Astra's POV

Astra jumped through the window just as the wolves burst through the front door. Glass broke around her as she hit the ground outside, but there was no time to check for cuts. The angry yells behind her meant only one thing-they'd found Master Kron.

"There she goes! The outlaw attacked Kron! Get her!"

Her feet pounded against the dirt as she sprinted toward the trees. The morning sun had barely risen, creating long shadows between the trees. Perfect for hiding.

This wasn't how Astra had planned to spend her eighteenth birthday. Then again, rogues didn't get birthday parties or presents. They just got to survive another year.

The mate mark on her arm throbbed, a steady reminder of the impossible thing that had happened. Rogues didn't get mate points. Everyone knew that. Rogues were outcasts, unworthy of the Moon Goddess's gift of a true mate.

Yet here she was, running for her life with a fresh mark burning on her skin.

As she reached the cover of the woods, a strange feeling pulled at her chest. Like an invisible rope pulling her northward. Astra had never felt anything like it before. It was both painful and somehow... right.

"Must be the mate bond," she whispered to herself, ducking behind a thick tree. "But who would be mated to someone like me?"

The sound of howls echoed through the trees. They were changing to wolf form to track her better. Astra knew she couldn't outrun them as a human, but shifting would leave her exposed for precious seconds. And her wolf was weak from years of poor care.

Still, she had no choice.

Astra closed her eyes and called to her wolf. The change ripped through her body-bones cracking and rearranging, skin stretching over new muscles. It hurt worse than normal, probably because she was so tired and hungry.

When the change ended, a sleek gray wolf stood where Astra had been. Her wolf form was smaller than most-another sign of her hard life-but faster.

She took off running, following game trails she had learned over the years. The pull in her chest grew stronger with each step north, fighting against her urge to head east, away from danger.

After an hour of running, Astra could no longer hear her attackers. She found a small cave hidden behind a waterfall and shifted back to human form, falling on the damp ground.

"Happy birthday to me," she whispered, catching her breath.

Her stomach growled loudly. The small bag of food she'd grabbed had been lost in her flight. Astra couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten a proper meal. Master Kron had kept her on scraps, just enough to keep her going.

The mark on her arm caught her eye again. In the dim light of the cave, it seemed to glow slightly-a crescent moon circled by five small stars. It was beautiful, really. A evil joke from the Moon Goddess.

"What am I supposed to do with you?" Astra asked the mark. "Follow you to some wolf who'll probably reject me the moment he realizes I'm a rogue?"

But the pull was getting harder to ignore. Like an itch under her skin that wouldn't go away.

Astra dozed off, tiredness finally winning. In her dreams, she saw a pair of ice-blue eyes watching her from the darkness. Eyes that seemed to look right through her.

She woke with a gasp as rough hands grabbed her arms.

"Found you, little rogue," growled a voice she recognized. One of Master Kron's friends, Vane. His breath stank of meat and ale.

"Let me go!" Astra struggled, but Vane was twice her size. Another wolf stood behind him, grinning wickedly.

"Kron is real mad," Vane said, shaking her. "That was some nasty bump you gave him. He's giving a reward to whoever brings you back alive... though he didn't say we had to bring you back undamaged."

Fear shot through Astra's body. She knew what that meant.

"I think we should have some fun first," said the second wolf, going for her face.

Something snapped inside Astra. The partner mark on her arm suddenly burned white-hot, sending waves of strength through her body. With a scream of rage, she twisted in Vane's grip and sank her teeth into his hand.

The taste of blood filled her mouth as Vane howled in pain. He let go, and Astra didn't waste the chance. She kicked the second wolf between the legs, making him double over in pain.

"You little-" Vane rushed for her again, but Astra was already moving.

She burst from the cave and ran like she'd never run before. The pull in her chest was now an urgent tug, almost painful in its intensity. North. She needed to go north.

For three days, Astra ran, stole food when she could, and slept hidden in bushes or caves. The mate mark continued to burn, getting stronger each day. The pull was so powerful now that trying to move in any other way made her physically ill.

