Chapter 1 The Wolf Without a Past

The forest was burning.

Smoke rolled low across the asphalt road as Luna stumbled out from the trees, barefoot, wearing a torn hospital gown that didn't belong to her. The night air carried the metallic tang of rain and blood. Somewhere behind her, wolves howled-a chorus that stirred something deep inside her chest, something she couldn't name.

She had no memory of her own name.

Only the echo of a voice.

Run, Luna. Don't look back.

Headlights sliced through the darkness. A black SUV screeched to a halt, tires spitting gravel. Five men stepped out, all dressed in black, their movements sharp and disciplined. The tallest of them-broad-shouldered, eyes like silver under the moon-stared straight at her.

"Found her", one muttered into a radio.

Luna's pulse thudded in her ears. She took a step back. The silver-eyed man didn't move; he simply looked at her as though he'd seen a ghost.

"You shouldn't be alive", he said softly.

Something in his tone-grief, disbelief, anger-sent a shiver through her.

"I don't know who you think I am," she whispered.

"Yes, you do." His gaze dragged over her face, lingering as if memorizing it. "Even if you've forgotten, your scent hasn't."

Before she could speak, the men surrounded her. The silver-eyed one stepped closer, close enough that she felt the heat radiating off his body. His voice dropped to a growl.

"Tell me, Luna... do you still dream of me?"

The name hit her like thunder. Luna.

So that's who she was.

A flash-memories not her own. Moonlight. A kiss that tasted like fire. A promise sworn in blood.

Her knees buckled. The man caught her before she fell, his hands firm but trembling. For a heartbeat, the world went silent; there was only his scent-cedar, storm, danger-and the strange warmth that flared where his skin met hers.

"Who are you?" she breathed.

He looked down at her, jaw tight, eyes unreadable.

"I'm the one you betrayed."

The words tore through the fog in her mind, leaving nothing but confusion and the faint crackle of flames somewhere far away.

Then she saw it-the mark on his neck, glowing faintly like embers. She glanced at her own arm and gasped; the same mark pulsed under her skin, answering his.

The air grew heavy, charged, alive.

"Take her," he ordered, his voice suddenly hard. "The Alpha will decide what to do with her."

"But Alpha-" one of the men began.

He cut him off. "I am the Alpha."

Her head snapped up. Their eyes locked.

Alpha.

Somewhere deep within her, something ancient stirred-recognition, yearning, fear.

She wanted to pull away, but her body refused. Instead, she whispered the only question that mattered.

"What did I do to you?"

Kael's eyes darkened. "You loved me," he said. "And then you destroyed everything."

Before she could reply, darkness closed in again. The last thing she felt was his arms lifting her, strong and possessive, as the world faded to black.