The woods stretched out before me, their tangled branches like skeletal arms against the star-pierced sky. The journal’s leather cover felt warm in my hand, as if it were absorbing my nervous energy. Each step I took toward the clearing felt heavier, the weight of unanswered questions pressing down on me.
What did Astra mean about my father being part of a world I knew nothing about? And how did I fit into it?
I tightened my grip on the flashlight as the cemetery gates creaked shut behind me, the sound echoing into the still night. The gravel path gave way to dirt, and soon the dense forest swallowed me whole. The air here was different—cooler, thicker, and laced with a faint scent of pine and something metallic that set my teeth on edge.
The clearing wasn’t far, Astra had said, but it felt like the trail stretched endlessly into darkness. I kept moving, the journal tucked under my arm and my flashlight cutting through the shadows. Every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig made me jump, my heart hammering against my ribs.
“You’re being ridiculous,” I whispered to myself. “It’s just the woods. Nothing’s out here.”
But the eerie stillness that followed each sound felt like a lie.
When I finally stepped into the clearing, I froze. The moonlight pooled in the open space, making the ground shimmer like silver. In the center stood Astra, her posture relaxed but her presence commanding. She turned as I approached, her dark eyes reflecting the faint glow of the moon.
“You made it,” she said, her voice low and smooth.
“I didn’t really have a choice,” I replied, holding up the journal. “You said this belonged to my father. I want to know why he had it—and what you know about him.”
Astra studied me for a moment, her gaze sharp and assessing. “You’re a lot like him. Same fire in your eyes.”
“I’m not here for comparisons,” I said, my voice firm despite the unease twisting in my stomach. “Just tell me the truth.”
She nodded, stepping closer. The moonlight caught the faint scar along her jaw, a reminder that she wasn’t as invulnerable as she seemed. “The truth is complicated, Isla. Your father wasn’t just a veterinarian. He was part of something bigger—something that’s now part of you.”
I frowned, gripping the journal tighter. “What are you talking about?”
Astra tilted her head, her expression unreadable. “Do you believe in werewolves?”
The question hit me like a slap. For a moment, I thought she was joking, but her serious expression didn’t waver. “Werewolves?” I repeated, my voice dripping with disbelief.
“Yes,” she said simply. “And I’m guessing you’ve felt it too—the dreams, the whispers, the pull to something you can’t explain.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but the words died on my lips. How could I deny it? The dreams of running through forests, the strange sensations that had only grown stronger since Dad disappeared.
“That doesn’t prove anything,” I said, though my voice lacked conviction.
Astra took another step closer. “Your father was connected to the Crescent Moon pack. He carried the mark of the Bound Alpha—the same mark that’s on this journal.” She gestured to the crescent moon symbol burned into the leather. “And whether you believe it or not, that connection is now yours to bear.”
I shook my head, taking a step back. “This is insane. My dad was a regular guy. He didn’t believe in… this.”
“He didn’t tell you because he was protecting you,” Astra said, her tone softening. “But his disappearance wasn’t random, Isla. He was taken because of what he knew—because of what he was.”
The weight of her words settled over me like a heavy fog. “What do you mean, ‘what he was’?”
Before Astra could answer, the wind shifted. A low, guttural growl rumbled from the trees behind her, sending a chill down my spine.
Astra’s posture stiffened, and she turned toward the sound. “We’re not alone.”
“What?” I whispered, the flashlight trembling in my hand.
“Stay behind me,” she ordered, her voice sharp and commanding.
My instincts screamed to run, but my feet refused to move. The growls grew louder, and a pair of glowing eyes emerged from the shadows. Then another. And another.
Rogues. The word surfaced in my mind, unbidden and unfamiliar, yet it felt right.
Astra stepped forward, her movements fluid and purposeful. “They’re here for the journal,” she said over her shoulder. “Don’t let them get it.”
Panic surged through me. “What are you going to do?”
“Whatever it takes,” she replied, her voice laced with steel.
The rogues stepped into the clearing, their forms monstrous in the moonlight. They weren’t like any wolves I’d ever seen—larger, wilder, with eyes that burned like embers.
Astra moved like a shadow, her body blurring as she shifted mid-step. One moment she was human, the next she was a sleek, dark wolf with eyes that gleamed with determination.
I stumbled back, clutching the journal to my chest as Astra lunged at the nearest rogue. The two collided with a force that shook the ground, their snarls cutting through the night.
The other rogues advanced, their golden eyes locked on me. My heart raced as I scrambled for something—anything—that could protect me.
“Isla, run!” Astra’s voice echoed in my mind, though her mouth hadn’t moved.
The thought was terrifying and exhilarating all at once. She wasn’t human anymore, yet somehow, I understood her.
I turned and bolted toward the edge of the clearing, the journal tucked under my arm. The sounds of the fight faded behind me as the forest swallowed me whole.
But even as I ran, a part of me knew this wasn’t over. This was just the beginning.
