The sky burned crimson as the Blood Moon climbed above the peaks of Moonveil Ridge, casting an eerie red glow over the werewolf lands. Every year, the Blood Moon marked the season of mating, of fated bonds... and this year, it carried a deeper curse.
Aria Moonveil, Luna of the Moonveil Pack, stood at the edge of the ceremonial cliff, arms crossed, jaw clenched. At twenty-four, she ruled without a mate — a rare, almost blasphemous choice in her world. But Aria didn’t care about tradition. She didn’t want to be bound. She didn’t need a man — especially not the one being forced upon her tonight.
Her auburn hair whipped in the wind, glowing like embers beneath the moonlight. Her wolf stirred uneasily beneath her skin, unsettled by the scent of what was coming — change, danger... something ancient.
“I refuse,” she said, her voice cold as steel.
Her father, the retired Alpha, narrowed his eyes. “You don’t have a choice, Aria. The Council has agreed. The vampire prince arrives before midnight.”
“A vampire?” she spat. “You expect me to mate with a bloodsucker? What next — a snake shifter? A ghost?”
He stepped forward. “It’s either that or war. Our pack’s territory borders Nightborne. The vampires are demanding peace through union. And the prophecy—”
“Prophecy, prophecy, prophecy,” Aria snapped. “You’re all so obsessed with dead witches scribbling on cave walls.”
Her father’s eyes softened. “This isn't just politics. Prince Varek has power beyond any wolf or vamp we’ve seen. The elders believe your bond could save both races.”
She laughed — bitter and sharp. “Or destroy us.”
Silence fell. Only the howling wind stirred the trees. Aria felt the weight of the moon pressing on her skin, pulling at the dormant power within her. She was strong. Smart. Stubborn. And she wasn’t going to be some vampire’s pretty little Luna.
“I’ll meet him,” she said finally, “but I won’t play nice.”
An hour later, beneath the burning moon, the vampire prince arrived.
He stepped out of the obsidian carriage in a swirl of black silk and shadows. Prince Varek Damaris, heir to the Nightborne throne, wore no crown — but the air bent around him with quiet authority. His skin was pale like polished marble, his hair jet black, and his eyes... crimson fire.
He looked at her as if he already owned her.
Aria’s wolf growled inside her chest, fur bristling with instinctual dislike. The scent of blood and old magic clung to him like an invisible cloak.
Varek's lips curled into something between a smirk and a snarl. “So. You’re the infamous Luna who would rather die than kneel.”
“And you’re the arrogant bloodsucker who thinks I will,” she fired back, chin raised.
Their eyes locked — and the world shifted.
A sudden pull, raw and primal, snapped between them like a live wire. Their souls touched for a second — terrifying and electric. A scent filled the air, one that neither of them could place but both instinctively recognized.
Mate.
Aria stumbled back, fangs bared. “No.”
Varek blinked, his smirk faltering just slightly. “You felt that too.”
“I fight fate,” she snarled. “I don’t bend to it.”
He stepped forward, voice velvet-dark. “Then this should be fun
He tried to near her with the intention of kissing her but instead of landing of her lip it landed on her face because she turned .
She barked at him"did I give you the permission to that " well you don't need to cause i own she glared at him pervert.
