Chapter 3

　　Kaira:

　　Every inch of my existence was wrecked. My body throbbed, and my eyes were dry from crying.

　　It took me a few minutes to even force my eyes completely open and realise I was still breathing. But I still hadn't managed to move much since then. Quiet whimpers slipped from my lips whenever I tried to talk.

　　It wasn't even the physical pain that weighed me down—it was the crushing of my spirit and the violation of my body that left me utterly paralyzed.

　　"Ugh!" A sorrowful groan escaped my lips the moment I tried to stand. I hissed through clenched teeth and collapsed again. As a sharp, burning pain flared between my thighs.

　　Those Alphas showed me no mercy, I barely had any clothing left. My undergarments were ripped away, and the clothes I wore were torn apart from the shoulders down. But it was still enough to cover at least part of my body.

　　Only then did my surroundings fully register. Thick black smoke, crackling flames, the acrid smell of burning wood filled my lungs. We were inside our cottage… and it was burning.

　　My hand brushed against something soft beside me.

　　Kim, my twin.

　　A strangled scream tore from my throat. My sister… my other half… lay sprawled beside me, eyes open and empty, her face pale and cold.

　　"Kim… Kim, get up!" I crawled toward her, ignoring the sharp pain shooting through my lower body. Tears blurred my vision as I shook her shoulders desperately. "Please, Kim… wake up. You can't leave me."

　　She didn't wake.

　　I was the wolfless she-wolf.

　　"Moon Goddess…" My throat burned. "Why her?"

　　Why was I still breathing? She died protecting me with honour, and you, the goddess, allowed it. Why not me? Why not both of us?

　　I was the useless one. The one left behind… for what? A witness? A trade of lives or a rebirth?

　　Outside, a frantic shout echoed; "The roof's coming down! Run!"

　　I refused to let go of her. "No… I won't leave you," I whispered hoarsely, my voice barely audible over the crackling flames. My legs trembled violently as I grabbed her arms and dragged her lifeless body across the floor. Shards of glass and splintered wood cut into my palms and knees, but nothing was compared to the pain in my chest.

　　I coughed violently, vision blurring, as a large support beam crashed down behind us, showering sparks to fry us both. With a final, desperate surge of strength I didn't know I possessed, I pulled her through the shattered doorway and out into the cool night air.

　　We collapsed several feet from the burning cottage. I lay there gasping for air, one arm still draped over her chest as if I could somehow shield her from death itself.

　　"Kim… " My voice cracked.

　　The flashes intensified, rising higher, consuming everything we had left. In the distance, I heard shouts. Pack warriors were finally arriving, but they were too late.

　　I couldn't face anyone from the pack ever again. Not with those Alphas scent still clinging to my skin like a brand.

　　I had to move.

　　Somehow, I found the strength to stand through sheer determination. I half-carried, half-dragged Kim's body deeper into the forest. Every step felt like needles stabbing into my abdomen, but grief and guilt kept me moving.

　　By the time the first hints of dawn painted the sky, I reached the old willow grove. There, waiting in the clearing, was Aunt Mira. She was our late mother's best friend, and the only person who we could trust with our identity. She must have tracked our scent, fearing for the worst.

　　Aunt Mira's eyes widened in horror when she saw us. "Goddess… Kaira, what happened?"

　　I couldn't speak at first. I just fell beside Kim's body, fresh tears falling rapidly.

　　Aunt Mira didn't ask for details. She and her two sons, Aspen and Abel, silently helped dig the grave beneath the willow tree. We buried Kim as the sun rose, wrapping her in an old blanket. No grand ceremony. No pack honors. Just a broken sister and three witnesses saying goodbye to the strongest person we had ever known.

　　"I'll watch over her," Aunt Mira whispered, placing a small white flower on the fresh earth. "You need to run, child. Blue River isn't safe for you anymore. If they don't find the bodies, they'll know something is wrong. And they'll surely come looking."

　　I nodded numbly. There was nothing left for me here.

　　Aspen avoided my eyes the entire time. Abel kept his distance, his jaw tight whenever the wind carried my scent toward them.

　　Before leaving, I fetch the dirt of my sister's grave, looking up to the rising sun.

　　"As this sun burns hotter each day…" I swore to you, Kim… "I will never accept any fated mate the Moon Goddess gives me." My voice was empty.

　　"No, child!" Aunt Mira's hands flew to her mouth.

　　"I denounce her. I will not pray or worship her until she gives me justice for your death."

　　"Kaira, take those words back." Aunt Mira gasped.

　　I looked at her with dead eyes. "Those Alphas think burning down the cottage will hide their tracks?" A smirk curved across my lips, cold and unfamiliar. "All they did was unleash a bruised, vengeful she-wolf."

　　"Goodbye Aunt Mira. Take care of her. I'll be back."

　　With nothing but the torn clothes on my back, I turned north. Toward Ashmount, my father's Rogue Kingdom

　　The journey wasn't easy, it was another hell on earth.

