The night air cloaked Nova like a heavy shroud, sharp with the scents of pine and damp earth, yet powerless to drive away the bone-deep chill that gnawed her marrow. Every breath was a reminder of her rescue—a violent wrench from the stifling cells of the shifter traffickers.
Freedom had struck like an earthquake, shattering the grim reality she had endured. The star-strewn sky stretched vast and merciless above, reflecting the abyss that threatened to swallow her whole.
Her senses-honed razor-sharp by months of torment-twitched at every stir of underbrush. Memories clawed at her rough hands, needles forced into her veins, the searing omega brand at her hip.
A rare mark, it had made her desirable and disposable in equal measure. She hugged herself tightly, knuckles white, wrists scarred, every line etched proof of her stolen autonomy.
Rescued.
The word rang hollow—a fragile promise her mind struggled to grasp.
The steelclaw Pack, led by Alpha Kaelan Draven, had torn her from hell. Whispers of him carried both awe and dread, a legend of primal wrath unleashed upon traffickers with merciless fury.
All she remembered was his scent-pine and earth, cutting through blood and terror -and his golden eyes searing into her as chaos raged.
"Lyra, where are you?" she whispered, aching for her omega wolf's voice, but silence stabbed back. A faint throb pulsed inside her chest, weak but present, as though the mountain air itself dulled the suppressant's grip.
Then came the sound—not the wind, but deliberate, heavy steps crushing needles and twigs underfoot. Her heart seized.
"Who's there?" she called, voice trembling yet defiant, terrified of traffickers still hunting escaped omegas.
Kaelan Draven emerged from the pines, a giant etched against the starry firmament. Commanding. He was forged of the wild itself-broad-shouldered, clad in dark leather that could not hide the sheer power of his frame.
He moved with a predator's grace, every step measured yet thrumming with restrained might.
His face was carved in the lines of leadership-high cheekbones, a ruthless jaw. And his golden eyes, flecked with amber, pierced her, noting every detail with a focus so intense it echoed the darkness in her own soul.
"You are safe now," he said, his gaze unyielding but not cruel—the hard truth of a warrior who understood the world's brutality.
"Safe?" Nova gave a brittle laugh, almost a sob. "I feel like prey before a predator.
There's something out there—I know it."
"Nothing moves in this forest unseen by me," Kaelan replied, eyes narrowing, voice ironclad. "You are under my protection."
From the shadows, Jessa—the woman who had helped save her-stepped forward, her tone gentle yet edged with worry. "Kaelan, she has endured too much. Give her time."
"Time is a luxury," Kaelan said, cutting her a glance. "The wind grows colder. We must move." He nodded toward the darkened forest."Shelter lies ahead."
"Where?" Nova asked, voice quivering, eyes sweeping the gloom. "I don't know if I can make it."
"A cave, not far," Kaelan answered, uncompromising. "One step at a time. You will."
"And if they come after us?" she pressed, fear rising. "They never give up on omegas."
"They won't get the chance," Kaelan said, his eyes locking onto hers, certainty burning in his tone. "I dealt with them."
His scent-pine, earth, raw authority-filled her lungs, battling her fear, settling like a dare within her chest. She felt small before him, a flicker of flame against his storm.
Yet there was a flicker of care in his gaze, sparking defiance in hers.
"Why save me?" she demanded, voice unsteady yet resolute. "What am I to you?"
"No one deserves a cage," Kaelan said, striding forward without looking back.
"And I had the power to free you."
Nova faltered, fear warring with resolve.
A distant howl tore through the night, sharp and urgent. Kaelan's head snapped up, his jaw clenched.
"What was that?" Nova gasped, scanning the darkness. "Traffickers?"
"No," Kaelan rumbled. "My pack. There's trouble. Move."
"How do I know this isn't another trap?" she shouted, stumbling after him. "I've seen promises turn into chains!"
"Then stay where you are and cower," Kaelan's voice cut sharply, though his eyes softened briefly. "Or follow me—and live."
She followed, tripping over roots in the uneven earth. Kaelan's figure loomed ahead, a beacon in the dark, terrifying yet steady.
Another howl rose, closer this time, carrying the scent of earth and command, familiar from the rescue. Jessa kept pace beside her, eyes sharp, watchful.
"Who are they?" Nova asked, breath ragged as she struggled to keep up. "Your pack?"
"Tronfang," Jessa confirmed firmly. "They fight for you, Nova. For all like you."
"But why?" she cried, eyes fixed on Kaelan.
"Why risk their lives for me?"
"Because it's right," Kaelan said, his voice low but fierce. "And because I hate traffickers more than death itself."
Nova stumbled but pressed on, each step an act of rebellion against her past. She was no longer the girl chained in darkness—though she did not yet know who she had become.
Kaelan Draven, her savior and her storm, led her through the forest, toward a future uncertain. Safety was a promise she could not yet believe in-yet one she had no choice but to chase.