The Bloodmoon Gathering

Draeven POV

The moment I saw her; everything else disappeared. The crowded courtyard, the northern Alphas and the ceremony preparations seemed gone to me. Only her remained.

She stood near the center of the fortress grounds wrapped in a dark traveling cloak while snow drifted around her like silver ash and even from this distance I could feel the dangerous energy radiating beneath her skin.

My wolf lost its mind instantly. The possessiveness slammed through me so violently that power cracked through the staircase.

Several nearby wolves flinched. I barely noticed because the woman below was staring at me too, those eyes were silver too.

Ancient instinct ripped through my chest hard enough to hurt “Mate”.

The realization hit like a blade sliding between my ribs. This is impossible.

For years I had convinced myself the bond would never happen for me. Powerful Alphas rarely found true mates and yet every part of me knew immediately that the woman standing in my courtyard belonged to me.

My wolf surged violently beneath my skin “Go to her and claim her now” was the only instruction my wolf kept giving.

I gripped the stone railing hard enough to crack it. The northern Alphas surrounding the courtyard had already begun noticing the tension but if they realized what she was to me before I understood why my instincts reacted this strongly… the political consequences would become catastrophic.

Cassian appeared beside me instantly. “Draeven”.

I ignored him. The woman still hadn’t looked away. Most wolves lowered their gaze beneath Alpha dominance instinctively but she didn’t which was wrong.

Every powerful Alpha in the courtyard could feel my dominance pressing through the air right now. Yet somehow she stood untouched by it.

‘Who are you?’ I thought.

The question echoed sharply through my mind. Then suddenly pain struck my chest, it was her pain: fear mixed with fury.

The unstable bond snapped violently between us like invisible chains tightening around my ribs.

My breathing stalled. What the hell… 

“She’s reacting too” Cassian muttered beside me.

I looked sharply toward him. His expression had gone grim. A Beta of his level could sense powerful bonds instinctively.

“She’s your mate” he said quietly.

Below us, whispers had already begun spreading through the courtyard. The woman’s expression hardened suddenly.

Fear disappeared from her face almost instantly, replaced by something colder: defiance. My wolf reacted with immediate fascination. Then she did the one thing no wolf had ever dared do beneath my gaze.

She stepped backward: Rejection instinct.

The realization hit hard. Power rolled sharply through the courtyard again.

Several Alphas looked uneasy now but the woman only narrowed her silver eyes at me like she wanted to stab something.

Unexpected amusement flickered briefly beneath my irritation. She was either incredibly brave…or completely insane or maybe possibly both.

Cassian exhaled slowly “This is becoming a problem very quickly”.

“Yes” I agreed.

Because I could already see it unfolding.

The council would panic and the Alphas would speculate. A dangerous silence settled behind me.

I turned slightly. Seralyn stood several steps away near the hall entrance, watching it all. Intelligent women were troublesome that way.

Her gaze shifted between me and the silver-eyed woman below.

For the first time since I’d known her… Seralyn looked unsettled.

The horn sounded again across Moonspire.

The official beginning of the Bloodmoon Gathering. Every Alpha present began moving toward the great hall entrance.

Still, my attention remained fixed entirely on her. She didn’t belong here, not among ordinary wolves. Everything about her felt different, dangerous and ancient. My wolf recognized it instinctively.

Below, the woman finally broke eye contact and turned toward the entrance hall with the others but not before I caught the expression on her face: Pure, immediate anger at me, like I disgust her.

That startled me more than it should have. Most wolves feared me instantly. This woman looked like she already hated me.

She became my center of attraction. The more I felt her hatred for me, the more I want to have her. Isn't that interesting!

I wanted walking but it was like my leg was stuck, I really did not understand why but I know it might be related to the presence of the silver eyes girl. And again, I felt sudden surge beneath my skin, my wolf screamed "Take her, you own her", my chest burn and my ribs tightened.

I was lost in my thought for a second 'What if she doesn't want me? What if she isn't actually my mate, maybe I'm just carried away by her beauty but her presence felt really strange and powerful; that can't be ignored after all she looks just like an ordinary wolf.

But there was something beneath looks that caught my attention, something behind the silver eyes made her look different and my body reacted immediately.

If truly she was my mate then I think I might be doomed!