ECLIPSE OF THE FATED LUNA

Chapter 3

Brielle’s POV

My suite door clicked shut behind the porter, and for the first time since landing, I let out a long breath. The space was ridiculous. Floor-to-ceiling windows wrapped around two walls, giving a view of the dark forest and the mountains beyond. A king-sized bed dressed in crisp white linens sat against one wall, and a separate living area held a deep leather sofa and a small kitchenette stocked with fresh fruit and sparkling water. The bathroom alone was bigger than my old apartment, with a rainfall shower and a tub that overlooked the private terrace.

I kicked off my heels and padded across the thick carpet. My suitcase lay open on the luggage rack. I started unpacking slowly, folding leggings and sports bras into the built-in drawers, hanging my favourite blazers in the walk-in closet. Every piece reminded me how far I had come. Seventeen years old, my parents were gone in a rainy car accident, sleeping on my friends’ couches while I filmed workout videos on my cracked phone. Now here I was, twenty-six, with a contract that paid more in six months than I used to make in a year. Shadowridge Estates was my proof that the grind had been worth it.

I pulled out my phone and opened i********:. The light in here was perfect—soft and golden from the bedside lamps. I snapped a quick mirror selfie in the bathroom, hair loose now, wearing the simple tank and shorts I changed into. Caption: First night at my new home base. Shadowridge Estates, you are unreal. The wellness director era begins tomorrow. Who’s ready for some mountain magic? I added the location tag and hit post. The likes started rolling in almost immediately.

Comments from my regular followers poured through—Girl, you made it! And that view though!— I smiled. This was the life I had built. No one could take it from me.

But the smile faded when I walked to the window. The sky had changed. What had been a soft lavender earlier was now streaked with deep red, like someone had spilled wine across the clouds. The moon hung low and heavy, its edge already stained crimson. I stared at it, a strange tightness pulling in my chest. It wasn’t just pretty. It felt… alive. Like it was watching me right back.

I shook my head. Jet lag. That had to be it. I turned away and grabbed my yoga mat from the suitcase, rolling it out on the terrace.

The night air was cool, maybe night-blooming flowers from the resort gardens below. I sank into a simple flow, trying to quiet my mind. Downward dog, warrior pose, and a long forward fold. But every time I closed my eyes, Thorne Valtor’s face appeared. Those silver-grey eyes that had flashed gold for a split second. The way his hand had lingered on mine. The low timbre of his voice said my name like it belonged to him.

Heat crept up my neck. I was being ridiculous. He was my boss. A ridiculously attractive boss, sure, but still off-limits. I had rules about mixing business and anything else. Especially after the last guy who promised the world and then ghosted when my follower count passed his. No. I was here to work, to grow my brand, and to finally feel steady after years of barely keeping my head above water.

I finished the flow and stepped back inside, leaving the terrace doors open so the breeze could drift through. The bed looked too inviting. I slid under the covers, phone on silent, and closed my eyes. Sleep came fast—too fast.

And then the dream hit.

I was running through a forest that looked exactly like the one outside my windows, but darker, wilder. Moonlight, red moonlight filtered through the trees, turning every leaf the colour of blood. My bare feet pounded the ground. Something chased me, something big and powerful, but I wasn’t afraid. Not really. A deep part of me knew I should turn and face it. That it belonged to me.

A howl split the night. I stumbled and fell to my knees. Pain flared in my shoulder, sharp and burning, like teeth sinking in. I gasped and looked down. Blood welled, but the wound was already closing, skin knitting together faster than anything human. A voice whispered in my head—Wake up, little wolf. The moon is calling.

I jolted awake, heart hammering against my ribs. Sweat slicked my skin. The sheets were tangled around my legs. I sat up, pressing a hand to my shoulder. No mark. Of course, there wasn’t. It was just a dream. But the burning sensation lingered, and my pulse still raced as if I had actually been running.

