CHAPTER 5:UNDER THE SILVER MOON
1050 Words
The forest breathed around Glosh.
Leaves whispered softly as the wind slipped between ancient trees, and the moonlight filtered through the canopy in pale silver ribbons. Every sound felt amplified—the crunch of soil beneath her boots, the distant hoot of an owl, the steady rhythm of her own heartbeat.
Too loud.
Too clear.
She stopped at the edge of a small clearing, chest rising and falling rapidly. Her senses stretched far beyond anything she had known before. She could smell damp earth, pine resin, the faint traces of wolves who had passed through hours ago.
And beneath it all—
Him.
She turned slowly.
The silent alpha stood several steps behind her, half-shadowed by the trees. Moonlight traced the sharp lines of his face, catching briefly in his dark eyes. He didn’t move closer, didn’t speak, as if waiting for her to decide whether to run or stay.
“You shouldn’t have followed me,” Glosh said, though her voice lacked conviction.
“You shouldn’t be alone tonight,” he replied calmly.
She laughed softly, without humor. “That hasn’t stopped me before.”
He studied her, gaze unreadable. “You’re different now.”
The words sent a shiver down her spine. “So everyone keeps telling me.”
She wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly aware of how exposed she felt. The forest no longer seemed threatening—if anything, it felt welcoming. Familiar. That scared her more than the academy ever had.
“Why does it feel like this?” she asked quietly. “Like something is pulling me apart from the inside.”
He stepped closer, slow and deliberate. “Because your wolf is no longer asleep.”
Glosh clenched her jaw. “I didn’t ask for it.”
“No,” he agreed. “But it chose you.”
The pull inside her surged, sharper now, demanding attention. Her breath hitched as heat spread through her limbs. She staggered slightly, catching herself on a tree trunk.
“Glosh.” His voice dropped. “You need to ground yourself.”
“I don’t know how,” she whispered.
He hesitated, then reached out—not touching her, but close enough that she could feel the warmth of his presence. “Listen to the forest. Listen to your breathing. Don’t fight it.”
Her pulse thundered. “What if I lose control?”
“Then I’ll stop you.”
She looked at him sharply. “You sound very confident.”
A corner of his mouth lifted. “I am.”
The honesty in his voice steadied her more than she expected. She closed her eyes and focused on the ground beneath her feet, on the cool night air filling her lungs.
The pressure inside her shifted.
Images flooded her mind—running through moonlit woods, wind tearing past her ears, paws pounding against earth. The sensation was intoxicating and terrifying all at once.
Her knees buckled.
He caught her this time without hesitation, steady hands gripping her arms. The contact sent a jolt through her body, but it didn’t hurt. Instead, it grounded her, anchoring her to the present.
“Easy,” he murmured. “You’re doing fine.”
She laughed weakly. “You’re lying.”
“No,” he said. “You’re stronger than you think.”
She met his gaze, searching his face. “Why do you care?”
The question hung between them, heavy with meaning.
After a long moment, he answered, “Because I know what it’s like to wake up to something you didn’t choose.”
Her chest tightened. “You do?”
He nodded once. “And because whether you like it or not, the academy won’t give you time to adjust.”
As if summoned by his words, a sharp crack echoed through the forest.
Both of them stiffened.
“That wasn’t an animal,” Glosh whispered.
“No,” he agreed. “That was deliberate.”
Figures emerged from the trees—three wolves, half-shifted, their eyes glowing with reckless hunger. Students. Older ones.
“Look what wandered out all by herself,” one sneered. “The Queen’s little secret.”
Glosh’s blood ran cold. “How do you know who I am?”
The tallest wolf grinned. “Everyone knows. And some of us are tired of pretending not to care.”
The silent alpha stepped forward, dominance flaring like a storm. “Leave. Now.”
One of them laughed. “Or what?”
Glosh felt her wolf surge violently, rage flooding her senses. Heat exploded beneath her skin, claws itching to tear free.
“Glosh,” the alpha warned. “Stay with me.”
But the wolves lunged.
Instinct took over.
She moved without thinking—ducking, twisting, shoving one attacker aside with a strength that shocked her. Another came at her from the side, claws flashing.
She roared.
The sound ripped from her chest, raw and powerful, echoing through the forest. The earth seemed to tremble beneath her feet.
The attackers froze.
“What—what is she?” one gasped.
Glosh stared at her hands, now tipped with elongated nails, glowing faintly in the moonlight. Her heart pounded, but the fear was gone.
She felt alive.
The silent alpha moved beside her, presence solid and unwavering. “Back away,” he commanded. “Before you get hurt.”
They didn’t argue this time.
As the wolves retreated into the shadows, Glosh’s knees gave out. The adrenaline drained from her body all at once, leaving her trembling.
He caught her before she hit the ground.
“You didn’t lose control,” he said softly. “You listened.”
She buried her face against his chest, breath shaking. “I was scared.”
“I know.”
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Finally, she pulled back, wiping at her eyes. “You still haven’t told me your name.”
A faint smile touched his lips. “It’s Cael.”
“Cael,” she repeated, tasting the name. “Thank you.”
He inclined his head. “This changes things.”
“Yes,” she agreed. “It does.”
Far above them, the moon burned bright and unyielding.
And deep within the academy, forces older and darker than Glosh could imagine began to stir.
- Writer
