The forest blurred past them in streaks of green and shadow as Xavier led Raine through ancient wolf paths. His movements were precise, controlled—but there was tension in the way his hands clenched and unclenched, like he was barely holding something back.
Raine's lungs burned. "Where are we going?"
"Somewhere even the Council won't find us," he said without slowing down. "Old territory. Forbidden land."
She stumbled over a root, and Xavier caught her, steadying her with a strong arm. His touch lingered a second too long.
"Sorry," she mumbled, heart pounding for reasons that had nothing to do with running.
"You okay?" he asked, voice low.
She nodded, but her thoughts raced. Every second with him pulled her deeper into something she didn't understand. The bond. The heat in her blood. The way her skin responded to his nearness like it recognized him before she did.
They finally stopped near the edge of a cliff, where fog curled like fingers over the rocks. A worn stone archway marked the entrance to a hollowed cave, overgrown with moss and sealed by thick roots.
"No one comes here anymore," Xavier said, pushing the roots aside. "Not since the fall of the Blackfangs."
"The who?"
He didn't answer right away. The inside of the cave was wide and dry, lit by strange glowing stones embedded in the walls—residue of old magic.
Xavier exhaled. "The Blackfangs were a rogue pack. They didn't follow the Council. They followed the moon alone. They believed in protecting bloodlines like yours."
"Mine?" Raine asked, her voice echoing.
He nodded. "Lunaris blood was sacred to them. But after they were hunted down, every mention of them was erased. This was their final safehouse."
Raine walked to the center, where a stone basin rested. As she brushed her fingers across it, the surface shimmered—images flickered—wolves running under a full moon, a woman cloaked in silver flames, and a pair of glowing eyes just like hers.
She pulled back, breath caught in her throat.
"I saw her."
Xavier stepped closer. "Who?"
"I… I don't know. But she had my face. And your eyes."
His body tensed.
"You think we've met before?" she asked.
"I think your blood remembers things even your mind doesn't," he said. "Memories buried so deep, they surface through magic."
Raine turned to him. "Why do you care so much?"
He stepped into her space, heat radiating between them. "Because from the moment I saw you, everything inside me changed. The wolf in me howls for you, Raine."
Her breath hitched.
"But you're afraid," he added gently.
She nodded. "I don't know who I am anymore. I don't know what this bond means. And I don't want to lose myself."
Xavier raised her hand to his chest, where his heartbeat thudded hard and fast. "Then let me show you. You don't have to face it alone."
Before she could answer, a cold wind blew through the cave—and the stones flickered.
Xavier stiffened. "We're not alone."
Raine's eyes widened. "You said this place was hidden."
"It was," he said grimly. "Until someone betrayed the old magic."
Outside, a howl echoed—low and guttural, not of wolf, but something darker.
Raine whispered, "What is that?"
Xavier bared his teeth. "A hunter. And it's not here for me."
A flash of movement darted across the entrance. The sound of a heavy, unnatural footfall echoed, the ground shuddering beneath their feet.
Raine's voice trembled. "Then why are we running?"
Xavier's gaze darkened, his expression grim. "Because I'm the Alpha—of my pack, not the Council. The Council has power over all wolves, even me. If they think you're Lunaris, they'll come for you. And if they come for you, I have no choice but to protect you."
"But you're Alpha! Aren't you supposed to lead? Fight for your pack?"
"I lead my pack," he said, his voice hard. "But I do it on my terms. The Council is a different beast. They answer to no one. And if they learn you're the last of the Lunaris bloodline—well, they'll see you as a weapon. And I won't let that happen."
He grabbed her wrist, pulling her deeper into the shadows of the cave. "Stay close. Do not make a sound."
Raine's heart raced as the dark figure outside paused at the mouth of the cave, its presence almost suffocating. The hunter's breath was deep, ragged. A low growl vibrated from its throat.
Xavier's eyes glowed a fierce amber as he lowered into a crouch. "This is no ordinary wolf. It's a bloodhound—a tracker born to hunt Lunaris blood."
Raine's pulse quickened. She could feel the weight of the bond pulsing beneath her skin, the connection between them now stronger than ever.
"We can't fight it here," Xavier said, voice tense with urgency. "We'll have to move fast."
Raine nodded, her fear mixing with adrenaline. "Where do we go?"
He stood, pulling her along with him. "We go deeper."