CHAPTER FIVE
The moon is full tonight, casting its silver glow across the forest like a watchful eye. I hear the familiar howls of wolves from different packs echoing through the trees as I make my way deeper into the woods. There’s something strange in the air—charged, expectant. My wolf senses it too. He’s been restless for days, pacing inside me like he’s waiting for something. But he won’t tell me what.
Hans and I have been through hell together. Our lives are constantly at risk, and so are the lives of wolves like us—those who refuse to bow to Emil and his cursed Yellow Moon Pack.
Humans still don’t know much about us. They cling to myths and movie tropes—silver bullets, cursed bloodlines, and full moon madness. It’s laughable. Silver doesn’t harm us. Platinum does. That white metal burns like fire. Thankfully, it’s rare enough that we don’t have to worry about it often.
I tilt my head toward the sky and let out a long, guttural howl. My bones snap and shift, my spine cracks, and I drop to the forest floor on all fours. The transformation is painful but familiar. Hans stretches beside me, his fur bristling with excitement. He’s been waiting for this full moon for weeks.
As he bolts ahead, I let my mind drift to the past—to a time when the packs were united under one true alpha. My father.
He was strong, wise, and respected. But his brother, Emil, was envious. Emil was one of the rare wolves blessed by the moon goddess with a human mate—a man who matched his ambition and darkness. Together, they led a mutiny, tearing apart the unity our kind had built.
With the help of witches—creatures we’ve long despised for their dark magic—they formed the Yellow Moon Pack. Every wolf in their pack has glowing yellow eyes, a mark of their allegiance and corruption.
I still remember my first and only encounter with the rogues. They slaughtered my entire family. I was just a child, saved by a hair’s breadth.
Elric, my father’s closest friend, found me and took me in. Since then, he’s sheltered me and the other wolves who refused to join Emil. For reasons I still don’t understand, Emil will never harm Elric. He won’t even step foot in Louisiana.
Every day, I think of revenge. I don’t remember much about my parents’ deaths, but I remember Sage’s. My little sister. She was killed by rogues three years ago—on a full moon night just like this one.
"Get your head out of your ass. Such a big wolf like you is lagging behind," Elric mind-links me.
Hans shakes his fur, and I realize we’re trailing behind the others. I pick up speed, my paws pounding against the earth, and soon I’m at the front of the hunt. A deer darts past, but Hans and I have our eyes on something bigger—a jaguar.
It roars, muscles rippling, eyes locked on us. Hans smirks, his tail flicking with anticipation. He loves a challenge. Especially one that’s forbidden.
The jaguar lunges first, claws flashing. Hans dodges effortlessly, growling as he counters. He launches himself at the beast, tearing into its neck with brutal precision. Blood sprays across the forest floor. The jaguar stumbles, then collapses, lifeless.
Hans howls in victory, summoning the others to feast. I watch from a distance. I’ve never been able to stomach raw meat, and the sight of blood makes me queasy. Hans swears it tastes better than barbecue chicken, but I’ll never believe him.
After the feast, we jog to the stream to wash off the blood and drink. We’re deep in the forest—no humans for miles. My wolf feels heavy, satisfied. I lie beside the stream, watching the moon’s reflection ripple across the water.
I swirl my paw through the moon’s image, lost in thought. My eighteenth birthday is next week. I wonder if I’ll find my mate.
And I wonder if it’ll be her.
Mina.
I sense another wolf approaching. Hans tenses, then relaxes. It’s Adria—Mina’s wolf.
Adria glides into the clearing, her sleek form graceful and confident. Mina shifts back into human form, her dark hair cascading down her back, eyes sharp and knowing.
"Hey, loner," she teases, tossing me a towel.
I shift back, groaning as my bones realign. "Hey, troublemaker."
She grins. "You missed school today. Again."
"I had wolf business," I reply, drying off.
"Let me guess—brooding by the stream, dreaming of revenge?"
"Something like that."
She sits beside me, dipping her toes into the water. "You know, your birthday’s next week."
"I know."
"You think it’ll happen?"
I glance at her. "You mean... us?"
She doesn’t answer right away. Just looks at me with those eyes that always seem to see more than I say.
"I hope so," she finally says. "Because if it doesn't happen, the future of the pack would be at risk."
I nod slowly. "Maybe."
She tilts her head. "Maybe?"
"I don’t know, Mina. I mean, we’re close. We’ve been through a lot. But what if fate has other plans?"
She doesn’t speak. Just stares at the water, her expression unreadable.
I feel the tension between us—unspoken, fragile. I care about her. Deeply. But love? That’s harder to define. And the mate bond... it’s unpredictable.
"I hope you’re a true alpha," she says softly. "Like your father."
"I hope so too," I whisper.
She smiles, and it’s the kind of smile that makes the moon feel like a spotlight.
"You’ll be strong enough to take Emil down," she says quietly. "I know it."
I nod. "I'll fight. For the pack. For Elric. For Sage."
She looks at me. "And for me?"
I hesitate. "If fate chooses you... then yes."
We sit in silence, the moon watching over us. The forest hums with life, and for a moment, everything feels still.
But deep down, I know the peace won’t last.
Something is coming.
And when it does, I’ll have to choose—between duty, destiny, and the girl who might be my mate... or might not.