CHAPTER 3

Raithe — Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack

The taste of blood lingered on the back of my tongue long after training ended.

Not real blood—just the echo of it. The rage. The hunger.

My wolf paced beneath my skin, agitated and restless, claws dragging against the inside of my ribcage like he was trying to tear his way out.

Mate.

Find her.

Now.

His voice was getting louder every week.

My beta, Daxon, tossed me a towel. “You nearly snapped Kael’s arm.”

“He wasn’t blocking properly,” I growled.

“He was blocking fine. You’re just… worse lately.” He hesitated. “Raithe, this isn’t normal.”

I threw the towel aside. “Nothing is normal when a wolf is twenty-three and unmated.”

Daxon grimaced. Everyone knew the stories. After twenty-one, an unmated alpha’s instincts sharpened into something feral. After twenty-two, aggression and sleeplessness set in. After twenty-three…

Madness.

That’s what they whispered.

That I was slipping.

Losing control.

Some days, I wondered if they were right.

My pack respected me—they always had—but lately, even they watched me carefully, like I might snap at any moment. And maybe I would.

Because every night my wolf thrashed inside me, snarling for the mate he hadn’t found. Every day, scents that weren’t hers enraged him. Every full moon felt like a taunt.

I was tired of waiting.

Daxon eyed me, cautious but unafraid. “Raithe… you’re slipping.”

My wolf snapped at the words.

“Careful,” I warned.

He didn’t back down. “I’m not trying to insult you. But this—” he gestured at the training yard, the blood on my knuckles, the faint tremor in my hands “—isn’t sustainable. And the pack is worried.”

Worried.

Scared.

Whispering madness behind closed doors.

I rolled my shoulders, trying to shake off the suffocating pressure in my chest. “I just need space. And time.”

“You’re out of time,” Daxon said quietly.

Silence fell thick and heavy.

Finally, he added, “We’ve received word from Alpha Thorn.”

My lip curled. “Thorn? What does he want?”

“He didn’t reach out to us directly. The information came through one of our mutual allies—Alpha Hale’s nephew. Apparently Silver Shadow is holding a celebration for their alpha’s daughter. She’s turning eighteen.”

“Not my concern.”

“Raithe…” Daxon ran a hand through his hair, exasperated. “It’s a mating-age gathering. Half the region is attending. When I heard, I sent a request to allow Blood Moons presence.”

My eyes snapped to him. “You what?”

He swallowed. “Requested to attend. For you.”

A roar built in my chest. “You went behind my back—”

“Before you lose yourself entirely,” he shot back. “I refuse to watch you go feral when there’s a chance—any chance—that your mate is there.”

My wolf surged at the mention.

Claws scraping.

Teeth snapping.

Not in anger.

In recognition.

Something in my chest tightened painfully, like a cord being pulled taut.

Daxon took a step forward, voice lower. “If she’s there, Raithe… you’ll feel it. You’ll stabilize. You’ll stop tearing yourself apart every night.”

I wanted to deny it. Rage at him. Shove him out of the room for daring to pity me.

But—

My wolf went still.

Utterly still.

It hadn’t happened in months.

Then, like a whisper slipping through the cracks of my skull:

Mate.

Close.

Find her.

I closed my eyes, chest heaving.

Daxon’s voice softened. “We leave tomorrow at dawn.”

“Did Thorn agree?”

“He did.” A pause. “He said… he hopes the Moon grants you peace before it’s too late.”

I looked away, jaw tight. I hated being pitied. Hated being seen as unstable. But if Thorn—who barely tolerated our pack’s reputation—was willing to let Blood Moon onto his land?

It meant everyone could see the truth.

I was running out of time.

I dragged a hand across my face and finally—slowly—nodded.

“Prepare the warriors,” I said hoarsely. “We’re going.”

Daxon’s shoulders sagged with relief. “I’ll make the arrangements.”

He left the room.

I stayed where I was, staring at the training yard.

At the damage I couldn’t control anymore.

At the shadow of the beast inside me threatening to snap the moment I lost hope.

My wolf whispered again, soft… almost reverent.

She waits.

My pulse hammered once, sharp and certain.

“Then hold on,” I murmured into the quiet.

“Just a little longer.”

Because if she was truly out there…

I’d tear down fate itself to reach her.