Bound by Shadows

Elara's breath was uneven as she stood between Kieran and Lucien, their eyes locked in a silent war. The night pressed in around them, thick with tension, the moon casting long, silver shadows across the forest floor.

"I'm not some prize to be fought over," she said, voice steadier than she felt. "You don't own me."

Lucien smirked, tilting his head slightly. "See, Alpha? She speaks for herself."

Kieran's fists clenched at his sides, his body a coiled spring ready to snap. "This isn't about ownership, Elara. It's about keeping you alive."

Lucien gave a slow, taunting shrug. "And yet, you're the one she was running from tonight, not me."

The words struck their mark. Kieran's jaw tightened, his eyes darkening to something almost feral. A low, dangerous growl rumbled from his chest.

Elara stepped back, her stomach twisting. The energy between them was primal, volatile, and she was caught in the middle of something far bigger than she understood.

"I don't have time for this," she muttered, pushing past them and heading deeper into the forest.

"Elara—" Kieran started, but she cut him off.

"No. I need space."

Neither of them moved to follow. Not yet. But she could feel their eyes on her, burning into her skin as she disappeared into the trees.

The night air was cool against her flushed cheeks, but her mind was anything but calm. Everything about this situation felt impossible.

Kieran—the dominant, possessive Alpha who claimed she was tied to him by fate.

Lucien—the rogue, the exile, whose presence ignited something in her just as strong.

And then there was her—just a girl who had somehow become tangled in a battle between forces she couldn't control.

She exhaled, trying to clear her head, when a sound made her freeze.

A whisper of movement.

Not Kieran. Not Lucien.

Something else.

She turned sharply, eyes scanning the darkened trees. The forest was alive with sound—the distant hoot of an owl, the rustling of wind through the leaves. But this was different.

A presence.

Her heart slammed against her ribs as the scent hit her. Rot. Blood. Something inhuman.

The shadows shifted.

Then—a flash of movement.

A creature lunged from the darkness, faster than she could react.

Snarling, it tackled her to the ground, claws raking across her shoulder. Pain burned through her, white-hot and searing. She gasped, struggling beneath the weight of it, her mind barely able to register what she was seeing.

Not a wolf. Not human. Something in between.

Its eyes glowed a sickly yellow, its mouth twisted in a snarl too grotesque to be natural. Saliva dripped from its fangs as it pressed closer, a growl vibrating through its massive frame.

Elara kicked, twisting beneath its weight, but it was too strong.

Then—

A blur of motion.

A thunderous snarl.

The creature was ripped off her.

Elara gasped, rolling onto her side just in time to see Kieran and Lucien collide with the beast.

Kieran was a force of nature—his body shifting, muscles twisting as the moon's power took hold. His wolf form was massive, dark fur bristling as he sank his fangs into the creature's throat.

Lucien was faster, his movements a blur as he dodged a swipe of claws and struck with deadly precision. His silver eyes flashed, teeth bared in something that wasn't quite a smile.

The creature shrieked, thrashing violently, but it was no match for them.

Kieran went for the kill.

One final snap of his jaws—

Silence.

The body slumped to the ground, unmoving.

Elara stared, her breath ragged.

Her shoulder burned where the claws had torn into her, warm blood soaking into her sweater. She barely registered the pain—her mind still trying to catch up with what had just happened.

Kieran shifted back first, his bare chest rising and falling with each heavy breath. His hands were still coated in the creature's blood as he turned to her.

"Elara," he said, voice sharp with concern.

Lucien crouched beside her, his touch unexpectedly gentle as he reached for her injured shoulder. "You're hurt."

"I'm fine," she whispered, but she wasn't sure if that was true.

Lucien's eyes met hers, something unreadable flickering in their depths. "That wasn't just any rogue."

Kieran's expression darkened. "No. That was something worse."

Elara swallowed hard. "What was it?"

Kieran exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. "A Forsaken."

A chill ran through her. She had heard the stories—of wolves who had lost themselves to darkness, their minds consumed by rage and bloodlust. Beasts that no longer recognized pack, loyalty, or even their own humanity.

They were monsters.

And one had just tried to kill her.

"Why would a Forsaken come after me?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper.

Kieran and Lucien exchanged a look.

"Elara…" Kieran started carefully, kneeling beside her. "There's something you don't know."

Her heart pounded. "Then tell me."

Lucien exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "This isn't the time."

Kieran ignored him. "The reason I've been trying to protect you… the reason you feel drawn to us… it's because you're not just human."

The words hit her like a punch to the chest.

She laughed—short, breathless, disbelieving."That's ridiculous."

Lucien's gaze softened, but there was something knowing in his expression.

"You've felt it, haven't you?" he murmured. "The pull. The way your body reacts to us. The way the moon… calls to you."

Her stomach twisted. No. That wasn't possible. She was normal.

And yet…

She thought of the way her skin burned under Kieran's touch. The way Lucien's voice sent a shiver down her spine. The way the full moon made her blood hum in her veins.

No.

No, it couldn't be true.

Kieran reached out, brushing his fingers against her cheek. "You're one of us, Elara."

Her breath hitched. "I—I would know if I was a werewolf."

Lucien's lips curled into something almost sympathetic. "Not if it was hidden from you."

Her mind reeled.

Kieran's voice was gentle but firm. "You were never meant to be ordinary, Elara."

The words settled over her like a weight she wasn't ready to bear.

She had spent her whole life thinking she was human.

But what if she wasn't?

What if everything she thought she knew about herself… was a lie?

The forest was silent, save for the pounding of her heart.

And for the first time, she wasn't sure if she wanted the answer.