The clock on the nightstand read 11:47 p.m. The resort was quiet, but I couldn’t lie there anymore. The red moon outside my window looked even bigger now, almost full, its crimson glow spilling across the terrace like an invitation. Or a warning.

I pulled on a light hoodie over my tank and shorts, slipped into sneakers, and grabbed my room key. The hallway was empty, soft lighting guiding me toward the private executive gym Thorne had mentioned. I needed to move, to burn off whatever this restless energy was. Maybe a quick run on the treadmill would settle me.

The gym door opened with a soft beep from my key card. Inside it was dimly lit, with floor-to-ceiling mirrors reflecting the moonlight that poured through the glass wall. Treadmills, free weights, and a huge open mat area waited. I was alone. Good. I didn’t want to explain why the new director was working out at midnight.

I stepped onto the treadmill and started slow, then faster, letting the rhythm take over. My reflection stared back at me, my hair swinging, and my eyes bright with leftover adrenaline from the dream. But something felt different tonight. My senses seemed sharper. I could hear the faint hum of the air conditioning more clearly, smell the faint chlorine from the infinity pool below, and even taste the crispness of the mountain air that drifted in through a cracked vent.

Halfway through my run, a new scent cut through everything else—woodsy, expensive, unmistakably male. My steps faltered. I slowed the machine to a walk and turned.

Thorne stood in the doorway.

He wore black workout shorts and a fitted grey T-shirt that clung to every line of muscle. His jet-black hair was slightly damp, like he had already been here or maybe just stepped out of a shower. Those silver-grey eyes met mine across the room, and again I felt that electric pull, stronger now, like an invisible cord tightening between us.

“Couldn’t sleep?” His voice was quiet, but it carried easily in the space.

I wiped my forehead with the back of my wrist, trying to sound casual. “New place, new bed. You know how it is. Figured a run might help.”

He stepped inside and let the door close behind him. The air grew thicker. “I know the feeling.” He moved to the weights rack, but his gaze kept returning to me. “The moon tonight… It’s unusual. Makes everything feel a little off.”

I glanced toward the window. The crimson glow had deepened, painting the entire gym in a soft red haze. “Yeah. It’s beautiful, but kind of eerie. I had the strangest dream just now. Wolves and red moonlight. Probably the altitude is messing with my head.”

Something flickered across his face—concern, maybe, or recognition. He set the weights down without using them and walked closer, stopping a few feet away. Close enough that I could see the faint shadow of stubble along his jaw and the way his chest rose and fell a little too quickly.

“Dreams can be powerful here,” he said carefully. “The mountains have a way of stirring things up. If it happens again, come find me. I know a few breathing techniques that help.”

I nodded, but my mouth had gone dry. The pull between us felt physical now, like gravity had shifted and every cell in my body wanted to close the distance. I gripped the treadmill handles tighter. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”

For a long moment, neither of us moved. The only sound was the low whir of the treadmill belt and my own heartbeat echoing in my ears. Thorne’s eyes darkened, the silver edging toward that same golden flash I had seen earlier. He opened his mouth like he wanted to say more, then closed it again.

“I should let you finish,” he finally said, voice rougher than before. “Early start tomorrow. Your first group session is at ten. I’ll join for part of it i’d want to see how the clients respond.”

“Sounds good.” I forced a smile. “Goodnight, Thorne.”

He lingered one more second, then turned and left without another word. The door clicked shut, and I let out the breath I hadn’t realised I was holding.

I killed the treadmill and stepped off, legs shaky for reasons that had nothing to do with the run. Whatever this strange connection was, it was getting harder to ignore. I wasn’t here for romance. I wasn’t here to feel like my entire world had tilted the moment a man looked at me.

But as I walked back to my suite, the crimson moon followed me through every window, its light warm against my skin like a touch I couldn’t escape.

And deep down, a small voice I had never heard before whispered that maybe the dream hadn’t been a dream at all.

Maybe it had been a memory.