Betrayed By The Moon

Chapter 4

Elena POV

I stood there, the evening breeze carrying the scent of pine and damp earth. The full moon loomed above, casting an eerie light over the Frostmoon pack’s territory. Memories of Ryder Hale began to surface, unwanted and uninvited, creeping into my mind like a dark shadow, tainting the peace of the night with a sense of dread.

Ryder Hale. The name itself was enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine in the pack. Whispers of his cruelty had circulated for years, each story more horrifying than the last. He was the son of Lucian Hale, the former Alpha who went mad and slaughtered 23 werewolf warriors loyal to him. Lucian's madness was like a dark stain on our history, an event so brutal and bloody that it was spoken of only in hushed tones. The bloodbath was etched into the history of the Frostmoon pack, a grim reminder of the chaos that nearly tore us apart.

I remembered hearing the stories as a child, huddled close to the fire with the other young ones, eyes wide with a mixture of fear and fascination. Lucian Hale had been a powerful Alpha, respected and revered until the day he snapped. The reasons behind his descent into madness were still a subject of speculation. Some said it was his insatiable lust for power that drove him over the edge, others whispered about dark magic and curses. But the why didn’t matter as much as the what. The what was clear—Lucian Hale had turned on his own, leaving a trail of blood and betrayal.

It was Alpha Logan and Gamma Bryce who confronted Lucian, chasing him out and restoring order. Their bravery was legendary, a tale of valor that was often recounted to remind us of their strength and leadership. I was curious why my father, as the Beta, didn’t join the battle. I asked him once, but it was clear he didn’t want to discuss it. Anyway, Alpha Logan and Gamma Bryce had severely injured Lucian, but no one knew for certain if Lucian was dead. The ambiguity of his fate left a lingering fear, a sense of unfinished business that haunted our pack.

Rumors soon followed that Lucian had a son, Ryder, who was even more cruel. The stories about Ryder were like something out of a nightmare. It was said that he had a sick hobby of chasing lone werewolves and torturing them to death. The details were always gruesome, too horrific to be true, and yet, the fear in the eyes of those who spoke of him suggested otherwise. Ryder became a specter of terror, his actions shrouded in mystery and blood.

Every time a pack member was injured, dead, or missing, Ryder’s name would be whispered in fear. The tension would rise, as everyone wondered if he was lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike again. His name became a taboo, a dark specter that haunted the Frostmoon pack. To speak it was to invite misfortune, to acknowledge a threat that was all too real.

Ryder Hale was more than just a rogue wolf; he was a force of nature, a menacing presence that loomed over us all.

I shivered, recalling the horror stories about Ryder. The fear was deeply ingrained in me, a terror that Elise, my wolf, didn’t share. Instead, she was intrigued, curious about the infamous werewolf. Elise had even suggested mind-linking with Ryder’s wolf, an idea that I strongly opposed.

Mind-linking was a sacred connection between two werewolves, a bond that required mutual consent. It was a mental and emotional connection that allowed us to communicate telepathically, sharing thoughts, feelings, and even memories. If only one side wanted to connect and the other was unwilling, the mind-link would fail. It was a deeply personal experience, and I wasn’t about to open myself up to someone like Ryder.

“Elena, you’re physically attracted to him,” Elise pointed out, her voice echoing in my mind. “You can’t deny it.”

I didn’t want to admit it, but there was a truth to her words. Ryder’s presence had a strange effect on me. His scent, a mix of bergamot and cedarwood, was intoxicating. And ever since he appeared, the pain from my unsuccessful first shift had lessened. But I couldn’t allow myself to be swayed by these feelings. I touched the pendant that Zach had given me, a reminder to stay grounded.

My prolonged silence after Ryder told me his name seemed to catch his attention. He stepped closer, his gaze locking onto the pendant around my neck, noticing me touch it. Suddenly, his expression shifted from polite and gentle to one of intense hatred and anger.

“Are you the Beta’s daughter?” he asked, his voice dripping with venom.

I was taken aback. How did he know who I was?

“Yes. I’m Elena Thorne, the Beta’s daughter. But how...”

Before I could finish my sentence, Ryder lunged at me, pushing me against a large tree. Pain shot through my back, and I gasped. His hands were around my neck, squeezing tightly. His eyes, filled with hatred, bored into mine. I struggled to breathe, fear paralyzing me.