On the morning of the fourth day, Astra stood at the edge of a vast region she'd only heard whispers about. The Northern Packs. The most powerful werewolves in the land lived here, led by Alphas whose names were spoken with fear even in the farthest regions.

No rogue would ever dare enter these lands. The sentence was death, no questions asked.

Yet the mate mark pulled her forward, straight toward the heart of danger.

"This is crazy," Astra told herself, touching the mark. "Whoever is on the other end of this bond can't possibly want me."

Still, she took a step forward. Then another. Something was changing inside her-a new strength she couldn't explain. For the first time in ten years, she felt hope.

A twig snapped behind her.

Astra whirled around to find herself circled by five massive wolves, each wearing the symbol of the Northern Pack on leather bands around their legs. Their teeth were bared, eyes locked on her.

"Rogue," growled one as he changed to human form-a tall man with scars across his face. "You've crossed into forbidden ground. The punishment is death."

Astra raised her hands slowly. "Please," she said. "I don't mean any harm. I'm just... following my mate mark."

The wolves looked at each other, clearly not believing her.

"Show us," ordered the scarred man.

Astra slowly rolled up her sleeve, showing the crescent moon and stars. The wolves stared in shock.

"Impossible," mumbled one. "That's the Alpha's mark!"

"The Alpha?" Astra's voice shook. "Which Alpha?"

The scarred man's face had gone pale. "Alpha Alaric of the Northern Pack," he said. "The most powerful Alpha in all the regions. And he's been waiting for his mate to appear."

Astra's knees went weak. This couldn't be happening. The feared Alpha Alaric-her mate? She had heard stories of his harshness, his cold-heartedness. They said he killed rogues without pity.

"There must be a mistake," she said.

"No mistake," said the scarred man, his tone suddenly polite. "The mark never lies."

Before she could answer, a howl ripped through the forest-deeper and more powerful than any Astra had ever heard. The wolves around her instantly lowered their heads in submission.

"He knows," said the scarred man. "The Alpha feels your presence."

Astra's heart hammered in her chest as the forest seemed to go totally silent. The pull in her chest was now an almost unbearable pressure. He was coming.

The bushes parted, and a huge black wolf stepped into view, its ice-blue eyes locking onto Astra's. The same eyes from her dream.

As she watched, the wolf changed, shifting into the shape of a man. Tall. Powerful. Dangerous.

Alpha Alaric stood before her, his face a mask of shock and something else-fury.

"You?" he growled, his voice like thunder. "A filthy rogue is my mate?"

Astra's POV

"Kneel before your Alpha," growled the scarred guard, pushing Astra to the ground.

Her knees hit the dirt hard, but Astra kept her eyes up. Ten years as a rogue had taught her one thing – show fear and they'll tear you apart.

Alpha Alaric towered over her, his ice-blue eyes burning with disgust. The mate mark on Astra's arm throbbed painfully, as if trying to pull her toward him despite his clear hatred.

"A rogue," he spat the word. "The Moon Goddess must be playing a cruel joke."

Astra's heart sank. She had expected rejection, but the pure hatred in his voice cut deeper than she'd imagined. Still, she wouldn't give him the pleasure of seeing her hurt.

"Trust me, I'm not exactly thrilled either," she shot back. "Being mated to an arrogant Alpha wasn't on my birthday wish list."

The guards gasped at her rudeness. One raised his hand to strike her, but Alaric stopped him with a slight motion.

"Lock her up," Alaric ordered coldly. "I need time to think about this... unfortunate situation."

Two guards grabbed Astra's arms and pulled her away from the clearing. As they marched her through the trees, her mind raced. Being locked up was bad, but at least she wasn't dead. Yet.

The guards brought her to a small cabin at the edge of the area and shoved her inside. The door slammed shut, and Astra heard the heavy click of a lock.

"Great," she mumbled, looking around the single room. There was a bed, a small table, and a barred window. Not exactly a five-star hotel, but better than the dirty floor she'd slept on at Master Kron's.

