Luna has spent her entire life trying to meet the impossible expectations of her adoptive family. 

Engaged to the man they chose for her, she believed that submitting to their will was the only way to truly belong. But everything shatters the moment she catches her fiancé in the arms of another woman—and worse, her family blames her for it.

Cast out with nowhere to go, Luna wanders aimlessly toward the mountain beyond her district, seeking solitude, a moment of clarity. But the deeper she ventures into the darkened forest, the more she realizes she is hopelessly lost. And she is not alone.

When the shadows stretch too long and the whispers of the wild grow too close, a massive wolf emerges from the darkness—powerful, untamed, with eyes that glow like molten silver. 

There is something about him, something primal and dangerous, something that tells Luna she should run.

But she doesn’t.

Because the beast saved her life. Because his voice, deep and rich, rumbles through the air when no wolf should be able to speak. And because, with a certainty that sends chills down her spine, he claims her as his mate.

But that’s impossible.

Luna is human.

Isn’t she?

The training grounds were carved into the heart of the forest, a clearing where warriors sharpened their claws and instincts.


I stood at the center, the damp earth beneath my feet, my breath misting in the cool morning air. A dozen pairs of eyes were on me, waiting. Judging.


Kael paced in front of me, his expression unreadable. "You say you want to stay," he said. "Then show us you're worthy."


He gestured to a series of obstacles—walls made of rough-hewn logs, pits filled with tangled roots, ropes strung between towering trees.


"Get through this," he said, "and we'll see if you can survive here."


It was one thing to fight for my place.


I glanced at Rhydian. He stood at the edge of the clearing, arms crossed, his jaw tight. There was something dark in his gaze—anger, frustration. But he didn't stop this.


The first wall came fast. I leapt, grasping at the uneven logs, my fingers scraping against the rough bark. My muscles screamed as I hauled myself up, my feet slipping against the damp wood.


The second obstacle—a pit. I miscalculated the jump, my foot catching on a root, and before I could stop myself, I went down.


Pain flared through my ribs as I hit the ground hard.


I pushed myself up, gasping for breath, dirt clinging to my palms. My limbs trembled as I climbed out of the pit, but I didn't stop.


The ropes came next, swaying as I grasped them, my fingers raw. My arms burned as I dragged myself across, my body aching from the strain.


A heavy silence settled over the clearing.


Kael stepped forward, arms crossed. "This is what you bring into our world, Alpha?" he said, turning to Rhydian. "A weak human?"


Rhydian's expression darkened. He took a step forward, his presence coiling like a storm. "Enough."


But before he could say more, a voice cut through the air.


At the edge of the clearing stood a woman cloaked in midnight blue, her silver hair catching the light.


She studied me with eyes far too knowing, something unreadable flickering in their depths.


"I have seen this before," she murmured.


Her lips curved into something that was almost a smile.


Before I could ask what she meant, movement caught my eye—


Beyond the trees, just past the edge of the training grounds, stood a figure cloaked in shadow.


The scent that drifted through the air was unfamiliar, tinged with something foreign.


Chapter 24 - Chapter 23