The forest was alive with screams.

Elena ran beneath the silver light of the full moon, her breath shallow and uneven. The cold air tore through her lungs, and each step sent a sharp pain shooting up her legs. Behind her, the woods echoed with distant cries, strange sounds that belonged neither to man nor beast. The noise crawled into her bones and made her heart pound faster.

Her white nightdress was torn, her feet bare, the wet soil clinging to her skin. She didn’t dare look back. She could feel it behind her, a heavy presence slithering through the dark, chasing her, playing with her fear.

“Run,” a voice whispered in the wind. It felt as though it came from inside her own head.

Her lungs burned, begging her to stop, but she couldn’t. The ground beneath her grew uneven, roots snaking out of the earth as if the forest itself wanted her to fall. And when she finally did, the world seemed to stop breathing.

She hit the ground hard. Pain shot through her body as her palms scraped against the dirt. Her knees ached. She gasped, rolling onto her back, her chest rising and falling fast. Above her, the moon glared down, cold and bright, like an eye watching her struggle.

Then the shadows began to move.

They gathered together, twisting and coiling into a shape that was almost human but not quite. Darkness thickened into the outline of a man. The air grew still. Elena’s heart froze as the figure stepped closer, its face hidden beneath a hood darker than night.

Her body refused to move. She tried to scream, but the sound never left her lips.

The figure crouched near her, its voice a low growl that carried the weight of something ancient. “You cannot hide from what you are.”

She reached out blindly, searching for anything that could protect her, but her hands met only air. Her fingers trembled. The creature leaned closer until she could feel its cold breath. Its eyes, two pits of black flame, met hers.

And then the darkness swallowed her whole.

She screamed.

Her eyes flew open.

She was back in her room, drenched in sweat. Her chest heaved as if she had been running for hours. The sheets clung to her skin. Pale moonlight filtered through the window, casting silver patterns across her face. For a long moment, she just lay there, frozen, her heart thundering in her ears.

Then it happened.

A wall of light burst from her body, filling the room with blinding brilliance. It cracked through the air like lightning, knocking over the lamp beside her bed and rattling the windows. The power pulsed once more before fading, leaving behind a sharp silence.

Elena gasped and pressed her hand to her chest. Her breathing came in shallow bursts.

“What was that?” she whispered to herself.

The room was silent except for the soft rustle of leaves outside. She tried to calm herself, but something made her freeze.

A shadow moved beyond her window.

At first, she thought it was one of Derek’s guards, but the figure’s outline was strange. A tall, cloaked being stood half-hidden in the night, its body blending with the darkness. It raised a hand slowly and beckoned to her.

Elena’s stomach twisted.

She hesitated, glancing toward the door. The packhouse was silent. No footsteps. No voices. Everyone was asleep.

She looked back at the window. The figure had not moved. It waited, patient and still.

Her heart beat faster.

Against her better judgment, she climbed out of bed. The air was cold, stinging her skin. She stepped closer to the window, peering into the night.

“Who are you?” she whispered.

No answer. Only that same slow motion, the hand beckoning her again.

Her mind told her it was a trap, but something about the figure pulled her forward. It was not just fear. It was curiosity mixed with something strange, a sense that she had seen this shadow before.

She pushed the window open, her fingers trembling. The wind brushed her hair across her face. The night smelled of damp earth and pine.

Without thinking further, she climbed out. Her bare feet touched the cold grass. She looked around quickly to make sure no one had seen her, then turned toward the figure.

“Where are you taking me?” she asked.

The figure’s voice was deep and low. “Away from here.”

She frowned. “Away from where?”

“From him.”

Her heart skipped. “Him?”

“The savage Alpha.”

Derek.

She shook her head, stepping back. “You are lying.”

“Am I?” the shadow asked softly. “You have seen it yourself. You have felt the weight of his presence. You think he saved you. You think he is kind. But what if you are only a piece in his game?”

Elena stared at the ground, confused. The voice spoke like it knew something she didn’t.

“You do not know him,” she said finally.

“I know enough,” the shadow replied. “I know what he hides. I know what you are.”

Her breath caught. “What I am?”

The figure gave a sound that could have been a laugh or a sigh. “You will find out soon enough.”

It turned and began walking through the trees. The darkness seemed to swallow it whole.

Elena hesitated for a moment before following. Her instincts screamed that it was wrong, but her mind whispered that she needed to know.

They walked deeper into the woods, past the boundary where the scent of the Blood Moon pack faded. The air grew colder. The trees were taller here, older, their branches reaching out like claws. The moon hid behind clouds, casting the forest into a dim half-light.

Elena wrapped her arms around herself. “Where are we going?” she asked.

“To where your story began,” the voice answered.

She frowned. “I do not understand.”

“You will.”

Something moved in the shadows beside them. A faint rustle, then another. The hairs on her arms stood up.

The figure stopped. Elena’s breath hitched. All around them, the darkness began to move. Dozens of glowing red eyes appeared in the black.

Elena stumbled back. “What is that?”

“They have been waiting,” the figure said.

Wolves stepped out from the darkness, their fur black as smoke, their teeth gleaming white. They circled her slowly, growling low in their throats.

“You said you were helping me,” she whispered.

“And I am. I am freeing you from him,” the figure replied calmly. “But freedom comes with a price.”

“What are you talking about?”

The shadow raised a hand. The wolves crept closer. “You were never meant to belong to his pack. You were meant to destroy it.”

Elena’s eyes widened. “No. That cannot be true.”

The figure’s voice sharpened. “Then why does the light obey you?”

She froze.

Her voice came out small. “How do you know about that?”

The figure stepped closer, its hood facing her. “Because I felt it. The moment you woke. The moment the light tore through the night. You are not one of them. You are something far greater.”

She shook her head slowly. “You are lying.”

“Believe what you wish. But soon the power inside you will awaken. When it does, even he will not be able to control you.”

Elena looked around. The wolves had closed in completely. Their eyes gleamed like burning coals. Her pulse raced, her throat tightening.

“Let me go,” she said, her voice trembling. “Please.”

The shadow tilted its head. “Soon.”

It turned toward the largest wolf, a huge beast with eyes like molten fire. “Send a message,” it said.

The creature lowered its head respectfully.

“Tell the Alpha,” the cloaked being continued, “that his end is near.”

The wolf gave a low growl before darting into the forest, vanishing between the trees.

Elena watched in horror as the remaining wolves drew closer. She could hear their breathing, smell the wild musk of their fur. Every instinct screamed at her to run, but her body refused to move.

The shadow faced her again. “Now, little light,” it said softly, “let us see what you truly are.”

The ground beneath her feet pulsed. The air vibrated. The world seemed to hold its breath.

And in that moment, Elena knew nothing would ever be the same again.