Del Luna
The air was thick with the scent of lavender, and moonlight spilled across the forest path as Del Luna ran, her heart pounding and her eyes glowing brighter with each step.
Adrenaline surged through her system, heightening her senses. The forest became a blur around her as she picked up speed, leaping with ease, nearly flying. Something primal was awakening inside her.
A howl began to grow in her chest.
She allowed it to build. Then she stopped running, tilted her head to the moon, and released the sound into the night sky. It echoed like a song she'd never known she knew.
Suddenly, a sharp pain sliced through her body, and the transformation began.
Her mind raced with questions, but the pain overwhelmed every thought. She dropped to the ground, clawing at her skin with a desperate urge to be free. The agony intensified as her body began to shift—growing larger and stronger with each agonizing second.
She watched in horror and awe as her delicate human form gave way to a silver-coated beast. The pain was relentless until, just as suddenly, it stopped.
She collapsed to the earth, trembling from exhaustion.
And yet, something was different.
For the first time in her life, her vision was crystal clear. She could see both near and far with perfect focus. Her sense of smell had sharpened; every scent around her was vivid, layered, real. Everything felt alive—she felt alive.
With the pain gone, excitement bloomed. She rose, now fully transformed, and tested her strength. Her speed had tripled. She raced deeper into the forest, a silver blur under the moonlight.
And as she ran, only one thought filled her mind:
Him.
Torrent
After a long night of hunting with his pack, Torrent was exhausted. All he wanted was what the others had—a mate to return to, to rest with.
But he had no one.
He was the Wolf Lord, ruler of thirteen Alpha packs. Powerful. Respected. Feared. Yet still, alone.
He was tired of the whispers. The way they said he led without balance, without calm. That a wolf without a mate grew cold. Hard. Dangerous. He was getting stronger every day, yes—but also, something inside him was unraveling.
Why was it so hard to find a mate?
He had sought counsel from the seers, enlisted matchmakers, even visited every clan, sniffing and searching for that fated link. Nothing. The emptiness he felt only deepened, and so did his frustration.
Enough, he told himself.
Torrent walked out onto the balcony of his penthouse in the human realm, gazing out at the glowing city. Humans filled the streets below, wrapped in their own tiny dramas. They fought for power, for status, for love—yet their loyalty was paper-thin.
It was not like the wolf clans, where loyalty was life itself.
He hated how different humans were. Still, he never allowed that hatred to control him. He would never harm them, no matter how chaotic and disloyal they seemed.
The thought of it annoyed him, so he inhaled deeply, trying to calm the rising tension. The cool air settled over him.
Meditation. Something George had once nervously—but kindly—suggested. Torrent had scoffed at it at first, but tonight… he was willing to try anything.
He closed his eyes and let the air wrap around him.
And that's when he felt it.
A flicker.
A spark of energy—real, unmistakable. His heart skipped a beat. Then raced.
Could it be?
He concentrated, reaching out through the invisible link that bound mates together. He could sense her—new, powerful, wild. She had just transformed. That's what he was feeling.
"Where are you?" he whispered, breathless.
He stood still, eyes closed, nose lifted. He sniffed the air and strained his senses, holding on to the glimmer of hope pulsing through the bond.
It was coming from the west.
And it was growing stronger.
He could feel her—her heartbeat, her energy, her excitement. She was like a new pup, shifting for the first time. He didn't know her name yet, but he could feel her essence calling to him.
She felt him, too.
She was reaching for him.
Torrent grinned, fierce and relieved. He held tight to the bond and claimed her, growling softly:
"You are mine."
The response was instant—a stronger pull from her end.
She had accepted the bond.
Soon, they would meet.
The Next Morning
Del Luna woke with a jolt, her breath shallow and her body aching. Everything felt… different. Numb, yet alive.
She sat up slowly, yawning and rubbing her eyes as she tried to gather her bearings.
Her room looked exactly the same: spacious, organized, lavender-colored walls that gave a calming vibe. It reminded her of her mother.
But something felt off.
The windows were shut. The blinds drawn. The air too still.
She pushed her blanket aside and climbed out of bed, her feet moving instinctively to the window that overlooked her mother's garden.
She pulled the blinds up and flung the window open.
A cool morning breeze rushed in, brushing against her face and lifting her long white hair. She sighed in contentment.
She had always loved nature more than anyone else in her family. Her mother loved nurturing flowers, but never dared to go into the forest.
Luna always found that strange—but considered it one of her mother's quirks.
She smiled faintly, thinking about how her love for the wild might get her in trouble one day.
As her mind wandered, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath—
And nearly gagged.
A horrible stench hit her nose—a thick, rotting smell that curled in her nostrils and made her stomach twist.
Her eyes flew open.
She sniffed again, hesitantly.
She didn't want to believe it. But the smell was too strong… too real.
Following the scent, her gaze dropped to the garden below—and her breath caught.
A dead German shepherd lay sprawled across a bed of red roses. Its body limp. Lifeless.
A piercing scream tore from Luna's throat, shattering the peaceful quiet of the new day.