Adriana began dreaming of wolves and a silver forest. In the dreams, a voice whispered warnings. Adrian admitted her dreams might be visions—a rare trait among mates.
As Adriana searched for answers, she discovered a hidden journal in Adrian's study. It belonged to his late mother, who had visions too. Her last entry warned of a betrayal within the pack.
When Adriana showed Adrian, he went quiet. "This... changes everything"
The air turned cold without warning.
One moment, the celebration roared—laughter, music, and howls of joy echoing through the woods. The next, silence fell like a blade.
Adriana felt it first.
A sudden, sharp pull in her chest—as if the bond between her and Adrian had been yanked taut. Her pendant burned against her skin. She sat up straighter from her place near the fire, her eyes scanning the dark edge of the clearing.
"Something's wrong," she said under her breath.
Adrian, still mid-conversation with one of his lieutenants, caught her tone instantly. He was beside her in a flash, his hand resting lightly on the small of her back.
"What is it?" he asked.
She didn't answer with words. She couldn't.
Instead, she lifted her hand, showing him the pendant now glowing faint red.
Adrian's eyes darkened. "Blood moon magic…"
The words barely escaped him before the first scream tore through the trees.
A scout—one of Adrian's pack—came crashing into the clearing, his uniform bloodied, his face twisted in panic. "Alpha! They've breached the perimeter!"
"Who?" Adrian barked, catching the man before he collapsed.
The scout's breath came in gasps. "Rogues. And… something else. Not wolf. Magic. Twisted."
Adriana's heart dropped.
Adrian straightened, eyes blazing gold, his voice suddenly cold. "Get the warriors into formation. Protect the families. Get the Elders to the center ring."
Then he turned to Adriana.
"Go with Lira. She'll keep you safe."
"No," Adriana said, standing. "I'm not hiding."
"Adriana—"
"I'm Luna now," she cut in. "That means I stand."
Their eyes locked. The bond pulsed between them—not just with affection now, but purpose.
Finally, he nodded. "Stay close. Don't try to be a hero. If anything touches you—kill it."
---
Within minutes, the forest clearing transformed from celebration to fortress.
Warriors shifted mid-run, their bones cracking and morphing as fur overtook skin. Cries echoed through the night—half human, half beast—as the Crescent Moon pack formed a protective circle around the inner ring.
And then came the enemy.
They didn't announce themselves. They didn't step into the clearing with dramatic declarations.
They rushed in—feral, twisted things. Half-wolf, half-shadow. Some moved like smoke. Others reeked of dark magic. All of them were wrong.
Adriana barely had time to react as one lunged at her from the side.
Lira raised her staff, slamming it into the ground. A pulse of white light exploded outward, hurling the creature back into the trees with a shriek that rattled Adriana's bones.
"You'll need more than courage tonight, Luna," Lira said, voice tight. "You'll need to remember who you are."
Adriana pulled the dagger Adrian had given her from her side belt. The blade shimmered with moonlight—a weapon forged for more than just show.
She joined the defensive circle as the wave of attackers surged.
For every beast that fell, two more seemed to take its place. The forest stank of burning fur, blood, and sulfur. But Adriana held her ground, adrenaline roaring through her veins.
She fought beside warriors who would die for her. And more than once, she saw Adrian shift—full Alpha form—black wolf with eyes like fire, ripping through enemies with bone-breaking rage.
But then… the earth trembled.
The fighting slowed for a breath. Just one. And in that breath, Adriana turned toward the western treeline—and saw it.
A creature unlike the others.
Twice the size. Horned. Covered in blood-red markings. Its eyes glowed not gold, but violet.
It wasn't a rogue.
It was something ancient.
Something sent.
Adriana's pendant screamed against her chest.
The beast didn't lunge. It stared—directly at her.
Then, with deliberate malice, it raised a hand—and pointed.
A warning.
Or a claim.
Adriana's knees nearly buckled from the weight of its gaze. The bond inside her pulsed erratically.
"Adriana!" Adrian roared from across the field.
She turned—just in time to see one of the shadow rogues closing in behind her. Too close.
Then… crack—
A silver blur slammed into it mid-air. Adrian. Full form. His fangs sunk into the creature's neck, tossing it like a rag doll. He shifted back to human in seconds, breathing hard, blood painting his arms and chest.
He grabbed Adriana. "We have to fall back."
"That thing…" she said, her voice shaking. "It was looking at me."
"I saw it."
"Adrian, why?"
"I don't know," he said. But his face said otherwise.
They retreated toward the center ring, regrouping as the last of the attackers were driven back. The beast—the one with the violet eyes—never entered the clearing. It watched. It studied. And then, as quickly as it came… it vanished.
---
The aftermath was heavy.
Dozens injured. Three dead.
The healers moved quickly, and the pack worked with silent precision. But the celebration was over. Joy had fled. And in its place… fear.
Adriana sat with Lira and Adrian by the stone altar, her dagger still stained with blood.
"Do you know what that thing was?" she asked.
Lira looked grave. "An omen."
Adrian was silent.
Adriana looked at him. "You know something, don't you?"
He finally nodded. "That wasn't just some creature. That was a hunter. A servant of the Obsidian Order."
"The what?"
"A cult of dark-wielders who want to destroy the old bloodlines. They've been dormant for decades. I thought they were gone."
Lira's eyes narrowed. "They must have sensed the bond."
Adriana paled. "You mean… me."
"You're not just Luna," Adrian said softly. "You're something more. Something they fear."
Adriana clutched her pendant. "Then let them."