Born of moon and magic

CHAPTER 2. A prisoner

The wolves exchanged brief glances before one of them stepped closer and sniffed the air around me.

His ears twitched and a confused whine escaped him.

The Beta's eyes narrowed.

"What is it?" he asked without looking away from me. The wolf didn't answer immediately. Instead, he sniffed the air again before backing away uncertainly.

Another wolf approached, he circled me once and then twice. His nose lifted slightly as he inhaled deeply. His expression changed almost instantly. It was confusing. The same confusion reflected on every face around me.

My heartbeat quickened.

Why were they looking at me like that? Had they discovered something? Was there blood on me?

Did I smell like another pack?

The Beta took one slow step forward, then another and closer until only a few feet separated us.

He inhaled deeply.

For the first time since appearing, something flickered across his face.

Confusion or was it disbelief?

"That's impossible," he murmured.

My mouth suddenly felt dry.

"W-what is?"

His eyes remained fixed on me.

"You smell like a werewolf."

Relief washed over me for exactly one second. Then he continued.

"But there's something else." His brows knitted together as though even he struggled to understand what his senses were telling him.

"I've never encountered a scent like yours before."

A knot formed in my stomach, no one had ever said anything about my scent. Not once.

I forced myself to remain calm despite the panic clawing relentlessly at my chest.

"What... What pack is this?" I asked quietly, almost afraid of the answer.

His gaze hardened.

"Black Moon."

The words struck me harder than a physical blow. Every ounce of colour drained from my face.

Black Moon.

The most feared pack on the continent.

Even pups knew their name. Parents warned mischievous children that if they wandered too close to Black Moon's borders, the Enforcers would find them before sunset. Travelling wolves spoke of their discipline with equal parts admiration and fear, while rogues avoided their territory whenever possible.

Stories about Black Moon spread across every pack from Stories of ruthless justice to Unbreakable warriors. Interrogations from which very few enemies walked away unchanged.

Of every place my sleepwalking could have taken me… It brought me here.

The Beta watched every emotion cross my face before speaking again.

"You expect me to believe you wandered several miles into the most heavily guarded territory on the continent while asleep?"

"It sounds impossible..." I admitted quietly. "But it's the truth."

"Or perhaps," he said evenly, "you came here to gather information."

"I didn't!"

The words escaped before I could stop them.

"I swear on the Moon Goddess, I don't even know how I got here."

He studied me for several long moments without saying a word. His silence somehow felt more terrifying than shouting.

Finally, I gathered what little courage I had left.

"If... if you're going to keep me here..." I swallowed nervously. "...the least you can do is tell me your name."

One dark eyebrow lifted.

It was a warning look.

"You don't get to ask the questions."

Behind him, the remaining wolves shifted into their human forms before quickly dressing themselves. Even as they did, not one of them lowered their guard. Their eyes continued scanning the surrounding forest, their senses alert for the slightest sign of danger.

The Beta made a subtle gesture with two fingers and one of the Enforcers stepped forward immediately.

"What do you want us to do with her, Beta?"

So he was the Beta.

Their eyes glazed over almost instantly as they communicated through their mind-link, shutting me out of the conversation completely. Watching them speak without moving their lips only reminded me of everything I lacked.

No wolf or the ability to mind-link. No way of hearing what they had already decided about my fate.

A few moments later, the Beta gave a brief nod.

"The rest of you return to your patrol. Inform the Alpha we've found an unidentified trespasser. I'll escort her to him myself."

"Yes, Beta."

The Enforcers obeyed without hesitation.

Within seconds, two had already shifted back into their wolves before disappearing silently between the trees. The remaining pair followed close behind until only the Beta and I remained standing in the clearing.

He turned toward me once more.

"You're coming with me."

Before I could respond, his hand closed firmly around my wrist. His grip wasn't painful, but it wasn't gentle either. It was the grip of someone making absolutely certain his prisoner wasn't going anywhere.

I looked over my shoulder one final time, hoping against hope that somehow this would end the way every other sleepwalking episode had ended—that I'd wake safely in my own bed and laugh at what had felt like an impossibly vivid nightmare.

But deep down...

I already knew this wasn't a dream.

Somewhere beyond the endless stretch of trees lay Blue Crescent, where life had continued without me since the moment I unknowingly crossed into Black Moon territory.

I drew a slow, shaky breath before forcing my feet to move, running was pointless and with no wolf to protect me...

I knew I never stood a chance.

The Beta didn't loosen his grip on my wrist even once as he led me deeper into Black Moon territory. His pace was steady, forcing me to match every long stride despite the soreness in my feet. Twigs and sharp stones had left countless tiny cuts on my soles during my sleepwalking, and every step sent a dull ache shooting up my legs. I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from complaining. Judging by the expression on Beta's face, he wouldn't care whether I was in pain or not.

