Chapter 1: Moonrise

 

The moon hung heavy and golden over the Blackpine Woods, its light filtering through the tangled canopy to dapple the forest floor. Mira crouched low among the ferns, her heart thudding in her chest as she watched the rest of the pack gather in the clearing. The air was thick with the scent of earth and pine, and beneath it, the musky, electric tang of werewolf—her family, her prison.

She was a striking figure, even hidden in shadow. Dark hair tumbled in loose waves down her back, framing a face both delicate and defiant. Her stormy eyes, wide and searching, held the memory of too many losses for someone so young. She had arrived at Blackpine as a baby, swaddled in a threadbare blanket and left at the edge of the woods—an orphan with no name, no family, and no past. The elders had taken her in out of pity, offering her shelter when she had nowhere else to go. Even now, with every glance and whispered word, Mira felt the weight of her outsider status—always the charity case, never quite belonging.

She could feel the pull of the moon in her blood, the ancient magic urging her to run, to shift, to join the others in the wild dance of the hunt. But tonight, she hesitated. Tonight, something felt different.

At the center of the clearing stood Lucian, the Alpha. He was taller than any of the others, his shoulders broad beneath the thin white shirt he wore, his dark hair falling in loose waves around a face both beautiful and severe. His presence was magnetic, a force that drew every eye, every breath, every heartbeat. Mira’s gaze lingered on him longer than it should have.

Lucian’s voice rang out, low and commanding. “Tonight, we hunt as one. The moon is strong, and the blood of our ancestors runs hot. Remember who you are, and remember who leads you.”

The pack responded with a chorus of howls, their bodies already trembling with the anticipation of the shift. Mira felt her own bones ache, her skin itch with the need to change, but she held herself back, watching Lucian with a hunger she could not name.

She knew the rules. The Alpha was untouchable, his mate chosen by tradition and bloodline, not desire. To even dream of him was dangerous. To act on it would be unthinkable.

But as Lucian’s eyes found hers across the clearing, something passed between them—a spark, a promise, a warning. Mira’s breath caught in her throat. She should have looked away, but she couldn’t. Not tonight.

The others began to shift, their bodies contorting and stretching into lupine forms, fur sprouting, and jaws lengthening. Mira closed her eyes and surrendered to the change, feeling her own body ripple and reshape. When she opened her eyes again, the world was sharper, brighter, and alive with scent and sound.

She joined the pack as they surged into the woods, her paws pounding the earth, her senses aflame. The hunt was a blur of speed and instinct, the thrill of the chase mingling with the forbidden heat that simmered beneath her skin.

At some point, she found herself running beside Lucian, their bodies moving in perfect harmony. He glanced at her, his golden eyes gleaming with something dark and dangerous. For a moment, the rest of the world fell away, and there were only the two of them, wild and free beneath the moon.

When the hunt was over and the pack returned to the clearing, Mira lingered at the edge, her heart still racing. Lucian approached her, his human form restored, his shirt clinging to his damp skin. He stopped just close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his body.

“You ran well tonight,” he said, his voice low and intimate.

Mira swallowed, her pulse fluttering. “Thank you, Alpha.”

He reached out, his fingers brushing her cheek, and for a heartbeat, the world held its breath. “You shouldn’t look at me like that,” he murmured.

She met his gaze, her own eyes defiant. “Maybe I shouldn’t. But I do.”

Lucian’s lips curved in a slow, dangerous smile. “Be careful, Mira. Some lines, once crossed, can never be uncrossed.”

He turned and walked away, leaving her trembling with longing and fear.

As the moon climbed higher, Mira knew one thing for certain: this was only the beginning. Even surrounded by the pack, she had never felt more alone—or more alive. A longing she barely understood had taken root in her chest, promising both danger and possibility in the nights to come.