CHAPTER 1: DESTINY DEFINED

5 Years Ago.

The moon was full above Silver Crest, hanging low enough that it felt like it could hear my thoughts. Its light spilled across the stones of the terrace, turning the ancient walls pale and watchful. I sat with my knees drawn close, my cloak loose around my shoulders, feeling the quiet weight of the night settle into my bones.

Selene leaned against the balustrade beside me, her gaze fixed on the training grounds below. Even at this hour, Clay and his warriors still sparred, their movements sharp and tireless. He trained them like he trained himself. Without rest and without complaint. 

“He doesn’t even know how powerful he is when he’s quiet,” Selene said softly. I heard the smile in her voice before I saw it. “Most men boast. Clay doesn’t. He just stands there like the world already belongs to him. Like the wolf-god blessed by the moon goddess herself.”

I allowed myself a faint smile. “That’s what unsettles people. He doesn’t need to demand loyalty. It comes to him.”

Selene turned then, her eyes bright with something close to longing. “I love how steady he is. When everything feels like it could fall apart, he doesn’t waver. Being near him feels like safety.”

My gaze drifted back to the moon. “I love his restraint,” I said quietly. “The way he carries the weight of the pack without complaining. Clay is lonely, Selene. Even when surrounded by wolves, he stands alone.”

She laughed under her breath. “That loneliness is exactly why you should marry him.”

I looked at her, amused. “Why not you, my dear friend?”

“Aha,” she said quickly. “I am still your slave, a widow, and I am not from here. He needs a Luna, not a Beta."

I frowned and looked down at my hands. “Don’t be so harsh on yourself.” I turned towards her. "You are not my slave, and I have never considered you as such. You are my friend and my sister."

“You should marry him,” Selene continued. “The man is lonely and lacks relevance.”

That caught my attention. “You think marriage is a transaction of kindness and sympathy?”

“I think it’s protection,” she said, lowering her voice. “For you and also for him. The council is restless and in desperate need of an Alpha. Enemies are watching Silvercrest. Clay needs a Luna with strength, and you need an Alpha no one would dare challenge. Together, you would be untouchable.”

I studied her face, searching for hesitation. There was none. “You speak as if this is a choice. Clearly, you have made one for me.”

She shrugged lightly. “Isn’t it?”

I smiled then, because she still did not fully understand me. “I am royalty, Selene. My bloodline was blessed long before Clay was born. The Moon Goddess marked me as Luna the moment I took my first breath. I was groomed and made ready for an Alpha.”

Her brows lifted. “So you’ll accept?”

"My Alpha does not have to be Clay; he is so stiff."

"Not for me," Selene smiled. "I would marry him for you," and then there was her smirk. "You should accept."

I rose slowly, and I felt that familiar shift when my presence changed the air around me. “It isn’t about acceptance. Clay has no choice. The bond will be sealed whether he resists it or not. This marriage isn’t for protection. It’s destiny.”

Selene looked away, her fingers tightening on the stone railing. “Destiny,” she repeated.

I reached for her hand, trusting her as I always had. “He will be a great Alpha,” I said. “And I will be the Luna he needs.”

She smiled, though something in it felt strained. “Yes. Exactly what he needs.”

The moon burned brighter above us, silent and knowing. A witness to a friendship balanced on truths we were not yet brave enough to name. 

We were there discussing a wolf who was busy training without even noticing us. Arguing about a topic only one of us knew could happen.

Eventually, we retired to our chambers. We had seen enough of the night and admired a man who had not once looked our way.

Later, the fire in the chamber burned low, washing the room in amber light. I sat on the edge of a cushioned bench, absently turning the silver ring on my finger. Selene stood nearby, arms folded, watching me with an expression I did not recognize.

“Zanny,” she said finally. “There’s something you need to consider.”

I looked up. “You sound like you’re about to scold me.”

Her smile was faint. “I’m trying to protect you.”

“From Clay?” I asked, half amused.

She stepped closer, lowering her voice. “From what he could become.”

My smile faded. “Clay is disciplined. He controls his wolf.”

“He controls it now,” she said carefully. “But Alphas carry hunger with authority. Bloodlust comes with power, especially when war or challenge is involved.”

I straightened. “Are you saying he would hurt me?”

“I’m saying no one truly knows what lives inside an Alpha when the moon is high, and the pack demands strength,” she replied. “Even the best of them can lose themselves.”

I searched her face for jealousy, for exaggeration. I found none. Only concern.

“I won’t be helpless,” I said quietly. “I was raised to be more than a decoration beside a throne.”

Relief flickered across her features. “Then promise me something.”

“What?”

“Learn to defend yourself,” she said. “Not because Clay is cruel, but because power changes people. If the day ever comes when instinct outweighs reason, I want you to stand your ground. Not as his Luna. As his equal.”

I exhaled slowly. “You speak as if you expect darkness.”

“I expect reality,” Selene said, squeezing my hand. “Love alone has never kept a woman safe.”

A resolve settled deep in my chest. “Then I will learn. Not out of fear. So I never have to kneel.”

She smiled then. “Good. Queens who can fight are never easily broken.”

That was when we heard it.

A low, angry growl.

“Did you hear that?” Selene asked.

“I did,” I whispered. “That is not a wolf. And it feels like black magic.”

The wind shifted.

The stones beneath our feet vibrated, faint but unmistakable. My instincts flared before thought could follow. Selene’s grip tightened on my hand.

“Do you feel that?” she whispered.

The fire cracked once, then went out completely, plunging the chamber into moonlit darkness. The forest beyond fell silent. No insects. No birds. Even the wind seemed to pause.

Then the bushes at the edge of the chamber parted.

A massive shape stepped forward.

It was neither wolf nor beast. Its shoulders rose higher than any warhorse, muscles rippling beneath dark, matted fur that shimmered faintly red. Its eyes burned amber with intelligence. Hunger. Long claws scraped against stone as it lowered itself.

My heart thundered.

Selene stepped in front of me. “Don’t run,” she said, her voice trembling but firm.

The growl vibrated through my bones. The air filled with blood and rage.

Something inside me stirred. Sharp and ancient. It was like a door long sealed, beginning to crack open.

One heartbeat passed.

Then another.

The beast stepped out of the shadows.

It stared at us like we were prey.

I feared death that instant as I gazed at the trembling Selene and the frightening beast almost at the same time.

The beast lunged.

And in that frozen instant, I understood. Everything Selene had warned me about had just become terrifyingly real.