Xeney

Chapter 6

Marrling awoke in a sterile hospital room, the antiseptic smell hitting her like a wave. As she blinked away the haze of unconsciousness, the memories of her recent encounter flooded back. “What the hell was that chick?” she muttered to herself, confusion swirling in her mind.

“Oh, you’re awake!” a nurse chimed as she entered the room, clipboard in hand. “Whatever it was, it looked like a truck had hit you, especially with that welt on your belly. Just who was it you were up against?”

Marrling propped herself up on her elbows, the sterile sheets crinkling beneath her. “Um, not really sure,” she replied, her voice a mix of embarrassment and uncertainty.

“I'm just glad it wasn't anything serious. I'll get the discharge paperwork ready, and you’ll be free to go,” the nurse said, offering a reassuring smile before bustling out of the room.

As Marrling touched her belly, she felt a flush of heat creep to her cheeks. The memory of being bested by that bird creature—the one she couldn’t quite comprehend—embarrassed her. And then there was that sexless chick who dared to steal her mate. Her thoughts drifted to Marcus, the pack Alpha. She had always desired him for his strength, a quality highly prized among werewolves, especially when facing formidable foes. In a world where vampires and other threats lurked, the need for a strong mate was paramount.

But it wasn’t just the vampires who posed a danger. There were the divine beings of various kinds—angels and their creators, known collectively as The Architects. Once thought to be extinct, these formidable entities had vanished from the universe after the cataclysmic Million Year War. Their remnants—planet-sized warships and megastructures—littered the cosmos like tombstones, automated graveyards still functioning, their drones tirelessly waiting for masters who would never return. It was a haunting image, a testament to loss, much like a dog waiting for a long-departed owner to come home.

The sight of those desolate worlds was both depressing and heartbreaking. Marrling found herself grappling with the weight of such knowledge. Of course, God didn’t include the fate of The Architects in His book, the Bible. She couldn’t blame Him; if her entire race had suddenly vanished, she wouldn’t feel like discussing or writing about it either. Still, she had visited a few of those planets during survival training—dangerous expeditions that left a mark on her soul. Every world shared one eerie characteristic: a planet-wide defense grid with combat drones ready to attack any biological lifeforms that dared trespass.

From what little was known of The Architects, such a response was meant to be a last resort. The absence of all animal life suggested something monumental had transpired, yet the specifics remained a mystery. It was a chilling thought that sent shivers down her spine.

Shaking these dark musings away, Marrling summoned the nurse to remove the IV. Once dressed, she headed home, her mind still racing with thoughts of Marcus. Yes, werewolves did have lives outside their respective packs, but Marrling’s life was far from idyllic. Upon arriving home, she spotted a note indicating her good-for-nothing father was out drinking and womanizing again.

She was a product of his reckless behavior, conceived when he drunkenly knocked up her mother, a fellow werewolf. It was no surprise that Marrling wanted Marcus as her mate; he represented her only escape from the living death that was her home life. She craved the stability and strength he offered, a lifeline to pull her away from the chaos that surrounded her.

But part of her regretted the lengths she had gone to in order to eliminate Umbra. The thought of Marcus’s mother had twisted her resolve. Initially, she had refused to betray Umbra, who had once been her best friend, but the monster’s manipulations had clouded her judgment, driving her to a betrayal she could never fully atone for. Now, as she left the hospital behind, a sense of uncertainty settled over her. How would she navigate the tangled web of her desires, friendships, and the darkness looming ever closer?