Rogues!

My heart rate rose sharply, despite being in a near-unconscious state. I've always been afraid of the dark. A natural phenomenon that werewolves loved and eagerly anticipated. The endless shadows between the trees, the suffocating silence, the feeling that something unseen was always watching... it made panic crawl beneath my skin.

And now, surrounded by nothing but towering trees and pitch-black darkness, I could barely breathe.

My breaths came out in short, shaky pants as fear tightened around my chest. The darkness seemed to close in on me from every direction, swallowing me whole. Spots danced across my vision, and despite already being unable to see clearly, everything darkened even further.

Then I blacked out.

***

Every hair on my body stood on end.

I jolted awake with a gasp, my instincts screaming at me before my mind could even catch up. A loud snarl echoed through the darkness, followed by the rapid pounding of paws against wet sand—getting closer. Closer.

My blood turned cold.

I knew those sounds anywhere.

Rogues.

Panic surged through me as I scrambled to my feet too quickly, making the world spin violently around me. For a second, I nearly collapsed again, but adrenaline slammed through my body hard enough to force me forward.

I ran.

Behind me, the rogues gave chase almost instantly, their snarls growing louder as they picked up my scent. They could smell my weakness. My fear. The fact that I was injured and alone. And they were gaining on me fast.

This wasn't a game or a warning chase.

At this rate, I would be torn apart within seconds.

Before I could complete my thoughts, one had outrun the pack and leaped at me, ready to tear me to shreds with a single bite, when I spun just enough to scoop a handful of dirt and flung it blindly. The wolf recoiled, snarling as its paws scratched on its eyes in an attempt to get rid of the dust.

I took a weird turn and came face-to-face with even denser trees and murky water. It was still dark, but not as dark as before, so I ran forward, pressing myself into the darkness. I dropped into the murky water without a second thought. The cold swallowed me whole, washing away the thickest trace of scent as I dragged myself to the other side.

I hid behind a tree and clamped a hand over my mouth to stop myself from screaming, and just as I did that. The rogues got to the part I was in, their feet deep in the murky water as they patrolled the area, their noses sniffing the ground loudly. After a few minutes of searching, I heard them growl loudly before retreating. Hearing them leave, I breathed a sigh of relief and dragged my tired frame up before coming out of my hiding place, only to come face to face with a rogue glaring at me with hunger in its eyes. Fuck. This is bad. There is no way I can outsmart it again.

It rushed towards me, prepared to attack, and I braced myself for the impact. The rogue slammed into me like a racing bull.

I hit the ground hard, the air exploding from my lungs as muddy water splashed around us. Its claws raked across my shoulder before I could shove it away, a burning line of pain tearing through my skin. I screamed and kicked wildly, my heel catching its ribs hard enough to make it stagger sideways with a furious snarl.

I scrambled backward on shaking limbs, but the rogue lunged again.

Its claws sliced across my thigh this time, not deep enough to cripple me but enough to send white-hot pain through my leg. Warm blood immediately soaked through my torn clothes. The beast circled me slowly, yellow eyes gleaming with cruel amusement as if it enjoyed watching me panic.

My chest tightened.

No. No, no—

The darkness. The growling. The trees are closing in around me.

I couldn't breathe. But it barely slowed it down.

The rogue crashed into me, pinning me violently against the tree trunk. Agonizing pain exploded through my back as its claws dug into my arms and shoulders, shallow but brutal scratches tearing through skin.

Then its jaws snapped toward my neck.

I screamed and shoved against its chest desperately, feeling its teeth graze my throat—

A savage snarl suddenly erupted from the darkness.

The weight crushing me vanished instantly.

The rogue was thrown sideways so violently that it rolled across the muddy ground with a furious howl. Another wolf—massive, dark-furred, and far larger—had slammed directly into it.

More footsteps followed.

Four men burst through the trees behind him, all dressed in dark hunting gear, their expressions turning sharp the second they saw me bleeding against the tree.

"Rogue!" one of them shouted.

The large wolf shifted mid-motion, bones cracking loudly before a tall man emerged in its place. He didn't even spare me a glance at first. His attention remained fixed on the rogue as he stepped protectively in front of me.

The rogue snarled but hesitated now.

Because he wasn't alone.

The other men spread out instantly, surrounding the area while two shifted into wolves beside their leader. The air thickened with dominance and threat.

The rogue backed away slowly, ears flattening.

Then it bolted into the forest. One of the men moved like he wanted to chase after it, but the tall stranger raised a hand.

"Leave it," he ordered coldly.

Silence fell.

The stranger finally turned toward me.

Up close, he looked terrifying in his own way—broad shoulders, sharp eyes, blood splattered across his arms from the fight. Yet his expression shifted the moment he saw how badly I was shaking.

"Easy," he muttered.

I tried to speak, but nothing came out.

The adrenaline keeping me upright finally disappeared all at once. Pain crashed into me so hard my knees gave out instantly.

Before I could hit the ground, strong arms caught me. The last thing I heard was one of the men cursing under his breath while another said, "She's bleeding badly!"

Then darkness swallowed me whole.

**

MATTEO

I stood motionless near the massive window of my office, my jaw clenched so tightly it ached. Rain hammered against the glass, but it wasn't enough to drown out the endless noise in my head.

Lara's face.

Her voice.

The look in her eyes when I rejected her.

My chest tightened violently.

My wolf stirred restlessly beneath my skin, filled with agitation that had refused to fade for days now. It prowled endlessly inside me, furious and grieving all at once.

You hurt her.

I shut my eyes.

I knew.

The memory haunted me relentlessly—the way she'd stood there trembling while I forced those cruel words out of my mouth. I had told myself it was necessary. That the pack needed to change. Someone powerful. Someone fertile and worthy of being the luna.

But now?

Now every second without her felt unbearable.

My wolf had barely spoken to me since that night. The bond between man and beast, once perfectly balanced, now felt fractured. The creature rejected food, sleep, and even patrols. Every instinct inside me screamed that something was wrong.

She left before the deadline—so quickly that she even abandoned most of her belongings. And with the recent surge of rogue attacks reported in the woods, the uncertainty gnawed at me relentlessly.

If only she had waited a little longer, I would have sent my men to escort her safely to another pack. But now… I had no way of knowing where she was or what had become of her.

Was she safe?

Had she managed to reach another pack alive?

A sharp knock interrupted my thoughts.

"Elders are waiting downstairs, Alpha," Beta Rowan said carefully from outside the door.

My expression darkened instantly.

Of course they were.

They had been relentless ever since Serene's pregnancy was announced. To the elders, this solved everything. An heir. Stability. A proper Luna from a respected bloodline.

Exactly what the pack needed.

Even if it felt like a cage tightening around my throat.

I descended the stairs slowly, my presence immediately silencing the room. The elders sat around the long table while Serene remained near the fireplace, dressed elegantly in pale silver.

The moment her eyes landed on me, they softened hopefully.

I looked away first.

One of the elders cleared his throat. "Alpha, preparations for the Luna ceremony should begin immediately. The pack needs reassurance after recent events."

Recent events.

A polite way of referring to Lara's humiliation and disappearance.

My stomach twisted.

"We've delayed long enough," another elder added firmly. "Serene carries the future heir of Red Moon Pack. She must officially stand beside you before rumors spread further."

Serene was carrying my child.

I would protect her.

Respect her.

Give her the title the pack demanded.

I straightened my back and spoke with authority. “The Luna ceremony will be held in three days. Preparations begin immediately.”