Chapter 4

FIONA’S POV

My heart skipped, not just a beat, but several.

“Finish her!” Those were the exact words that monster spat before I closed my eyes, ready for death.

I thought it was over. Truly.

But then… the air shifted. The forest went silent, heavy, electric.

From the mist ahead, something moved.

A massive wolf, fur shimmering gold under the pale light, burst through the clearing like a storm given form. His eyes, steel-grey, sharp and ancient, locked on the vampire wolves as a low growl thundered from his chest. Every predator instinct in the woods froze in that instant.

I gasped, disbelief flooding me. I’d already accepted death, so who, or what, was this?

The golden wolf launched forward, a blur of strength and grace. His fangs caught one attacker mid-leap; another he slammed into a tree so hard the bark cracked. The others scattered, howling, but he didn’t stop until none of them dared take another step closer.

I stared, trembling, watching the impossible. His movements were precise, power without chaos, violence shaped by control. And his presence… it wasn’t just strength; it was dominion.

He turned, meeting my gaze for the first time. I didn’t dare move. Then, before I could even take a breath, his body shimmered, fur retracting, limbs reshaping, bones twisting with a soft, quick crackle. In less than two seconds, he was no longer a beast but a man.

A very tall, very shirtless man.

I froze. My lungs forgot how to work. His chest was broad and scarred, his expression unreadable, yet those same grey eyes carried the same storm the wolf had.

“We need to leave here. Now,” he said, his voice a deep, commanding rumble that sent shivers up my spine.

“Huh?” was all I managed to mumble.

He arched his brow. “Unless you’d rather stay behind to be dinner for those bandit wolves,” he said dryly.

My mouth fell open. “Of course not!”

“Then hold on.”

Before I could protest, he bent slightly, motioning for me to climb onto his back. My pride whispered no, but exhaustion and instinct screamed yes. I obeyed, clutching his shoulders as he shot into the night like lightning.

Wind whipped through my hair as we raced through the woods. Behind us, I heard more movement, pounding paws, quick and numerous. I tensed until I noticed the wolves weren’t chasing us, they were running with us. A whole patrol, sleek and disciplined, flanking us in formation.

When we broke through the treeline, my eyes widened.

The forest gave way to a vast clearing wrapped in mist. Beyond it stood a fortress of dark stone and silver banners fluttering under the moonlight. Towers reached into the fog, guarded by massive gates marked with a symbol, two crossed wolves beneath a crescent moon.

“Welcome to Jupiter Pack,” he said, setting me down gently as he pushed the great doors open.

The name struck a faint memory from stories I’d heard whispered among Omegas that Jupiter Pack, the strongest in all Darkstone territories. Its Alpha was said to be ruthless, yet just.

And I was now standing inside his room.

He offered me a glass of water, his movements oddly refined for someone who had just torn through a battalion of monsters. “What’s your name, damsel?” he asked with a faint smile.

My pulse raced. His tone was kind, but his presence commanded respect. “I… My name is Fiona Cullen. I came from the Bluemoon Pack,” I said softly.

I swallowed hard. I’d revealed too much already. If he sniffed me, he’d know instantly, no wolf. Just human flesh and a broken soul. “Please don’t sniff,” I whispered in my head.

He didn’t. Instead, he handed me the cup and looked out the window. “Drink. You’ll need your strength.”

“Thank you,” I murmured, taking a slow sip, the cool liquid calming my throat. Then I lifted my gaze to him, gathering courage. “But… you haven’t told me who you are.”

He tilted his head, amused. “Look outside,” he said.

“Outside?” I frowned, rising weakly to the window. All I saw was fog, thick, endless mist that swallowed the horizon whole. “Uhmm… I can’t see anything.”

He chuckled quietly. “Your head’s still pretty banged up. You should rest. When you wake, we’ll talk.”

He turned to leave, but I caught the faintest glint of curiosity in his eyes before the door closed. I heard him whisper to someone outside, his tone low and authoritative. Then the world drifted into silence, and I collapsed into uneasy sleep.

SEBASTIAN’S POV

I couldn’t get her out of my head. The girl from the woods. She didn’t fight, didn’t run, just looked at me with those wide, haunted eyes as if she’d already died a thousand times before I even touched her.

She would’ve been a corpse if I hadn’t found her when I did.

Now she was sleeping in my chambers. A stranger from Bluemoon Pack, one of the weakest and most reckless packs in Darkstone. Yet… there was something off about her. No scent of wolf. Nothing but the faint sweetness of rain and iron.

I had to find out why.

I left her in bed and went to the Dome—a circular hall carved from black stone, lit by torches, reserved for pack matters. Before I could even gather my thoughts, the door flew open.

“Pfft… so you are here,” Rachel said, strolling in with her usual smirk.

I groaned. “How many times have I told you not to barge in here?”

“Oh, come on, brother. You treat this room like it’s a sacred shrine. We own it together!” she teased.

I smirked despite myself. “We don’t. As long as I sit in this chair, I am your Alpha and you will respect that.”

She rolled her eyes. “Ah, there it is. The Alpha card. You always pull that out when I’m about to win an argument. Not fair, you know.”

“Careful,” I warned, half-grinning. “One day, I might bite your head off and take your precious hospital from you.”

She laughed. “Is that a challenge, oh mighty Alpha?”

“Absolutely not,” she said quickly, raising her hands in mock surrender. “Who am I to challenge the most powerful Alpha in all five territories of Darkstone City?”

“Flattery noted,” I said dryly. “Now, why are you really here, Rachel?”

She folded her arms. “I heard there’s a new intake in the pack and rumor has it you brought her in. On your back.”

I exhaled. “Easy. She was in danger. The Bandits nearly tore her apart.”

Rachel blinked. “What? How did she even end up there? Was she lost? What about her pack?”

“She claims to be from Bluemoon. Do we have records on them?”

“Oh, Bluemoon… those fools who trespassed years ago,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Always chasing prey, never watching borders.”

“She’s in my chambers,” I said quickly. “Sleeping. Check on her when you can, she might’ve hit her head.”

Rachel raised a brow but nodded. “Alright. But did you find what you went searching for before you stumbled across your mystery girl?”

I sighed. “No. I’m starting to think it doesn’t exist.”

“Don’t doubt Elder Konan’s words,” she warned. “If we find it, we end the warrior deaths once and for all. Wouldn’t that be glorious for your reign?”

I nodded. “I’ll keep looking. I can’t afford more losses.”

We were interrupted by a sharp knock on the door.

“My Lord,” a voice called urgently, “come quick, the lady in your chambers!”

Rachel and I exchanged a glance. Then I was gone before the second knock landed.