Chapter 2

Zorya

The bus hissed to a stop like a tired beast, releasing a gust of heat and exhaust that stung my nose. My entire life fit into one worn-out duffel bag that was half-filled with clothes, an old phone, and the burden of everything I’d lost. No map, no family waiting at the station, no pack to return to. Just me.

I stepped down onto the cracked pavement and looked up. Lunaris City.

The heart of the modern werewolf world. A bright city, merciless, and alive with dominance. The air itself seemed charged with energy, like the hum before a storm. Skyscrapers scraped the belly of the moon, and neon signs pulsed across buildings that never seemed to sleep. Wolves brushed past me in tailored suits and leather jackets, their scents mingling with the moonlight.

This was a city where power ruled, and weakness was prey.

My fingers tightened around the strap of my bag. I had already been prey once. But now, it won’t happen again.

I started walking, following the directions the bus driver had given me. My boots slapped against the wet sidewalk as I moved deeper into the city. Each district I passed told its own story: the east pulsed with authority and the uniformed enforcers of Crimson Fang patrolling in tight formation. The south blazed with noise and chaos from the Iron Claw territory, where engines roared and laughter was edged with violence. To the west, marble towers gleamed in silence of Shadow Veil, where politics and secrets coiled together. And in the north, wild music echoed from the Nightfang district, where rules came second to freedom.

Lunaris wasn’t just a city. It was a battlefield divided by power, all ruled by the Four Alphas who controlled each domain.

And I… was just another lost soul at its gates.

The apartment I found wasn’t much, one small room above a bakery, with the scent of cinnamon and yeast bleeding through the walls. The bed squeaked when I sat, the window was cracked, and the heater made a noise like a dying wolf, but it was mine.

For the first time in months, no one told me what to do. No one judged me for existing.

I curled up on the thin mattress, staring at the city lights spilling through the curtains. Every flicker of light felt like a dare. How far will you go, Zorya?

When I finally slept, I dreamed of my daughter’s face. Her laughter. Her hand was slipping from mine as the court guards led her away.

I woke up trembling.

Morning came with the scent of fresh bread and the sound of laughter drifting from downstairs. My stomach growled.

The café below was small and full of chatter, the kind of place that felt alive. I ordered coffee I couldn’t afford and sank into a corner booth. That’s when she appeared, a young vibrant woman with an immaculate smile.

She breezed in like a whirlwind with tight curls dyed electric pink, gold rings catching the light, and confidence radiating off her in waves. She spotted me instantly, grinned, and dropped into the seat across from me as if she’d known me forever.

“You’re new,” she said, eyes bright with curiosity. “And definitely not from around here.”

I blinked. “Is it that obvious?”

She snorted. “You’ve got that look, like you just buried your past and you aren’t sure what to do with the shovel.”

A laugh escaped me, small but real. “You’re not wrong.”

“Name’s Vivia Solenne,” she said, offering her hand. “Rogue-born, survived three Alpha tax calls and a toxic ex. You?”

“I’m Zorya.”

Her expression softened. “Pretty name. You got somewhere to be, Zorya?”

I hesitated. “Not yet. I just… needed to start over.”

“Then you picked the right city. Lunaris eats people alive, but if you’ve got a reason to fight, it’ll give you a crown.” She sipped her latte, then leaned in with a conspiratorial grin. “So, what’s your reason?”

“My daughter.” The words came before I could stop them. “She’s still with her father. I… lost custody.”

Vivia’s eyes darkened, and for once, she didn’t joke. “That’s not a loss, babe. That’s a delay. You’ll get her back.”

Her certainty was disarming. I looked down at my trembling hands, forcing strength into my voice. “I have to. I just don’t know how yet.”

She tapped her nails on the table. “Well, for starters, you need power. Real power, not the kind you’re born with, but the kind you earn. And here, that means knowledge.”

“Knowledge?”

She nodded. “There’s a university here, Lunaris City University. The most prestigious one in the capital. It’s where future alphas, pack betas, and lawkeepers study. If you want to fight for your rights, if you want to take your ex down legally and reclaim what’s yours, that’s where you start.”

I stared at her. “You think I can just… enroll?”

She smirked. “With me helping? Absolutely.”

Hours later, I found myself in her tiny apartment filled with books, energy drinks, and chaos. Vivia typed furiously at her laptop while I filled out an online form that looked like a maze.

“School of Lunar Law and Governance,” she explained. “It’s tough, but it’s the only place that teaches the old pack codes and the modern court system. If you want to beat your ex on his own turf, you’ll need to understand both.”

My pulse quickened as I typed. Each box I filled out felt like a small rebellion, a quiet vow that I wasn’t done yet.

When it asked for my reason for applying, I paused. Then I wrote:

To reclaim what was stolen from me.

Vivia leaned over my shoulder and grinned. “That’s the spirit.”

We hit submit together. The screen blinked, the application vanished, and silence fell between us.

For a second, I felt foolish. Like a broken woman trying to dream in a city made of wolves. But then my phone buzzed.

One notification. One message.

Lunaris City University Admissions

Congratulations, Zorya Veylor. Your application has been selected for review, and you will receive an email from us shortly.

The world stilled.

I blinked at the glowing screen, the words blurring through the tears I hadn’t realized I was shedding.

Vivia whooped, jumping up from her chair. “You did it! Goddess, you actually did it!”

But I didn’t move. I just sat there, staring, letting the reality sink in. For the first time since my world shattered, I had a direction.

I wasn’t just surviving anymore.

I was beginning again.

I looked out the window, past the glittering skyline of Lunaris and whispered to the night, “I’m coming for you, my little one.”

And somewhere in the distance, the city seemed to answer with a low, hungry hum, like it was listening. Like it knew my story was only just beginning.