Market by the Moon

Seraphina Vale had always been afraid of the full moon.Not because of childish stories or foolish superstition, but because something deep within her stirred whenever its silver glow touched her skin.On the night of her eighteenth birthday, the moon rose heavy and luminous above the quiet town of Gray Hollow, bathing the narrow streets and crooked rooftops in pale light. The air hummed with unnatural stillness, as though the world itself waited.Seraphina stood by her bedroom window, arms wrapped around herself.Her chest felt tight.Restless.Uneasy.She had tried to sleep, but her heart refused to slow, her thoughts tangled with a strange, aching sensation she could not name. It was not fear — not entirely.It was longing.And something darker.A whisper curled through her mind.Run.She shivered.Outside, the forest loomed, black and endless beyond the town’s edge. Locals never wandered near it after dark. Too many people had vanished within its depths. Too many screams had echoed from beneath its shadowed canopy.Stay inside, she told herself.But her feet carried her forward.She slipped from her room and out into the silent street, drawn by a force she could not resist. The moonlight guided her steps toward the forest, her pulse thundering with every breath.The moment she crossed the treeline, the world changed.The air thickened.The forest breathed.A low growl rippled through the darkness.Her blood turned to ice.Yellow eyes flickered between the trees.One.Two.Five.Wolves.Massive. Unnatural. Their bodies rippled with muscle, fur black as midnight, teeth glinting like daggers.Seraphina stumbled backward.“No…” she whispered.A thunderous snarl shattered the silence.The wolves suddenly dropped their heads — submissive.Heavy footsteps approached.Then he stepped into the moonlight.He was tall — impossibly so — broad-shouldered, powerful, his presence suffocating. Dark hair framed sharp, lethal features. His eyes burned molten gold, glowing with barely restrained fury.Alpha.Predator.Death.The moment his gaze locked onto hers, the world exploded.A violent jolt tore through her chest, stealing her breath. Heat flooded her veins. Her knees buckled as something ancient and undeniable snapped into place.His eyes widened.His wolf surged.“Impossible…” he breathed.Seraphina collapsed.Strong arms caught her before she hit the ground.Her face pressed against his chest, her senses overwhelmed by his scent — smoke, earth, and raw power. Her heart thundered wildly as consciousness slipped away.The last thing she heard was his growl, low and shaken:“She’s human.”And yet…“She is mine.”