Chapter 2
1011 Words
Easton
Tonight, the Alphas revived a long-lost tradition—a Moonlight Festival run. It was meant to honor our wolf side, to remind us that beneath the human façade, we were still children of the moon goddess.
As head warrior, I couldn’t ignore the risks. Fifty wolves running through open land wasn’t exactly subtle. If a human caught sight of us, panic could spread. And if rogues appeared, we’d be vulnerable. Keeping peace between wolves and humans in this town was already a delicate balance.
I scanned the gathering crowd, reading their faces. Excitement everywhere. Wolves loved to run free. I did too—though duty kept me more on edge than relaxed.
A faint breeze brushed against me, carrying with it that scent again. Floral, soft but distinct. I’d been catching traces of it for two months now, never able to pin down the source. Every time it hit, Gavin, my wolf, stirred like a storm inside me.
There it is again, Gavin growled, pacing restlessly in my head.
“Settle down,” I told him. “We have a job to do.”
I can’t figure it out. It isn’t a wolf’s scent. I’d bet my fangs on that.
I frowned. If Gavin was right, it meant something—or someone—didn’t belong. My gut told me to be cautious.
I checked the crowd again, scanning for any humans who might have stumbled in. None. Only wolves.
My eyes landed on Jenna. I’d known her since we were pups—sweet, bubbly, impossible not to like. But tonight, she wasn’t alone.
The new girl was with her.
She’d moved here a few months ago. Kept to herself mostly, except for Jenna, who could befriend a stone wall if given the chance. The girl was… different. Quiet, private. Hard to read.
She’s strange, Gavin muttered.
“Yeah, but harmless,” I answered.
Hmm, he rumbled, unconvinced.
Still, her presence tonight was interesting. Was she finally trying to integrate into the pack?
I forced my focus back to my duties. The floral scent was faint again, tugging at the edges of my awareness. It unsettled me precisely because it didn’t belong.
The Alphas stepped forward then—Aiden, Braxton, and their brothers, with their mates beside them. Aiden addressed the crowd, voice commanding, pride radiating. When the Quads took over from their father, they swore to restore old traditions like this. And despite my caution, I couldn’t deny—it did feel good to run with the pack, to let Gavin stretch his legs beneath the moonlight.
I reported to Braxton through the link. All clear. No humans in sight.
Good. Thanks, Easton, he replied.
The crowd buzzed with excitement. Wolves were stripping down, folding clothes, preparing to shift. Movement flickered at the edge of my vision.
The new girl.
She darted behind a tree to undress, out of sight. Odd. Wolves weren’t shy. Shyness could get you killed if rogues attacked.
That’s strange, Gavin muttered. Who hides to shift?
“I noticed,” I told him, filing it away.
We should watch her more closely. She doesn’t act like the rest of us.
Maybe he was right. But for now, I ignored it and stripped, folding my clothes in a neat pile.
“You ready to run, buddy?” I asked Gavin.
Born ready, he replied with a hungry edge.
I shifted, bones cracking and reforming until Gavin stood where I had been. He was massive—silvery-gray fur catching the moonlight, a wolf that demanded notice.
Aiden’s voice filled our heads through the link. On the count of three, we howl together. Three… two… one.
The pack lifted their heads, howls blending into one chorus of devotion to the moon goddess. Then the forest erupted with movement as we ran.
The earth thundered beneath Gavin’s paws, wind rushing through our fur. For a moment, I let myself enjoy it. Freedom. Wildness. Home.
Until Gavin broke the moment. Are you kidding me? A human could run faster than that wolf.
“What?”
Back there—the white one. She’s barely keeping up. She’s moving like she’s hurt.
That was unusual. Wolves didn’t tire that fast. Concern tightened in me.
“Circle back,” I told him. “Make sure she isn’t injured.”
Gavin veered sharply, paws pounding until the straggler came into view. The white wolf. She was panting, sides heaving as if she’d been running for miles, not minutes.
“Is she… sitting?” I asked.
Panting. Out of breath, Gavin confirmed. That’s not normal.
He trotted up and nudged her shoulder firmly. Her silver-and-white eyes flashed at us with open defiance, a glare that nearly stopped us cold.
And then it hit me.
The floral scent. Stronger than ever.
“It’s her,” I realized, stunned.
Yeah. But something’s off, Gavin said, unsettled. I can’t feel her wolf.
“What do you mean you can’t feel her wolf?”
Exactly that. It’s like there’s no wolf there. Just… emptiness.
Before I could think of what that meant, she swatted at us with her paw, sharp and dismissive.
What the hell? Well, screw her! Gavin snarled, temper flaring. He bolted past her, deliberately kicking up dust in her face as we ran ahead.
“Was that necessary?” I asked.
She pushed me off. I was trying to help! Gavin growled.
I tried to link to her, to apologize—but nothing. No thread of connection, no wolf’s mind to touch.
“I can’t reach her,” I muttered.
Neither can I. That’s not normal, Gavin said, uneasy now.
“No. It’s not.” My gaze lingered on the memory of her silver-white fur, her too-human eyes. “We need to watch the new girl. Something about her doesn’t add up.”
And one thing we definitely need to figure out… Gavin paused, nostrils flaring at the memory. Why she smells so damn good.
Yeah. I couldn’t deny that. Whatever she was, she wasn’t ordinary. And I had a very bad feeling about what that meant.
- Writer
