Chpter 1

The moon hung low in the ink-black sky, its silver glow casting eerie shadows through the towering pines of Silverwood Forest. The wind whispered secrets through the branches, a hushed lullaby that spoke of the past, of battles fought and blood spilled.

Luna Nightshade moved like a ghost through the underbrush, her breath steady, her keen amber eyes scanning the forest ahead. She wasn't supposed to be here—no one from the Night Howlers pack was. The border between her people and the Dawn Chasers was sacred, a line drawn in centuries-old blood, a barrier that should never be crossed. And yet, here she was, standing at the very edge of forbidden territory.

A gust of wind carried a new scent—wild, strong, and undeniably male. Luna tensed. Someone was near. Her fingers curled into fists as she crouched behind a fallen tree, her wolf instincts sharpening. If she was caught, she would be branded a traitor. If she ran, she would never know what lay beyond the trees, beyond the borders that had caged her in since birth.

Something cracked—a twig snapping under a heavy boot.

Luna spun, a low growl forming in her throat, but before she could react, a figure stepped into the clearing. The moon illuminated his face, sharp angles and storm-gray eyes filled with suspicion.

"Who are you?" the stranger demanded, his voice laced with authority.

Luna straightened, refusing to shrink under his gaze. "I should ask you the same."

His lips curled slightly, though not in amusement. "You're on Dawn Chaser land."

Luna exhaled slowly, her heart hammering. "And you are?"

He studied her, as if weighing the risk of speaking his name. "Ronan Valen."

Her breath hitched. She knew that name. The heir to the Dawn Chasers, the one who would one day lead them against her people. A sworn enemy.

And yet, as their gazes locked beneath the watchful eye of the moon, Luna couldn't help but feel that this moment—this meeting—was meant to happen.

Even if it could mean war.

The silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken threats and something else—something neither of them dared to name. Luna's pulse thrummed in her ears as she studied Ronan. He stood tall, his stance rigid with the weight of his legacy, yet there was a flicker of curiosity in his storm-gray eyes.

"I should kill you," Ronan murmured, his voice a quiet storm. "You're trespassing."

Luna tilted her chin up defiantly. "Then why haven't you?"

A shadow of a smirk ghosted his lips. "I'd like to know why the Night Howlers' princess is lurking in my woods first."

Luna bristled at the title. "I don't owe you an explanation."

"No," Ronan said, stepping closer, his presence overwhelming. "But I think you'll give me one anyway."

The air between them crackled, charged with something neither could define. Luna's wolf stirred inside her, uneasy yet intrigued. She had spent her life being warned about the Dawn Chasers, but standing before Ronan Valen, she found herself questioning everything.

A distant howl shattered the moment. Luna stiffened. That call belonged to her pack. They were searching for her.

Ronan's expression darkened. "You should go. If they find you here—"

"I can handle myself."

His jaw clenched. "You're reckless."

Luna took a step back, unwilling to admit he might be right. "And you're arrogant."

Something flickered in his eyes—amusement, maybe even admiration—but it was gone before she could name it.

"We'll see each other again, Luna Nightshade," Ronan said, voice low and certain. "You and I are far from done."

Luna hesitated, then turned, disappearing into the shadows of the forest. She didn't dare look back, but she felt his gaze on her long after she was gone.

Luna barely made it back before the patrols caught wind of her absence. As she slipped into the Night Howlers' village, the familiar scent of pine and embers greeted her, mingling with the unmistakable scent of her father's presence.

Alpha Darius Nightshade stood at the heart of the pack's main hall, his arms crossed over his broad chest, amber eyes like molten gold as he fixed her with a stare that left no room for excuses.

"Where have you been?" His voice was quiet, but the force behind it was unmistakable.

Luna met his gaze without flinching. "Out running."

A muscle in his jaw twitched. "Beyond the borders?"

She hesitated. Just long enough for the tension in the room to thicken.

"You know the rules, Luna." Darius stepped closer, his presence as heavy as the weight of her mistake. "You are my daughter, the future of this pack. You cannot afford to be reckless."

Luna clenched her fists. "I was careful."

"Careful?" Darius's voice sharpened. "Did anyone see you?"

The memory of storm-gray eyes flashed in her mind. She hesitated a beat too long.

Darius exhaled sharply. "Luna, you put us all at risk."

Before she could argue, a new voice cut through the tension.

"She's not a pup, Darius."

Luna turned to see her mother, Sylva Nightshade, stepping into the room. Her dark hair was swept into a thick braid, her gaze sharp but filled with understanding.

"She's a warrior," Sylva continued, "and warriors need to test their limits."

Darius sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Testing limits is one thing. Inviting war is another."

Luna swallowed hard. She had heard the rumors—whispers of unrest, of something darker lurking beyond the borders. And now, she had seen it firsthand. But she couldn't tell them about Ronan. Not yet.

"I won't make the same mistake again," she said finally.

Darius studied her, then nodded once. "See that you don't."

As Luna turned to leave, her mother caught her wrist. "Be careful, Luna," she murmured, her grip firm. "The moon has a way of binding fates in ways we can't undo."

Luna met her mother's gaze, a shiver running down her spine.

She had a feeling Sylva already knew more than she let on.