Moonlight Sanctuary

Chapter # 3

I wake to the sound of rain and the feeling of Asher's fury pulsing through the bond. He's hunting me. I can sense him in the back of my mind, feel his determination, his absolute refusal to let me go.

My body aches everywhere. The run last night pushed me past my limits, and now I'm paying for it. But I can't stop. I can't rest. Not yet.

I force myself to eat one of the protein bars I packed, drink from the waterfall, and assess my situation. I've put maybe fifty miles between myself and Blackwater territory, crossing into lands I don't know. The rain will help mask my scent, but it won't stop Asher completely. He has the mate bond to guide him, an invisible thread connecting us that he can follow no matter how far I run.

Unless I can find a way to weaken it.

I remember Sage mentioning herbs, but I don't know which ones or how to use them. What I need is help. A pack that will shelter me, protect me. But most packs won't interfere in mate bond disputes. It's considered taboo, a violation of the natural order.

I shift back into my wolf form and continue north, moving more carefully now. I'm exhausted, injured, and in unfamiliar territory. One wrong move could be fatal.

The rain continues throughout the day, a steady downpour that soaks through my fur and makes the ground treacherous. I slip and slide down muddy embankments, cross swollen streams, push through dense forest that seems to go on forever.

By nightfall, I'm delirious with exhaustion. The bond has become a constant agony, like a fishhook lodged in my chest, pulling, always pulling. Asher is getting closer. I can feel him, maybe only a day behind now.

I stumble into a clearing and immediately freeze. I'm not alone.

Three wolves surround me, all larger than my small frame. Their scents are unfamiliar, marking them as members of a pack I don't know. The largest, a massive gray male, steps forward, his lips pulled back to reveal sharp teeth.

I lower myself to the ground in submission, too tired to fight, too broken to care what happens next. If they kill me, at least I'll be free of Asher.

The gray wolf shifts, and a man stands before me, tall, muscular, with silver gray hair despite appearing to be only in his thirties. His eyes are a striking amber color, and they study me with an intensity that makes me want to shrink even smaller.

"You're on Silvermoon territory," he says, his voice deep and authoritative. "State your business."

I shift back to human form, acutely aware of my nakedness, my injuries, my vulnerability. "I'm running," I manage, my voice hoarse. "Please, I just need to pass through. I won't cause any trouble."

"Running from what?" The man's eyes narrow. "Or should I say, from whom?"

Before I can answer, a wave of nausea hits me. The bond flares with Asher's proximity, and I double over, retching.

"She's bonded," one of the other wolves says, having shifted to a young woman with dark hair. "And whoever she's bonded to is close. I can smell another wolf's scent on her trail."

The gray haired man crouches down to my level. "Is your mate abusive?"

The question is so direct, so unexpected, that I can only nod.

Something shifts in his expression, not quite sympathy, but understanding. "My name is Marcus, Beta of Silvermoon Pack. Our Alpha is Duke. He has a policy of offering sanctuary to those fleeing abuse." He stands, offering me his hand. "But I need to be clear, if we shelter you, and your mate comes for you, it will mean conflict. Possibly war. Is what you're running from worth that risk?"

I think about Asher's fists, his cruelty, the complete mate bond that would trap me forever. I think about the life I'd have if I went back, no life at all, really. Just existence, hollow and painful.

"Yes," I whisper. "It's worth it."

Marcus nods and helps me to my feet. The female wolf steps forward with a blanket, wrapping it around my shoulders. "Can you walk?"

"I think so."

"Good. Our pack house is about three miles from here. We need to get you there before your mate arrives." Marcus's expression is grim. "And we need to talk to Duke. This situation is about to get complicated."

They support me between them as we walk, my legs shaking with every step. The third wolf, a russet-colored male, ranges ahead as a scout. The forest around us is different from Blackwater territory, older, wilder, with trees so tall they seem to touch the sky.

"How long have you been running?" the female asks. Her name is Luna, she tells me, and she's one of Silvermoon's trackers.

"Two days," I say. "I've crossed multiple territories."

"That's impressive for someone your size," Marcus comments. "Most wolves couldn't maintain that pace."

"Fear is a good motivator."

We walk in silence for a while, and I use the time to study my surroundings. Even in my exhausted state, I can sense that this pack is different from Blackwater. The wolves I've encountered so far don't carry themselves with that aggressive dominance I'm used to. They're alert, professional, but not cruel.

The pack house finally comes into view, and I actually gasp. It's not a house, it's a compound. Multiple buildings spread across a large clearing, all built from wood and stone that blends seamlessly with the forest. Lights glow in windows, and I can see wolves moving about, some in human form, some shifted.

"Silvermoon is one of the largest packs in the northern territories," Marcus explains. "We have about two hundred members. Duke believes in community, in taking care of our own."

He leads me to the largest building, a three-story structure that serves as the main pack house. Inside, it's warm and welcoming, with comfortable furniture and the smell of cooking food. My stomach growls audibly.

"Luna, take her to the medical wing," Marcus instructs. "Get her checked out, fed, and give her some clothes. I'll find Duke and brief him on the situation."

Luna guides me down a hallway to a clean, bright room that looks like a small clinic. A middle-aged woman with kind eyes and graying brown hair greets us.

"This is Dr. Sarah," Luna says. "She's our pack doctor. Sarah, this is..." She pauses, realizing she never got my name.

"Willow," I supply.

