Selene

I didn't wait for dawn. My shoes slapped the stones, echoing sharp in the corridors as I stormed toward Kaelen's wing. The guards I passed straightened but didn't move to stop me. They'd obviously heard the scene in the hall and knew better than to get in my way when fire still smoked in my veins.

The bond hit me before I reached the doors. A pulse of heat low in my belly, sharp and foreign, not my own. My steps faltered and I braced myself against the wall, teeth clenched as the sensation of lust rolled through me.

It was Kaelen's.

Goddess damn him. He was buried inside her, and the bond made sure I felt every thrust, every flicker of his hunger, every ounce of pleasure that should have been mine but never would be again.

I gagged as bile scorched my throat. My nails clawed against stone until the tips split. No. I would not let this break me. I shoved the bond's current into a box inside my chest, slammed the lid, and locked it down tight. If I had to feel it, then I'd carry it like a brand, not a chain. But I would not let him see me stagger under it.

Dorian. Focus on Dorian.

My son's sweet laugh. His tiny hands tugging at my braids. The way he pressed his face to my neck when he fell asleep. He was the reason I kept moving. The reason I didn't fall apart right there on the flagstones while Kaelen's rutting burned through me.

Every step I took was for my boy with eyes too big for his face and hair soft as crow feathers. Kaelen could marry ten princesses and then crown himself a god if he wanted, but he would never take my child.

When I reached the Alpha's chambers, two warriors crossed their halberds before the doors. Their eyes glanced to me, then away just as quickly.

"Move," I ordered.

They shifted uneasily but didn't budge. One cleared his throat. "The Alpha gave orders, Lady Selene."

"Don't you dare call me that." I stepped closer, close enough to smell the iron polish on their armor. "Open these doors, or I'll tear them down myself."

They shifted uncontrollably but still didn't move. My nails bit crescents into my palms as I shoved against the wood. The doors didn't budge. They'd been barred from inside.

Then I heard it. A soft sickening moan. Laughter muffled through walls. The bed creaking. The sound of Kaelen rutting his new princess like a wolf in heat while my son sat locked inside that chamber.

My stomach turned to stone. Fury licked up my throat until I could barely breathe.

I pounded the door with both fists, each strike cracking the silence of the corridor. "Kaelen!" My voice ricocheted down the hall. "Bring me my son!"

No answer. Just more muffled laughter and more bedframe groans, mocking me with every thud.

The guards kept their eyes straight ahead. Useless bastards.

I kept pounding the door until finally, silence fell inside. The bed stopped and the cursed bond steadied. The door creaked open slowly, and there Kaelen stood, sweat-slicked and hair mussed with his tunic gaping open..

My eyes darted past him. Dorian's cradle sat by the fire. He stirred in his sleep, innocent, safe for the moment.

"Selene," Kaelen drawled, leaning against the doorframe as if nothing was wrong. "You should learn patience. Interrupting your Alpha's wedding night is beneath you."

I ignored the obvious taunt. "I've come for my son."

Dorian woke up just then, and made his way to me. "Papa? What's happening?" he asked Kaelen even though his tiny frame clung to my leg.

Kaelen's eyes softened for a moment, but it passed. "Go back to bed, Dorian. This is between your mother and me."

"No," I snapped, my tone protective. "You don't get to dismiss him like that. Or me."

He took a step closer and the guards shifted, hovering but not advancing. "You're making this harder than it needs to be. Dorian is my heir, the next Alpha of Bloodfang. He stays here with me. That is nonnegotiable."

"With you?" I laughed bitterly. "While you parade your new Luna and her gold? He needs his mother, not your politics."

Kaelen's jaw tightened, his Alpha aura pressing against me, commanding submission. But I stood tall, fearless. I'd faced down rogues, storms, starvation. His aura wouldn't break me.

"You're not thinking clearly," he said. "You can't raise him alone. The bond ties you to me, Selene. You leave, and you'll feel every moment of my life with Lysandra. Every touch, every night. It'll drive you mad."

The bond pulsed again, reminding me of the truth in his words. "I'd rather go mad than live under your mercy," I retorted. "And Dorian comes with me."

"No, he doesn't." His voice was final. "He's Bloodfang's future. You're not taking him."

I glanced at Dorian, his wide eyes were darting between us in confusion.

Don't scare him, Selene. Keep it together.

I took a deep, calming breath and said, "Kaelen, think about what you're doing. He's five years old. He needs his mother. You can't rip him away just to spite me."

