Chapter 1

Caitlyn's POV

"Hey, did you hear the news? Talon had just finished off another rogue!"

My best friend Leona was lying on the bed in my room, flipping through magazines and sharing some dull gossip with me.

"Talon?" I frowned. I didn't seem to recall that name.

"I know you’re a human. But come on, you gotta have heard of the name Talon!" Leona sat up, looking at me in disbelief.

"Don't give me that look. I don't care about celebrity gossip."

"What? Talon is way flashier than those dull celebrities. He's the most popular werewolf around these days!" Leona glanced at me, clearly excited as she talked about Talon.

I simply ignored her and went on picking a dress for my date with Jayce. Jayce was my boyfriend and future Alpha of my pack.

"Listen. If you run into Talon, you’d definitely fall in love with him. Jayce is nothing compared to him." Leona went on despite of my lack of interest.

"Stop acting like a drama queen. Come and help me choose a dress." I knew Leona didn't like Jayce.

"Hey! I think you're just way too obsessed with Jayce! Talon is the Alpha of the powerful Bloodwheel Moon Pack, and he's immensely powerful and ruthless. It’s said that he's been purging rogues lately, leaving a trail of blood everywhere he goes."

"Isn't he just a bloodthirsty brute then?" I asked when the image of an ugly werewolf with a scarred face surfaced in my mind.

"But he's handsome! No girl could resist the charm exuding from his deep eyes." Leona had a smile on her face and a dreamy look in her eyes. "I really wanted to know what type of girl Talon would like. Do you think I have a chance?"

Leona was still indulging in her fantasies when I was all dressed and ready to leave the house.

After saying goodbye to Leona, I called Jayce immediately. It was our five-year anniversary today. Jayce had promised me a surprise.

I felt blessed when Jayce convinced me that he’d talk the pack into accepting me, a human, as their future Luna.

But I couldn’t get through no matter how, making me feel a bit uneasy.

Just as I was about to give up on calling him and head over to his place, Jayce called me back.

"Sorry, Caitlyn. I might not be able to make it tonight. Something happened in the pack. I gotta go and deal with it." Jayce's voice was full of apologies.

"Alright... It's okay." Although a bit disappointed, I pulled myself together the next minute. I knew this was the way things would be for me.

Criticism against me as a human dating Jayce had long been there since our first date, especially when Jayce was the Alpha in training.

But I knew Jayce and I would end up together and happy, perhaps because a he-wolf was always loyal to his mate.

"One more thing, baby. Don’t go to the chapel tonight. A boring pack meeting’s gonna happen there. And there's a good chance that the infamous cruel Talon will show up. So for your safety..."

Jayce's voice sounded a little bit unnatural, but he was always sincere and charming.

"Sure," I replied readily.

Even though I agreed not to go, my mind lit up when I heard the name Talon.

As the sun set and the lights came on, I knew I didn't have much interest in the long, dull pack meetings. Still, the thought of seeing Jayce pretend to be serious in a group of adults pulled me towards the small auditorium.

But as I rushed there with anticipation, the scene that unfolded made my mind go blank.

"No, this can't be true!" My eyes widened in disbelief. Just a few minutes ago, Jayce had been calling me "baby," and now he was smiling as he held another girl's arm.

Seeing the delicate features of the girl, I suddenly remembered Leona's earlier warning about Jayce having an affair with Morgana, the eldest daughter of the Glorious Moon pack Alpha, but I hadn't taken it to heart.

It wasn't until this brutal scene unfolded before my eyes that I realized how naive I had been.

"Is that what he meant by 'for my safety'..." I muttered, watching them receive cheers from the pack.

It was all over, and I would be a subject of ridicule in the pack.

Looking at Jayce and Morgana's smiling faces, I wished, for the first time, that the ruthless werewolf Talon would appear and finish them off. But deep inside I knew well that the Talon story was just an urban legend.

Knowing clearly that I, as a human, could do nothing to stop what was going on, I fled amid the raucous cheers of the crowd.

After driving aimlessly through the city for like a century, I eventually ended up in front of a gorgeously decorated bar.

I needed to wash away all the pain from betrayal with alcohol.

After seating myself in a secluded booth, I ordered a couple of strong drinks from the bartender.

Alcohol was the only remedy for me at this point. The sensation mesmerized me, giving me a sort of out-of-body high. I took a deep breath and grabbed a second glass.

"Hey, I know it tastes good, but if this is your first time drinking it, I suggest you put it down now." Just as I was about to gulp down the liquid, a magnetic voice suddenly sounded from behind.

I looked up in surprise as a man sat down across me and covered my glass with a hand. There was a mischievous smile on his face.

I was taken aback. To be honest, he was the wildest and most handsome man I had ever seen.

He had smooth black hair and mercurial ice-blue eyes. The collar of his white shirt was slightly open and cuffs rolled up to his forearms, revealing wheat-colored skin. There was something undeniably regal about him.

From the first moment I saw him, my heart had been racing, and my body grew hot as his smile seemed more intoxicating than the glass of wine I had just downed.

"Okay... okay, thanks," I stuttered, my face flushed.

"You're so cute," he flirted, taking my hand in his.

His palm was soft and smooth, a contrast to his firm demeanor. It gleamed like pure white jade under the light, yet I sensed an inscrutable and terrifying power in his touch.

Feeling like getting burned, I tried to withdraw my hand, but failed as his scorching grip tightened.

"It's stuffy in here. Shall we go somewhere else?" he asked softly, but with an air of authority.

I understood what would happen if I agreed, biting my lip lightly to clear my head, but felt dizzy and lightheaded instead.

I looked into his eyes, spotting excitement and desire in his gaze.

The next minute, I found us outside the bar.

Breathing heavily, he pushed me against the back door of the bar, pressing his solid chest against me like a beast consumed by desire.

"Look at me," he said playfully, like a hunter eyeing a wounded prey.

"No, please don't do this!" I pleaded, my eyes wide with horror. But deep inside, I was somehow excited, as if had been expecting this moment for long.

"Don't be afraid. I promise this will be a night to remember," he tried to calm me down.

Before I could think, he pressed closer, his touch as hot as a branding iron, roaming over my body without mercy. My consciousness grew hazy.

"Who…who are you?" I asked, biting my lip before my mind went completely blank.

"Talon," he hesitated before answering, his eyes burning with desire as he forcibly thrust into me.

I jolted at this bloody name and tried to push him away, but he moved even faster, leading me to descend into a sea of carnal desire.

I closed my eyes and surrendered to the moment, matching Talon's low growls as desire consumed us both.