Bound by the moon

The Hunt The forest was alive with whispers of danger. The wind carried the scent of pine and damp earth, but beneath it was something far more threatening —the musky scent of wolves. Selene Carter moved like a shadow between the trees, her breath ragged, her heart pounding like a war drum. She had been running for hours, but the howls behind her hadn't faded. If anything, they had multiplied. They were getting closer. Her muscles ached, her body screaming for rest, but stopping meant death-or worse. Selene had survived alone for years, outmaneuvering packs, evading patrols, and staying off the radar. She knew the rules of the werewolf world: rogues were nothing but prey, and Alphas were the predators. She had no intention of becoming a trophy kill tonight. But tonight, she had made a mistake. The moment she had stepped past that invisible border, she had felt it— a shift in the air, the quiet hum of magic woven into the land. She had crossed into Blood-moon Pack territory. And now their hunters were on her scent. A low growl echoed in the distance, closer this time. Selene forced herself forward, dodging branches, leaping over roots, ignoring the sharp sting of twigs scraping against her bare arms. The moonlight barely penetrated the thick canopy above, leaving her world painted in shadows. Then- SNAP. A misstep. A broken twig beneath her foot. The moment the sound pierced the silence, the forest exploded with movement. Snarls erupted behind her. The pounding of paws against the ground sent vibrations through the earth. They had been waiting for her to slip up, and now, like a pack of starved beasts, they descended. Selene cursed under her breath and sprinted. She pushed her body harder, lungs burning, legs aching. She knew how this worked. They'd chase her until she was weak, until she stumbled. Then they'd drag her before their Alpha like a prize. Not tonight. She veered sharply to the right, hoping to shake them off, but her instincts screamed a warning a second too late. A massive black wolf burst from the darkness. Selene barely had time to react before hundreds of pounds of raw muscle collided with her. She hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the air from her lungs. Her vision blurred for a moment, but she fought. She kicked, twisted, clawed at the beast above her. But it was like trying to move a mountain. Paws pressed into her chest, pinning her against the dirt. Hot breath fanned over her face, the scent of raw power suffocating. Then, just as quickly, the weight lifted. Selene rolled onto her hands and knees, gasping, but froze when she saw the shadow before her. The black wolf shifted. Fur receded, bones cracked and realigned, and in the blink of an eye, where the beast once stood, now loomed a man. The Alpha Selene's breath hitched. Even in the dim moonlight, she could see him clearly. Towering, broad-shouldered, powerful. His dark hair was tousled from the shift, but it did nothing to hide the sharp, aristocratic angles of his face. His golden eyes glowed in the darkness, locked onto her like a predator assessing its prey. Power radiated him in waves assessing it’s prey. Power radiated off him in waves, the kind that made wolves bow their heads and submit. Selene clenched her jaw, refusing to look away. She didn't need an introduction. She knew exactly who he was. Damian Thorne. The ruthless billionaire Alpha of the Blood-moon Pack. The stories about him weren't just rumors. He was cold, calculating, a wolf who ruled with an iron fist. Some called him a tyrant. Others called him the devil himself. And Selene had just trespassed into his domain. She forced herself to her feet, ignoring the way her body ached. Her pulse hammered in her ears, but she refused to let him see an ounce of fear. Damian tilted his head slightly, studying her with something unreadable in his gaze. Then, with a slow, deliberate step, he closed the space between them. Selene tensed. Every instinct screamed at her to run. But running wouldn't help her now. "Interesting," Damian murmured, voice smooth as silk, dangerous as a blade. "You're not trembling." Selene kept her chin high. "Should I be?" He let out a low chuckle, but there was no humor in it. "You just trespassed into the wrong territory, little rogue." Her stomach twisted, but she held his gaze. "It was an accident." Damian hummed. "Is that so?" A lie. They both knew it. Before she could react, he moved. One second he was standing before her. The next, his hand was wrapped around her throat, backing her against a tree. Selene gasped, her fingers wrapping around his wrist, but he wasn't cutting off her air. He was testing her. Measuring her reaction. His thumb brushed against her pulse point, feeling the rapid beat beneath her skin. A slow smirk tugged at his lips. "Tell me, rogue," he murmured, voice laced with dark amusement. "Should I kill you now... or make you beg first?" Selene's nails dug into his wrist, her eyes burning with defiance. "Try it," she whispered, a dangerous smile curling at her lips. "And see who begs first."