aren't your eyes functioning?"
Ayla regained herself immediately and stood on her feet speechless, then she said "I..i..I'm sorry" The man didn't even give her a glance but walked out, then she held him on his arms and said " Don't you know how to talk to a person or you just don't have manners?" She said it with a straight face and looked so tough. The man was surprised "Did you just insult me?"
Ayla scoffed and said "I did, what will you do about it ? Thanks a lot for the catch but I think you need to learn manners, at least a little" she hissed and walked out
The man couldn't believe it, he was dumbstruck and amazed.
Ayla felt so good and brave for once. She was even surprised at herself, she smiled with confidence as she continued going.
Little did she know what she just did to herself.