The forest burned behind me, flames licking the night sky as I sprinted through the trees. Smoke stung my eyes, but I didn't slow. My pack was under attack, and every second I wasted meant another life lost.
I leapt over a fallen trunk—
And landed in enemy territory.
The scent hit me instantly. Sharp. Metallic. Wrong.
Bloodfang wolves.
My heart hammered. I should've turned back, but I couldn't—not when I'd seen my brother fall, not when I'd heard my Alpha's howl of pain. I pushed forward, claws out, breath ragged.
A twig snapped behind me.
I spun, ready to strike—
But a hand caught my wrist mid‑air.
A strong hand. Hot. Unyielding.
Before I could react, I was slammed against a tree, a hard chest pinning me in place. A low growl vibrated through the air, deep enough to shake the leaves.
"Little wolf," a voice murmured, dark and smooth, "you're far from home."
My blood ran cold.
Alpha Rylan.
The Bloodfang Alpha.
The monster of every childhood warning.
The wolf whose raids had taken too many of ours.
I bared my teeth. "Let me go."
He didn't. His golden eyes glowed in the moonlight, studying me with a strange intensity. His scent—wild, smoky, dangerously intoxicating—wrapped around me like a trap.
Then something shifted.
His grip faltered. His breath hitched. His pupils dilated as if he'd been struck by lightning.
"No," he whispered, voice roughening. "Not you."
My stomach twisted. "What are you talking about?"
He stepped back a fraction, but his gaze stayed locked on mine—hungry, furious, disbelieving.
"The moon…" His jaw clenched. "It chose wrong."
I froze.
No. No, no, no.
"Don't say it," I breathed.
But he did.
"You're my mate."
The world tilted.
I shoved him away with everything I had. "I'd rather die."
His expression darkened, something primal flashing across his face.
"Then you'll die in my arms," he growled, stepping closer, "before I let anyone else touch what's mine."
The bond pulsed between us—hot, electric, undeniable.
And I hated it.
I hated him.
I hated the moon for binding me to the one wolf I was raised to destroy.
But the worst part?
My heart didn't listen.
It beat for him anyway.