His Alpha's Touch.

The full moon hung heavy above me, its silver light draping the earth in a pale glow. Every branch, every leaf seemed etched in cold fire. The forest was eerily silent, too silent, as though even the wind held its breath. Each shadow seemed alive, shifting, watching me. My boots crunched against fallen leaves, the sound too loud in the hush, while the hood of my cloak did little to shield me from the sensation of being hunted. Yet beneath the unease, another feeling simmered. It had been there for weeks now a strange heat in my chest, rising like a tide whenever the moon was full. It began as a whisper. Soft at first, then sharper, more insistent. A single name, breathed into the marrow of my bones: Kael I didn’t know anyone by that name, not in my town, not in my life. And yet… it felt as though I had always known him. The name rang inside me with an intimacy that was both terrifying and addictive. I could almost feel his presence each night, watching, waiting. But since before my twenty first birthday which is toda, the dreams had grown unbearable. Dreams where golden eyes glowed from the dark. Dreams where clawed hands brushed against my skin, strong and unyielding, pulling me into the safety of shadows. A voice low, rough, filled with promises I couldn’t understand would whisper to me, and I would wake trembling, breathless, my body aflame with longing I couldn’t explain. And tonight… tonight the air felt charged, heavy, as though those dreams had slipped into reality. A long, piercing howl shattered the stillness of the forest. It echoed against the trees, vibrating through the ground, straight into my chest. My heart jumped to my throat. Any normal person would have run, but I froze, breath shallow, pulse thundering in my ears. The sound wasn’t just frightening it was familiar. Against every instinct screaming at me to flee, I opened my lips and whispered into the night, “I’m here.” The forest seemed to respond. The silence deepened, stretching tight like a held breath. My voice had broken the barrier, and something was coming. From between the trees, shadows detached themselves and took shape. One, then two, until five men emerged into the moonlight. Their boots crunched against the forest floor, their faces hard and expressionless. They moved like predators, circling prey they already knew they had caught. Fear stabbed through me. My hand darted toward the edge of my cloak as if fabric could shield me from them. Before I could scream or run, rough hands seized me. One caught my arm, yanking it painfully behind my back, while another pushed me off balance. My feet left the ground for a split second before I crashed into the dirt. The impact knocked the air from my lungs. Cold earth pressed against my cheek as strong hands pinned me down. Coarse ropes scraped against my skin, binding my wrists with merciless efficiency. Panic flared sharp and hot. I thrashed against them, twisting, clawing at the ground, desperate for escape. But their grip only tightened, cutting into my flesh. Their silence was worse than words no threats, no explanations, just a chilling, calculated focus. The heat in my chest surged again, almost burning. My heart screamed that I wasn’t meant to be here, that something far more powerful than these men had drawn me to this forest. And yet, in that moment, helpless and bound, dread swallowed me whole. The forest absorbed my muffled cries, the trees standing as silent witnesses to my capture. The moon glared down, unblinking, as if this had all been written in its light long before I ever stepped out of the diner. I was terrified. My fate… I fear there would be no escape.