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The day was slowly getting darker, and the forest was so silent that it made Celeste's skin crawl. She was hungry, thirsty, and tired. But she knew she had to keep going.

This was her first time out of the Pack, and now she's worse as a rogue. Celeste thought of what might have happen to her. 

She had heard many stories of what happened to others in the forest, especially the weak and defenseless ones like her. 

Celeste’s feet ached, her breath coming in sharp bursts as she stumbled over roots and stones. She had no idea where she was going. She just knew she had to keep moving.

A part of her still feels like going back to the Pack to beg them to stay, but no! She couldn’t go back. Not to them. Not after everything. She would rather die here in the wild. After all, there is nothing left for her. Her mate belongs to someone else now.

Her gown was torn, her hair tangled with leaves, and her bare feet were bleeding. But she didn’t care. She had just reached a clearing when a low, mocking voice slithered through the darkness.

“Look what we have here.”

Celeste froze. Her heart dropped into her stomach as she turned slowly. Three men emerged from the shadows, wild-eyed, filthy, and reeking of sweat and dirt. 

Rogues!. Their eyes glowed faintly in the dark, hungry and dangerous.

Her wolf stirred uneasily. Oh no! not them.

The tallest one smirked, revealing yellowed teeth. “Pretty thing to be wandering alone at night.” His voice was rough, cruel. “You lost, darling?”

Celeste took a shaky step back. “I don’t want any trouble,” she said softly, keeping her voice steady though her heart raced.

The second man, shorter but broader, chuckled. “Trouble? We don’t want trouble either.” His grin widened. “We just want to have some fun.”

The third one laughed a harsh, broken sound that made her stomach twist. “Been a while since we had a woman in these woods.”

“A pretty one got that matter,” the first one added as he linked his lips, making her shiver in disguise.

Their eyes roamed over her torn gown, their gazes dark with hunger. Celeste felt bile rise in her throat. She wrapped her arms around herself, as if her hands could protect her from their intentions.

She had fought her whole life to survive, but she had never been this alone. No pack. No mate. No protection.

Think, Celeste, she told herself. You can’t fight them, but you can outsmart them.

She forced a small, nervous laugh. “You don’t have to do this,” she said, taking a careful step sideways. “There’s nothing here for you. I’m just a traveler. I have nothing worth taking.”

The first rogue tilted his head, his eyes glinting. “Oh, I think you’re worth plenty.”

She could feel their bloodlust thick in the air. They were circling her now, like predators closing in on prey. Her fingers twitched at her sides. If she could just distract them long enough… maybe she could run.

She swallowed hard. “Where are you from?” she asked suddenly, forcing a shaky smile. “You don’t look like rogues from these parts.”

The tall one blinked, surprised for a moment. “Huh?”

She took advantage of his confusion. “You must’ve come from the east forest, right? I heard there’s a pack nearby.”

The second man grunted. “What do you care where we’re from?”

“I just thought… maybe I’ve been there,” she lied, feigning innocence. “I might’ve met your Alpha once.”

That got their attention. The first man took a step closer. “You talk too much.”

Now.

Before he could react, Celeste swung her arm with all her strength, her fist connecting with his jaw. He stumbled back with a growl of pain and surprise.

She didn’t wait to see what happened next. She turned and ran.

Branches whipped against her face as she sprinted through the trees. Her lungs screamed, her legs burned, but fear gave her strength. She could hear them behind her, cursing, snarling, gaining ground.

“Get her!”

Their footsteps thundered after her. Her heart pounded so hard she thought it might burst. Tears blurred her vision, but she didn’t stop.

“Moon Goddess,” she gasped between breaths, “please… please help me.”

She stumbled over a root, catching herself just in time. The ground sloped downward, and she slid through the mud before regaining her footing. The sound of pursuit grew louder.

They were close. Too close.

A hand suddenly tangled in her hair, yanking her backward so hard she screamed. She crashed to the ground, pain exploding at the back of her skull.

