The Rogue Attack

The next morning, I left.

No farewell.

No friends.

No family waiting to stop me.

The pack that had once been my home now felt like a prison I was finally escaping.

A single bag rested on my shoulder as I crossed the border.

The guards watched me leave but said nothing.

To them, I was already forgotten.

The rejected Luna.

The unwanted mate.

The wolfless omega.

I forced myself to keep walking.

One step.

Then another.

Then another.

Even when tears blurred my vision.

Even when my heart threatened to break all over again.

Because if I stopped moving, I might never find the strength to leave.

Hours passed.

The forest grew thicker.

Darker.

Quieter.

Too quiet.

A chill crept down my spine.

My wolf might have never awakened, but my instincts screamed that something was wrong.

I stopped walking.

The woods fell silent.

No birds.

No insects.

Nothing.

My pulse quickened.

Then—

A twig snapped behind me.

I spun around.

Nothing.

Just trees.

Shadows.

Darkness.

Maybe I was imagining things.

Maybe my mind was still trapped in last night's nightmare.

I took another step.

A growl echoed through the forest.

My blood turned cold.

The sound came from everywhere at once.

Another growl followed.

Then another.

Then another.

My heart nearly stopped.

Rogues.

At least six of them emerged from the trees.

Huge.

Dirty.

Covered in scars.

Their yellow eyes gleamed with hunger.

Fear slammed into me.

I took a step back.

One of them laughed.

"Look what we found."

A lone female.

An easy target.

The leader inhaled deeply.

Then his eyes widened.

The amusement vanished from his face.

"What is that scent?"

The others sniffed the air.

Their expressions changed instantly.

Confusion.

Shock.

Greed.

My stomach twisted.

They could smell the pregnancy.

"No," I whispered.

The leader grinned.

"Interesting."

I turned and ran.

Branches tore at my skin as I sprinted through the forest.

The rogues chased after me.

Their footsteps thundered behind me.

Too fast.

Too close.

I couldn't outrun them.

I knew it.

They knew it.

A hand grabbed my hair.

I screamed.

The force sent me crashing onto the ground.

Pain exploded through my body.

My hands immediately covered my stomach.

Protecting my baby.

Protecting the only thing left in my life.

The rogue leader towered above me.

A cruel smile spread across his face.

"Looks like we've caught ourselves a treasure."

Terror consumed me.

The rogues circled closer.

There was nowhere to run.

Nowhere to hide.

I closed my eyes.

Moon Goddess...

Please.

Protect my child.

A powerful howl suddenly shattered the forest.

The ground trembled.

Every rogue froze.

Fear appeared on their faces.

Real fear.

The kind predators feel when they realize something stronger is hunting them.

A dark blur shot through the trees.

Then chaos erupted.

One rogue flew through the air.

Another crashed into a tree.

Bones snapped.

Blood splattered.

The screams lasted only seconds.

The attacker moved too fast to follow.

Too powerful.

Too deadly.

Within moments, every rogue lay motionless on the forest floor.

Silence returned.

Heavy footsteps approached.

I slowly looked up.

My breath caught.

The man standing before me was unlike anyone I had ever seen.

Tall.

Broad-shouldered.

Dangerous.

His black hair fell across his forehead while silver eyes glowed with terrifying power.

Power that made even the air around him feel heavy.

He stared at me.

Expressionless.

Cold.

Then his gaze dropped to my stomach.

For the first time, something flickered across his face.

Shock.

Impossible shock.

The stranger took one step closer.

Then another.

His eyes never left me.

"Who are you?" I whispered.

The forest seemed to hold its breath.

The man's jaw tightened.

When he finally spoke, his deep voice sent a strange shiver through me.

"I should be asking you that."

My heart raced.

The stranger continued staring at me.

At the child growing inside me.

As if he had been searching for us.

As if he already knew something I didn't.

Then, to my horror, he spoke words that made my blood run cold.

"That child..."

His silver eyes darkened.

"...belongs to the prophecy."