BLOOD MOON PACT

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.

Selene awoke to warmth. A fire crackled nearby, casting flickering shadows across rough wooden walls. The scent of herbs and something faintly metallic filled the air. She shifted, wincing as pain flared in her shoulder.

"Easy," a deep voice murmured.

Her eyes snapped open, locking onto the man sitting beside the fire. He was tall, with sharp features and dark hair that fell just past his shoulders. His piercing gray eyes studied her intently.

"Who... who are you?" Selene managed to croak out.

The man leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "Rowan Vale," he said simply. "And you, Selene Cross, are lucky to be alive."

Selene swallowed hard, confusion swirling in her mind. "How do you know my name?"

Rowan exhaled slowly, his gaze flickering toward the window, where the Blood Moon still shone.

"Because, whether you like it or not, you just became a part of something much bigger than yourself."

Selene's fingers curled around the rough wool blanket draped over her. The pain in her shoulder throbbed, but she forced herself to sit up. A sharp pang made her suck in a breath.

Rowan's gaze flicked to her wound. "You were bitten," he said solemnly.

Selene's heart skipped a beat. "Bitten?" she echoed. "By what?"

Rowan's lips pressed into a thin line. "By a werewolf."

The room spun. "That's not possible," she whispered. "Werewolves aren't real."

Rowan scoffed. "And yet, here you are, sitting in my cabin with a mark that proves otherwise."

Selene's fingers trembled as she reached for her shoulder, gingerly touching the bandages wrapped around her wound. Beneath them, her skin burned, the pain a dull ache now, but there was something else-a strange heat pulsing beneath the surface.

"What happens to me now?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Rowan studied her for a long moment before responding. "That depends," he said. "On whether you survive the change."

Selene's blood turned to ice.

The silence stretched between them, thick and oppressive. Selene gripped the blanket tighter, as if it could shield her from the truth settling deep in her bones.

"I don't understand," she said finally. "What do you mean, 'survive the change'?"

Rowan sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "Werewolf bites aren't always fatal, but they're never harmless. If your body accepts the change, you'll become one of us."

"And if it doesn't?"

Rowan's jaw tightened. "Then you'll die."

Selene's stomach churned. "There has to be another way."

"There isn't."

She searched his face for any sign of deception but found none. Fear clawed at her chest. "So what do I do now?"

Rowan leaned back, crossing his arms. "You wait."

"For what?"

"For the full moon."

Selene shook her head. "But that's weeks away."

Rowan's gaze darkened. "Not for you. Your first shift will happen soon-maybe days, maybe hours. It's different for everyone."

Panic flared in her chest. She couldn't stay here, waiting for her body to betray her. She had a life, a family. "I have to go home."

"You can't."

Selene glared at him. "You can't keep me here."

Rowan exhaled sharply. "You don't understand. If you leave, you're putting everyone you love at risk."

A chill ran through her. "What do you mean?"

Rowan's expression was grim. "If you turn, and you can't control it, you could kill them."

Selene's breath hitched. She hadn't considered that. The thought of harming her grandmother, her friends-it was too much.

"What am I supposed to do?" she whispered.

Rowan studied her for a moment before saying, "You train. You learn to control it. And you pray that when the time comes, you're strong enough to survive."

The air inside the cabin felt thick, heavy with the weight of unspoken fears. Selene sat in silence, her fingers digging into the rough fabric of the blanket draped over her shoulders. The throbbing in her wound hadn't faded-it had worsened. Heat pulsed through her veins, each wave of warmth more intense than the last.

She was changing.

And she didn't know if she could stop it.

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selene clutched her shoulder as another surge of heat pulsed through her veins. Her skin was on fire, every nerve screaming in protest. She gritted her teeth, trying to control the tremors wracking her body.

Rowan watched from across the room, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. "It's starting," he said simply.

Selene gasped as her muscles tensed painfully, a deep ache settling into her bones. "Make it stop," she begged, sweat beading on her forehead.

"You have to ride it out," Rowan said. "Fighting it will only make it worse."

But Selene wasn't sure she could. The burning was unbearable, and deep inside, something primal stirred, threatening to break free.

Her skin was feverish, burning from the inside out. The wound on her shoulder throbbed, but the pain was nothing compared to the new urges creeping into her mind. Scents overwhelmed her-the smoky wood of the fire, the herbal tang of the tea Rowan had brewed, and beneath it all, the unmistakable, intoxicating scent of blood.

She swallowed hard, shaking her head. No. I'm not an animal. But her body betrayed her, her muscles twitching as if itching to move, to hunt.

Rowan sat across from her, watching her closely. His gaze was unreadable, but there was a knowing look in his silver eyes.

"You feel it, don't you?" he said, voice low and even.

Selene clenched her jaw. She didn't want to admit it. Didn't want to say the words out loud. But she nodded, gripping the edge of the wooden bench she sat on as another wave of heat pulsed through her body.

"I don't understand," she whispered, her voice hoarse. "I was never... like this before."

"That's because you weren't turned before." Rowan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "The hunger is part of the change. It will only grow stronger."

Selene's breathing quickened. The idea terrified her. The thought of losing control, of becoming something else-it was too much.

Rowan must have seen the panic in her eyes because he sighed and shook his head. "You have to learn to control it, Selene. If you don't, the hunger will take over, and you won't recognize yourself anymore."

She swallowed hard, the words settling deep in her gut like stones. "How?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "How do I stop it?"

He studied her for a moment before answering. "You don't stop it. You learn to live with it."

Selene's nails dug into the wood of the bench. The idea of coexisting with this monstrous hunger, of feeling it claw at her insides day after day, sent a shiver through her. She wasn't sure she could do it.

A sudden noise outside made her jolt-a rustling, followed by the distant snap of a branch. Her head whipped toward the door, her pulse hammering. But it wasn't fear that sent adrenaline surging through her veins.

It was anticipation.

The scent of something alive, something warm, drifted in through the open window. Selene's breath hitched. It smelled delicious.

Her stomach twisted. No. No, no, no. She shoved herself up from the bench, staggering back.

Rowan stood quickly, watching her carefully. "Selene." His voice was steady but firm.

"I-" She shook her head violently. "I need air."

She didn't wait for his response. She turned and bolted out the door, into the cool night air. The moment she stepped outside, the scents overwhelmed her-the fresh earth, the damp moss, the distant, tantalizing aroma of prey.

Her vision sharpened, her hearing heightened. She could hear the faint heartbeat of something small-probably a rabbit-hiding in the underbrush nearby. Her mouth watered.

She clutched her head, pressing her palms against her temples. No. I'm not an animal. I'm not an animal.

But deep down, a darker voice whispered, Yes, you are.

Rowan stepped outside, his presence a grounding force in the chaos of her mind. "You're fighting it," he said.

"Of course I'm fighting it!" she snapped, spinning to face him. "I don't want to be a monster."

He studied her for a long moment before saying, "You don't have a choice."

Selene trembled, her breath coming in short gasps. She could feel the beast inside her, clawing to get free. She didn't know how much longer she could hold it back.

And she was terrified of what would happen when she couldn't.

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Selene's transformation is intensifying, and her battle with her growing hunger is just beginning. Will she fight it, or will the beast inside her take over?

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