“Yo, bitch!” the rogue snarled, dragging her up by the hair. “You think you can run from us?”

Celeste struggled, kicking wildly. “Let me go!”

The third man laughed, his voice dripping with malice. “We tried to be nice.”

They shoved her against a tree. The bark bit into her skin. One of them gripped her wrists while the other leaned close, his breath rancid. “You’ll regret fighting us.”

Celeste’s eyes filled with tears of rage. Her wolf howled inside her, desperate to protect her, but she was too weak. Too drained. 

“Please,” she whispered. “Don’t do this…”

The rogue’s grin widened. “Begging makes it better.”

And then, footsteps.

Heavy. Fast. Coming closer.

The rogues froze. Their heads snapped toward the sound, nostrils flaring. The scent that hit them made their faces pale instantly.

Pack wolves.

One of them hissed. “Shit!”

Celeste blinked in confusion as the trees lit up with movement and armor glinting. 

The rogues stumbled back, realization dawning on their faces.

“We chased her into a pack’s territory,” the tallest one spat. “Which—”

“The Golden Sky Pack,” the other interrupted, his voice breaking. “We’re in their damn land!”

Before they could flee, wolves in golden-trimmed armor burst from the darkness. The forest erupted with snarls and steel. The rogues tried to run, but they didn’t make it far. The guards moved fast, surrounding them. One rogue went down with a punch to the gut; another tried to shift but was kicked hard before he could. Within moments, they were pinned to the ground, growling helplessly.

Celeste stood frozen against the tree, eyes wide. Her body trembled from the shock. The guards moved with precision and strength, nothing like the Blood Moon warriors. These men were obviously well-trained.

When the fight ended, one of them stepped forward. He was tall, dark-haired, with sharp eyes that softened when they met hers. “You’re safe now,” he said gently, though his tone carried authority. “They won’t hurt you.”

Celeste tried to speak, but her voice caught in her throat. She opened her mouth, but no sound came. Her knees gave way, and she fell to the ground.

The guard knelt quickly, steadying her by the shoulders. “Easy. You’re bleeding,” he said, noticing the small cut on her temple. “You need a healer.”

Celeste stared at him, dazed. “I… I didn’t mean to enter your lands,” she whispered weakly. “I was just—running.”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” he assured her. “The rogues are the ones who trespassed. You did well to survive this long.”

His voice was kind, and it startled her. No one had spoken to her with kindness in years.

“Where… am I?” she managed.

“The borders of the Golden Sky Pack,” he replied. “You’re lucky. A few more steps, and those rogues might’ve killed you before we found you.”

Golden Sky Pack. The name sent a faint memory through her mind, stories whispered by traders, tales of a strong and just Alpha who ruled the mountains. She had never thought she’d see this place, much less stumble into it half-dead.

Celeste’s head spun. The edges of her vision blurred. “I didn’t mean to bring trouble,” she murmured, her lips trembling.

“You didn’t,” the guard said softly. “You’re safe now. No one here will hurt you.”

She wanted to believe him. Truly. But trust was a fragile thing. She had thought of Kharl once, too.

Still, exhaustion overwhelmed her. Her heartbeat slowed. The adrenaline that had kept her alive drained away, leaving her cold and dizzy.

The guard frowned, noticing her sway. “Hey, stay with me, what’s your name?”

Celeste blinked sluggishly, trying to answer. Her lips parted, but her voice was gone. The world tilted, the forest spinning around her.

“I…” she whispered faintly.

And then everything went black.

The guard caught her just before she hit the ground. “She’s out cold,” he muttered, glancing up at his men. “Get the rogues to the cells. I’ll take her to the Alpha.”

The others nodded and began dragging the unconscious rogues away. The tall guard lifted Celeste gently into his arms. Her body was light, fragile like something that could break if handled too roughly. He frowned at the bruises on her wrists and the streaks of blood along her skin.

“Whoever she is,” he said quietly, “she’s been through hell.”