“Stop!” I managed to gasp out, my voice barely a whisper.

My heart pounded in my chest, a frantic rhythm that echoed in my ears. The shock of Ryder's sudden attack sent a wave of fear crashing over me, drowning out all rational thought. Was he finally dropping his pretense and revealing the cruelty and madness the rumors spoke of? Was he going to torture me?

His grip was like iron, unyielding and suffocating. I could feel the rough bark of the tree digging into my back, adding to the pain. My mind raced, trying to process the situation, but all I could focus on was the overwhelming terror.

He was a predator, and I was his prey.

But alongside the fear, there was a flicker of something else—anger. How dare he attack me like this? How dare he bring his hatred and violence into my life? I was Elena Thorne, the Beta's daughter, and I refused to be a victim. This anger gave me a surge of strength, a desperate determination to fight back, to survive.

I tried to push the fear aside. Ryder’s eyes were a storm of emotions, but beneath the hatred, there was something else. Pain? Regret? It was hard to tell, but it gave me a sliver of hope. Maybe there was a way to reach him, to make him see reason.

“Ryder,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Please, let me go. We can talk about this.”

His grip loosened slightly, but the anger in his eyes didn’t fade. “Talk?” he snarled. “Do you think words can change what your pack has done?”

My thoughts were a tangled mess, but I had to keep trying. “What do you mean? What did my pack do?”

“You’re blind to the truth,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. “They’ve lied to you, Elena. Lied to everyone.”

His words sent a chill down my spine. What lies was he talking about? What could possibly drive him to such hatred and violence? The confusion only added to my fear, making it harder to think, to breathe.

“Elena, focus,” Elise urged, her voice firm. “Ask him. We need to understand what he’s saying.”

I took a shaky breath, trying to steady myself. “Ryder, please, tell me what you mean. I want to understand.”

As if the moon itself had answered my plea, a beam of light illuminated the spot where we stood. Ryder’s eyes softened for a moment, a mix of infatuation and confusion replacing the hatred. His grip on my neck loosened a bit more, but I could still feel the intensity of his emotions, a storm raging just beneath the surface.

Ryder didn’t answer my question. Instead, he leaned in closer, his breath warm against my skin. Without warning, he bit my neck, sharp fangs piercing my flesh. The pain was immediate, but so was the rush of emotions that followed. I instantly knew what he was doing—he was marking me.

Marking was a ritual where a male wolf bit a female, leaving his scent on her to claim her as his. It was a symbol of possession, a declaration to all others that she belonged to him. In most cases, the female wolf would bite back to show her consent and affection. But for the marking to be successful, both werewolves needed to have completed their first shifts. Since I hadn’t yet...

But still, terror surged through me, and I tried to resist and push him away, but the combined pain from my unsuccessful first shift, the horror of Ryder’s attack, and the overwhelming emotions were too much. And my strength was no match for his.

His bite deepened, and I could feel the warmth of my blood mixing with his saliva, the mark searing into my skin. The sensation was both painful and oddly intimate, a connection that I couldn’t break.

“Elise, help me!” I cried out internally, desperate for support.

“Elena, I can’t,” Elise said in a panicked voice. “Since you can’t shift, I can’t do anything here!”

Elise’s words didn’t make the situation any easier. As the marking continued, I felt a strange mix of emotions. Hatred and anger, yes, but also something deeper, more complicated. There was a connection forming between us, an undeniable bond that went beyond the physical. I could sense Ryder’s own turmoil, his conflicted feelings, the pain that mirrored my own.

When he finally released me, I stumbled back, my hand going to the fresh mark on my neck. The wound was raw and throbbing, a reminder of his claim. I looked up at Ryder, my vision blurred with tears.

“Why?” I choked out, my voice barely above a whisper. “Why did you do this?”

Ryder’s expression was a mask of conflict, his eyes dark and unreadable. He appeared somewhat confused as well.

Whether it was his saliva or the overwhelming events of the night, I was suddenly overcome by a wave of exhaustion. As I slipped into unconsciousness, the last thing I saw was Ryder fleeing, as if haunted by something he couldn't bear to confront.