"It's not spite," he said, stepping closer, lowering his voice. "It's duty. The pack needs a strong heir raised here, not in some wilderness with a scorned woman."

"Scorned?" I could barely believe the words. "You scorned me, Kaelen. You stood on that dais, marked her, and threw our bond in the dirt. And now you think you can dictate my son's life?"

He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "I don't want this fight, Selene. I meant what I said in the garden. Stay. Be my second wife. You'll have a place and honor. And you'll get to see Dorian every day."

"Honor?" I spat the word. "You call that honor? Living as your concubine while she wears the title I earned? Feeling you with her through this cursed bond? I'd rather chew glass."

Lysandra's voice came from the hall. "Let her go, Kaelen. She's embarrassing herself."

I whirled, spotting her leaning against the doorway, her golden hair loose, her silk robe barely concealing her curves. The bond flared again, a sickening confirmation of their intimacy, and I had to clench my fists to keep from lunging at her.

"Stay out of this," I told her, my voice low and lethal. "This is between me and him."

She smirked, unfazed. "Oh, but it involves me, huntress. I'm Luna now. And that boy is my stepson."

"Oh, is he now?" I asked, stepping in front of Dorian. "Come claim him then. Come on. I dare you."

Kaelen raised a hand, silencing her. "Lysandra, enough. Go back to our chambers."

Our chambers. I tried not to flinch at the words no matter how much they cut. She pouted but obeyed, her robe swishing as she retreated.

I faced Kaelen again, trying to keep my voice steady. "Let me take him. You've taken everything else from me... my place, my pack, my bond. Don't take my son. Please I beg you, Kaelen."

For the briefest moment, there was a flash of emotion across his face. But it passed just as fast as it came and he shook his head. "Dorian is the heir to Bloodfang. I can't let you take him."

The words landed like a blow, but I didn't waver. My mind raced... thinking of tunnels, distractions, anything. "You think you can keep him from me? I'm his mother. I'll burn this stronghold down before I let you."

He narrowed his eyes then. "You'd risk war for him?"

"For him, I'd risk everything," I shot back, my voice fierce. "You know that."

Dorian whimpered behind me, and I knelt, pulling him close. "It's okay, love. Mama's here."

Kaelen watched for a while, then tightened his jaw. "Guards, escort her out."

They moved, but I stood, placing myself between them and Dorian. "Touch me, and I'll break off your arms and feed them to the dogs."

Bram hesitated, his hand still on his sword. "Selene, don't make us."

"Make you?" I let out a bitter laugh. "You're choosing to follow a coward who breaks sacred bonds. Bram, you owe me. Step aside."

He looked to Kaelen, torn, but the Alpha nodded. "Do it."

They grabbed my arms, their grips bruising. I fought and twisted, but they were stronger, dragging me toward the door.

Dorian cried out, "Mama!" and I nearly broke free, desperation fueling me.

"Kaelen, stop this!" I shouted, my voice raw. "You'll destroy him!"

"He'll be stronger for it," he replied, standing over Dorian now, his hand on the boy's shoulder. "He's Bloodfang."

I kicked at the guards, landing a solid hit on one's shin, but they held firm, pulling me into the hall.

Just before we got to the door, I shouted, "I'll come back for you, Dorian. I swear it." And then the door slammed shut and Dorian's cries muffled behind it.

"Let me go!" I snarled, thrashing. They didn't answer, just dragged me toward the main gates.

My mind screamed but the bond burned strong. He was with Lysandra again, I could feel it, the echo of their closeness twisting in my chest.

The guards shoved me into the great hall, where more pack members lingered, their eyes avoiding mine. "Cowards," I hissed as I passed. "You let this happen."

No one responded. The gates loomed ahead, iron and unyielding. I needed my bow, my pack, but there was no time. The guards pushed me forward, and I stumbled onto the cold earth outside.

"Stay out," one said, not meeting my eyes.

Then the gates slammed shut on the only life I knew.

I stood there, alone in the night, the stronghold's walls towering behind me. My son was inside, trapped by his father's greed and my own pack had turned their backs on me.

But I wasn't broken yet.

I'd get Dorian back. I'd make Kaelen pay. And the pack would see what their silence cost.

My thoughts churned in circles.

Where do I go now? The neutral lands to find allies?

I looked ahead and saw the wilderness stretched before me. It looked dark and unforgiving, but I'd survived it before. I'd survive it now.