Astra sat on the bed and looked at her mate mark. The crescent moon and stars seemed to shimmer in the dim light.

"Fat lot of good you are," she told it. "Found my mate, and he hates me. Perfect."

The sound of footsteps outside made her nervous. Was Alaric coming back already? Had he chosen to kill her after all?

But the face that showed at the window wasn't Alaric's. It was a man with kind brown eyes and shaggy dark hair.

"Astra," he whispered. "It's me, Damon."

Relief rushed through her. "Damon! What are you doing here? If they catch you-"

"Shh," he warned, looking around nervously. "I've been tracking you since you ran from Kron's place. I saw them catch you." He frowned at the mate mark on her arm. "So it's true? You're mated to that monster?"

Astra nodded sadly. "Apparently. Not that he wants anything to do with me."

Damon had been her only friend for years. Another rogue, he'd helped her survive when things got tough, showing her how to hunt and hide. He was older than her by several years and had always been like a watchful older brother.

"We need to get you out of here," Damon said quickly. "That Alpha... he's scary, Astra. They say he killed his own father to take control of the pack."

Fear rippled through Astra's stomach. "But the mate bond-"

"Means nothing to wolves like him," Damon ended. "He'll use you or kill you. Either way, you're not safe here."

Part of Astra wanted to argue. The mate pull was stronger than ever with Alaric so close. But Damon was right. The disgust in Alaric's eyes had been real.

"How do we escape? There are guards everywhere."

Damon grinned, holding up a small key. "I made friends with one of the kitchen staff. Not everyone is loyal to the big bad wolf."

Hope sparked inside Astra. Maybe they could actually pull this off.

"Meet me at the back window in ten minutes," Damon whispered. "There's a shift change then. It's our best chance."

As he disappeared, Astra paced the small room. Running away from her mate went against every sense she had. The mark burned at the very thought. But staying could mean death.

When ten minutes passed, Astra crept to the back window. Damon was there, quickly working on the bars with a small tool.

"Hurry," he urged. "The next patrol comes by in two minutes."

With a final twist, the bars came loose. Damon helped Astra squeeze through the tight space. Her foot had barely touched the ground when a shout rang out.

"Hey! Stop right there!"

A guard ran toward them, already shifting partly to wolf form. His hands became claws, teeth growing into fangs.

"Run!" Damon pushed Astra ahead of him. "I'll hold him off!"

"No! I won't leave you!" Astra cried, but Damon was already turning to face the guard.

"Go!" he growled. "I'll find you!"

Heart beating, Astra ran. Behind her, she heard growls and the sounds of fighting. Each step away from the Northern Pack area made the mate mark burn worse, like it was trying to drag her back to Alaric.

She forced herself to keep moving, running until her lungs felt like they might burst. When she finally stopped to catch her breath, leaning against a big tree, she realized she had no idea where she was.

"Damon?" she called softly. No answer.

Guilt crushed down on her. Had she just left her only friend to die? And for what? To run from a mate who didn't want her anyway?

A twig snapped nearby. Astra froze, listening closely. Footsteps approached-too heavy to be Damon's.

She prepared to run again, but her legs trembled with tiredness. She couldn't escape another wolf, not now.

"Well, well," came a familiar voice that made her blood run cold. "Look who I found."

Master Kron stepped into view, a cruel smile twisting his face. A patch covered the wound on his head where she'd hit him with the poker.

"You've caused me a lot of trouble, girl," he growled, moving closer. "But now you're going to pay."

Astra backed away, looking desperately for an escape route. But Kron wasn't alone. Two other wolves flanked him, cutting off any path she might take.

"Did you really think you could escape me?" Kron laughed. "You're mine. I paid good money for you." "I belong to no one," Astra said, trying to sound brave despite her fear.

Kron's eyes fell on her mate mark. His smile faded. "What's this?" He grabbed her arm roughly, studying the mark. "A mate bond? To whom?"

Before Astra could answer, a deep growl rumbled through the trees. All four wolves turned to see a massive shape emerge from the shadows.

