Chapter 5

“Crazy? Then I’ll survive just to become your nightmare.”

I dragged my battered body through the snowy forest. Brambles sliced open my calves, and the cold wind scraped my face like a rasp. The wolf bite was already inflamed, blood soaking into the ground with every step.

The night was heavy, like a sack meant to swallow me whole, and fate was shoving me in.

But I couldn’t stop.

Deep in a grove of black pines, I slipped and crashed into a frozen ravine. My arm slammed against a rock, the pain nearly knocking me unconscious. The world spun—and then I saw a crack behind a boulder.

I crawled toward it. It was a natural ice cave—small, cold, but enough to shield me from the wind.

Curled in a ball, I propped myself against the wall with a broken branch.

It wasn’t long before my consciousness began to fade. Pain, cold, and fever burned together into a delirious haze.

I started burning up.

In a daze, I thought I heard a man’s voice: “Damn it. How the hell is she still alive?”

My eyelids were too heavy. I couldn’t open them. I drifted on the edge of unconsciousness.

I woke to firelight and cursing.

“You should be grateful, Lady Luna. Otherwise that leg of yours would’ve been dog food.”

I opened my eyes and found myself lying beside a campfire. My leg was splinted, the bite on my shoulder cleaned and bandaged.

A male wolf was rummaging through my herb pouch, frowning.

He wore a coat made of muddy grey wolf pelts, his hair a mess, a deep scar cutting through the corner of his eye.

“Who… are you?” I croaked weakly.

He clicked his tongue. “Call me Mason. Rogue wolf. Just happened to pass by and saw you freezing to death. Fished you out, is all.”

He paused. “Are you insane? This valley’s been wolf territory for years. And a banished Luna dares to crawl in like she owns it?”

“I had no choice,” I rasped.

“You’re from Blackthorn,” he said suddenly, his voice chilling. His nose twitched. “I can smell it. Azrael’s stench is still clinging to you.”

I didn’t deny it. I closed my eyes. “He and his pack tossed me into hell.”

Mason scoffed. “Welcome to the club.”

He didn’t pry further. Instead, he silently changed my bandages and gave me water—rough, but not unkind.

His touch didn’t feel like care. More like repairing a broken weapon.

Somehow, he felt more alive than those Alphas dressed in civility ever had.

A few days later, my fever broke. I could eat on my own and even walk slowly along the wall.

As he stewed rabbit meat, Mason said, “Time for you to go. This cave doesn’t welcome long-term guests.”

I looked at him. “I know you hate Azrael.”

He didn’t deny it.

“Your brother… did he die in the border purge Azrael ordered?”

Mason froze mid-motion. The lines on his face went taut.

“He was thirteen. His voice hadn’t even changed yet. I carried his corpse home on my back.” His voice was a blade scraping bone. “Blackthorn doesn’t deserve an Alpha.”

I spoke softly. “I carried my sister’s body out of that land too. I hate him just as much.”

Mason stared at me. “So what now? Keep running? Be a forgotten Luna?”

I said nothing.

He suddenly pulled out a cloth scroll from beneath his cloak—sealed in red-gold wax, bearing a sigil.

The crest of Silverfang.

He tossed it at me, his tone cold. “They’re looking for you.”

I froze, hands trembling as I unrolled the cloth. Inside were a few lines of text:

“You are her blood. Your mother was of our tribe. If you are still alive, return—your name was never meant to be buried in snow.”

I couldn’t breathe.

Mason stood up. “The Alpha of Silverfang says he’s here to reclaim the daughter of his fallen Luna.”

“You’re lying,” I whispered.

“You don’t believe me?” He raised a brow. “You think Silverfang sent scouts across the frozen lake—twice—for some madwoman on the roadside? You think Azrael kept your mother’s name hidden out of mercy?”

“A scout passed by not long ago. Word travels fast: Silverfang’s Alpha claims you are blood of his Luna. He says Blackthorn exiled a royal.”

I stood stunned. “That’s not possible.”

Mason threw the scroll at me again.

“Then you’d better pray it isn’t true. Because Silverfang pack—” he said slowly, “is the largest wolf pack in existence.”

My heart thundered as I stared at the scroll.

I didn’t know much about the past. I never had a mother.

Only a father—the very one who was killed by Silverfang pack.

“I don’t know who I am…” I whispered.