CLAWS, LIES AND DESIRE

Chapter 1

“ROGUE IN THE SHADOWS”

AYLA

The full moon bathed the sacred temple in an eerie, silvery glow—Selena’s haven, the Goddess

of the Moon. It was almost poetic, the way the moonlight filtered through the trees, casting long

shadows on the old stone walls.

Another day of my heists. Art was my thing. Portraits, ancient artifacts, anything that caught my

eye. Why? Well, because I could.

Rogue was my title. It used to mean something. Once upon a time, I cared. But now? Now, I

didn’t. Not since they—those damn alpha elites—killed my father. They banished him, or maybe

worse, made him vanish. Either way, revenge was overrated. The truth was, they'd never notice

anything I took. Hell, even if they did, would they be able to find me? Big fat nope.

My rule? Don’t trust anyone. Trusting people was a death wish. Solo was how I survived.

I liked it that way. Being the most wanted rogue in the land wasn’t a problem for me. Actually, it

worked for my advantage. My reputation got me in and out of places most people wouldn’t even

dare to step into.

I dropped to the floor from the wall I had just scaled, barely a sound. My black

bodysuit—custom-made, of course—blended perfectly with the night. It was midnight. I figured

security wouldn’t be tight. I mean, it was just the Moon Goddess’ temple, right? No cameras.

Just some seasoned guards. Probably retired warriors who thought they could still swing a

spear like they were twenty.

I leaned against the wall, pulling out a few smooth stones. I tossed them carelessly across the

temple grounds. The noise echoed, a perfect distraction. I heard footsteps shifting in the

distance.

Time for my favorite part.

As I approached the front door, a smile crept onto my face. They really thought no one would be

bold enough to break in here. I threw a boomerang as I walked, barely breaking my stride.

The guards came at me, spears in hand, but before they could even react, my boomerang hit

one square in the neck. The other fell with a crash, his spear clattering to the ground. I couldn’t

help but laugh.

“Oops, did I make some noise?” I chuckled to myself, strolling right into the temple like I owned

the place. The architecture was stunning—ancient carvings, towering stone pillars.

I continued walking until I reached the altar, where I pressed a hidden stone. A door creaked

open, revealing the secret chamber. The room was dark at first, but the artifact’s glow filled the

space as I entered.

And there it was. The Soul of the Lover. At least, that’s what I assumed it was called. Beautiful.

Divine. My hands itched to take it.

But first, I had to disable the traps.

I reached into my pocket, pulling out two lunar pearls. They were Selena’s magic, and the only

thing capable of neutralizing the temple's wards.

Ayla: 2. Selena: 0.

With a grin, I walked up to the glass casing. The artifact shimmered with a light that seemed to

call to me, begging to be held. I could feel the power humming in the air, like the entire room

was vibrating with energy.

As I carefully lifted the glass, I caught the rainbow-colored gem. The surge of magic was unlike

anything I’d ever felt before.

My heart raced. I’d hit the jackpot.

But before I could savor the moment, footsteps echoed in the distance. s**t.

I stuffed the artifact and everything else I could find into my bag—some random pearls, Jafar

stones, crystals—anything that caught my eye. I grabbed the sacred jade on my way out,

dimming the light. I couldn’t have anyone following me by the glow.

“I swear I saw something move,” one of the guards muttered.

“You’re imagining things,” another voice countered. “No one’s dumb enough to break in here.”

Yeah, well, I was.

“Stupid? No. Crazy? Maybe,” a third voice chimed in, and I couldn’t help but smirk. They were

good, but they weren’t good enough.

And then, I heard something that made my heart skip a beat.

“Someone broke in!” The urgency in the voice made me tense.

I glanced over my shoulder. s**t, they were on to me.

I closed the glass casing quietly, slipping into a hidden side door. The guards were getting

closer. I heard them running toward me, their boots slapping against the floor.

I kept my breathing steady, but my heart was pounding.

“No, no, no...” The guard’s voice cracked.

“What happened?” another one asked, his voice sharp.

“They took it!” Panic in his voice now.

I didn’t wait for the rest of the conversation. I ran.

I had to get out of here. Fast.

But then came the howls.

Oh, hell no.

I didn’t panic. I wasn’t stupid. I knew how to get out of tight situations. My escape routes were

mapped in my head. I just needed to think.