I took one step, then another, and another, fury fueling me. Kaelen thought he'd won, but he'd only lit the spark.

He'd said Dorian was Bloodfang's heir and that I'd never take him.

He was very wrong.

I'd take my son back, and when I did, Kaelen would kneel.

Selene

The wilderness swallowed me whole, its dark embrace both a comfort and a threat. I had hunted these very woods since I was a child, so it wasn't too hard to find my way around. My boots sank into the damp earth, as I navigated my way through the forest floor littered with pine needles in the dark.

My body ached from bruises from their rough hands and cuts from thorns I'd stumbled through in my blind flight. But the real pain wasn't physical. It was that cursed thread tying me to Kaelen, pulsing with his every breath and his every touch with Lysandra. And my son, trapped in that stone prison, stolen by his father's greed.

I would see Dorian again. I would cut through steel and bone and fate itself if I had to. But I would get my son back.

The night was cold, the moon hidden behind clouds, leaving only starlight to guide me. My leathers were torn, the crimson gown long abandoned in a ditch, replaced by the hunting gear I'd grabbed before the guards caught me.

No bow, though. They'd taken that too, the damn bastards. My hands itched for its familiar weight, for the certainty of an arrow's flight. Without it, I felt naked and defenseless.

I moved deeper into the neutral lands, the no man's stretch between Bloodfang and Shadowfang territories. No pack ruled here, just rogues and outcasts, wolves too wild or too broken to kneel to any Alpha. It was dangerous, yes, but it was my only path. My plan was half formed at best: find shelter, regroup, figure out how to infiltrate the stronghold. Every step away from Dorian felt like a betrayal to my son, but I needed time... allies... anything to tilt the odds and give me a fighting chance.

The bond flared again, a sharp twist in my chest. Kaelen was with her. I gritted my teeth, forcing the sensation down.

Damn him, not now. Focus.

The forest was far too quiet and my instincts immediately screamed danger, but I kept moving, one hand on the dagger strapped to my thigh. It wasn't much, but it would have to do.

A twig snapped to my left and I froze, my ears straining. Another snap sounded, then a low growl, not wolf but something baser, and much hungrier.

My pulse quickened, but I kept my breathing steady as I crouched behind a gnarled oak, peering into the darkness. Shapes moved–three, maybe four, their eyes glinting yellow in the faint light. They were wolves, but not pack wolves; their movements were too erratic and undisciplined.

Rogues.

"Well, well," a raspy male voice called. "What's a pretty thing like you doing out here all alone?"

I stayed silent but my grip tightened on the dagger at my side. Let them think I was easy prey. It'd make their mistake that much sweeter.

Another voice came again, but female this time. "Smells like Bloodfang. Bet she's running from something. Or someone."

They were closer now, circling the tree. My heart pounded, but my mind was clear and calculating. Three confirmed, possibly a fourth. No bows, just claws and blades. I could take them if I moved fast and used the terrain. The dagger was small, but I'd trained for close combat, and these rogues didn't look disciplined.

"Come out, little wolf," the first voice taunted. "We don't bite... much."

I smirked despite myself. Idiots.

"You sure about that?" I called back. "Last wolf who tried biting me ended up with an arrow through his throat."

"Oh, but we just want to have a little chat. No arrows now, girl. Just you and us."

They lunged before I could respond, shadows bursting from the trees. I rolled to the side, the dagger flashing as I slashed at the nearest rogue- a lanky male with matted hair and a rusted blade. He yelped as my dagger caught his arm, blood spraying, but the others were on me fast.

The woman, wiry and quick, swung a club at my head. I ducked, kicking her knee, and sent her sprawling. The third, a hulking brute, grabbed for my arm, but I twisted, driving my blade into his thigh. He roared and stumbled back.

Three down, but not out. Where's the fourth?

My eyes darted around, scanning the trees. The bond pulsed again. Kaelen's presence was a distraction I couldn't afford right now.

Damn you, Kaelen. Get your mangled butt out of my head.

The woman was up, snarling, as she raised her club. "You'll pay for that, bitch."

"Original," I shot back, dodging her swing. "Got anything better?"

She growled and charged, but I sidestepped, letting her momentum carry her into a tree. The lanky male was back, blood dripping from his arm, yet swinging his blade wildly. I parried with my dagger, and kicked him in the gut. He doubled over, gasping.

The brute was slower, but his size was a problem. He swung a massive fist, and I barely ducked, the air whistling past my ear. My dagger wasn't enough for him. I needed a weapon.

