Chapter 3

The full moon hung in the sky, casting an ethereal glow over Lunar Falls. The town was quiet, its streets empty, save for the occasional rustle of leaves stirred by a faint evening breeze. But in the shadows, where the moon’s light couldn’t reach, a darker presence was quietly watching, planning, and waiting. Silas Moore, the Alpha of the Bloodmoon Pack, had arrived in the town that bordered the Moonrise Pack’s new territory.

It was not by coincidence that Silas found himself in Lunar Falls tonight. His pack’s ambition was no secret—expansion, power, and domination were the driving forces behind his every move. But his motives had grown more complicated over the last few weeks, particularly with the discovery of one powerful, mysterious individual—Aria Westbrook.

Silas had heard whispers of her abilities, of her connection to nature, and of the witch blood that ran in her veins. At first, it had seemed like nothing more than a rumor, an exaggeration. But when he saw her for himself, when he felt the unmistakable pulse of magic radiating from her presence, he knew that Aria Westbrook was far more than just a reclusive florist. She was a potential weapon, one that could serve his ambitions in ways no one could imagine.

The wind shifted, and Silas stood from his place beneath a large oak tree, his sharp eyes watching as a figure emerged from the shadows. His Beta, Alaric, approached with a sense of urgency, his footsteps light but quick. He was a trusted ally, one of the few who had stuck by Silas’s side for years, even as his methods grew darker.

“Alpha,” Alaric said, his voice low, the tone laced with respect and unease. “The pack’s scouts have confirmed that Aria Westbrook is staying here in Lunar Falls. She’s the one we’ve been searching for.”

Silas nodded slowly, his fingers tracing the edge of a silver pendant around his neck, the symbol of his pack. “I know. I felt it too. The power she carries... it’s undeniable. But she hasn’t been fully awakened yet. That’s where the real challenge lies. I’ll need her to realize her potential.”

Alaric gave him a questioning look, but Silas’s steely gaze silenced him.

“She will come to me,” Silas continued, his voice colder than the night air around them. “I’ll make sure of it. But I need you to keep an eye on her. I’m not the only one watching, and I have a feeling someone else will try to claim her first.”

The Beta didn’t need any further explanation. He understood the implications. If Silas was right about Aria’s powers, then anyone aware of her abilities would be eager to harness them, particularly the Moonrise Pack. That Alpha, Damon Knight, would surely try to control her, to use her as a bargaining chip or, worse yet, as a weapon. Silas smirked at the thought. Damon was a fool if he thought he could stop him. But what made Aria so dangerous was not just her magical heritage—it was her resistance. Silas had heard of her refusal to join her family, her rejection of their traditions. It intrigued him. There was a fire in her that could either be molded to his will or extinguished completely.

“We’ll move when the time is right,” Silas said, his eyes gleaming with a calculated coldness. “But first, I’ll let her think she has a choice. She’ll come to me willingly, or I’ll make sure her life becomes unbearable.”

Alaric nodded, a sharp edge of anticipation in his voice. “And what about the Moonrise Pack? Damon Knight?”

Silas’s lips twisted into a smile. “Damon Knight is of no consequence. He’s still learning how to be Alpha, still struggling with his father’s legacy. He’s weak, and weaknesses are meant to be exploited. His pack will fall to me. I’ve waited too long to build my power. He won’t be an obstacle for much longer.”

Meanwhile, across town, in the small, fragrant flower shop, Aria Westbrook was cleaning up from a long day of customers. The shop had been quieter than usual, but she hadn’t minded. It was a rare evening of peace, and she took solace in the calmness that enveloped her. She wasn’t expecting company tonight, especially not someone who had already invaded her thoughts far too much today.

But then, the bell above the door chimed, and the air in the room seemed to change. Aria tensed as she glanced up. There, standing in the doorway, was Damon Knight. He was dressed casually tonight, but his presence still commanded the space—tall, imposing, with that unnerving intensity in his gaze. Her stomach twisted, and she quickly pushed aside the unsettling feeling he always managed to evoke in her. She had told herself she wouldn’t let this connection, this inexplicable bond, affect her. But it had, and it wasn’t just the pull of the mate bond; it was something else, something deeper, that she wasn’t ready to confront.

Damon’s eyes flicked to her, his gaze briefly softening as he took in the sight of her. But he quickly masked his emotions, slipping back into the role of the confident Alpha.

“I didn’t expect to find you here,” he said, his voice gruff, though there was an underlying warmth to it. “I thought I’d grab something for tonight. The pack has been... tense. Thought the flowers might help lighten the mood.”

Aria’s lips curved into a tight smile as she put down the vase she had been holding. “I suppose a few bouquets wouldn’t hurt,” she replied, her tone more neutral than she intended. She kept her distance, folding her arms across her chest. “I didn’t take you for someone who needed flowers to lighten his mood.”

Damon chuckled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”

The air between them crackled with a tension that neither of them could fully ignore. Aria wondered what exactly Damon was hiding. She didn’t trust him, couldn’t trust him—not after everything that had happened. But she couldn’t deny that something about him made her heart race and her pulse spike with an intensity she couldn’t explain.

She quickly turned back to the counter, collecting herself. “What can I get for you?” she asked, trying to focus on the task at hand.

“I’m looking for something... bold,” Damon said after a beat, his voice thoughtful as he scanned the rows of flowers. “Something that stands out. Something unforgettable.”

The way he said those words, so deliberately, made Aria’s breath catch. She glanced up at him again, but his expression was unreadable. She didn’t know what it was—whether it was the weight of his words or the quiet intensity in his gaze—but she felt herself flinch inwardly, as though he were speaking to her in some way that went beyond just the flowers.

Aria set about preparing the bouquet. She could feel Damon watching her, but she refused to meet his gaze. Not yet. Not when she was still fighting the pull that he represented.

As she worked, her mind wandered back to the strange events of the past few days—the sense of being watched, of danger looming just beyond the horizon. She hadn’t put much thought into it at first, chalking it up to paranoia, but now, as Damon lingered in her shop, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss. And it wasn’t just him. It was the sudden tension in the air, the unease that had crept into her life like a silent shadow.

Damon reached for his wallet as she finished the bouquet, but then, just as his fingers brushed the edge of the counter, there was a sharp knock at the door. Aria looked up, startled.

A figure stood in the doorway, cloaked in shadow, the silhouette unmistakable. It was a man she didn’t recognize, but he was looking directly at Damon, his posture tense and aggressive. Aria instinctively stepped back, a cold shiver running down her spine.

“Damon Knight,” the man’s voice came, deep and guttural, “I’ve been looking for you.”

Damon’s eyes narrowed as he stood, his muscles tensing. “Who are you?”

The man smirked. “Someone who has a message for you. And it’s a message you won’t ignore.”

Before Aria could react, the stranger’s eyes shifted to her, as if he had just realized she was there.

“Ah, and the witch,” he mused darkly, a malicious gleam in his eye. “The one with the power.”

Aria’s blood ran cold, and her hand instinctively reached for the nearest vial of salt she kept behind the counter. She hadn’t expected this tonight. She hadn’t expected any of it.

But there was no mistaking the threat in the man’s voice.

And now, for the first time, Aria felt the full weight of the danger that had been drawing closer to her—and to Damon.