The night was thick with mist, the moon veiled in a pale glow that seemed to illuminate the forest in silver. Aria’s footsteps echoed faintly against the forest floor as she walked beside Varek. They had ventured beyond the castle walls, slipping past the guards with practiced ease. For once, there was no threat nipping at their heels—only the pull of the bond that seemed to thrum stronger with each passing day.Aria pulled her cloak tighter, but it wasn’t the cold that made her shiver. It was him—always him. Varek walked with that effortless grace, his tall frame casting shadows that seemed to bend to his presence. The air carried the scent of pine and faint iron—his scent—wild and intoxicating, stirring things inside her that she refused to name aloud.“You’ve been restless,” Varek said finally, his deep voice breaking the quiet. He didn’t look at her, but she could feel his awareness wrapping around her as tightly as the bond.Aria scoffed, though her heart was beating far too fast
Chapter Twenty-Nine – The Bond TestedThe night draped itself in silver shadows, the moon hanging heavy above the werewolf city as though it too sensed the weight of what was unfolding. The Council Hall, an imposing structure of black stone and glass, towered in the heart of the territory. Tonight, it wasn’t just a place of politics—it was the battlefield where Aria and Varek’s bond would be tested more than ever before.Aria’s heart hammered as she entered the hall at Varek’s side, her hand wrapped around his arm. She could feel the eyes on her—wolves from every clan, elders with sharp gazes, allies and enemies alike whispering as she passed.The stubborn Luna… she heard it in their murmurs. Some spoke it with admiration, others with disdain. But Aria held her head high, her emerald eyes flashing with the fire of a woman who would not bow. She was Varek’s mate, his equal, and tonight she would prove it.Varek’s hand tightened over hers briefly, a silent reassurance. His presence was
The first thing Aria became aware of was warmth.Not the warmth of blankets or fire, but something deeper, steady—alive.Her cheek rested against the solid wall of Varek’s chest, the steady thud of his heartbeat beneath her ear a rhythm that anchored her. His arm was draped securely around her waist, heavy yet protective, as though even in sleep he refused to let her go.For a moment, she simply lay there, eyes closed, listening to the symphony of the forest around them—the chirping of crickets, the soft rustle of leaves stirred by the morning breeze, the faint gurgle of the stream nearby. Yet all of it faded when compared to the sound of his breathing, slow and even, the rise and fall of his chest beneath her hand.Her lips curved into a small smile.Last night hadn’t been a dream.Her wolf stirred within, content, purring like a satisfied creature. The bond between them no longer felt like a thread but a pulsing, radiant force that thrummed with every heartbeat. She could feel him n
The night sky stretched endlessly above them, jeweled with a thousand stars, but Aria barely noticed. The only star she saw, the only sun, the only flame, was Varek.He hovered over her like a shadow and a promise, his golden eyes burning brighter than the moon itself. Every inch of him radiated raw strength and untamed desire, yet his touch remained deliberate, careful, as though she were both the most fragile thing in existence and the fiercest treasure he had ever claimed.Aria’s heart pounded against her ribs, her breath uneven as her fingers traced the sharp line of his jaw. The rough stubble there tickled her fingertips, a reminder of his humanity, even as his wolf prowled so close to the surface.“You don’t know what you’ve started, Aria,” Varek said, his voice low and gravelly.“I know exactly what I’ve started,” she whispered back, her lips curving into a defiant smile. “Do you?”His chest rumbled with a growl, though the sound carried more hunger than warning. He lowered him
The forest was hushed, almost reverent, as if even the trees knew something sacred was unfolding. The air carried the earthy scent of pine and moss, laced with the faintest touch of wildflowers that grew at the forest’s edge. The river in the distance whispered over smooth stones, its gentle song weaving into the night air.But Aria only heard one thing—the heavy, steady rhythm of Varek’s breathing as he stood before her.Her lips still tingled from his kiss, her body thrumming with a restless energy she had never felt before. It was as though every nerve in her skin had come alive, every beat of her heart echoing with his. She had kissed men before, fleeting, meaningless brushes of lips—but nothing like this. Nothing that made her feel claimed, undone, yet whole all at once.Varek’s hands cupped her face, his thumb brushing across her cheek. His golden eyes glowed faintly beneath the silver moonlight, his wolf so close to the surface it made her chest tighten.“You’re trembling,” he
The moon was high, silver light spilling across the balcony as the night wrapped the castle in a hushed stillness. The air felt thick, electric, almost alive, as if it knew what was about to happen between them.Aria stood by the balcony railing, her fingers gripping the cool stone as she stared at the glowing forest below. The night breeze whispered against her skin, but it wasn’t the chill that sent shivers down her spine—it was the sensation of being watched.She didn’t have to turn to know it was him.“Couldn’t sleep?” Varek’s voice was low, like velvet sliding over steel, the deep rumble of his tone curling in her chest.Aria swallowed hard before answering. “Maybe I didn’t want to.”When she finally turned, he was there—leaning in the doorway, hair tousled, shirt half unbuttoned, and eyes dark with an intensity that made her pulse skip. His presence filled the space, drawing her in like gravity itself.“You’ve been avoiding me all day,” he said, taking a slow step forward.“I wa