Chapter 1 THE BLOOD MOON AWAKENS

The wind howled through the dense forest, carrying with it the scent of damp earth and pine. The moon, swollen and red, hung low in the night sky, casting an eerie glow over the treetops. Selene Cross tightened her jacket around her body as she hurried down the narrow dirt path, her breath visible in the crisp autumn air.

She wasn't supposed to be out this late. Her grandmother, a woman full of old tales and superstitions, had warned her to be home before the Blood Moon rose. But Selene had always been stubborn, dismissing the warnings as nothing more than folklore passed down through generations.

Now, she wasn't so sure.

A rustling in the underbrush made her stop in her tracks. Her pulse quickened. She turned, eyes scanning the darkness, but saw nothing beyond the shifting shadows.

"Probably just a deer," she whispered to herself, forcing a nervous chuckle.

Then, the growl came. Low, guttural, and too close.

Selene's stomach dropped. She took a cautious step back, her heart hammering in her chest. The stories her grandmother told her as a child came rushing back-tales of beasts that prowled under the Blood Moon, hunting those foolish enough to wander alone.

Another growl, this time accompanied by the unmistakable sound of heavy footfalls.

Selene ran.

Branches slapped against her arms as she sprinted down the path, her boots kicking up loose dirt. She didn't know where she was going-all she knew was that she had to get away.

A shadow moved in her peripheral vision. Too fast. Too big.

Terror clawed at her throat as she stumbled forward. The path was narrowing, the trees closing in around her. And then-

Pain.

A searing, unbearable pain ripped through her shoulder as something heavy collided with her, sending her sprawling to the ground. She barely had time to gasp before the weight pressed down on her back, pinning her to the cold earth.

Hot breath fanned against her neck, and she caught the scent of something wild-earthy, metallic, and unmistakably predatory. A snarl rumbled above her, vibrating through her bones.

Selene struggled, twisting beneath the force that held her down. Her fingers clawed at the dirt, desperate for something-anything-to use as a weapon. But before she could react, the weight lifted, and a new sound filled the night.

A vicious snarl, followed by the sharp crack of bones snapping.

Selene rolled onto her side just in time to see two massive wolves locked in battle. One was dark-furred, its eyes burning like molten gold. The other, slightly smaller but no less fierce, had silver-touched fur that gleamed under the moonlight.

They clashed with brutal force, teeth flashing, claws raking against each other's thick pelts. The air was thick with snarls, growls, and the sickening sound of flesh tearing.

Selene couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. She knew she should run, but her body refused to obey. Her vision blurred as the pain in her shoulder intensified, white-hot and unbearable. And then-

The world faded to black.