Deep in the Forbidden Wilds
Ariana stumbled through the underbrush, her feet bare and bleeding, the torn silk of her ceremonial gown trailing behind like a ghost of the life she'd left behind. Her heartbeat still drummed with Kael's cruel words.
Weak. Unworthy.
She stumbled over a gnarled root and almost fell face-first into a shallow stream. Cursing under her breath, she splashed cold water on her cheeks, the sting snapping her back to herself.
"You look like you lost a fight with a rose bush."
A voice — deep, smooth, and laced with a teasing edge — rolled out of the shadows. Ariana jerked up, claws extended, her wolf Lyra growling inside her mind.
Lucian Blackthorn stepped into a shaft of moonlight. The rogue Alpha. Kael's older brother. His tousled dark hair fell into his gold-flecked eyes, and he wore a half-amused, half-wicked smile that made her stomach do a flip.
"Easy, little Thorn," he drawled, eyeing the way she bared her teeth. "I'm not here to finish you off. Yet."
"Why are you here, Lucian?" she spat. "Come to laugh at me like the rest of your precious pack?"
He laughed — not a cold, mocking laugh like Kael's — but warm, low, and annoyingly attractive.
"Oh, darling, trust me. There's nothing precious about that pack," he said. "But you? Running away into the rogue wilds, barefoot, bleeding — dressed like you're about to be married to a ghost? That's... new."
Ariana wanted to slap him. Or maybe throw herself at him. Her wolf didn't know which. Lyra purred, the traitor.
They Walk
Lucian fell into step beside her as she trudged deeper into the forest. He flicked a twig off her hair, his touch lingering just long enough to make her bristle.
"Don't touch me," she growled.
"Relax," he said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "You're not my type."
"Oh? And what is your type? Betrayed, humiliated she-wolves?"
He grinned, teeth flashing in the moonlight. "My type is any wolf who doesn't sob at the first sign of blood. Which, by the way, you're dripping everywhere."
She scowled at him but bit back a retort. He wasn't wrong. Her feet were a mess. Lucian grabbed a stick, snapped it in half, and started poking at her toes.
"Stop that!" she hissed.
"You want an infection? No? Then shut up and let me help."
His fingers were warm and sure, gently flicking bits of bark and dirt from her wounds. Ariana hated how her heart sped up. She looked away, cheeks flushed.
A Campfire Bargain
Minutes later, they settled in a small clearing. Lucian made a tiny fire with a snap of his fingers — rogue trick — and dropped a dried rabbit carcass on a spit.
Ariana stared at the fire. The warmth made her want to curl up and sleep for a year.
"Why are you helping me?" she asked finally, voice small.
Lucian's eyes flickered with something softer than she expected. "Because you're not useless. Yet. And I hate waste."
"Gee, thanks," she said dryly. "Your compliments are breathtaking."
He barked out a laugh. "Did you always have this mouth, or did Kael's rejection knock it loose?"
A tiny, traitorous giggle bubbled in her chest. "I guess you'll find out."
His eyes darkened slightly at her smile. Ariana looked away, flustered. It was wrong to feel warm when she was supposed to be furious. Wrong, but her wolf liked Lucian's scent — earthy, wild, and tinged with danger.
The Offer
He leaned back against a tree, stretching out his long legs. The firelight made his golden eyes gleam.
"You're planning to go back, aren't you?" he asked.
Ariana stiffened. "Eventually. Stronger. Better. So no one can reject me ever again."
Lucian gave a slow nod. "Good. Then you need training. Power. Control."
She studied him. "You'd train me?"
His smile turned wolfish. "For a price."
She narrowed her eyes. "What do you want?"
Lucian pushed off the tree and prowled toward her, crouching until they were face to face. His scent wrapped around her like smoke. Lyra practically rolled onto her back, purring.
"I want your loyalty," he murmured. "You become mine to protect. Mine to command. When you're ready, we go back — together — and take the pack you deserve."
Ariana's breath hitched. His? She hated how the word made her toes curl. She wanted to spit in his face. She also wanted him to say it again.
"You're insane," she managed.
He chuckled, brushing a knuckle over her jaw. "Probably. But tell me — did your precious Kael ever promise you the world? Or did he just want a pretty Luna to stand behind him?"
She swallowed hard. Her wolf prowled restlessly. She felt raw, alive — ready to bite back.
"I want revenge, Lucian."
His grin was wicked and perfect. "Then let's make a deal, little Thorn."
The Deal
He held out his hand. She hesitated — then clasped it. The bond snapped between them like a hidden spark. Ariana gasped. For a heartbeat, her wolf brushed his — Lyra meeting his wolf, a huge dark shape she couldn't quite see.
Strong. Safe. Dangerous.
Lucian's thumb traced a circle on her palm before he let go. "Tomorrow, we begin. First lesson — how to survive in the wild without whining about blisters."
She shot him a dirty look. "I do not whine."
He arched a brow. "You do. It's cute. But if you ever do it again, I'm throwing you in the river."
A laugh escaped her before she could stop it. Lucian froze, as if he hadn't expected it either.
Ariana drew her knees to her chest, the fire's warmth sinking into her bones. For the first time in hours, she didn't feel so broken.
Maybe the Moon Goddess hadn't cursed her after all.
Maybe she'd just given Ariana the wrong brother.
Cliffhanger Tease
A twig snapped in the trees beyond the campfire. Ariana stiffened. Lucian's eyes flashed gold as he stood, placing himself in front of her.
"Stay behind me," he ordered, his voice dropping into a lethal growl. "Looks like you get your first lesson sooner than expected."
Ariana bared her teeth, adrenaline buzzing. "If it's Kael, I call first punch."
Lucian huffed out a dark laugh. "That's my girl."