Chapter two: The Stranger in the shadows (revised)

Chapter 2: The Stranger in the Shadows

Silas' POV

The forest was alive with the sounds of the night, but I moved through it in silence. My footsteps barely disturbed the underbrush as I weaved between ancient trees, my senses sharp and attuned to every movement, every breath of wind.

The pull had started days ago, a restless energy that drove me north. At first, I’d thought it was my wolf reacting to the change in territory, the way it always did when we crossed into unknown lands. But this was different. The feeling was deeper, sharper—like a string tied to my chest, tugging me forward.

And tonight, I’d found its source.

Her.

The moment my eyes met hers, the world shifted. The bond hit me like a blow, and I felt my wolf, Rafe, stir with a force I hadn’t felt in years.

Mate, Rafe rumbled, his voice a growl of certainty and possession.

She was unlike anyone I’d ever seen—pale skin, like moonlight given form, and eyes that burned violet in the dark. Even from a distance, her presence was undeniable, her power humming in the air between us.

I’d felt the connection snap into place, as unyielding as a chain, but I hadn’t lingered. I couldn’t.

The Alpha’s Princess.

I knew who she was. Her reputation preceded her, a figure of strength and grace in the northern packs. But she was also bound by duty, tied to a life of alliances, traditions, and politics. A life I couldn’t offer her.

My jaw tightened as I pushed deeper into the forest. The pull of the bond still throbbed in my chest, but I fought against it, burying the urge to turn back. She wasn’t for me.

She’s ours, Rafe snarled, pacing in my mind. You can’t deny it.

I clenched my fists, my claws threatening to extend. “You know what we are,” I muttered under my breath. “What I’ve done.”

Rafe growled low and deep, but he didn’t argue. He couldn’t. We both knew the truth. Whatever bond the Moon Goddess had bestowed upon us, it didn’t change what I was—an outcast, a wolf with blood on his hands and fire in his soul.

A monster.

The memory of the fire rose unbidden, the heat, the screams, the ash. My chest tightened, and I forced it down, shoving the past back into the shadows where it belonged.

She deserves better, I said to Rafe, trying to convince myself as much as him.

Rafe huffed in frustration, his voice a dangerous growl. What she deserves is the truth. And you can’t run forever.

The clearing came into view, a secluded patch of land surrounded by towering pines. I’d made camp here the night before, but it already felt wrong. Too close to the castle, too close to her.

The thought of her burned in my mind. I could still see the way she’d stood at the window, her eyes searching the darkness as if she’d known I was there. My wolf had howled in response, desperate to reach her.

But there was no place for me in her world.

I dropped my pack by the base of a tree and leaned against the trunk, letting the cool night air soothe my nerves. The pull of the bond hadn’t lessened, but I knew it wouldn’t. Not until I saw her again.

The sound of rustling leaves made me tense, and I turned toward the noise, my body coiled to strike.

A wolf stepped into the clearing, its silver fur gleaming in the moonlight. I recognized it instantly.

“Lucan,” I said, my voice flat.

The wolf shifted, the transformation seamless and practiced. In his human form, Lucan was lean and wiry, his dark hair falling into sharp green eyes that gleamed with cunning.

“You’re slipping, Silas,” he said, brushing leaves from his tunic. “I’ve been tracking you for hours. Didn’t even try to cover your trail.”

I crossed my arms, my expression darkening. “What do you want?”

Lucan smirked, his sharp features twisting with amusement. “The same thing you do, I imagine. Word’s spreading fast—an Alpha’s Princess, and her mate shows up on the night before her ceremony? That’s not coincidence, Silas.”

My jaw tightened, but I didn’t respond.

“Did you think no one would notice?” Lucan pressed, his tone mocking. “The MacCraes are a powerful pack. You think they’ll just let you walk away with their precious princess? Even if you are her mate, they’ll kill you for what you’ve done.”

“I don’t need your advice,” I said