Blood Moon Oath

The night air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine, but Selene Voss could only smell blood. It wasn't hers-not yet. She sprinted through the dense Blackwood Forest, her lungs burning, her pulse roaring in her ears. The howls behind her were getting closer. They've found me. She ducked under low-hanging branches, her bare feet barely making a sound on the soft forest floor. Moonlight filtered through the towering trees, casting silver streaks over her pale skin. She had been running for days, surviving on nothing but stolen scraps and sheer will. But this time, the hunters were smarter. They had driven her straight into a trap. A snarl ripped through the trees behind her. Selene swore under her breath. Five of them. Maybe six. The rogue hunters had been after her for years, always thought she was safe ing when she knew what she was, knew what she could do. And they wanted her dead before she could become a threat. But she was tired of running. She skidded to a stop in a small clearing, her back to a massive oak. Shadows moved between the trees-dark figures with glowing amber eyes. They circled her like wolves scenting fresh prey. "Nowhere left to run, little rogue," one of them sneered, stepping forward. His face was twisted with cruel amusement. "You've given us a good chase, but it ends tonight." Selene exhaled slowly, feeling the hum of energy beneath her skin. The air around her thickened, responding to the pull of her magic. The ground trembled slightly as she called upon the elements. The hunter's smirk faltered. "What the-" A gust of wind shot through the clearing, lifting dead leaves and debris into a swirling vortex around Selene. The temperature dropped. Frost crept up the bark of the oak behind her. "I warned you," she whispered. Then she struck. Lightning crackled from her fingertips, streaking toward the nearest hunter. He screamed as the energy slammed into him, sending him flying backward. The others lunged, but Selene was already moving, spinning through the chaos. She was fast-faster than them. But they were many, and she was alone. A heavy blow struck her side, knocking the air from her lungs. She hit the ground hard, her vision swimming. The world tilted as a boot came down on her chest, pinning her in place. Pain flared through her ribs. Selene gritted her teeth, glaring up at her attacker. "Not so powerful now, are you?" the hunter taunted. He pressed down harder, making her gasp. "Maybe we should take our time before we kill you." The other hunters laughed. Selene's blood boiled. She gathered what little energy she had left, preparing to unleash one last desperate blast- A low, bone-chilling growl cut through the laughter. The hunters froze. The sound rumbled through the trees, deep and menacing. It wasn't human. Selene felt it before she saw it-the shift in the air, the scent of dominance and raw power. Then he emerged. A massive black wolf stepped into the clearing, his silver eyes glowing like twin moons. He was larger than any wolf Selene had ever seen, his presence alone making the hunters recoil. The aura of an Alpha rolled off him in waves, suffocating and undeniable. The wolf bared his teeth, his snarl promising death. The lead hunter's face paled. "Shadowfang Pack," he whispered in horror. The black wolf lunged. Selene barely had time to process what happened next. One moment, the hunters were standing over her, and the next, they were screaming. Clawed hands and snapping jaws tore through them like they were nothing. Blood sprayed across the ground. She tried to move, but the pain in her ribs kept her frozen. The battle ended as qu y as it had begun. Silence fell, broken only by the ragged breathing of the surviving hunter, who lay trembling at the wolf's feet. The wolf shifted. In the blink of an eye, where the beast had stood, now stood a man-tall, broad-shouldered, and exuding raw dominance. His black hair was tousled from the shift, his golden skin streaked with blood. He was shirtless, revealing a body carved from war and power. But it was his eyes that held her captive-stormy silver, glowing in the moonlight. The man looked down at the surviving hunter, his voice calm, deadly. "Who sent you?" The hunter whimpered. "We-we were just tracking a rogue!" The man's lips curled in disgust. "Wrong answer." With a flick of his wri s extended from his fingertips. A single swipe, and the hunter's throat was slashed open. He crumpled, lifeless. Silence. Selene struggled to sit up, every instinct screaming at her to run. Then those silver eyes turned to her. She held her breath. The man took a slow step forward, his gaze locking onto hers. A slow smirk ghosted over his lips as he crouched beside her. "You're in my territory, little rogue," he murmured, his voice deep and smooth. A shiver ran down her spine-not just from fear, but from something deeper, something primal. He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face, his touch lingering for just a moment too long. And then he whispered the word that changed everything. "You're mine"