The night air was thick with tension as the pack gathered around the clearing, their eyes fixed on Isla. The battle had ended, but the aftermath weighed heavily on all of them. Blood still stained the earth, and the scent of the rogue clung to the air like a warning.Luca’s gaze never left Isla, his protective instincts flaring with each breath she took. She had proven herself in battle, but he could see the toll it had taken on her. She was strong, but even the strongest could break under the right pressure.“Isla,” Luca said, his voice low, but with a sense of urgency that pulled her attention. “Are you alright?”She looked at him, her eyes flickering with a mixture of exhaustion and determination. “I will be,” she replied, her voice steady despite the weariness that dripped from her every movement.Astra stepped forward, her eyes calculating as she scanned the clearing. “This victory won’t be enough. The rogues were just pawns. Whoever is behind this will come for you again. They’l
The air crackled with electricity as Isla and the rogue collided, their wolves locked in a struggle for dominance. The sounds of their growls echoed through the clearing, the sharp snap of teeth and the fury of claws slashing at air and flesh. Isla's body moved like it was born for this—quick, precise, and filled with the raw, untapped power that surged through her.But it wasn’t just her wolf's strength that kept her going. No, something else was happening—something deep within her. The bond she felt with the pack, with the moon, was growing stronger with every passing second. It was as if the very force of her destiny was pushing her forward, urging her to fight, to win.She barely registered the rogue's words from moments ago—the warning, the taunting. "The power that runs through your veins." Those words were haunting her, but right now, they were nothing but background noise. She focused on the rogue, on the fight.The rogue's wolf was fast, her movements fluid and calculated. Bu
The night was heavy with the scent of rain. The air felt thick, as though the earth itself was holding its breath. Isla's wolf senses were on high alert, her ears twitching at every sound, every rustle in the underbrush. The pack had slowed their pace as they neared the old mill, moving like shadows through the trees.Luca’s form was a silhouette ahead, his sleek black coat blending with the darkness, his every movement calculated, deliberate. He was the leader, the one guiding them through this. But Isla could feel his tension in the air—he was worried, though he wasn’t showing it.The rogue pack had been elusive, always moving under the cover of night, but now they had cornered themselves at the mill. And with the moon high in the sky, the power of the pack surged beneath Isla’s skin. The energy of the full moon coursed through her, amplifying every instinct, every impulse.She couldn’t ignore the pull—the call of something deeper that seemed to hum in her blood, a connection to the
Isla hadn’t slept much. The moon had been full that night, a silent witness to everything she had come to accept—everything she had to face now. The prophecy, her father’s disappearance, the rogues, and the pack—all of it pressed on her chest, suffocating at times. But the fire in her chest was still burning, and for the first time in a long time, she wasn’t afraid of it.The morning light had barely touched the horizon when she stepped out of the cabin. The air was crisp, as if the earth itself was bracing for what was to come. The small, secluded clearing at the edge of the woods where she had met Luca felt like another world now—a place where secrets and truths mingled in the shadows of the trees.Luca was already there, waiting. He was standing in front of a group of wolves. A handful of pack members, their expressions stoic, eyes bright and full of intent. They were the ones Luca trusted the most, the ones who had stayed by his side through everything, even when doubts had threat
Isla stared into the darkness beyond the clearing, the trees swaying lightly in the wind. The weight of Luca’s words from the night before echoed in her mind—now, we fight. Together. But what did that really mean? Was she ready to lead? To be the one the prophecy spoke of? Everything had happened so fast, too fast, and the pieces were still falling into place.Astra had gone silent after the meeting, leaving Isla and Luca alone to process the weight of their conversation. But Isla couldn’t shake the feeling that something was brewing in the shadows, something darker than they were ready for. She had felt the same way the night of her father’s disappearance, an unease, a pulling sense that something was terribly wrong.And now, the same feeling clawed at her chest.“I’m not sure I can do this,” she muttered under her breath, staring down at her hands. There was no denying the power that surged through her, the same power she’d felt ever since she could remember. But was that enough? Co
The weight of Luca’s gaze was like a tangible force, pulling Isla into a quiet storm of emotions. Her heart raced, an undeniable pulse thrumming in her veins. This was it. This was the moment everything had been leading to, the confrontation she had been dreading and anticipating all at once. Yet, there was something oddly comforting about Luca’s presence. His intensity, his steadiness, felt like an anchor in a sea of chaos.Astra stepped back, her arms folding across her chest as she observed them both, a quiet smirk tugging at her lips. Her role in this had always been clear: to help Isla understand her place in the world of werewolves, to show her what she had yet to accept. But now, it was Isla’s turn to face the truth on her own terms.Isla took a deep breath, the cool night air filling her lungs as she met Luca’s gaze. There was no turning back now. Everything was on the table.“We need to talk,” Isla repeated, her voice steady, though her mind was racing. “About my father, abou