BLOOD MOON

The night was alive with the rhythmic beat of drums echoing through the trees, accompanied by howls of joy that danced beneath the glowing full moon. Lanterns hung from the branches like suspended stars, casting golden light on the faces of my pack members. Everything was perfect. Tonight was my night. My heart thundered in my chest, but it wasn’t from nerves. It was excitement: raw, wild, and electric. Tonight, I would meet my wolf. The long-awaited moment of every young werewolf’s life. My coming of age. My awakening. “Are you ready, sweetheart?” my mother, Danaya, whispered, brushing a strand of hair from my face. Her eyes sparkled with pride, and a soft smile played on her lips. “As ready as I’ll ever be,” I said with a grin, though my palms were sweaty. My father, Alpha Anton, stood beside us, regal and tall in his ceremonial robes, a heavy cloak draped over his broad shoulders. His powerful presence alone could silence a room. But tonight, his stern face had softened. There was warmth in his eyes as he looked at me. “You were born for this,” he said simply. “The moon has waited long enough.” A hush fell over the crowd as I stepped onto the stone platform in the middle of the clearing. The drums slowed, then stopped. All eyes were on me. I took a deep breath and tilted my face toward the full moon above. It was so bright, it seemed to pulse with power. “Tonight,” Elder Lyra's voice rang out, “the Moon Goddess blesses her daughter. Under her light, Haliya of the Crescent Fang will meet her wolf.” A gentle wind stirred around me, cool and calming. I closed my eyes. My heartbeat steadied. And then... it happened. The world around me faded into silence. Then something has stirred inside as my soul vibrated with it. Eventually, I felt the pull of my wolf. She was there, rising from deep within like a tide pulled by the moon itself. “You’re finally ready.” The voice in my mind was strong yet soothing, proud yet wild. A golden light flared behind my eyes, and when I opened them, I gasped. A flash of silver fur. Fierce golden eyes. My wolf. My knees buckled from the intensity of the connection, but strong arms caught me. “I’ve got you,” my father murmured, holding me up. I turned to him, breathless. “I felt her. She’s… she’s magnificent.” The crowd erupted into cheers. Howls rose in the air like a choir. I looked around and saw nothing but pride and joy in the faces of my pack. My mother wiped away tears. Warriors beat their chests. Elders bowed their heads in reverence. I had never felt more loved… more whole. But the moment was short-lived. Suddenly, a blaring howl of warning split through the celebration, loud and jarring. My father’s head snapped toward the east. The drums stopped instantly. The crowd grew quiet. “What is that?” I asked, pulse spiking. Before anyone could answer, a second howl rose—angrier. Then a growl, deep and guttural, echoed from the distance. “We’re under attack!” shouted one of the guards. Panic spread like wildfire. Warriors shifted instantly, clothes tearing as they transformed. Screams and orders overlapped as everyone scrambled into action. I stood frozen. “Move, Haliya!” my mother shouted, grabbing my arm. “But—” “Now!” “Danaya, take her to the safe zone,” my father commanded as he shifted, his massive dark wolf form emerging in seconds. “No!” I tried to push forward, but my mother pulled me back. More howls rose...this time closer. The scent of blood and foreign wolves hit the air. I could hear them approaching, leaves rustling and claws against soil. “We weren’t prepared for this,” Elder Lyra muttered, already limping toward a group of pups. “Why now?” My mother shoved me behind her. “You’re not ready to fight.” “But I just met my wolf—” “She’s not fully bonded to you yet,” she snapped. “You’re strong, Haliya, but this… this is war.” My heart ached. I wanted to stand with them, protect my people. But she was right. I could feel my wolf, but I couldn’t shift yet. Not until the bond solidified. Suddenly, a black wolf tackled one of the guards near us. My mother snarled and shifted in a flash, pouncing on the intruder and ripping into him before he could harm me. Blood sprayed the ground. “Go, Haliya!” she barked between growls. I stumbled back, my breaths coming fast. The safe zone... where was it? I turned to run, but a sharp yelp made me stop and spin around. “No,” I gasped. My father was battling three rogue wolves. His powerful form twisted and bit, but they were coordinated, vicious. One lunged for his throat— “DAD!” Before I could move, a hand grabbed my arm. It was Beta Cain. “Let me go!” “Your father gave me one order. Get you to safety.” “I’m not leaving him!” “Then fight with your head, not your heart,” he snapped. “Right now, you’re the future of this pack. If something happens to Anton, you take the mantle. Understand?” More screams. More blood. The ground was stained crimson. My mother’s white wolf was barely dodging the jaws of a rogue twice her size. “Get her out!” she growled mid-fight. Beta Cain pulled me toward the underground shelter carved beneath the council hall. I looked back once more. The image burned into my mind. My parents fighting with everything they had while chaos raged around them. I turned my face away, tears falling. As Cain dragged me toward safety, I heard my wolf again. “This is just the beginning.” Just as Cain shoved open the shelter entrance, a sudden gust of wind slammed into us, carrying a sharp, unfamiliar scent—earthy, like wood smoke and pine, but darker… older. I froze. The air changed. Something was wrong. Cain stopped too. His body tensed like a coiled spring. “Run,” he said sharply. But before I could move, a blur shot out of the trees ahead. A tall figure landed just feet in front of us, his boots thudding against the ground with unnatural grace. Not a wolf. Not shifted. Just… a man. Cain roared and lunged toward him, shifting mid-air but he didn’t even touch him. With barely a flick of his wrist, the stranger shoved Cain aside with a force that sent the Beta crashing into a tree, leaving him slumped on the ground, unmoving. My body locked up. My wolf stirred in panic, but we weren’t one yet, not enough for me to shift. “Cain!” I screamed, backing away in pure instinct. But it was no use. The stranger had already turned to me. And then he smiled. It wasn’t warm. It wasn’t even mocking. It was cold. Calculating. Like he already knew how this would end. I spun around to run. But then I heard it. A voice... not in my ears. In my mind. “Don’t run, little flame.” I stumbled mid-step, skidding on the damp grass. My breath caught in my throat. What the hell? That wasn’t my wolf. That wasn’t anyone from the pack. How is he in my head? Only bonded mates, alphas, or wolves I’d formed a link with could speak to me like that. And yet here he was, a complete stranger, slipping into my mind like it belonged to him. “What are you?” I whispered aloud, panic rising fast. I didn’t make it three steps before he was behind me. I didn’t even hear him move. One moment I was running. The next, he had me. His hand clamped around my arm, yanking me back against his chest. The contact sent an unnatural chill down my spine. I kicked and screamed, my fists slamming into him, but he didn’t even flinch. His grip wasn’t painful. It was controlled. Deliberate. He’s not just here to hurt me, my wolf warned. He wants something else. “Let go of me!” I shouted. His voice was silk in my mind again. “You felt it too, didn’t you?” he whispered. “The bond." I froze. My heart skipped a beat. “No,” I choked. “That’s not possible.” But even as I denied it, a sliver of confusion tore through me. I had felt something. A flicker of heat in my chest, just for a second, when his eyes met mine. “Liar,” he murmured. I turned my head enough to catch a glimpse of his face: sharp, angular features, dark hair, eyes like amber glass… but not entirely wolf. There was something else in them. “I’m not yours,” I growled, trying again to break free. “You will be,” he said. “The moon has plans for you, little flame. And so do I.” And just like that, everything around me dimmed. The world seemed to spin. I wasn’t sure if he used magic or some kind of mind trick, but the last thing I saw before darkness took me was the moonlight glinting off his eyes—gold and dangerous.