Chapter 2

Ayla's heart raced as she stumbled deeper into the forest, the echo of her breath mingling with the distant howls of rogue wolves. The full moon above bathed the landscape in an eerie glow, casting long shadows over the twisted trees. Every step she took was a reminder of her rejection, her mate's cruel words still ringing in her ears. Cursed. Weak. A burden. The taunts echoed in her mind as her fingers brushed against the rough bark of an ancient oak.

She paused, her chest tight with grief, her mind clouded with anger and confusion. How could Eryon—her fated mate, the one she had been told would complete her—turn on her so easily? But before she could drown in her thoughts, the air shifted. The scent of the forest changed—something wild, something dangerous.

A growl rumbled from the shadows, low and menacing. Ayla’s body froze, her pulse quickening. She turned slowly, her eyes scanning the darkness. There, emerging from the underbrush, was a massive black wolf, its eyes glowing amber in the moonlight. Its fur was sleek and sharp, rippling with raw power.

The rogue wolf bared its teeth, a feral snarl slipping from its throat as it stalked toward her. Fear gripped her chest, but then, just as the wolf lunged, something within Ayla stirred. It was subtle at first—a flicker of warmth in her chest, followed by a wave of energy that radiated through her veins.

In a single fluid motion, Ayla raised her hand. The wolf froze mid-pounce, its body suddenly still as though an invisible force held it at bay. Her heart hammered in her chest, but she couldn’t look away from the creature before her. There was something undeniably powerful coursing through her now, something she had never felt before.

The wolf growled again, snapping at the invisible force that held it, but Ayla felt her power surge. She concentrated harder, and with a sudden burst, the wolf was thrown back against a tree, crashing to the ground with a howl of surprise.

Her breath came in shallow gasps, her knees buckling as the energy drained from her. The rogue wolf, dazed but not defeated, began to rise. But before it could make another move, the ground trembled beneath her feet.

From the forest’s edge, a second figure emerged—a towering, dark silhouette against the moonlight. Ayla’s heart skipped a beat. She could feel the presence of the newcomer, the same strange energy that had surged within her moments before. The figure stepped into the clearing, revealing a pair of glowing amber eyes and a hardened, scarred face.

Lucien.

The Alpha of the rogue clan, the one she had heard whispers about—the very same man who had once crossed paths with her in the wilderness. He stood tall, his black cloak billowing behind him like a shadow. His eyes locked onto hers, an intensity she had never seen before.

"You're stronger than I thought," Lucien said, his voice low, a hint of approval in his tone.

Ayla’s mind spun, the force that had surged within her now fading as reality came crashing back. She stumbled back, unsure of how to process what had just happened.

"Who... who are you?" she whispered, her voice trembling with both fear and awe.

Lucien didn’t answer immediately. Instead, his gaze drifted to the rogue wolf, which was now rising shakily to its feet. Lucien’s eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint in them.

"We don’t have time for this," he muttered.

The air seemed to grow heavier, the tension palpable as he moved toward Ayla with measured steps.

"I need you to come with me," Lucien continued, his voice brokering no argument.

Ayla opened her mouth to protest, but before she could form the words, the rogue wolf lunged again—this time not at Ayla, but at Lucien. The two figures collided in a blur of fur, teeth, and claws, the sound of their struggle echoing through the night. Ayla’s pulse quickened as she watched the Alpha move with terrifying precision, his power evident as he dominated the fight.

In the midst of the chaos, Ayla’s breath caught when she noticed something she hadn’t before—two other figures emerging from the trees behind Lucien, their eyes glowing with an eerie yellow hue.

The rogue wolves weren’t alone.

Before she could make sense of the situation, Lucien’s voice broke through the fray. "Run, Ayla. Now!"

But as she turned to flee, the forest seemed to shift. A distant howl pierced the air—a call from the very heart of the rogue territory, one that sent a chill racing down Ayla’s spine. Something larger was coming. Something she wasn't prepared for.

Ayla took a step, then stopped, her eyes narrowing as shadows moved at the edges of her vision. Was she truly safe in Lucien’s hands, or had she just stepped into a much larger conflict than she ever realized?

The ground trembled again, and before Ayla could react, a massive figure emerged from the forest, blocking her path.

A new, even larger, predator had arrived.