Chapter 15 -Running into you

Selene pov

I heard a low rumble above me…it was deep and threatening in a way that sent chills down my spine.

I pushed hard, trying to shove the weight off me, but the wolf only growled louder, his jaws snapping close to my face like a warning.

Realizing I had no other choice, I shifted back into my human form, collapsing onto the cold earth, breathless and shaking.

The wolf towering above me shifted a second later, revealing a tall, broad-shouldered man with sharp eyes and a firm stance. He stepped back slightly but didn’t let his guard down.

“Luna?” he said cautiously, still watching me like I might bolt.

“I’m part of the military wolves,” he added, voice low. “Alpha Kael ordered a special watch on the border today… in case you tried to pass.”

My chest tightened, fury and shame clashing inside me.

Of course, he would already be aware of my absence.

Kael was many things, but a fool wasn’t one of them. Even as kids, he was always one step ahead…he was the calculating, quiet, and dangerous Future alpha of our park .

I was never as close to him as Elera was. She knew how to smile the right way, speak the right words. I didn’t.

But fate has a twisted sense of humor.

Out of everyone in this cursed world… it made him my mate.

The other half of my soul.

“I need to leave,” I said, baring my fangs at the male wolf in front of me.

He didn’t flinch.

“I’m sorry, Luna,” he said, voice steady, “but I’m under Alpha’s command to bring you back immediately. Everyone in the pack is on the lookout.”

He hesitated, his eyes narrowing.

“Though… personally?” His lip curled. “I’d rather let you go. No one wants a cursed being as Luna anyway. You left your sister for dead, and now you’re practically abandoning the pack.”

The words hit like claws to my chest.

“You don’t understand anything,” I snapped.

He shrugged. “Yes, I do. Once a rogue, always a rogue. Right?”

My claws extended without warning.

“I’m taking you back,” he said, voice hardening. “Even if I have to use force.”

I bared my teeth. “He will kill you,” I said through gritted teeth. “If you lay a single finger on me.”

His stance shifted, shoulders squaring as he prepared to shift again.

I was just about to lunge when a low laugh stopped me cold..it was deep, smooth, and sharp like a blade sliding from its sheath.

“I don’t think it’s wise to challenge your Luna,” the voice said.

My heart thudded. Slowly, I turned.

Alpha Sylvester.

The soldier before me straightened immediately, bowing his head in respect. “Alpha Sylvester,” he said. “We’re under strict orders to take her back to the Pack House as soon as she’s seen.”

“Is that so?” Sylvester asked, dragging the words with lazy calm as he stepped closer, eyes locked on me. His voice was soft, but there was something dangerous underneath it.

“I’ll take her to the Pack House myself,” he said, still watching me. “All you have to do… is forget you saw her.”

The soldier hesitated for just a breath, then turned without another word.

Like magic.

He walked away, as if none of this ever happened.

“How did you do that?” I asked, still staring at the direction the guard disappeared.

“All Alphas have gifts,” Sylvester said smoothly, brushing a leaf off his shoulder. “Now don’t ask questions.”

He turned, eyes flicking back to me.

“Let’s go.”

Sylvester looked as maddeningly handsome as always…hair tousled like the wind had just kissed it, his coat hanging loose over his broad shoulders. Of course, he had been on his way to visit.

“I don’t intend to go back there,” I said firmly, meeting his eyes. “I have things I need to do.”

Sylvester raised a brow. “I won’t take you back. But running off without a word? That’s suicide.”

“I’ve survived worse.”

“You could die out there. Especially now that—”

“Now that what?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

He looked away. “Forget that. What I mean is…it’s not safe.”

I scoffed. “Have you forgotten I was a rogue for ten years? I can take care of myself.”

He stepped closer. “No. You’re coming with me. You’ll rest. You’ll sleep. Then you’ll tell me what’s making you act this reckless.”

His voice dropped lower. “I won’t let you get hurt, Selene.”

I stopped cold.

Maybe it was the way he said my name.

Or maybe it was because I couldn’t remember the last time someone spoke to me like that…with care instead of control.

My throat felt tight. “How do I know you won’t just take me to Kael?” I asked, voice quieter. “Or alert him the second I close my eyes?”

He held my gaze, then slowly pulled something from his coat pocket.

“This is a shadow crystal,” he said. “If you crush it, it scrambles all mindlinks within a mile for an hour.”

I stared at it, stunned.

“If I had any intention of alerting Kael,” he continued, voice calm, “I wouldn’t have handed that to you.”

I looked down at the smooth, dark stone in my hand, my grip tightening slightly.

“Why are you helping me?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“I told you,” he said, softer this time. “I won’t let you get hurt.”

There was something about the way he said it that made my chest ache. Like he meant every word.

“Now can we go?” he asked, glancing up at the sky. “It looks like rain’s going to fall any moment.”

“But… where are we going?” I asked, still unsure.

“I’ll take you with me….to my pack,” he replied.

“You’re not going to meet Kael anymore?”

“I was,” he shrugged, “but I can always do that tomorrow.”

I hesitated, then stopped. “Wait…”

“What is it now?” he asked, tilting his head slightly.

“What if he finds out I’m with you? I don’t want to cause problems between you two.”

“He won’t,” he said simply. “And even if he does, it’s not your problem. I can handle Kael.”

I exhaled, my shoulders sagging. “I won’t be there for long. I just need to leave… that place.”

His eyes softened. “You can stay as long or as short as you need. No one will touch you under my roof.”

Nodding, I followed him as he shifted into his wolf. His form was just as I imagined…majestic, with silver fur that shimmered under the moonlight. Something about him felt timeless. Powerful. Safe.

Without a word, we crossed the border together.

We ran for a long while, the forest blurring around us as our paws pounded the earth. The air grew colder, the trees thinner. I could feel it when we crossed into another territory. Another border.

I’ve never been this far from home.

But then again, what even was home anymore?

I haven’t been to another pack since I was born, and I didn’t know what to expect….but it definitely wasn’t this.

If there was another word for majestic, this would be it.

The buildings rose high, carved from stone and dark wood, completely different from Blackthorn. Their structure held elegance, like something out of an old story. Even under the pouring rain, it was beautiful and breathtaking in a way that made my chest ache.

Shifting to our human form my boots squelched against the soaked path as we slowed our pace. I was soaked, but I didn’t care.

“We’ll find a tavern to stay in for the night,” he said, glancing up at the sky. “We’ll head to the pack house in the morning.”

“A tavern?” I asked, raising a brow.

“Yes,” he nodded. “You’ll be okay. Trust me.”

I didn’t reply. I just nodded and followed after him.

The rain poured heavier now, soaking through my clothes, but I barely noticed. My legs ached, my mind spun, but I kept walking. The streets here were cleaner, quieter. People walked fast with hoods pulled low and no one paid attention to us. It was oddly comforting.

After a while, Sylvester stopped in front of a small wooden building with smoke curling from the chimney.

“This is it,” he said, holding the door open.