　　For Five days I wandered the northern wild woods, surviving on scraps. My body screamed for rest, but the ache in my soul refused to disappear. Every night I dreamed of Kim's lifeless form, Reis's betrayal, and those Alphas.

　　Still, I kept walking.

　　Ashmount was my only hope. Four years ago, after a violent misunderstanding that led to our mother's death, Kim and I had fled south to Blue River pack… our mother's pack. We disguised ourselves as lowly Omegas terrified that our father, Rogue King Victor Morgen, would drag us back.

　　Now I had no choice. I was alone, hunted, and carrying secrets that could destroy me once again.

　　On the final night of my journey, the full moon hung heavily in the sky, reflecting the borderlands. I was so close. I could feel it… the landmark of Ashmount territory.

　　And unfortunately, danger found it's to me again.

　　A low whistle cut through the trees. I froze, my mind spiraling immediately. What was I thinking? This journey won't be so easy.

　　"Smell that?" a rough voice growled to my left. "Sweet little she-wolf in heat…"

　　Another voice laughed, low and filthy. "Her scent is leaking everywhere. Gods, my cock's already hard."

　　I spun around, heart pounding against my ribs. Shadow-like creatures came out from the trees… six of them. Wild wolves… scarred and feral being without a pack for too long. They dressed like gangsters, their bodies marked with old fighting injuries. One had a jagged scar across his face that pulled his mouth into a permanent sneer. Another licked his lips as his gaze raked over me.

　　They moved in slowly, circling me like hyenas.

　　"Please," I whispered, backing away slowly. "I don't want trouble"

　　"Aww, she begs," The one with a face scar mocked. He stepped closer, nostrils already flaring. "All I smell on you little bitch, is male scent. Seems little missy here has been spreading those legs real… good."

　　I turned to run.

　　Bad choice. A heavy body slammed into me from behind. I crashed to the forest floor, face scraping against roots and dirt. The impact knocked air from my lungs.

　　"Get off me!" I screamed, thrashing wildly, against their grip despite being weak.

　　Rough hands pinned my wrists above my head. Another pair shoved my thighs apart. I kicked and bucked, but my weakened body was no match for them. Pain flared hot between my legs as someone ground against me.

　　"Hold her still!" one snarled.

　　"I call dips on the slut first," another laughed. "Look at these tits shaking. Bet she's real tight after fucking around."

　　Tears blurred my vision. Not again. Not again…

　　Suddenly, the ground shook. Birds rushed out from the trees in panic.

　　The rogue on top of me froze.

　　"What the fuck…"

　　Like a gushing wind, something dark ripped him off me with terrifying force. Blood sprayed across my face as the rogue's scream was cut short. The others shouted in terror as a beast tore through them.

　　I scrambled backward on all fours, chest heaving.

　　A beast appeared like a nightmare I wouldn't even pray to have.

　　It was massive, easily twice the size of a normal wolf. It had midnight-black fur, glowing red eyes, and muscles rippling with raw power. This creature was death itself. One rogue tried to shift; the Lycan's jaws closed in around his head with a sickening crunch. Another tried to run. Claws immediately slashed open his back, sending him screaming into the dirt.

　　In seconds, the clearing turned into a slaughterhouse.

　　For one breathless moment, I thought I was saved. That I would be spared.

　　Then the Lycan turned its massive head toward me.

　　My blood ran cold.

　　Its red eyes locked onto mine with predatory hunger. It saw me not as a victim, but as prey… a meal to devour.

　　I scrambled backward, heart pounding fast, until my back hit a tree. There was nowhere left to run.

　　"No… please…" My voice cracked. "I'm not…I didn't—"

　　The Lycan stalked closer, slow and deliberate. It froze mid-step. Its nostrils flared, that a low, guttural sound rumbled from its chest, something between a growl and a whine. Recognition flashed in its deadly, intense gaze.

　　Mate.

　　The bond hit me with terrifying certainty, it was undeniable.

　　But the beast didn't stop.

　　Instead, its massive paws silent on the blood-soaked ground. Its hot breath washed over me as it lowered its head, fangs gleaming inches from my throat.

　　I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for him to finish me off completely.

　　Instead, sharp pain erupted in my shoulder as the Lycan sank its fangs deep into my flesh.

　　The bite burned like acid being poured on me, spreading through my veins with unnatural heat. My body arched violently. A scream tore from my lips as something powerful surged inside me… was it awakening, claiming or changing? I couldn't tell.

　　Before the bite could deepen further, shouts and the thunder of paws erupted from the treeline.

　　Ashmount border warriors, fierce royal rogue wolves in shifted form, burst into the clearing. They snarled and attacked the Lycan.

　　The beast roared in fury, releasing me and lashing out at the newcomers. It fought savagely, but it was outnumbered. With a final, frustrated snarl, the Lycan retreated deeper into the woods.

　　I collapsed onto the mossy ground, blood pouring from the bite on my shoulder. The world began to spin violently, from so much blood loss.

　　The last thing I saw before darkness claimed me was not the full moon watching overhead, but the sudden glowing crescent moon mark on my wrist.

　　How did this get here?