Chapter 1 – The Silent Girl
The forest whispered with the howl of the wind. Moonlight spilled through the trees, painting silver over her pale skin. Amara pressed her back against the bark, hands trembling, though her face betrayed nothing. She hadn't spoken a word since she was a child—her voice stolen by a trauma too deep to share. To the world, she was mute. To herself, she was invisible.
But the pack gathering tonight would change everything.
She had only gone to watch from the edges, to stay hidden from the celebration of the Alpha's return. A man she had heard about but never seen. A man whose dominance rippled like thunder through the very air.
And then it happened.
His scent hit her first—dark, heady, intoxicating. Pine and smoke, danger and desire. Her wolf stirred within her chest, whining softly. Her eyes snapped up, and across the bonfire-lit clearing, she saw him.
Alpha Kael.
His gaze locked with hers as though he had been searching for her all his life. The noise of the pack faded. Heat swept over her, tightening her throat, her chest, her very soul. She wanted to look away but couldn't.
He moved through the crowd like a storm parting the clouds, every step making her heart pound louder. And then, before she could escape, his hand closed around her wrist.
"You…" His voice was a low growl. His eyes darkened, burning with recognition. "You're mine."
Amara's lips parted, but no sound came. Her curse chained her silence. Yet, the bond screamed louder than words ever could.
His thumb stroked over her pulse point, sending jolts of fire down her arm. The closeness was unbearable, his heat searing through her thin dress. Her body reacted without permission—knees weak, breath shallow, a low ache spreading deep within her. She wanted to pull away, yet she leaned closer, drawn into his storm.
For the first time in years, Amara wanted to speak. To beg. To whisper his name.