Blood Moon Oath

Chapter 3 – A Cage of Wolves

Selene sat rigidly on the back of Kael’s massive black horse, her hands bound loosely in front of her with leather straps. He rode beside her, one hand gripping the reins, the other resting casually on his thigh—too at ease for someone who had just taken an unwilling guest.

She wasn’t sure what she hated more: the fact that she was being dragged into Shadowfang territory against her will, or that her traitorous body wasn’t fighting it as hard as she should.

The warriors riding around them were silent, their presence suffocating. They moved as one unit, powerful and disciplined, wolves bred for war. Selene had spent most of her life running, but she had never seen a pack like this—loyal, ruthless, and completely in sync with their Alpha.

Kael Draven.

The man radiated dominance, his presence wrapping around her like a second skin. Every time she tried to put distance between them, he would look at her with those piercing silver eyes, as if daring her to try something.

She hated that her wolf didn’t want to.

"Are the restraints really necessary?" she finally bit out, testing the leather against her wrists.

Kael smirked but didn’t look at her. "Considering you tried to run twice before we even left the clearing? Yes, necessary."

She scowled. "You could have just let me go."

"And let my mate wander into the wild, unprotected?" He finally turned to face her, his expression unreadable. "Not a chance."

Mate.

The word made her stomach twist.

"You don’t get to decide that," she snapped.

Kael raised a brow. "You think the bond is a choice?"

Selene opened her mouth to argue, but no words came. The mate bond wasn’t something wolves chose. It chose them. It was primal, binding, inescapable. But that didn’t mean she had to accept it.

"You’re not my Alpha," she muttered, turning away.

Kael leaned in slightly, his voice a low rumble. "Not yet."

A shiver ran down her spine.

Selene clenched her jaw and stared ahead as the dense forest gave way to towering cliffs. A massive stone fortress loomed in the distance, half-hidden behind thick mist. The Shadowfang stronghold.

Her pulse quickened.

They passed through an enormous gate, flanked by guards who bowed their heads in respect as Kael rode by. Inside, the pack’s village spread out before them—stone houses, training grounds, and watchtowers carved into the mountain. Wolves stopped what they were doing to stare, their gazes filled with curiosity and something else she couldn’t place.

"Word travels fast," Kael murmured, his gaze sweeping the village.

Selene swallowed hard. She didn’t belong here. She needed to escape before it was too late.

As if sensing her thoughts, Kael dismounted in one fluid motion, then reached for her.

"I can get down myself," she said, but before she could move, his hands gripped her waist and lifted her effortlessly. Her breath caught as she was pressed against his chest for a brief moment before he set her down.

His warmth lingered.

She quickly stepped back, hating the way her skin burned where he had touched her.

A large, scarred warrior approached—Kael’s Beta.

"Beta Darius," Kael said, his tone commanding. "Prepare a room for her. One with a lock."

Selene stiffened. "I’m not a prisoner."

Kael turned to her, amusement flickering in his gaze. "Then don’t try to escape, and you won’t have to be locked in."

Selene ground her teeth. She had underestimated him. He knew exactly how to keep her caged.

Darius nodded but eyed her warily. "Are you sure this is a good idea, Alpha? Bringing in a rogue—"

Kael’s growl was instant. "She is not just a rogue."

Darius dipped his head in submission. "Of course, Alpha."

Selene barely had time to process the exchange before two warriors flanked her, motioning for her to follow. She had no choice but to obey, her mind spinning.

She didn’t understand Kael Draven.

He was possessive, dominant, and impossibly strong. But something about him unsettled her more than anything else.

Because when he looked at her, it wasn’t just with claiming in his eyes.

It was recognition.

And that scared her more than anything.