CHAPTER 3
1209 Words
The moon hung high in the night sky, casting an eerie silver glow over the Imperial Eclipse Pack's territory.
Most of the pack was asleep, their homes silent beneath the stars.
But one small figure stirred.
Brianna Blackwood, the six-year-old daughter of the Alpha, slipped out of bed with practiced ease.
She had waited patiently for hours, listening to the rhythmic breathing of her father in the room next door. Once she was sure he was deep in sleep, she moved.
Her heart raced with excitement.
She had to find her new mother.
The moment she had hugged that woman’s leg at the gala, something inside her had clicked—like a missing piece of a puzzle sliding into place. The Moon Goddess had chosen, and Brianna knew.
Her new mama was out there, and she was going to bring her home.
Slipping past the guards was easy.
Brianna had always been small and quick, much to the frustration of her father and his warriors.
They never expected her to shift into her wolf form at such a young age, but she had. It was a secret she had kept, practicing in the shadows when no one was looking.
Now, as she stepped outside, she took a deep breath and let the change take over.
Her tiny frame trembled before soft white fur sprouted along her limbs. Her bones reshaped, her senses sharpened, and in mere seconds, a small, sleek wolf stood where Brianna had been.
She flicked her ears and sniffed the air.
Her new mother’s scent was faint but present. She knew it by heart now—the elegant mix of jasmine, vanilla, and something uniquely her.
Brianna lowered her head and took off into the night.
The forest was darker than she expected.
Twigs snapped beneath her paws, and the wind whispered through the trees. She followed the scent, her tiny wolf heart pounding with determination.
She had never been this far from the packhouse alone, but she wasn’t afraid.
At least, not until the scent of blood and rot reached her nose.
Brianna froze.
Her ears perked, and her fur bristled as an overwhelming sense of danger settled over her.
Something was following her.
A low growl rumbled behind her, and she turned just in time to see a pair of glowing red eyes emerge from the shadows.
A rogue.
It was massive, larger than most werewolves she had seen, its body mangled with scars, fur missing in patches.
Its breath came out in ragged snarls, dripping with the scent of death.
Brianna whimpered.
Her father had warned her about rogues. They were merciless.
They attacked anything that moved.
And now, she was alone.
The rogue took a step closer.
Brianna let out a desperate howl.
__
Piper bolted upright in bed.
Her heart pounded, her breath uneven.
Had she just heard… a dog?
She ran a hand through her hair, trying to shake off the unease. It was late—past midnight.
Her mansion was deep within her private estate, far from the main roads. No stray dogs ever wandered this far.
So why did it sound so close?
She lay back down, willing herself to ignore it.
Then she heard it again.
A faint, broken whimper.
A chill ran down her spine.
Something was out there.
Piper exhaled slowly and reached for the bedside drawer. She pulled it open and wrapped her fingers around the cool metal of her silver gun.
She didn’t know if the stories about werewolves and silver were true.
But she wasn’t about to take any chances.
Slipping out of bed, she padded toward the window and peered outside. The forest bordering her mansion was dark, but something *moved* between the trees.
Something small.
Then, her blood ran cold.
Beyond that small figure… something else moved.
Something big.
Piper tightened her grip on the gun and whispered to herself, “What the hell is going on?”
Piper cursed under her breath as the little white wolf locked eyes with her through the darkness.
Of all the damn things…
She recognized those golden eyes instantly.
Brianna.
Sebastian’s daughter.
The little pup whimpered, her small frame trembling as she backed away from the monstrous rogue that towered over her.
Piper’s grip on her silver gun tightened.
She didn’t hesitate. Raising the weapon, she aligned her sights, her body steady from years of practice.
Shooting was a skill she had mastered, just like the black belt she had earned in karate. Piper had always believed in self-defense, in being prepared for anything.
And right now, she was the only thing standing between that little girl and certain death.
The rogue lunged.
A single gunshot cracked through the night.
The bullet ripped through the air, striking the rogue’s shoulder. It let out an earsplitting snarl, stumbling back as black blood oozed from the wound.
Piper wasted no time. She fired again, hitting its leg. The beast howled in agony, snapping its jaws in fury.
It wasn’t dead, but it was injured enough to think twice about its prey.
The rogue snarled, its blood-red eyes flickering between Piper and the pup. Then, with a guttural growl, it turned and vanished into the shadows.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Piper lowered her gun, her heart hammering against her ribs.
Brianna was still staring at her, wide-eyed and trembling.
Piper exhaled sharply, stepping toward her. “What the hell are you doing out here, kid?”
Brianna took a shaky step forward, then without warning shifted back into her human form.
Now, a small, terrified little girl stood before Piper, dressed in a torn nightgown, her cheeks streaked with tears.
And then, before Piper could react Brianna ran straight into her, wrapping her tiny arms around Piper’s waist, burying her face in her stomach.
“Mama…”
Piper went rigid.
She stared down at the child clinging to her, warmth radiating from her tiny body.
The same warmth she had felt that night at the gala.
A feeling that, no matter how much she tried to deny it sent a shiver down her spine.
Piper swallowed hard.
“Oh, hell no.”
Piper let out a sharp breath, still holding the little girl who clung to her like a lifeline.
This is a mess.
She had planned to go back to sleep after investigating the noise. Instead, she was now standing barefoot outside her mansion, holding the daughter of the most powerful Alpha she had ever met.
With a rogue still lurking nearby.
Brianna's arms tightened around Piper's leg, her small frame trembling.
Piper sighed and pulled out her phone.
"Matthias," she said the moment he picked up.
"Boss? It's almost three in the morning. What's wro-"
"Shut up and listen. There's a kid here. Get the guards and prep the security team. Also... check the news. There's probably a missing child alert out already."
Matthias, to his credit, didn't ask questions. He never did.
"On it," he said immediately, his voice fully awake now. "Do you need me to send the driver?"
"No. Just get my office ready."
Brianna stirred in her arms, letting out a sleepy hum.
Piper pinched the bridge of her nose.
This was supposed to be a normal night.
- Writer