Damon stepped into view, his clothes torn and bloody from his fight with the guard. But he wasn't alone.

Next to him stood the tall figure of Alpha Alaric, his ice-blue eyes glowing with rage. Around them, at least ten Northern Pack warriors emerged, surrounding Kron and his friends.

"She belongs to me," Alaric said, his voice deadly cool. "The mark proves it."

Kron's face drained of color. "Alpha Alaric? I didn't know... I would never have-"

"Silence," Alaric ordered. "You dare to threaten what's mine?"

Astra looked between Alaric and Damon in confusion. Why was Alaric here? And why was Damon with him?

"Damon?" she asked, her voice small. "What's going on?"

Damon wouldn't meet her eyes. "I'm sorry, Astra."

Suddenly everything clicked into place. The easy flight. Damon knowing exactly where to find her. The convenient look of Kron.

"You led me into a trap," she whispered, feeling sick. "You brought me right to them."

"It wasn't like that," Damon started, but Alaric cut him off.

"Enough talking." The Alpha stepped forward, his eyes locking with Astra's. "You ran from me, little mate. That was a mistake you won't make twice."

Fear and anger battled inside Astra as Alaric neared. Had Damon misled her? Or was there something else going on?

All she knew for certain was that she was trapped between the Alpha who hated her and the master who wanted to punish her-with her only friend caught somewhere in the middle.

Alaric reached out and grabbed her arm, his touch sending electric shocks through her body.

"Take care of the others," he told his warriors, nodding toward Kron and his friends. "My mate and I need to have a private conversation."

The last thing Astra saw before Alaric dragged her away was the look of anguish on Damon's face and the terror in Kron's eyes as the Northern Pack fighters closed in.

Astra's POV

Astra's lungs burned as she ran. Tree branches hit her face, but she didn't slow down. Every step away from Alaric hurt like fire on her skin, but she kept going.

"Wait up!" Damon called from behind.

Astra looked back. Blood stained Damon's shirt from the fight with the guard. She slowed down.

"Are you okay?" she asked, breathing hard.

"I'll live," Damon winced, putting a hand to his side. "But we need to keep moving. They'll be after us soon."

They pushed through the thick forest. The mate mark on Astra's arm throbbed with each step. It felt like it was trying to pull her back to Alaric, back to the Alpha who hated her.

"The border is just ahead," Damon said. "Once we cross it-"

A howl cut through the night air. Then another. And another.

"They're coming!" Astra's heart beat. "Run!"

They ran toward the border. Astra could feel it – a strange energy in the air that marked where Northern Pack territory stopped. Just a few more steps and they'd be safe.

But before they could cross, four massive wolves jumped out, blocking their way. They shifted quickly into human form – Northern Pack guards with hard eyes and guns ready.

"Going somewhere?" The biggest one stepped forward, a cruel smile on his face.

Astra backed up against Damon. "Let us pass," she said, trying to sound brave despite her shaking legs.

The guard laughed. "Alpha Alaric wants his mate back. Can't say I blame him – even if you are just a dirty rogue."

He reached out to grab Astra's arm. The moment his fingers touched her skin, a blinding blue light burst between them. The guard flew backward, crashing into a tree ten feet away.

Everyone froze, staring in shock.

"What the-" The guard scrambled to his feet, eyes wide with fear. "What did you do?"

Astra looked at her hands, just as confused as they were. "I didn't do anything."

Another guard tried to grab her, and the same thing happened – blue light, and he was thrown back like he weighed nothing.

The guards looked at each other, then at Astra. Fear had replaced the hatred in their eyes.

"Take them to Alpha Alaric," the boss ordered. "Don't touch the girl. Just make sure they follow."

With guards on all sides, Astra and Damon had no choice but to go where they were told. They walked deeper into Northern Pack lands, headed toward a massive stone castle that rose above the trees.

"What was that?" Damon whispered. "The light?"

"I don't know," Astra whispered back. "It just happened."

"Has it ever happened before?"

Astra shook her head. Nothing like this had ever happened in her ten years as a rogue. But then again, she hadn't had a mate mark until today.

