Kael Draven's POV – The Alpha's Command
The Bloodfang den was silent, except for the faint scrape of claws against stone and the soft murmur of pack members moving through the shadows. I stood at the center of the chamber, arms crossed, eyes scanning every corner. Every movement, every flicker of light, every subtle shift in the air was recorded by senses honed sharper than any blade. I ruled this pack not through charm or popularity — but through fear, control, and unyielding dominance.
"Report," I demanded. My voice cut through the stillness like a knife.
Rylan, my Beta, stepped forward, bowing his head slightly. "All borders secure, Alpha. No unusual activity, except near the northern ridge. Strange tracks, small, fleeting."
I narrowed my eyes. That ridge was deep in Bloodfang territory, but even a small disturbance could not go unchecked. I could feel it in my bones — an irregularity. A ripple. Something, or someone, had entered our forest.
"Investigate," I said, voice low but dangerous. "Take no chances. Move swiftly."
Rylan's shoulders tensed, but he understood. Mistakes in my pack were costly. Deadly. I had no tolerance for failure. The forest outside these walls was mine. Every tree, every stone, every shadow bent to my command. Those who dared challenge me learned quickly that the Bloodfang Alpha was not a man to cross.
I moved toward the balcony overlooking the dense woods. The scent of pine, frost, and something darker tickled my nostrils. It was faint, fleeting, but unmistakable. My wolf stirred beneath my skin, claws itching, instincts awakening.
She's out there.
The whisper of my wolf — Nyx — echoed in my mind. She had a name, and a voice that always matched the sharp edge of my own. We shared more than thought; we shared control, strategy, dominance.
Your mate, Alpha.
I froze. Not in fear. Not in hesitation. In interest. The prophecy. The fated Luna. I had chased whispers and rumors for months, tracking scents that vanished before my reach. And now… now I could sense her. The bond throbbed faintly, tugging like a chain I had not yet fully felt. Dangerous. Tempting. Unpredictable.
"Alpha," Rylan said carefully. "The scouts confirm. Tracks moving fast, weaving through terrain like they know it intimately. Not rogues, Alpha. Something… different."
I turned sharply, eyes blazing. "Different how?"
"Not of any known pack, sir. But… powerful. Controlled. Agile."
My lips curved into a thin, sharp smile. Exactly as expected.
I moved through the chamber, each step measured, deliberate. Every pack member present bowed slightly, sensing the storm that always followed my presence. Fear was a language I spoke fluently. Obedience was a reward I could withhold at my pleasure. And loyalty… loyalty was earned through respect for power, not comfort.
Bring her to me, I thought. The bond tugged stronger, subtle but insistent. Luna. My mate. The girl who would either bind my pack to unchallenged strength… or tear it apart from within.
"Prepare the wolves," I said, voice cold. "Tonight, we hunt. And we will find what moves against us, no matter how clever it hides."
Rylan inclined his head, understanding the unspoken. I did not lead from behind. I led from the front. And anyone who followed me into the forest knew the cost of hesitation.
The chamber fell silent again, but the tension lingered, thick and palpable. I could feel the forest waiting, the darkness stirring. It knew. It had always known. And soon, it would see the Alpha fully awakened.
I let a low growl escape — part human, part wolf, part dominance. It vibrated through the walls and into the hearts of those present. One mistake, one falter, and even the strongest among my pack would know fear in ways they had never imagined.
Find her.
Not tomorrow. Not in days. Tonight. The Luna who would either make or break me was close. And I would not fail.
The Alpha did not wait for fate. Fate bent to him.
Selene's POV – The Edge of the Woods
By late afternoon, the sky had shifted from bright gold to a bruised purple. A storm was coming. I could smell it on the wind — sharp, electric, alive.
Evan was fixing the fence in the backyard, Kaela had gone home hours ago, and the house felt too quiet. I sat at the kitchen table with my tea, but the restless feeling wouldn't go away. It was the same pull I sometimes felt when I stared at the forest too long — a tug deep in my chest, like an invisible thread was pulling me toward it.
Luna was awake again. I didn't know her name, didn't know what she was, but I felt her presence like a second heartbeat. This time, she wasn't nudging me with curiosity. This time, she was tense.
I set my cup down.
The pull got stronger.
Before I knew it, I was walking. Out the door, across the yard, past the half-mended fence. Evan shouted something after me, but the wind swallowed his voice.
The forest loomed ahead, darker now with the storm clouds thickening above. My bare arms prickled with goosebumps. I stopped at the tree line, the place where safety ended and something unknown began.
I told myself I just wanted to take a closer look, maybe pick some wildflowers before the rain came. That was a lie, and I knew it. I wanted to see what was calling me.
The first step into the shade was like stepping into another world. The scent hit me first — rich earth, wet leaves, and something else. Something… metallic.
Luna bristled inside me, and the fine hairs at the back of my neck stood up.
A twig snapped to my left.
I froze.
It could be a deer. Or a fox. Or—
Another snap. Closer.
My breathing went shallow. "Hello?" My voice sounded small in the vast quiet.
No answer. But I felt it. A presence. Watching.
The air shifted again, and suddenly, every instinct in me screamed run. I didn't wait to question it — I turned and bolted back toward the house, my heart pounding in my ears.
By the time I reached the backyard, Evan was at the door, his expression sharp. "Selene! Where were you?"
"I—" I swallowed hard. "Just… went to look at the woods."
His frown deepened. "Don't go there alone."
I nodded, but my eyes drifted back to the trees.
Something had been there. Something that didn't belong. And whatever it was, I had the unsettling feeling it wasn't going to stay in the forest for long.