The night sky burned red, not with fire, not with blood but with the rising of the Blood Moon—a rare celestial omen that bathed the forest in scarlet light, turning every leaf, every blade of grass, every eye in the crowd a shade of crimson. It was as if the heavens themselves demanded witness to the ancient rite that was about to unfold.
Mira stood at the edge of the ceremonial clearing, the cool wind slipping past the sheer silk of her ceremonial robes. The fabric clung to her skin like a second layer of nerves, exposing more than it covered, translucent and delicate—just like how she felt.
The clan had gathered in a perfect ring around the stone altar. Torches blazed, the flames licking high into the night air, crackling as the Elder wolves chanted in the old tongue. Their voices were deep and guttural, an ancient call to the gods of the Moon and Hunt.
Mira's hands trembled at her sides. Ash was already there. She already saw her.
He stood at the altar like a king of shadows. Cloaked in ceremonial black, trimmed with silver threads that shimmered like starlight. The moonlight danced along the edges of his strong jaw, the firm line of his mouth locked in stoic silence. He hadn't looked at her since she entered the clearing. But she felt his gaze like a lash on her skin.
Every step she took toward him was a surrender. The Elders began the rite, raising their hands, calling down the blessings of the Blood Moon. Flowers were thrown at her feet—red, white, and gold—symbols of fertility, union, and fate. Mira moved forward in a daze, the path beneath her strewn with petals and ash.
The air thrummed with magic. She stopped a few paces from Ash. And suddenly, her heart thundered. The mate bond between them—the cursed thread of fate that tied her soul to his—pulsed hot in her veins.
Still, he didn't speak. Not even a whisper nor a glance.
Then, Elder Lysara stepped forward. A tall woman with silver hair braided with wolf teeth, her eyes burning with devotion and command.
"Tonight, the blood moon has risen," she intoned. "And with it, the union of Alpha and Luna must be sealed. Flesh to flesh. Soul to soul."
The crowd responded in unison. "Flesh to flesh. Soul to soul."
Mira flinched.
Elder Lysara's gaze pinned her like a dagger. "The Moon Room is prepared. The bond must be consummated before the moon begins to wane. An heir must be conceived before dawn, or the gods will not recognize the union."
Mira's blood turned to ice.
They expected her to give herself tonight. In front of the clan. In the name of the Moon. Not out of love and not out of choice but out of duty and law.
"Come," Lysara said. "Let the Alpha lead his Luna to the chamber."
Ash finally moved.
hand reached out—slowly, deliberately. Fingers curled around her wrist. His grip was warm, but firm. Just like a possessive Alpha.
The crowd roared approval as he turned and led her away from the altar. The Moon Room waited beyond the old stone arch, nestled in a sacred grove lined with white blossoms and guarded by two sentinel wolves. Mira kept her chin high, but her vision blurred with tears she refused to shed.
When the doors shut behind them, the roar of the clan faded into silence.
The room was candlelit, filled with the scent of burning sage, moonflower, and salt. A fur-lined bed dominated the center, draped with red silks and golden embroidery.
Ash let go of her wrist. The air between them was thick, heavy and burning.
He turned his back to her. Mira couldn't take it anymore.
"Say something!" Her voice cracked. "You stood there like a stranger. You let them parade me like livestock. What am I to you?"
Ash's shoulders stiffened. Slowly, he turned to face her. His eyes—gray, cold, stormy—flashed with something too complicated to name.
"You're not livestock," he said softly. "You're a Luna."
She laughed bitterly. "Is that supposed to make this easier? You think calling me Luna makes it right to force me into a bed like a sacrificial offering?"
Ash took a step closer. "They expect an heir."
"What do you expect?" she challenged. Her voice trembled with anger. "You didn't even look at me, Ash. Not once. Not when I walked toward you. Not when they said we had to mate. Do you even want this?"
Ash's jaw clenched. His eyes darkened but didn't answer.
Mira crossed her arms over her chest, her ceremonial robe rustling softly. "I'll fight you. If you try to touch me tonight—I swear, I'll fight you."
Ash stared at her. Then, unexpectedly, he chuckled. The sound was low, bitter. "I was never going to touch you, Mira."
Her breath caught.
"You think I want to force a woman into my bed just because the clan demands it?" he growled. "I didn't ask for this bond. I didn't ask for you."
Her heart twisted.
"T-then why didn't you reject me?" she whispered.
Ash stepped forward again. This time, his voice was lower. "Because rejecting you would kill you."
Mira flinched.
"The blood bond runs deeper than anyone understands. It's tangled in your soul. If I break it… you won't survive."
Tears stung her eyes. Ash lifted a hand—hesitated—and then gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. The touch was tender. Achingly so.
"I won't take you tonight," he said. "But if we don't give them something—anything—they'll come looking."
Mira met his gaze. "You want to pretend."
His voice dropped, almost a whisper. "Yes. Just for tonight. Until I can figure out a way to end this without killing you."
Her throat tightened. Something in her chest ached.
She nodded slowly.
He reached for her again, this time cupping her cheek. She leaned into the touch despite herself. The bond hummed between them—gentle but undeniable. A slow-burning flame beneath fragile glass.
"I'll sleep on the floor," he said. "Just… lie with me. Just for the night."
Mira hesitated. Then she walked toward the bed, slipped beneath the silks, and turned her back to him.
Ash didn't move for a long moment. Then he unfastened his ceremonial cloak, folded it neatly, and lay down on the fur rug near the bed.
The candles flickered. Outside, the Blood Moon glared through the open skylight, casting red shadows across the room.
Mira stared into the dark. Her heart beat in time with the mate bond. Not love but something dangerous had started.