My eyes caught a thick fallen branch nearby. I dove for it, rolling as the brute's fist slammed into the ground where I'd been.

"Too slow," I taunted, grabbing the branch and swinging it hard against his knee. He bellowed, then collapsed, but the woman was back, tackling me from behind. We hit the ground, her claws raking my face. Pain flared, but I twisted, jamming my elbow into her ribs. She gasped, loosening her grip, and I rolled free, scrambling to my feet.

"Where's your pack now, Bloodfang?" the lanky one sneered, circling with his blade. "It seems no one's coming for you."

"Good," I said, my voice fierce. "Means I don't have to share the fun."

But I was tiring, and they knew it. Blood trickled from a cut on my cheek and my arms burned from the fight. The brute was up again, limping now but dangerous.

I need to end this fast.

Suddenly, a new sound cut through the night, jerking all our attention towards it. It was a low, commanding growl, not rogue but pack, laced with authority. The rogues stopped, their eyes darting to the trees. I tightened my grip on the branch, ready for anything.

From the shadows a massive wolf emerged, his fur black as midnight with silver streaks, his golden eyes burning with authority. Scars crisscrossed his muzzle, his presence radiating raw power. Alpha power. I knew instantly who it was.

Draven Nightbane, Shadowfang's alpha, and Kaelen's sworn enemy.

The rogues backed away. "Shadowfang," the woman hissed with fear in her voice.

His gaze landed on me for a moment but neither of us spoke. My blood dripped to the dirt from my cheek and my thigh ached from where it'd been slashed but still, no one moved an inch.

Draven didn't look at them. His gaze stayed on me, head tilted slightly, studying me like a curiosity. Then when his voice came, it was deep and carrying the weight of command no one dared to defy. "Leave. Now."

Then taking slow but measured steps towards me, he added, "I've claimed this one. She's mine."

Selene

Draven's words hung in the air like a blade poised to fall.

"She's mine now."

The forest was silent now, the rogues' whimpers fading into the distance, their retreat marked by the sound of rustling leaves and snapping twigs. Meanwhile, the massive wolf stood before me, his black fur streaked with silver, his golden eyes piercing through the darkness.

Draven's form shimmered, bones cracking as he shifted back to human. When he was fully transformed, his leather armor clung to his broad frame, scars crisscrossing his chest, visible through the open laces of his tunic. His dark hair that still had streaks of silver, fell into his golden eyes, which held mine with an intensity that made my skin prickle.

He was dangerous, no question, but I knew if he wanted me dead, I'd be sipping ale at the Moon godess' temple by now. Either way, I tightened my grip on the dagger, and squared by stance despite the pain. He'd chased off the rogues, but that didn't make him my savior.

"Yours?" I said, my voice holding an edge, though my legs were still trembling from the fight. "I don't belong to anyone, Shadowfang. Not Kaelen, and sure as hell not you."

His lips twitched, a faint smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Bold words for a woman bleeding out in rogue territory."

I wiped the blood from my cheek, ignoring the burn. "I was handling it. Rogues aren't new to me."

"Clearly," he said, his tone dry, almost teasing.

He stepped closer, his boots silent on the forest floor. "You're Kealen's mate."

"Congratulations. You know me," I said, my voice steady, fiery. "Now what do you want, Nightbane?"

He chuckled. "Rejected, I take it?"

The words stung, but I didn't respond. Instead, I met his gaze head on.

He tilted his head, studying me. "Running, are you?"

"Strategizing," I corrected. "Not that it's any of your business."

He chuckled again, a low rumble that sent a shiver down my spine. "Oh, you're quite intriguing." he said with a smile. "A woman like you... hunter, fighter, scorned Luna.. has value. Especially to me."

My mind raced. Value. He wasn't here out of kindness; Draven Nightbane didn't have a kind bone in his body, if the stories were true. He was a tactician, a warrior who'd built Shadowfang into a rival power through blood and cunning. And now he was looking at me like I was a weapon he could wield.

"Spit it out," I said, my tone demanding. "What's your angle?"

"No angle," he replied, his voice smooth but edged with steel. He stepped closer still, close enough that I could see the faint scar running along his jaw. "Just an offer. Sanctuary in Shadowfang territory. Protection from Kaelen's hunters and from rogues. A chance to strike back at the man who broke you."

"I'm not broken," I snapped, fire blazing in my chest. The bond pulsed again, Kaelen's presence a faint echo of his time with Lysandra, and I gritted my teeth. "And I don't need your charity."

