The Bride of the Lost Village

The First Glimpse of Destiny

The night air was crisp, carrying the scent of pine and freshly fallen snow. The village had come alive in celebration, welcoming Alvin, his pack, and the promise of destiny. The welcome dinner was held around a massive campfire that roared brightly in the centre of the village square, casting warm flickers of light across the stone pathways. The villagers gathered around, their faces aglow with excitement, while the sorceresses, dressed in flowing robes, danced gracefully around the fire, their movements mesmerizing.

Alvin stood off to the side with his pack, silently observing the beauty of the evening. The way the flames danced in rhythm with the music, the snow falling softly from the sky—it was nothing short of magical. The snow seemed to sparkle in the firelight, creating an ethereal glow that made the whole scene feel like a dream. The flames reached upward, as if in conversation with the stars above, while the snow drifted down, as delicate as lace.

Thorne, standing beside Alvin, rubbed his arms and grumbled softly, "How is it snowing all of a sudden? We're in the middle of a clear night."

Raven smirked. "It's not natural. This place is full of magic, and it seems like the village is putting on a show for us."

Alvin couldn't comprehend it either. The village seemed capable of bending the very elements to its will. One moment, the air had been clear, the night sky visible; the next, snow fell in soft, steady flurries as if the stars themselves had started shedding frozen stardust.

"How..." Alvin whispered to himself, still struggling to wrap his head around it. He had seen many things in his life, but nothing quite like this. The village pulsed with magic, and yet, it didn't feel menacing. If anything, it felt warm, welcoming.

Suddenly, his gaze shifted across the fire, and in the midst of the glowing flames and falling snow, his eyes met **hers**.

Seraphina stood just beyond the circle of dancers, her dark hair shimmering in the firelight, the soft snowflakes caught in her strands. She wasn't dancing like the other sorceresses. Instead, she was watching, just like Alvin, observing the night unfold around her. But as their eyes locked, it was as if the world around them disappeared.

Alvin felt something deep inside him stir—a pull, a magnetic force that made his heart pound in his chest. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her. His instincts as a Lycan flared to life, every nerve in his body alive with an undeniable sense of connection. It was as though his soul had recognized hers, and he was powerless to look away.

On the other side of the fire, Seraphina felt it too. Her pulse quickened, and her breath caught in her throat. The intensity of Alvin's gaze sent a shiver down her spine, but it wasn't fear that caused it. It was something far deeper. She felt drawn to him as if the very air between them was charged with an invisible energy. There was something primal, something ancient in the way her heart responded to him. She felt as though she had known him her entire life, though they had barely exchanged words.

Seraphina's hand instinctively went to her chest, as if trying to calm the wild beating of her heart. She didn't understand the feeling entirely, but it was undeniable. It was more than just attraction—it was a pull, a bond, as though fate had already begun weaving its threads between them.

Across the fire, Alvin's wolf stirred within him, recognizing something familiar, something sacred. *Could it be her?* Alvin wondered, his thoughts racing. *Could she be the one?* But she looked so young, so delicate. How could she, a girl barely on the cusp of womanhood, be destined for him, a Lycan Alpha with the weight of an entire bloodline on his shoulders?

The pull between them was so strong it left Alvin breathless, and for a moment, he thought about crossing the fire, about going to her, about asking her if she felt it too. But before he could act on the impulse, the chief sorcerer, Niallis, raised his hands, signalling the end of the evening's celebration.

The music ceased, and the sorceresses, one by one, finished their dance and retreated to their places. The snow continued to fall, lightly dusting the ground as Niallis stepped forward to address the group.

"Tonight marks the beginning," Niallis announced, his voice deep and resonant. "The beginning of your trials, the beginning of the challenges that will determine who among you is worthy of the bond written in the stars."

Alvin and the pack listened intently, their bodies still weary but their minds focused. Niallis continued, his eyes flickering with ancient knowledge. "Tomorrow, you will enter the **Mystic Forest**—a place of great magic and ancient secrets. This forest will test you, and challenge you to prove your worth. If it is your destiny, you will emerge with your partner, your fated one."

Alvin's heart skipped a beat. *Does that mean I will come out with my bride?* he wondered, the thought echoing in his mind.

As though reading his thoughts, Niallis turned his gaze toward Alvin, a knowing smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Yes, Alvin Stormrider. You will find your destined bride in the forest. And once you do, you will exchange vows in **Peak Cave**, where the moon will shine brightest. It is there, under the full moon's blessing, that you and your bride must consummate your bond. Only then will the ancient power of your bloodline be passed on."

Niallis paused, his gaze shifting to the rest of the pack and the young sorcerers and sorceresses who stood alongside them. "This applies to all of you. If you find your destined one, the bond must be sealed under the moonlight in Peak Cave. The stars have ordained it, and only through this sacred ritual will the legacy of the Lycan and sorceress bloodlines continue."

Alvin's breath caught in his throat. The weight of his destiny seemed heavier now than ever. But there was also excitement, a sense of anticipation building within him. The Mystic Forest held the answers to everything.

Beside him, Thorne grinned, nudging Alvin in the ribs. "Looks like we've got our work cut out for us. You think we'll all come out with brides?"

Alvin smirked but remained thoughtful. "We'll see, Thorne. This isn't just any forest."

Raven, standing nearby, folded her arms. "Whatever happens, we go in together. No one gets left behind."

Alvin nodded. "Agreed."

The night ended quietly, but the weight of what was to come loomed over them all. The fire had burned down to embers, and the snow continued to fall softly as the group gathered outside the Mystic Forest. The trees stretched high into the sky, their branches twisted and ancient, glowing faintly with magic. The entrance to the forest was marked by a stone archway covered in vines, and as they stood before it, Niallis raised his hands once more to bless them.

"May the stars guide you, and may the bond between you and your destined one be true," Niallis intoned, his voice full of ancient wisdom.

Alvin's heart raced as he stood at the entrance of the forest, ready to take the first step into the unknown. Seraphina was somewhere in the crowd, but his mind was already focused on the challenges ahead.

And so, with the chief sorcerer's blessing, Alvin and his pack, along with the sorcerers and sorceresses of the village, stepped into the Mystic Forest, ready to face whatever destiny had in store for them.