Chapter 2 The Alpha's claim

Moonlight cast a silver glow over the towering fortress that loomed before Celeste. The Shadowfang Pack's stronghold sat nestled between jagged cliffs, its high stone walls a clear message to outsiders-trespassers wouldn't leave alive. Torches flickered along the entrance, casting elongated shadows over the warriors standing guard. Their piercing gazes followed her every move, some filled with curiosity, others with distrust.

The heavy silence that accompanied her escort sent unease curling in her stomach. Killian's grip on her wrist remained firm, his touch burning like a brand against her skin. Every step toward the pack's territory felt like walking deeper into a trap.

The massive wooden gates groaned open, revealing the village within. Pack members stood frozen, eyes widening as they took in the sight of her. A woman gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. A young warrior whispered something to his companion, their expressions shifting from confusion to something darker.

Celeste clenched her jaw. They were looking at her as if they had seen a ghost.

Killian's grip tightened, guiding her past the murmuring crowd. "Don't stop. Keep walking."

A growl rumbled from one of the nearby wolves. "That's her. It has to be."

The words sent a chill down her spine. She didn't understand why these people were staring at her with such intensity, nor why her presence had unsettled them so deeply.

Killian led her into the main hall, a grand space with high ceilings and a massive stone fireplace that crackled with warmth. A long wooden table stretched through the center, lined with chairs fit for the highest-ranking wolves. The air smelled of burning cedar and something distinctly primal.

He finally released her wrist, stepping back to study her under the dim glow of candlelight. "Sit."

Celeste didn't move. "Why do they recognize me?"

His jaw clenched, frustration flickering in his silver eyes. "I told you-this was your home."

"That doesn't make sense," she snapped. "I don't remember this place. I don't remember you."

He took a slow step forward, his sheer presence suffocating. "You will."

Something about the certainty in his voice sent a pulse of heat through her veins, but she shoved it down, refusing to let him see the way his words affected her.

A door creaked open behind her. The scent of pine and steel hit her before the newcomer spoke.

"She really doesn't remember, does she?"

Celeste turned to face the man who had entered. He was tall, leaner than Killian but no less intimidating, with sharp green eyes that held a calculating glint. He studied her with interest, his expression unreadable.

Killian exhaled slowly. "No, Rafe. She doesn't."

Rafe folded his arms, gaze flicking between them. "Then you need to tell her."

Tension thickened the air. Killian's expression darkened, but he didn't deny it.

Celeste's patience snapped. "Tell me what?"

Rafe's lips curled into something between a smirk and a grimace. "That you were once our Luna."

A sharp pang struck her chest. "You're lying."

Killian's gaze locked onto hers, unwavering. "No, Celeste. I'm not."

The room spun. The way people had looked at her-the hushed whispers, the shock, the fear-it all made sense now. She hadn't just been anyone in this pack. She had been their leader. Their Luna.

A heavy silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken truths. Celeste struggled to breathe, her body rejecting the idea even as something deep inside her whispered that it was true.

If she had been Luna of this pack, why had she been out in the wild, lost and alone? What had happened to her?

Her fingers curled into fists. "If that's true, then why don't I remember?"

Killian's face hardened. "Because someone took your memories."

Rafe leaned against the wall, watching her reaction with quiet curiosity. "You vanished years ago, Celeste. One night, you were here. The next, you were gone. No one knew what happened."

Her throat tightened. "And you just... gave up on me?"

Killian's growl was low, dangerous. "I never stopped searching."

The raw emotion in his voice sent a tremor through her, but she refused to let herself drown in it. "If I was so important, then why didn't I come back?"

His silver eyes darkened, conflict swirling within them. "That's what I intend to find out."

The weight of his gaze made her skin prickle. He was holding something back.

Celeste lifted her chin. "And if I don't want to stay?"

A muscle in Killian's jaw ticked. "You don't have a choice."

A growl built in her throat. "I am not your prisoner."

"No," he said, voice dangerously soft. "You are my mate."

The words struck her harder than she expected. Mate. It sent an unfamiliar heat through her, awakening something deep within her chest-something she didn't understand.

Killian took another step toward her, his scent of cedar and smoke wrapping around her senses. "You feel it too, don't you?"

Denial burned on her tongue, but she couldn't force the words out. She did feel something, a pull that defied logic.

His hand lifted, fingers brushing against her wrist where the crescent scar marked her skin. "This mark means you were bound to me."

A flash of something-an emotion she couldn't name-flickered through her. A whisper of a memory, laughter in the dark, strong arms holding her close. The fleeting sensation slipped away before she could grasp it.

Her breath came uneven. "I don't remember being yours."

Killian's eyes burned with something fierce. "Then I'll make you remember."

Her pulse thundered in her ears. The way he looked at her, the way his presence consumed every ounce of space between them, made her stomach twist in ways she didn't want to acknowledge.

Rafe cleared his throat, breaking the moment. "If she stays, she needs protection. The pack is already talking."

Killian didn't take his eyes off her. "She's under my protection. No one will touch her."

The promise in his voice sent a shiver down her spine.

Rafe pushed off the wall. "Then I suggest you make a formal claim before someone challenges you for her."

Killian's expression darkened. "Anyone who tries will regret it."

Celeste's fingers dug into her palms. "I'm not some prize to be fought over."

His gaze softened, but his voice remained firm. "You're more than that. You're my mate. My Luna."

Everything inside her rebelled against the idea, yet she couldn't deny the pull between them.

Killian exhaled, stepping back. "You need rest. We'll talk more tomorrow."

Refusing to argue, she turned toward the nearest exit, only for two guards to block her path.

"You'll be staying in my quarters," Killian stated.

Her head snapped toward him. "Like hell I will."

His lips twitched. "You'll be safer there."

Gritting her teeth, she realized she had no choice.