As they got closer to the castle, her heart beat faster. The pull of the mate bond grew stronger. Despite everything, part of her wanted to see Alaric again.

"This is bad," Damon whispered. "If they find out who I really am-"

"What do you mean?" Astra asked.

Before Damon could answer, they arrived at the castle gates. They were huge – carved with wolves and made of dark iron. The guards pushed them inside, through a courtyard filled with soldiers training with swords and spears.

Everyone stopped to stare at Astra. She kept her head high, unwilling to show fear.

They were led into a great hall with a high roof and stone walls. At the far end sat a chair made of bones and silver. And on that throne was Alaric.

He looked even more powerful here, surrounded by his troops. His ice-blue eyes locked onto Astra's, making her knees weak. The mate mark burned like hot metal against her skin.

"You tried to run from me," Alaric said. His voice was calm, but Astra could feel the anger behind it.

"You locked me up," she shot back. "What did you expect?"

Alaric stood up and walked toward her. Every step he took made the pull between them stronger. Astra had to fight not to move toward him.

"And now you bring a strange wolf into my territory," Alaric said, looking at Damon with cold eyes. "A wolf who smells of secrets and lies."

Damon dropped his head. "Alpha Alaric, I-"

"Silence!" Alaric's voice rang through the hall. "I'll deal with you later."

He turned back to Astra. "The guards say you have power. Show me."

"I don't know what they're talking about," Astra said. "I didn't do anything."

Alaric nodded to one of his men. The guy stepped forward and reached for Astra's arm. The blue light flashed again, throwing him across the room.

Gasps filled the hall. Some warriors backed away. Others drew guns.

Alaric's eyes widened slightly – the first real feeling Astra had seen from him.

"Interesting," he said. He stepped closer to Astra and raised his hand.

Astra flinched, but he didn't touch her. Instead, he held his hand near her face, so close she could feel the heat of his skin.

"The prophecy," someone whispered in the crowd. Others took up the word, passing it around the room like a secret.

"Prophecy?" Astra asked. "What prophecy?"

A commotion at the entrance of the hall stopped them. Guards were trying to hold someone back – a woman with long dark hair who fought like a wild animal.

"Let me through!" she screamed. "I need to see him!"

The guards were thrown aside, and the woman burst into the hall. She stopped when she saw Astra, her face going white with shock.

"It can't be," she whispered.

Astra felt like she'd been hit. She couldn't breathe. Couldn't think.

Because the woman standing in front of her was impossible. The woman had the same green eyes as Astra, the same dark hair, the same face shape.

It was like looking in a mirror.

"Lyra?" Astra whispered.

Lyra – her dead sister – stared back at her with tears in her eyes.

"Astra," she said. "My sister."

Alaric looked between them, his face blank. "You know each other?"

"She's my sister," Astra said, her voice breaking. "But she died. Ten years ago, she drowned."

"I didn't die," Lyra said, stepping closer. "I was saved. By him." She pointed at Alaric.

"What?" Astra turned to Alaric, confusion and anger rising inside her. "You knew my sister was alive? For ten years, while I thought she was dead?"

Before Alaric could answer, Lyra ran forward and grabbed Astra's hands. Unlike the guards, Lyra's touch didn't spark the blue light. Instead, their hands started to glow with a soft golden light.

"The Moon Sisters," someone gasped. "The prophecy is true!"

Alaric's face darkened. He pulled Lyra away from Astra.

"Take Astra to my quarters," he told the guards. "And lock him up." He pointed at Damon.

"No!" Astra cried, reaching for Damon. "Leave him alone!"

As guards dragged Damon away, he looked back at Astra with desperate eyes.

"Astra, listen to me!" he shouted. "Don't trust Lyra! She's not who you think she is!"

Before Astra could respond, Lyra stepped forward, her face twisted with rage.

"Liar!" she screamed, lunging at Damon with claws extended.

And that's when Astra saw it – the look that passed between Lyra and Alaric. A look of secret agreement. A look that said they were hiding something big.

Something about Astra.