“Find them! They couldn’t have left already!” one of the guards ordered.

I sighed in relief. They were getting desperate. It wasn’t my first time.

I moved silently, pressing my back to the wall, but then the worst thing possible happened. A

guard entered the room. His footsteps were slow but deliberate, like he was hunting. He was

getting closer, closer to where I was hidden.

I held my breath.

He walked right past me. My heart was in my throat.

And then I heard it. The howl. The loud, unmistakable sound of a wolf, the alpha’s growl.

He was here.

And there was no way out but through.

I grabbed everything, zipped up my bag, and bolted for the back exit. I climbed up quickly, no

ropes, no gear. Just me and my years of practice. But as I reached the top, I saw a shadow in

front of me.

Shit.

The alpha. He was already up here. In his wolf form, glowing like he was made of stardust, his

golden eyes piercing through the night.

“You better stop, rogue,” he growled, his voice low and commanding.

Yeah, right. His powers were impressive, sure. He could make anyone bow.

But not me.

I didn’t even flinch.

“Nice try, alpha,” I said, continuing to move across the ropes. He followed me, his claws digging

into the line, his growls shaking the air around us.

“Don’t test me, rogue,” he snarled.

I glanced back at him, my mind working fast.

“I could say the same thing,” I shot back.

He tried to shake the rope, but I stayed steady.

“I’ll give you one chance. Return it.” He was serious now, the weight of his words pressing down

on me.

“And if I don’t?” I asked, smirking as I kept moving.

“That’s for you to find out,” he hissed.

I had one trick up my sleeve. A frazel stone, tiny but vicious. It would sting like hell.

I tossed it toward him.

“s**t. A frazel!” he yelled, more in pain than anything else. It was my chance.

I ran for it, barely looking back. As I reached the edge, I jumped, my feet landing on the slab

below. But he was right behind me. I could hear his growl.

I didn’t look back.

I ran harder, faster.

Then, out of nowhere, his claws dug into my legs.

“f**k!” I hissed, clutching my bag where the artifact was.

“You should’ve listened when I warned you,” the alpha growled, pulling me back toward him.

I wasn’t going down that easy.

“You should have listened when I warned,” he repeated, his grip tightening on me as he tried to

pull me closer. But I wasn’t going down that easily.

I locked eyes with him, my pulse hammering in my chest. And then, I felt it—this surge of energy

that I couldn’t control, not anymore. My eyes blazed gold, flickers of light flashing like fire behind

my pupils. In one fluid motion, I shoved him back. The wires snapped under the pressure,

cutting through his claws as he lost his grip and fell, his body crashing to the ground.

I staggered back, a sudden, bitter laugh escaping my lips.

"s**t. I didn’t want to do that. Stupid powers." My voice was barely a whisper, filled with

frustration. I hated them. Hated this part of me I couldn’t control. I hadn’t used my abilities in

forever, and I sure as hell didn’t expect them to flare up now. And the worst part? I thought that if

I never shifted again, I’d be free. Guess I was wrong.

The sound of wolves howling—moving toward me—made my blood run cold. They must have

heard the alpha hit the ground.

I looked back just in time to see him pulling himself up, his eyes burning with rage, and

something else—something I couldn’t quite place.

“You’ll regret that,” he growled, his voice raspy, but it didn’t shake me.

And me? I wasn’t about to be predictable.

I flicked my wrist, and in a flash, a parachute unfurled from my pack. Classic exit, right? But as I

leaped off the edge, a grin crept onto my lips.

His eyes locked onto mine one last time, filled with pure fury. He was mad—hell, I would be too

if I were him. But there was something else there. Something... dangerous. Maybe a little

impressed?

No time to figure that out.

I glided through the air, the wind whipping past my face, adrenaline coursing through my veins.

But I could feel it. I could feel his presence like a shadow lingering just behind me.

I didn’t want to look back, but I couldn’t help it. He was still standing, his eyes boring into mine

from below. He wasn’t done with me. Not by a long shot.

I sighed, rolling my eyes. This was it. Kael Silvershadow—The Alpha King—would burn the

world to find me. I had no doubt.

But honestly? In this moment, I kind of wished it was all for love. But hey, what can I say? I did

things differently.

I leaned back, letting the wind carry me higher as I disappeared into the night. Let him come

after me. It was about time someone made this interesting.