Restless wolf

Draeven POV

I woke with blood on my hands. For one disoriented second, instinct took over. My wolf surged violently beneath my skin while I scanned the dark room for threats but there was nothing, no enemies and attackers.

Cold moonlight spilled across the stone walls of my chambers while harsh breathing echoed through the room.

I looked down slowly and blood covered my palms.

The scent hit immediately. Deep claw marks stretched across my forearms like something had tried to tear its way out from beneath my skin while I slept.

This was the third night this week and at this point I got really furious and confused. 

A restless Alpha wolf is dangerous and catastrophic especially mine.

I rose from the bed and crossed the chamber barefoot, every muscle tense beneath my skin. The massive windows overlooking the northern mountains was opened, allowing freezing wind to get into the room.

Most wolves would have frozen already. I barely noticed the cold.

The storm from yesterday had passed, leaving Moonspire buried beneath silver moonlight and snow.

My kingdom slept peacefully, unaware their Alpha was slowly losing control. A low growl echoed inside my chest ‘Mine.

“There it is again” I muttered darkly.

The possessiveness had become unbearable lately and violent too. 

As though my wolf had suddenly decided something belonged to us despite never explaining what ot who.

I grabbed a cloth from the nearby table and wiped the blood from my hands slowly. The moment my skin cleared, another strange sensation hit me. An emotional pain flashed unexpectedly through my chest. My entire body stiffened but it vanished almost instantly.

My wolf went completely still afterward “What the hell is happening to us?” I questioned but no answer came. Then suddenly: Moonlight.

The scent slammed into me so violently that my grip crushed the glass cup sitting beside the table, It shattered instantly.

I froze, it was that scent again: female, was wild and cold like winter forests beneath dripping rain. My pulse slowed dangerously. I had smelled it once before.

That was yesterday, right before the pain in my chest began. No wolf in Moonspire carried that scent and yet somehow my feelings recognized it immediately.

The growl that followed shook through my entire body. I closed my eyes briefly, trying so hard to control it: An Alpha who could not master his wolf had no right ruling others.

A sharp knock interrupted the silence. Cassian entered before I answered, already dressed in dark training leathers.

His eyes immediately narrowed “You look terrible” he said, chuckling.

“Good morning to you too” I responded with a smile. 

“You shattered another glass” He complained.

I glanced toward the broken pieces scattered across the floor. Apparently I had.

Cassian crossed his arms “You’re getting worse”.

“I’m going to get over it” I assured him.

“You nearly attacked two guards yesterday because they entered the throne room too quickly” he reminded me. 

“They startled me” I said. 

“You’re not a house cat, Draeven” he responded.

I ignored him and moved toward the weapons rack lining the wall. Steel usually helped clear my mind.

Cassian watched me carefully “Did you sleep at all?”

“I slept enough” I answered.. 

“Nightmares?” he asked.

I hesitated briefly, not nightmares exactly but dreams and always the same ones: Silver eyes, snowfall, a woman standing beneath a blood-red moon and every time I reached her; I woke up furious, hungry and possessive. 

Cassian’s expression darkened slightly “There it is again”. 

“What is it?” I asked.

“That look” He noticed. 

I strapped a blade against my back “You’re becoming dramatic”. 

“You nearly broke the armrest of your throne yesterday because a servant mentioned another Alpha looking at Seralyn” He reminded.

I frowned and that made no sense. I felt absolutely nothing toward Seralyn and I can't even remember all that happened yesterday.

Cassian exhaled heavily “Your wolf is reacting to something”.

“I know it is but I don't know what it is” I said.

“Any hint?”

That was the problem. A king could not afford uncertainty and lately uncertainty seemed woven into every emorions beneath my skin.

The Bloodmoon Gathering was tonight.

Every major northern Alpha would arrive at Moonspire before sunset. Usually I handled gatherings effortlessly because fear made leadership simple but today something felt wrong. Like fate itself was moving closer.

Cassian studied me for another long moment before speaking carefully “You should consider canceling the hunt tonight”.

I looked at him sharply “No, that's impossible”.

The Bloodmoon Hunt was tradition before the Gathering. A display of dominance among northern Alphas. Only weak rulers avoided it.

Cassian rubbed his jaw tiredly “You’ve been unstable for weeks now, how do you plan to make it through the Hunt?” you could tell he was getting worried about me already.

“I’m in control. I promise” I assured him.

“Your eyes are glowing” He said.

I immediately looked away. The wolf pushed harder beneath my skin. The possessiveness hit so hard this time that I nearly growled aloud.

Cassian noticed immediately.

He muttered “That’s what concerns me”.

A cold breeze swept through the chamber suddenly and the scent appeared again but stronger this time.

My entire body locked instantly. Somewhere beyond Moonspire’s walls, that scent existed. My wolf surged so violently that pain ripped across my ribs.

I braced a hand against the stone wall sharply.

Cassian stepped forward immediately “Draeven”. 

“Leave” I ordered.

His expression hardened “I am not leaving you alone”.

“I said leave” I ordered again.

Power cracked violently through the room, the windows trembled. Instinctively, every wolf in the fortress below would have felt it. Alpha dominance but Cassian refused to leave, such a stubborn idiot but I love him. 

Cassian held his ground anyway such a stubborn idiot “You’re losing control” he said quietly.

The words landed harder than they should have because part of me feared he was right. I had ruled Moonspire for years without hesitation, without weakness or uncertainty.

But now? My wolf reacted to invisible scents and dreams like some half-feral beast driven by instinct instead of reason and I hated it.

A second knock interrupted the tension.

Before either of us responded, Seralyn entered the chamber. Her sharp gaze immediately swept across the broken glass, my expression and Cassian’s stance.

Observant as always “You’re bleeding again” she noted calmly.

I glanced down, blood dripped slowly from my palm where the shattered glass had sliced skin open. I hadn’t even noticed.

Seralyn approached carefully “The northern Alphas have begun arriving”.

“Good” I said. 

“Your council is requesting your presence in the lower hall” She added.

Seralyn’s eyes lingered on me thoughtfully “You should feed before tonight’s gathering”. 

The sheer indifference startled even me and Seralyn noticed. A flicker of something unreadable crossed her face before disappearing behind elegance again.

Most women tried harder when rejected but Seralyn simply observed and watching always. 

She moved closer slowly “You seem distracted tonight”. 

Again that scent hit me. My wolf snarled possessive lay. Pain exploded suddenly through my chest again but this time something else came with it: female fear, cold and uneven emotions; not my emotion but someone else’s.

I straightened instantly.

Cassian saw the shift immediately “What happened?” he asked.

I ignored him completely.

There is a woman somewhere in the northern territories and my wolf recognized her before my mind did. The realization hit like a blade sliding between my ribs. 

Mate bonds were rare among powerful Alphas. Some never found theirs at all and yet every emotions inside me suddenly knew the truth about her existence and that she was close.

Whatever happens tonight at the Bloodmoon Gathering…would change everything.