"Willow is seeking sanctuary. She's been running for two days, and her mate is tracking her."

Dr. Sarah's expression shifts to one of concern. "Let's get you examined, dear. Luna, can you grab some clothes from the donation room? She looks about a size small."

Luna nods and disappears while Dr. Sarah helps me onto an examination table. She's gentle as she checks my injuries, her touch nothing like the rough handling I'm used to.

"These bruises are in various stages of healing," she observes quietly. "This one on your ribs is at least a week old. These on your arms are newer, maybe three days." Her eyes meet mine. "How long has he been hurting you?"

"Six months," I whisper. "Since the bond formed."

Dr. Sarah's jaw tightens, but she doesn't comment further. She cleans and bandages my torn paw pads, wraps my ribs, and gives me something for the pain. Luna returns with clothes, soft jeans, a warm sweater, and boots that are only slightly too big.

"There's a shower through that door," Dr. Sarah says, pointing. "Take your time. I'll have some food brought in."

The shower is heaven. I stand under the hot water until it runs cold, washing away two days of dirt, sweat, and fear. When I finally emerge, dressed in the borrowed clothes, I feel almost human again.

A tray of food waits for me, soup, bread, fruit, and water. I eat slowly, my stomach having shrunk from months of Asher's control over when and what I could eat. I'm halfway through the meal when the door opens.

The man who enters is not what I expected.

He's tall, maybe six foot three, with broad shoulders and a powerful build that speaks of both strength and control. His hair is dark brown, almost black, and falls to his shoulders in waves. But it's his eyes that capture me a deep, warm brown that holds genuine kindness.

This must be Duke.

He's younger than I expected for an Alpha, maybe late twenties, and he moves with a grace that seems at odds with his size. But what strikes me most is the absence of that aggressive dominance I'm used to from alphas. He has authority, yes, but it's tempered with something else. Something gentle.

"Willow," he says, and my name sounds different in his voice. Softer. "I'm Duke. Marcus told me about your situation. I want you to know that you're safe here."

I set down my spoon, my hands trembling. "My mate will come for me."

"I know." Duke pulls up a chair and sits, deliberately keeping distance between us. "Marcus said he's already close. We'll need to prepare for his arrival." He leans forward, his expression serious but not unkind. "But first, I need to understand what we're dealing with. Can you tell me about your mate? About why you ran?"

And so I do. I tell him everything, about Asher's abuse, his affairs, the toxic culture of Blackwater Pack. I tell him about the planned bonding ceremony, about Sage's warning, about the desperate flight through the forest. I tell him things I've never told anyone, and Duke listens without interruption, his expression growing darker with every word.

When I finish, there's a long silence. Duke stands and walks to the window, his hands clasped behind his back.

"The old ways," he finally says, his voice tight with controlled anger. "The idea that alphas have the right to treat their mates as property, to take multiple partners while demanding loyalty. It's poison. It destroys packs from the inside out."

He turns back to me. "Silvermoon doesn't operate that way. Here, mates are partners. Equals. The bond is meant to be a source of strength, not a tool of control." His eyes meet mine. "You were right to run, Willow. And I give you my word as Alpha, Asher will not take you from this territory. Not while I'm alive to prevent it."

The conviction in his voice makes something crack open inside my chest. I've never heard an alpha speak like this, with such certainty about protecting someone weaker, someone who isn't even part of his pack.

"Why?" I ask. "Why would you risk conflict with another pack for me? You don't even know me."

Duke's expression softens. "Because it's the right thing to do. Because every wolf deserves to be safe, to be free from abuse. And because..." He pauses, something flickering across his face. "Because I've seen what the old ways do to people. I've seen the damage. I won't allow it to continue, not in my territory."

There's a story there, I can tell. Pain in his eyes that speaks of personal experience. But before I can ask, Marcus appears in the doorway.

"Duke, we have a problem. There's a wolf at the border. He's demanding we return his mate."

My blood runs cold. "Asher."

Duke's expression hardens. "How many with him?"

"He's alone. For now."

"Good." Duke looks at me. "Stay here with Dr. Sarah. I'm going to go have a conversation with your mate."

"He's dangerous," I warn. "He won't listen to reason."

"Then it's fortunate I'm not planning to reason with him." Duke's voice carries an edge I haven't heard before, the true authority of an Alpha. "He's on my territory, threatening one of my wolves. That gives me certain rights."

"I'm not one of your wolves," I point out.

Duke pauses at the door, looking back at me with an expression I can't quite read. "As of this moment, you are. I'm offering you sanctuary and pack membership, if you'll accept it."

The offer stuns me. Pack membership isn't given lightly. It's a bond, a commitment, a promise of protection and belonging.

"I accept," I whisper.

Duke nods, and something passes between us, not the mate bond, but something else. A connection, fragile and new. "Then welcome to Silvermoon, Willow. Now let me go deal with your past so you can start building your future."

He leaves, Marcus following, and I'm left alone with Dr. Sarah and the terrifying knowledge that Asher is here. That the confrontation I've been dreading is about to happen.

"Duke is a good Alpha," Dr. Sarah says quietly, as if reading my thoughts. "The best I've served under in forty years. If anyone can handle this situation, it's him."

I want to believe her. But she doesn't know Asher. She doesn't know what he's capable of when someone tries to take what he considers his.

All I can do is wait, and pray that I haven't just brought war to the only place that's offered me kindness.