"You know I don't do charity," he said, his eyes narrowing. "I'm proposing an alliance. You know Bloodfang's secrets... its defenses, its weaknesses, its heart. I want Kaelen's head on a pike, and from how you sound, I'm sure you want the same. We can help each other."

I squarred my shoulders. "If you think I'm about to trade one Alpha's leash for another, you're dumber than you look."

His eyes gleamed at that, as if my fire amused him. Then he took another step closer, until I could feel the heat radiating off him. "Kaelen made a mistake. And I intend to make use of it."

When I said nothing, he continued. "Besides, the fact that he's not here with you means Kaelen's got your boy locked in that stronghold, and you're out here, bleeding and alone. You need a pack, Selene. Mine."

The sound of Dorian's name made me pause and consider for a while. Finally, I spoke. "After one Alpha stabbed me in the back, what makes you think I'll kneel to another?"

"No not kneel... something much better." He said, "But like I said before, I do not do charity. In exchange for my protection and my pack. I want something in return."

"Ah there it is." I said as a bitter laugh tore through my throat. "There's always a catch. Let me guess... you want to share my bed in exchange?" I huffed and begun to walk away. "Thanks for the offer, but I'll pass."

"I want your hand."

I froze in my tracks. For a moment, the words refused to fully register. Then slowly, I turned to face him again.

"Excuse me?"

Then he took another step, closing the distance between us. "I want you to stand beside me. As an equal. I want you to be my Luna."

Equal. The word lingered, tempting in a way Kaelen's promises never had. Kaelen had called me his mate, his love, but never his equal. Draven's offer was a lifeline, but it came with chains. He was no saint. Everyone knew his reputation was soaked in blood, and his ambitions just as ruthless as Kaelen's greed.

But Dorian was out of reach, and I was running out of options. My wounds throbbed, my strength was fading, but my resolve to find my son burned brighter than ever.

"Why me?" I asked, testing him, my eyes locked on his. "Plenty of scorned wolves out there. Why risk Kaelen's wrath for a Beta-born with no pack?"

"Because, my lady, you're not just any wolf. I've heard the stories. I've heard how you fed Bloodfang through famines, held their borders with a bow. Kaelen underestimated you. I do not plan to make the same mistake."

I considered it for a while. The offer was more than tempting. But still, I had to play my cards right. "You're not exactly selling trust here, Nightbane," I said. "What's to stop you from using me and tossing me aside when you're done?"

"Trust is earned," he replied, his eyes never leaving mine. "Come with me, and we'll start building it. Or stay here and wait for the rogues to come back. Your choice."

I studied him, the bond flaring again. Draven was offering a path, but it was a dangerous one. Shadowfang was no sanctuary; it was a battlefield of its own, with enemies I didn't yet know. But for Dorian, I'd walk through fire. "And what do I get?" I pressed. "Besides your oh-so-charming protection?"

His eyes glinted, amused but serious. "A chance at revenge. A place to stand. And the means to get your son back. Take the offer or leave it, Selene. I'm done trying to convince you."

Revenge. The word burned in me, as hot as my love for Dorian. Kaelen had taken everything from me... my place, my pack and my child. The thought of tearing him down and making him regret, was almost as sweet as the image of holding Dorian again. But Draven wasn't my ally yet, he was a weapon I could wield if I played this right.

"You want an alliance?" I said, keeping my voice steady. "Fine. You got one. But it's on my terms. I'm no one's pawn, Draven. Not Kaelen's, and especially not yours."

He nodded once, with a small smile. "I wouldn't expect anything less. But we need to move now, my lady. Rogues aren't the only threat out here, and Kaelen's hunters won't be far behind."

I hesitated and glanced back toward Bloodfang's distant lights, hidden beyond the trees. Dorian was there, locked away, believing his father's lies.

"Alright. But I have one condition." I said as my eyes locked on his. "When the time comes, I want to be the one to grind Bloodfang into ash. It must be my own blade that goes through Kaelen's heart."

His smile widened, as admiration glowed in his golden eyes. "That's a promise I can get behind. We should go now, my queen. We've got much work to do."

He turned and gestured for me to follow just as his warriors emerged from the shadows, their eyes assessing me. I stood tall, dagger still in hand, blood drying on my skin.

Kaelen thought he'd broken me. Draven thought he'd claimed me.

They were both wrong.

I'd carve my own path, and when I was done, Bloodfang would be nothing but dust.