The morning sun had risen fully now, bathing the vast pack grounds in a golden glow, and despite the fear gnawing relentlessly at my chest, I couldn't stop my eyes from wandering.

Black Moon was unlike anything I had ever seen. The stories I had heard growing up hadn't been exaggerated.

The pack stretched as far as my eyes could see, its buildings constructed from dark stone that gave the entire settlement an imposing, almost fortress-like appearance. Wide paths connected every section of the territory, and wolves moved with remarkable purpose along them. Some carried crates filled with supplies while others sharpened weapons outside the training grounds. A group of young warriors sparred beneath the watchful eyes of older Enforcers, every strike deliberate, every movement disciplined.

No one laughed or stood idly chatting. No children ran recklessly between the buildings as they often did back home.

Everything operated with quiet precision, as though every member of Black Moon understood exactly where they were supposed to be and what they were expected to do.

It was strangely intimidating, even the silence felt disciplined.

As we walked, curious gazes followed us from every direction.Pack members paused just long enough to look at me before lowering their heads respectfully toward the Beta as he passed. No one questioned why he was escorting a frightened stranger through the centre of the territory, no one dared. Whispers drifted quietly through the air after we had walked past.

"Who's she?"

"Another rogue?"

"I've never seen her before."

"She's too small to be a warrior."

I lowered my head, pretending not to hear them.

Being stared at wasn't unfamiliar. I had endured enough whispers growing up to recognise the curiosity hidden behind lowered voices.

The wolfless girl or the one without a wolf and honestly some things never changed.

The Beta remained completely unfazed by the attention surrounding us. His expression never shifted, nor did his stride slow. The wolves we passed instinctively stepped aside long before we reached them, creating a clear path without being asked.

Respect or fear, Perhaps both.

Something told me he inspired plenty of each.

I stole another glance at him. Up close, he looked even more intimidating than he had in the forest. The scar cutting through his eyebrow stood out against his tanned skin, while countless older scars disappeared beneath the waistband of his black trousers. His posture remained perfectly straight, and although he hadn't spoken since leaving the forest, there was an unmistakable authority surrounding him.

He wasn't simply obeyed because he was the Beta. People obeyed him because they wanted to avoid disappointing him, Or perhaps because they feared the consequences if they did.

Without warning, he turned away from the main path. My brows drew together.

The lively sounds of the pack gradually faded behind us as we entered a quieter section of the territory. The stone buildings became fewer, replaced by high walls that stretched toward the sky. Even the air seemed colder here.

An uneasy feeling settled heavily inside my stomach.

"Where are we going?" I asked carefully.

No answer.

He didn't even glance in my direction. I swallowed and continued walking.

Perhaps a minute later, the enormous building came into view and the moment I saw it, my footsteps faltered. It didn't resemble any prison I had ever imagined. It resembled a fortress built to withstand a war.

Towering grey walls surrounded the structure, while narrow windows sat far too high for anyone to reach. Armed guards stood outside the entrance without moving, their expressions unreadable as their eyes followed every movement around them.

The enormous steel doors immediately caught my attention.

Thick strips of silver had been forged directly into the metal, glinting beneath the morning sunlight like veins running through stone.

A chill ran through me.

Silver.

Every werewolf knew what silver meant. It was known to weaken wolves, prevent healing and made shifting almost impossible. No werewolf imprisoned behind those doors would possess the strength to escape.

My eyes drifted lower.

Mounted neatly beside the entrance was a sleek fingerprint scanner.

I blinked.

A fingerprint scanner?

For a prison?

Black Moon truly left nothing to chance.

"A prison..." I murmured almost unconsciously. The words slipped through my lips before I had the chance to stop them.

Confusion quickly replaced my fear.

But...

He had said he was taking me to the Alpha. Hadn't he?

The guards immediately straightened when they noticed us approaching. "Beta," they greeted in perfect unison before stepping aside without hesitation.

One of them pressed a button mounted beside the enormous doors and a deep mechanical groan echoed around us.

Slowly...

The reinforced doors began sliding apart.

A wave of icy air spilled from the darkness beyond, brushing against my skin like invisible fingers. The warmth of the morning disappeared instantly. I stared into the corridor ahead. It was dark, silent and cold.

It felt less like entering a prison...

...and more like willingly walking into the mouth of a monster.

The Beta crossed the threshold without hesitation, and after only a moment's pause, I forced my reluctant feet to follow.

The heavy doors rumbled shut behind us. The sound echoing through the corridor like the final nail sealing a coffin. Instinctively, I looked over my shoulder.

The entrance had already disappeared behind solid steel and for the first time since waking in the forest, the reality of my situation settled over me with crushing force.

I was a prisoner.