Moonlit ice, A wolf's fated mate

Leera POV I clutch my camera, the strap digging into my palm as I weave through the crowded arena. The air hums with the buzz of students, the sharp scent of popcorn, and the faint tang of ice. My heart thumps louder than the cheering crowd, my sneakers squeaking on the polished floor. This is my first photojournalism assignment, and I’m already late. Zoey, my roommate, had insisted on braiding my silver hair into something “professional but cute,” and now I’m paying for it, dodging elbows to reach the press section.The rink stretches out below, a gleaming sheet of ice under harsh lights. Hockey players glide across it, sticks clacking, their shouts muffled by helmets. I scan for the team I’m supposed to interview Shawnee State’s Wolves. My professor’s words echo Get candids, Leera. Capture the raw energy. Easier said than done when my hands are shaking, and my grief feels like a stone in my chest. Mom and Dad would’ve loved this chaos, their cameras clicking in sync. I swallow hard

Roman POV Glass crunches under my boots as I lunge toward Leera, my wolf snarling, senses razor-sharp. The dorm room is a mess of moonlight and shadows, the shattered window letting in a cold gust. Leera’s scream echoes in my ears, her icy eyes wide with panic. Zoey’s frozen by the door, her mouth open. The figure outside moves fast too fast for humans darting into the darkness before I can get a clear look. My wolf howls, demanding blood, but I force it down. Leera’s safety comes first.“Get behind me,” I growl, pulling Lira to her feet. Her small frame trembles, but she grips my arm, her moonstone ring glinting.“What the hell was that?” Zoey snaps, her voice shaking as she edges toward us. “Roman, what’s going on?”“No time,” I say, scanning the window. The scent of pine and something sharp wolfsbane lingers. My stomach twists. Only a wolf would use that, and only one with a grudge. India. “Leera, grab your jacket. We’re leaving.”“Leaving?” Leera’s voice is sharp, defiant despite

Leera’s POV My scream tears through the night as Roman collapses, his massive frame crumpling to the gravel. India’s smirk burns into me, her green eyes gleaming with victory, while Khas stands back, his grey gaze locked on me like I’m a riddle. The pack house looms behind us, its lanterns flickering, casting shadows that dance across the forest’s edge. Something inside me snaps a raw, burning surge that claws at my chest. It’s not just fear. It’s rage. A growl rumbles low in my throat, louder than before, and my vision sharpens, the world too bright, too vivid.“Leera, move!” Benny shouts, his hand tight on my arm, pulling me toward the pack house. Zoey’s beside him, her face pale, her curls wild as she stumbles after us.“No!” I wrench free, my sneakers skidding on the gravel. Roman’s down, blood seeping from his arm, his neck. That smell—sharp, like chemicals and rot—makes my nose burn. Wolfsbane, he said. I don’t know what it means, but it’s killing him. “I’m not leaving him!”“Y

Roman POVThe world is a kaleidoscope of agony and adrenaline. Wolfsbane courses through my veins like liquid glass, shredding me from the inside out, but I don’t feel it. Not really. All I feel is the rage boiling in my gut and the terrifying, magnetic pull of Leera collapsing just feet away from me.Khaos stands over her, his hands glowing with that sickly, pale light. He isn’t attacking. He is claiming.“Get your hands off her,” I snarl.The sound that rips from my throat isn’t human. It is the guttural roar of an Alpha whose territory has been breached, whose mate is threatened. I don’t think. I don’t plan. I launch myself off the damp forest floor, ignoring the scream of my poisoned muscles.I collide with Khaos midair.The impact knocks the breath out of him, sending us both sprawling into the underbrush. He is fast, faster than I remember, but I have something he doesn’t. Desperation. I slam him into the trunk of an ancient oak, my forearm pressing against his windpipe.“She is

Leera POV My body is still frozen in place when he slams the door, leaving me frightened, but I also immediately feel the loss of his presence in a way I don’t understand.The slamming door seems to break the spell my body was under, only I’m not prepared. Benny catches me before I hit the ground. I didn’t even register that my legs were no longer supporting my body.I just sit there in a crumpled mess when the trembling begins. This trembling is also different from anxiety where I get all cold and clammy. I’m warm, and thankfully not sweating, but I feel all wrong. A small sob slips through my lips, and every man in the room flinches. That was weird.“Leera, can you stand? Let me get you in a chair,” Benny says softly.Who knew this big hulking man could be gentle? I’ve watched clips of their games; they’re savage on the ice.I rise onto unsteady legs, but I’m able to hold my own weight. Instead of sitting in the seat with these men, I rush over to my things and begin to hastily pac