Chapter One
1519 Words
Selene's Pov
I hate the moon.
Not in the poetic way the elders speak about it, not in the soft, worshipping tone they use when they lift their faces to the sky like it’s some kind of god. No. I hate it in a way that burns under my skin, in a way that makes my bones itch long before the full moon rises.
Because the moon doesn’t just shine.
It controls.
It watches.
It decides.
“Selene.”
I didn’t turn when my name was called. I already knew who it was. Only one person said my name like that like a warning wrapped in patience.
“Selene,” he repeated, this time closer.
I sighed and finally turned around, folding my arms as I leaned against the wooden fence that marked the edge of the training ground. “If you’re here to tell me to join the evening gathering, save your breath, Kael. I’m not in the mood.”
Kael stopped a few steps away from me, his jaw tightening slightly. He looked like he always did—calm, composed, the perfect image of what a werewolf of our pack should be. Loyal. Controlled. Predictable.
Everything I wasn’t.
“You’re never in the mood,” he said.
“Exactly,” I replied, giving him a small, careless smile.
His eyes flickered toward the sky. The sun was setting, and the first trace of silver light was beginning to stretch across the clouds. “Tonight isn’t like the others.”
I rolled my eyes. “That’s what you all say every time the moon looks a little brighter than usual.”
“Selene,” he said quietly, stepping closer. “The elders spoke this afternoon. The prophecy..”
“There it is,” I cut in sharply, pushing myself off the fence. “I was wondering how long it would take before someone brought that up.”
“It’s not something to joke about.”
“I’m not joking,” I snapped. “I’m tired of hearing about it.”
The prophecy.
The same tired words repeated over and over again since we were children.
A wolf who binds herself to a human will bring ruin to the pack. Blood will fall. The village will burn. The moon will turn against its own.
I knew it by heart. We all did.
And I hated it just as much as I hated the moon.
“It’s not just words,” Kael continued. “There are signs. The elders can feel it. Something is changing.”
“Something is always changing,” I muttered. “That doesn’t mean the world is about to end because of some imaginary human lover.”
Kael’s expression hardened. “You shouldn’t speak like that.”
“Why?” I shot back. “Because it makes them uncomfortable? Or because it makes you uncomfortable?”
He didn’t answer that.
For a moment, we just stood there, the silence stretching between us like a thin thread ready to snap.
Then he exhaled slowly. “Just… come to the gathering. The Alpha wants everyone present.”
I shook my head. “You go. I’ll pass.”
“Selene...”
“I said I’ll pass.”
Something flashed in his eyes then. Frustration. Maybe even disappointment. But he didn’t argue again. He never did when I used that tone.
“Fine,” he said after a moment. “Do what you want. Like you always do.”
I watched him turn and walk away, his back straight, his steps steady.
Perfect.
Predictable.
Boring.
The moment he disappeared past the trees, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.
The village was already coming alive behind me. I could hear the distant murmurs, the footsteps, the low hum of voices gathering in the central clearing. They would stand in a circle, heads tilted up, listening to the Alpha speak about unity and loyalty and the dangers beyond our borders.
About humans.
Always humans.
I turned away from the sound.
The forest was quieter on this side. Darker. Untouched.
Forbidden.
A small smile tugged at my lips.
“Perfect,” I whispered.
Without another thought, I slipped past the fence and into the trees.
The moment I crossed that invisible line, something in me relaxed. The air felt different here cooler, freer. No watchful eyes. No whispered rules.
Just me.
And the wild.
I moved deeper into the forest, my steps light, my senses sharp. The ground beneath my feet was soft with fallen leaves, and the scent of earth and wood filled my lungs.
This was where I belonged.
Not in the village.
Not under the moon.
Out here.
Alone.
I didn’t know how long I walked. Time always slipped away from me when I was in the forest. Minutes, hours,it all blurred together.
But then...
I stopped.
My body went still, every muscle tightening at once.
Something was different.
The air shifted.
A scent.
Faint… but unmistakable.
My nose wrinkled as I inhaled again, slower this time, trying to place it.
It wasn’t animal.
It wasn’t one of ours.
It was..
My eyes widened slightly.
Human.
The word echoed in my mind, sharp and clear.
A human.
Here.
That didn’t make sense.
Humans didn’t come this deep into the forest. Not anymore. Not after everything.
I should have turned back.
That would have been the smart thing to do.
The safe thing.
The loyal thing.
Instead, I took a step forward.
Then another.
My heart started beating a little faster, though I wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t fear. I had faced worse than a lost human.
So why did this feel… different?
I followed the scent, moving carefully now, my senses fully alert. It grew stronger with each step, more distinct.
Closer.
Closer.
Until..
I saw him.
He was leaning against a tree, one hand pressed to his side, his head slightly lowered like he was trying to catch his breath.
For a moment, I just stood there, watching him from the shadows.
He looked… normal.
Too normal.
Dark hair, slightly messy. Clothes torn in a few places. There was blood on his shirt, dark and fresh.
Injured.
My eyes narrowed.
What was a human doing here?
Before I could think better of it, I stepped forward, letting my presence be known.
The leaves crunched softly under my feet.
His head snapped up instantly.
And then..
Our eyes met.
Everything seemed to pause.
He didn’t look scared.
That was the first thing I noticed.
No panic. No confusion. No desperate attempt to run.
Just… calm.
Like he had been expecting me.
That alone was enough to put me on edge.
“You’re far from where you should be,” I said, my voice steady, though my body remained tense.
He studied me for a second, his gaze sharp, observant.
Then, slowly, he straightened.
“I could say the same to you,” he replied.
His voice was low. Controlled.
Not what I expected.
I frowned slightly. “This isn’t your territory, human.”
A faint smile touched his lips at that.
“Is that what I am?” he asked.
My irritation flickered. “Don’t play games. You know exactly what you are.”
“Do I?” he said quietly.
There was something strange about the way he said it. Something that made my skin prickle.
I took a step closer, my eyes narrowing as I studied him more carefully.
“You’re injured,” I said.
“Observation skills,” he murmured. “Impressive.”
I ignored that. “What happened?”
“Got lost,” he replied simply.
I didn’t believe him.
Not for a second.
Humans didn’t just get lost and end up here. Not without a reason.
“Turn around,” I said suddenly.
His brow lifted slightly. “Excuse me?”
“I said turn around,” I repeated, my tone sharper now.
For a moment, I thought he might refuse.
Then, surprisingly, he did as I said.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Like he wasn’t afraid of me at all.
That irritated me more than anything else.
I stepped closer, my gaze dropping to the wound at his side. It was deep, but not fatal. Still, he had lost a lot of blood.
“You won’t make it far like this,” I said.
“I wasn’t planning to go far,” he replied.
I frowned again. “Then what were you planning?”
He turned his head slightly, just enough for his voice to carry back to me.
“To find you.”
My breath hitched.
“What?” I asked before I could stop myself.
He turned fully this time, facing me again.
Up close, his eyes were darker than I thought. Sharp. Focused.
And locked on mine.
“I’ve been looking for you, Selene.”
My heart skipped.
I froze.
Every instinct in me went on high alert at once.
I hadn’t told him my name.
Not once.
Slowly, carefully, I took a step back.
“How do you know my name?” I asked, my voice quieter now.
- Writer
