Marked by Desire

ALINA’S POV The house is silent when I slip out of bed. The kind of silence that only settles over the pack house after midnight, when even the most restless wolves have finally given in to sleep. The long wooden halls outside my room are dark, the faint glow of moonlight spilling through the tall windows and stretching across the floor like pale fingers. Perfect. I pull on my boots slowly, careful not to make a sound. The leather creaks softly, and I freeze for a moment, listening. Nothing. Just the low hum of night insects outside and the distant rustle of wind through the trees. My wolf stirs beneath my skin, restless and impatient. She’s been pacing inside me all evening, nudging at my thoughts, pushing me toward the forest. Toward the run. I tried to ignore it at dinner. Tried to sit quietly while the rest of the pack talked and laughed around the long table. But every minute felt like a cage tightening around my ribs. I need air. I need the forest. More than that, I need the river. The thought alone sends a thrill through my chest. The eastern river is forbidden territory. Everyone knows that. The land past the water belongs to the rival pack that borders ours. Blackridge wolves. Dangerous, territorial, and not known for their mercy. Which is exactly why my mother would skin me alive if she knew where I was going. I ease my bedroom door open and step into the hallway. The wooden floorboards are cool beneath my feet as I move carefully toward the staircase. Every step is slow and deliberate. Living in a house full of wolves means stealth isn’t optional if you’re sneaking out. Especially when one of those wolves is my mother. The scent of pine and smoke lingers faintly in the air from the fire downstairs. Somewhere in the house someone shifts in their sleep, and I pause, holding my breath. Still nothing. I reach the bottom of the stairs and make my way toward the back door that leads into the forest. Freedom is only a few steps away now. My hand is already on the door handle when a voice speaks behind me. “Going somewhere?” My entire body freezes. For a moment I consider pretending I didn’t hear her. But that would be pointless. I slowly turn around. My mother stands in the shadowed doorway of the kitchen, arms crossed over her chest, watching me with that calm, knowing look that has ruined nearly every bad decision I’ve tried to make since childhood. Her dark hair is loosely braided over one shoulder, and she’s still wearing the simple grey sweater she had on earlier tonight. She must have heard me moving around. Of course she did. Sometimes I swear her hearing is better than the Alpha’s. I lean casually against the door like I wasn’t just caught sneaking out in the middle of the night. “Just getting some air.” Her eyebrow lifts slightly. “Air.” “Yes.” “At midnight.” I shrug. “Best time for it.” She studies me for a long moment, her gaze sharp and quiet in a way that always makes me feel like she can see straight through my skull. My wolf shifts uneasily inside me. Mothers have a way of doing that. Finally she sighs and steps a little closer. “You’re going running.” It isn’t a question. I nod once. The lie would be pointless now. “Yes.” Her eyes soften slightly, but the tension in her shoulders doesn’t disappear. “Your wolf has been restless lately,” she says quietly. I look away toward the door. “She’s fine.” But we both know that’s not entirely true. My wolf has been strange for weeks. Restless. Agitated. Like she’s waiting for something I can’t see yet. Waiting for someone. The thought flickers through my mind before I can stop it. My mother reaches out suddenly and grabs my wrist. Not roughly. Just enough to make sure I’m paying attention. Her voice drops lower. “Stay away from the eastern river tonight.” My chest tightens instantly. Of course she would say that. “Why?” I ask carefully. Her eyes darken slightly. “Blackridge wolves have been patrolling closer to the border this week.” My stomach twists. Blackridge. Rival pack. Enemies. Her grip tightens slightly. “If they catch you on their land,” she continues quietly, “I won’t be able to help you.” The warning hangs heavy in the air between us. For a moment I almost reconsider. Almost. But the pull inside my chest is stronger. The river calls to me like it always does. I gently pull my wrist free. “I’ll be careful.” My mother searches my face again, like she’s trying to read something deeper beneath my expression. Something I don’t even understand myself. Finally she exhales slowly. “Be back before dawn.” My eyebrows lift in surprise. “You’re letting me go?” She shakes her head faintly, already turning away toward the kitchen. “I’m choosing not to stop you.” A small smile tugs at my mouth. I slip out the door before she can change her mind. The cool night air wraps around me instantly. Freedom. The forest stretches dark and endless ahead of me, the trees whispering softly beneath the silver glow of the moon. My wolf practically explodes with excitement inside my chest. “Alright,” I murmur under my breath. My bones shift a moment later. The change is quick and familiar, the world sharpening as my wolf takes over. Smells bloom through the forest like color exploding across a canvas. Earth. Pine. Water somewhere far ahead. And something else. Something faint. Something unfamiliar. My wolf lifts her head, ears pricked toward the east. Toward the river. And before I can question it, my paws are already moving. Running. Straight toward the place my mother warned me to avoid.