Bound by Desire

The scent of pine and damp earth filled my lungs as I sprinted through the dense forest, my heartbeat thundering in my ears. The cool night air stung against my skin, but I welcomed it, pushing myself harder. The full moon was high, casting silver light through the treetops, illuminating the familiar paths that wound through our territory.

A growl sounded behind me, low and taunting.

“Too slow, Lyra!”

I didn’t have to look back to know it was Calla.

A smirk pulled at my lips as I surged forward, my muscles burning from the chase. She thought she could bait me into a mistake—she should’ve known better.

“You talk too much,” I shot back, leaping over a fallen log.

A blur of movement to my right—Calla lunged, trying to cut me off. But I was already anticipating it. I twisted midair, landing on all fours before shifting back to my feet in a fluid motion. I was fast. She was faster.

But I was smarter.

The clearing was just ahead. If I timed it right…

I dropped low, kicking off with a final burst of speed, and just as Calla moved to overtake me, I skidded to a sudden stop. Her momentum carried her forward, and with a surprised yelp, she stumbled past me.

I stepped into the clearing first, victorious.

A chorus of laughter erupted from the group waiting for us.

Jason—my older brother, the ever-reliable pain in my ass—grinned as he leaned against a tree. “Classic Lyra,” he said, shaking his head. “Always playing dirty.”

Calla groaned, catching herself before she could fall. “That was a cheap trick!”

“Not my fault you fell for it.” I smirked, flipping my dark hair over my shoulder.

Jason snorted. “You two have been racing since we were kids. You should know she’s never gonna beat you in speed, Calla.”

“One of these days,” Calla grumbled. “I swear.”

I shot her a grin, but it faltered when I noticed the way Jason’s smile faded slightly. His gaze flickered toward the trees, the easy warmth in his expression dimming.

Something was wrong.

I followed his stare, but there was nothing but darkness beyond the clearing. The usual quiet hum of the forest felt… off.

“You hear that?” Jason murmured.

Calla and I exchanged a glance. “I don’t hear anything,” I said.

“Exactly.” His jaw tightened. “No birds. No insects. It’s too quiet.”

That uneasy feeling slithered down my spine, but before I could respond, another voice cut through the stillness.

“Are we racing or not?”

I turned to see Aaron, another one of our packmates, stepping forward with an impatient expression. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and one of the best warriors in our pack. He had always been the serious one, which made his cocky smirk even more annoying.

“If you’re looking to lose, be my guest,” I said, forcing myself to shake off the unease.

Jason was still watching the trees, his expression grim. The silence felt heavier now, pressing in from all sides.

I stepped closer to him. “Maybe we should head back.”

He didn’t answer right away. His jaw twitched like he was debating it, but then he shook his head. “No. Not yet.”

Then—movement. A blur of darkness just beyond the tree line.

Jason reacted instantly, shifting into his wolf form in a single fluid motion. His large, silver-gray wolf stood protectively in front of me, ears pricked forward, muscles tensed.

A low growl rumbled from his throat.

Then something shot from the shadows.

A snarl. A flash of claws.

Jason barely had time to react before the rogue slammed into him, jaws snapping around his side. The impact sent them both tumbling across the forest floor, a blur of fur and claws.

“Jason!”

I shifted mid-stride, my own wolf bursting free as I launched forward.

Jason was on his feet again, blood darkening his silver fur. He snapped at the rogue, but he was moving slower now, his stance unsteady.

The rogue lunged again.

I crashed into it first.

We hit the ground hard, rolling over the dirt in a mess of teeth and claws. I snapped at its throat, but it twisted, managing to shove me off.

A second later, Calla was there, joining the fight.

The rogue snarled, ears flattening. It wasn’t alone.

More movement in the shadows. More unseen eyes watching.

A warning growl rippled through the clearing, and just like that, the rogue turned and bolted.

Silence.

My chest heaved, adrenaline still pumping through me.

Then I turned to Jason.

He was still standing, but barely. His wolf trembled, legs shaking beneath him. And then, with a pained whimper, he collapsed.

The shift back to human form was slow—too slow. He groaned, clutching his side. Blood seeped between his fingers, too much of it, staining the earth beneath him.

I dropped to my knees beside him, pressing my hands to the wound. “You’re okay,” I said, more to myself than to him. “You’re going to be okay.”

Jason let out a weak chuckle. “Not… convincing.”

Calla hovered next to me, her face pale. “We need to get him home. Now.”

I looked up at the others—Tobias, Aaron, the rest of our packmates.

“Help me,” I demanded.

No one moved.

A cold dread settled in my stomach. “What are you waiting for?”

Tobias shifted uneasily. “We should wait for the Alpha.”

Wait?

Jason was dying, and they wanted to wait?

I stared at them, searching their faces for any sign of hesitation, any guilt. But all I saw was… indifference.

Aaron met my gaze, unreadable. “The Alpha won’t risk the pack for one wolf.”

One wolf.

Jason wasn’t just one wolf. He was their Beta. Their second-in-command. He had bled for them, fought for them, protected them.

And they were going to leave him here?

My blood burned with rage, my vision blurring with it. “You’re really just going to stand there?” I whispered.

Tobias flinched. Aaron didn’t.

My breath came sharp and fast. My pulse pounded in my skull.

Fine.

If they wouldn’t help—then they were nothing to me.

I turned back to Jason. “Come on,” I murmured, lifting his arm over my shoulders. He groaned but didn’t fight me.

Calla moved beside me, helping to support his weight.

I didn’t spare the others a second glance as we left them behind.

They were no longer my pack.