Lunara struggled to her feet, the forest still trembling with the aftermath of her wolf's sudden surge. Her chest heaved, and sweat mixed with the dirt on her face. She had felt power awaken—but she didn't know how to control it.
Riven, the dark Alpha, crouched slightly, studying her like a predator studying a prey that might bite back. "Good," he said, voice low, deliberate. "You are strong. Stronger than I expected. But strength without control is… dangerous."
"Control?" Lunara spat, trying to ignore the pounding of her heart. "You want me to let you dominate me? I'm not yours!"
Riven's golden eyes narrowed, but there was a strange amusement in his gaze. "I do not intend to dominate you… yet. I intend to teach you to survive. The forest has powers you don't understand. Your wolf… it is bound to me now. And if you cannot control it, you will die. Simple as that."
Her wolf growled in agreement—or perhaps in warning. The energy inside her throbbed painfully, almost begging for release.
"Why me?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. "Why did the Moon Goddess choose me?"
Riven tilted his head. "Because you are remarkable. And remarkable things… are dangerous to those who underestimate them."
The first lesson began immediately. He circled her, letting the forest react to her presence. Trees swayed, roots shifted, and the air vibrated with her power. Riven stopped suddenly, placing a hand on her shoulder. A surge of his energy brushed against her skin.
"Feel it," he commanded. "Do not resist. Let the wolf speak through you."
Lunara's eyes widened as a flood of sensations poured through her. Predatory instincts, heightened senses, and a raw, untamed power she had never imagined. She stumbled backward, almost collapsing, but Riven caught her arm.
"Again," he said. "And this time… don't fight it. Become it."
Hours passed—or perhaps only minutes. Time seemed meaningless as she practiced, growled, clawed, and unleashed small bursts of her power. The forest itself seemed to approve—or perhaps test her.
Then came the warning she hadn't expected: a howl from the distance. Sharp, furious, and unmistakable—Kael's wolf.
Her heart clenched. The Alpha who had rejected her was coming. Not for reconciliation. Not for guidance. For possession.
Riven's eyes flicked toward the horizon. "He senses the bond. He will come. You must be ready, Lunara. Not for him… but for yourself."
Her wolf growled, echoing her determination. She would no longer be weak. No longer discarded. No longer humiliated.
(As night falls, Kael approaches the Forbidden Forest, his own wolf roaring with power. Lunara must face the first confrontation of her new life—and the bond that will change everything.)