Chapter 1 Broken by the Moon

The full moon glared down like an angry eye, bathing the pack's clearing in silver. Lila stood trembling in the center, her long brown hair tangled, her green eyes wide with fear. The air smelled of pine and smoke, but all she could hear was her own heartbeat—fast, too fast. Around her, the pack formed a tight ring, their growls low and accusing. Her mate, Alpha Jaxon, paced in front of her, his black leather jacket creaking, his gold eyes locked on her like she was prey.

"You lied to me," he said, voice rough as gravel. He stopped, towering over her, his hands flexing like he wanted to hit something. "You're pregnant. And it's not mine."

Lila's breath caught. She pressed a hand to her belly, barely showing under her loose shirt. She'd hoped to hide it longer, to find a way to tell him. But her sister, Tara, had overheard her talking to herself—panicking about the baby—and ran straight to Jaxon. Now here she was, facing the end of everything.

"It was before you," she said, voice shaking. "Before we bonded. I didn't know—"

"Before?" Jaxon's laugh was cold, cruel. He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. "You think I care when it happened? You're my mate, Lila. Mine. And you let some human scum put a child in you?"

The pack shifted, some snarling, some whispering. Her friend Mara stood near the back, eyes down. No one would help her. Lila's knees wobbled, but she didn't back down. "I loved him," she said, tears burning her eyes. "Tom. He's gone now. It was a mistake, Jaxon. Please—"

His hand cracked across her face, sending her sprawling to the dirt. Pain flared in her cheek, hot and sharp. The pack gasped, but no one moved. Jaxon's boots crunched closer. "A mistake?" he spat. "You're the mistake."

She scrambled up, clutching her stomach. "The baby's innocent. You can't—"

"I can do whatever I want!" he roared. His claws extended, glinting in the moonlight. "I reject you, Lila Gray. You're nothing to me. Nothing to this pack."

The mate bond snapped—a wrenching, ripping ache that dropped her to her knees. She gasped, clawing at her chest, but the pain wasn't just inside. Jaxon lunged, slashing her shoulder. Blood sprayed, warm and wet, soaking her shirt. She screamed, rolling away as the pack howled, their voices rising to the moon.

"Run," Jaxon growled, shifting into a massive black wolf. His teeth snapped an inch from her face. "Or I'll rip that thing out of you myself."

Lila didn't think. She bolted, bare feet pounding the dirt, her shoulder throbbing with every step. The forest swallowed her, branches snagging her clothes, tearing her skin. Behind her, Jaxon's howl shook the trees, and the pack answered. They were hunting her.

She ran until her lungs burned, until the moon was high and her legs gave out. She tripped near a creek, splashing into shallow water. The cold shocked her, but she dragged herself to the bank, hugging her knees. "I'll protect you," she whispered to her belly, voice cracking. "I promise."

A branch cracked. She froze, head snapping up. Three men stepped from the shadows—hunters, their crossbows loaded with silver bolts. Their coats were patched, their grins mean. "Found her," one said, his voice like a snake's hiss. "Pregnant rogue. Worth double."

Lila stumbled back, slipping on wet rocks. "Leave me alone," she said, but it came out weak. She couldn't shift—not now, not with the baby. She was defenseless.

The leader aimed his crossbow. "Night's over, sweetheart." A bolt fired, grazing her arm. She yelped, diving behind a tree as another shot buried into the bark.

Then—a roar, deep and wild. A gray wolf exploded from the dark, slamming into the leader. Blood sprayed as claws tore into him. The other two hunters shouted, firing, but the wolf was too fast. He ripped through them like paper, leaving them crumpled and groaning.

Lila peeked out, heart racing. The wolf shifted, fur melting into a man—tall, lean, with messy brown hair and gray eyes that pinned her in place. He wiped blood from his cheek, staring at her.

"Who… who are you?" she stammered.

"Kade," he said, voice low. "You're hurt."

She touched her shoulder—Jaxon's claw marks oozed red. "I've had worse tonight."

He stepped closer, and she flinched. He stopped. "More'll come. Hunters. Your pack. You're in rogue land now."

"I don't have a pack anymore," she said, standing shakily. "He threw me out."

Kade's eyes flicked to her stomach, then back up. "Your choice. Follow me or stay and die." He turned, walking off without waiting.

Lila hesitated. She didn't trust him, but she didn't trust the forest either. With hunters and Jaxon's wolves out there, she had no options. She followed, her steps uneven, her heart a mess of fear and fire. She'd lost everything—but she wasn't done fighting.