Chapter 1 The Girl Without a Wolf

Moonlight filtered through the towering trees surrounding the Rowan Pack lands, silver light weaving across the forest floor like restless spirits. The air smelled of pine, damp earth, and the sharp freedom that only existed beyond the safety of the village walls.

Selene Rowan moved swiftly between the trees, a grin tugging at her lips as she lifted the edge of her dark cloak to keep it from catching on the branches. Adventure always called louder at night.

Behind her, Nyla groaned softly. “If Young Alpha Eryx discovers we followed you out here, we’re finished.”

Selene laughed under her breath. “Eryx worries too much.”

“He worries because you never stop breaking rules,” Caius muttered as he stepped over a fallen log.

Selene turned dramatically, walking backward with a smug smile. “Rules are boring.”

“You mean necessary,” Nyla whispered.

“Same thing.”

The deeper they wandered, the quieter the forest became. Lantern lights from the village disappeared behind endless rows of trees until moonlight became their only guide.

Shadows stretched across the ground, shifting with every cold breeze.

Everyone feared the woods beyond the pack borders.

Not because of rogues.

Not because of beasts.

But because somewhere beyond the darkness lay Lycan territory.

And lycans were creatures spoken of in warnings and bedtime stories—violent monsters that haunted the edges of every werewolf child’s imagination.

Selene had never cared much for stories, she believed they were just words to make wolf pups scared of coming to the woods.

Suddenly, she clapped her hands together. “Hide and seek.”

Caius stared at her in disbelief. “You dragged us into forbidden woods for a game?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve lost your mind.”

“And yet you still came.”

Nyla sighed dramatically. “Moon Goddess help us.”

Selene pointed deeper into the trees. “You two hide first. I’ll count.”

“That’s unfair,” Caius complained.

“Life is unfair.”

Before either could argue again, Selene turned toward a massive tree and covered her eyes.

“One…”

Leaves rustled as her friends scattered through the darkness.

“Two…”

The forest hummed quietly around her.

“Three…”

Then the wind changed.

A strange chill swept through the woods, cold enough to raise goosebumps along her arms.

Selene paused mid-count, her smile slowly fading.

Something felt different.

Not exactly dangerous.

Just… unfamiliar.

“…Four…”

The breeze carried a scent she didn’t recognize—wild, sharp, untamed. It stirred something uneasy inside her chest.

“…Five…”

Far off in the darkness, a branch cracked.

Selene’s eyes opened instantly.

Too heavy to be Caius.

Too deliberate to be Nyla.

The forest fell silent.

No insects chirped.

No owls called.

Even the wind seemed to stop breathing.

A faint growl echoed between the trees.

Selene’s heartbeat stumbled.

For the first time that night, she realized she might have crossed farther beyond the Rowan borders than she intended.

Slowly, carefully, she lowered her hands from her face.

Between the shadows, deep within the darkness, two crimson eyes appeared.

Watching.

Waiting.

And suddenly, the forbidden woods no longer felt like a game.

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