The long marble hallway of Blackthorne Academy glowed in the soft afternoon light. Tall windows spilled golden rays across the ancient walls, catching the dust that danced like stars in the air. Theodore walked in the center of the hall, his posture straight, shoulders broad, his presence enough to silence anyone passing by.
His pack trailed with him—Oliver, Leo, Louis, and the three new recruits: Dorian, Cassian, and Rowan. Behind them, Amelia and Nina whispered and giggled, their eyes shifting toward Isabella, who was walking a few paces ahead, hugging her books to her chest.
The topic of conversation had drifted to the event that loomed only days away: the Blessing of the Moon. A night sacred to every pack, when the Moon Goddess herself revealed mates and strengthened bonds. It was a night when wolves stood vulnerable under her light—and destinies were sealed forever.
Cassian smirked, his voice cutting through the hum of voices in the hall.
"So, Alpha… are you ready? Only three nights until the Moon's Blessing. Maybe the Goddess will show you your mate then."
Oliver chuckled, clapping Theo's shoulder. "Why would the Goddess need to? Our Alpha already seems to have found a… distraction."
The group burst into laughter. Louis leaned in, eyes sparkling with mischief. "What's her name again? Isabella, right? The little human."
The word was thrown like a dagger, and though it was wrapped in mockery, it made Theodore's wolf bristle with rage.
Isabella paused mid-step, her back stiffening. She didn't dare look at them, didn't dare meet his eyes. She walked faster, her reddish hair swaying like a flame, her cheeks burning.
Behind her, laughter spilled louder. Rowan added with a sly grin, "Imagine it, Alpha of Crescent Blood Pack, choosing a mere human when the Goddess has so many warriors and she-wolves lined up for him."
The teasing grew, voices overlapping. Amelia and Nina joined in, giggling behind their hands.
"Alpha and a human… what a blessing that would be!"
Theodore's jaw flexed. His golden eyes darkened, storm swirling in them. He tried to hold it back, tried to wear the mask of indifference, but the heat inside him burned too violently. His wolf was clawing at the surface, roaring for silence.
And then—
The hallway's laughter was pierced by the scent of rot.
A figure stepped from the shadows at the far end of the corridor. His aura was foreign, sharp, and hostile. The moment his boots echoed against the marble floor, Theodore recognized it—an intruder. An enemy pack.
Gasps rippled through the hall. Isabella froze, clutching her books tighter.
The intruder sneered, his eyes locking on Theodore with open challenge. "So this is the mighty Alpha of Crescent Blood? Looks more like a fool surrounded by children."
The pack tensed, every muscle ready to spring. But Theodore didn't flinch. He took one step forward, his expression calm, almost cold.
His wolf snarled inside, a storm barely contained.
And then—he lifted his hand.
With a motion as effortless as breathing, he snapped his fingers.
The sound cracked through the air like thunder. A wave of raw Alpha power exploded outward, invisible yet undeniable, pressing down on every being in the hall. The laughter died instantly. Even the intruder staggered, his knees buckling under the weight of Theodore's fury.
The marble floor seemed to hum with the force. Dust trembled in the golden light.
Theodore's voice was low, velvety, dangerous.
"Mock me all you want… but never mock her."
For the first time, his mask had slipped. And though no one dared to speak it aloud, they all knew—whoever Isabella truly was, she had just awakened something inside their Alpha that no one could contain.