Enter Ravenblack city 3

The scents of the RavenBlack Market did diminished—they only grew sharper, more distracting, as Luca lingered at its edges. Blood, spices, and damp earth filled his nostrils, the mix making his senses spin. His wolf side growled low within him, craving blood, while his human mind fought to keep him steady.

It was an exhausting battle, but he couldn't leave. Not yet.

He scanned the stalls from the shadows. The torchlight flickered, casting uneven shadows on the cobblestones. Vendors were busy hawking their strange wares, and even the most mundane conversations seemed to hum with tension. This wasn't a market for harmless trades—every deal came with secrets and dangers.

Keep your distance, Luca told himself, his golden-amber eyes flicking from face to face. He stayed to the edges, his dark clothing blending him into the gloom.

But then something caught his attention. A figure—tall, broad-shouldered, and moving against the flow of the crowd.

The man had the predatory grace of a wolf, though Luca could tell he wasn't one. His steps were too deliberate, his pale complexion too stark under the flickering torchlight. A vampire, Luca guessed, though something about him seemed… off.

Luca's wolf instincts stirred uneasily, and he turned away from the vampire, slipping deeper into the market. He didn't want a confrontation. Not now.

As he moved, his ears picked up snippets of conversation again.

"...hybrids don't belong in the city."

"...dangerous. Unstable. You see the one in the woods?"

"...amber eyes. Like a wolf, but not. Something worse."

The words stung more than Luca wanted to admit. He clenched his fists, his nails pressing into his palms as he tried to focus on the path ahead.

But then he smelled it again.

Blood.

Fresh, warm, and close.

His muscles tensed as his eyes flicked toward the source. A young man stood near a stall, his hand wrapped in a makeshift bandage that wasn't doing much to stop the bleeding.

Luca froze, his mouth going dry as the scent washed over him. His wolf instincts surged forward, his vision sharpening as his fangs itched to extend.

The man was speaking to a vendor, oblivious to the danger standing just a few feet away. Luca's breath quickened, his body trembling as the hunger clawed at him.

No, he thought, gritting his teeth. Not here. Not like this.

But the wolf didn't care. It snarled and pushed, urging him to move closer, to close the distance and sink his fangs into warm flesh.

Luca stumbled back, his boots scraping against the cobblestones. The noise drew a few curious glances, and he forced himself to turn away, slipping into the shadows of a nearby alley.

Once there, he pressed his back against the wall, his chest heaving as he fought for control. His claws had extended without him realizing it, and his golden-amber eyes glinted faintly in the dark.

He couldn't stay here. The market was too dangerous—for him and everyone else.

Just as he was about to leave, a voice cut through the darkness.

"Not so fast."

Luca turned sharply, his claws still extended. The tall vampire he'd noticed earlier stood at the mouth of the alley, his arms crossed and a smirk playing on his lips.

"Thought you could hide, did you?" the vampire said, stepping closer. "You don't belong here, wolf."

Luca's jaw tightened. "I'm not looking for trouble."

The vampire chuckled, his fangs glinting as he moved closer. "Funny. You reek of it."

Luca growled low in his throat, his wolf instincts flaring. The vampire stopped, his smirk widening.

"Amber eyes," the vampire said, his tone amused. "I've heard the stories. Half-bloods like you are supposed to be rare. Dangerous, too. Guess we'll see if the rumors are true."

Before Luca could respond, the vampire lunged.

The alley erupted into chaos as the two collided, claws against fangs. The vampire was fast, but Luca's wolf instincts gave him an edge. He ducked under a swing, his claws slashing across the vampire's chest.

The vampire hissed, stumbling back before launching himself at Luca again. They grappled, their movements a blur in the dark alley. Luca's strength surprised even himself—his wolf side pushed him forward, driving him to fight with a ferocity he hadn't felt before.

But the vampire was relentless, his claws raking across Luca's side. Pain flared, hot and sharp, but Luca didn't falter.

With a snarl, he slammed the vampire into the wall, his claws sinking into the other man's shoulder. The vampire screamed, his fangs snapping inches from Luca's face.

"You should've left me alone," Luca growled, his voice low and guttural.

The vampire's eyes widened, fear flickering in their depths. For a moment, Luca felt the wolf urging him to finish it—to end the fight in blood.

But then the human part of him pulled back. He released the vampire, shoving him to the ground.

The vampire scrambled to his feet, clutching his wounded shoulder. He glared at Luca, but he didn't attack again. Instead, he spat on the ground and disappeared into the shadows, his footsteps echoing as he fled.

Luca stood alone in the alley, his chest heaving as the adrenaline began to fade. His claws retracted, and his golden-amber eyes dulled to a softer hue.

He pressed a hand to his side, grimacing as his fingers came away slick with blood. The wound wasn't deep, but it would take time to heal.

The market was still bustling nearby, oblivious to the fight that had just taken place.

Luca leaned against the wall, closing his eyes for a moment as he tried to collect himself. The wolf was quiet now, satisfied, but he knew it wouldn't stay that way for long.

With a sigh, he pushed off the wall and slipped back into the shadows. He needed to find somewhere safe to rest—and to figure out what his next move would be.