VANESSA
The full moon hung like a silver medallion in the night sky, bathing the clearing in ethereal light. I stood among the pack members, feeling a strange mix of nervousness and anticipation as Alpha Roman called the Moonlit Shift to order.
"Tonight, we honor our wolves and the bond we share with them," his deep voice carried across the hushed gathering. "Under the full moon, we surrender to our truest selves."
My heart quickened. The Moonlit Shift was sacred—a time when pack politics and human concerns melted away. A time when we could simply be wolves, running free beneath the moon.
I watched as Roman stepped forward first, his movements fluid and confident. Without ceremony, he unbuttoned his shirt and slipped it from his shoulders. My breath caught at the sight of his broad chest and the intricate Alpha marking spanning his shoulder blade.