Chapter 1

The sun was just beginning to set, casting a soft golden hue over the quiet village nestled between the forest and the river. The air was filled with the sound of chirping birds and rustling leaves, as if nature itself was celebrating a day well spent. Two young girls raced down the cobblestone path that led to their cottage—laughing, breathless, their feet barely touching the ground.

“Hahaha! I won, sis! That means you have to do the chores today!” the younger of the two squealed gleefully, her long silver hair flowing behind her as she reached the wooden door first.

“Yeah, yeah. I lost, okay? So stop teasing,” the older sister huffed, placing her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath.

“You’re always such a sore loser!” the younger one said with a playful grin, sticking her tongue out.

“Are you two fighting again?” their mother’s gentle voice drifted out from the kitchen window, laced with that unique blend of amusement and mild concern only mothers could perfect.

“No, Ina,” the older sister—Selene—called back as she straightened up, her cheeks flushed from the race. “Rose and I are just playing,” she added, shooting her little sister a subtle, meaningful glare that said: Just go with it.

Rose giggled, nodding innocently. “Yup! Just playing!”

Their mother smiled, wiping her hands on a cloth. “Well then, come inside before the food gets cold.”

“That’s enough now. Come on, let’s eat dinner,” their father’s deep, warm voice added from within the house.

He stepped forward and gently placed a hand on his wife’s back, guiding her toward the dining table—a simple, affectionate gesture he often did without thinking. It was a familiar sight to the two girls, one that brought them comfort and a sense of home.

Selene’s heart swelled with warmth as she watched them.

I hope I find someone like Papa one day, she thought quietly.

Beside her, Rose’s eyes sparkled as she watched their parents. They really love each other, she mused, her heart fluttering with childish wonder.

They sat down for dinner as a family, sharing a hearty meal of roasted meat, steamed vegetables, and herbed rice. The room echoed with laughter and stories of the day—Selene’s encounter with a sleepy deer near the river, Rose’s latest prank on a neighbor boy, and their father’s dramatic retelling of how he outwitted a particularly persistent chicken thief from the nearby woods.

Evenings like this made everything else seem distant and unimportant. Just the four of them, wrapped in warmth, joy, and love.

“We should rest early tonight so we’ll have energy for tomorrow,” their father said, stretching his arms after taking the last bite of his meal.

Rose yawned, already looking sleepy. “I agree... I feel like I could sleep for ten years.”

Selene, however, stood from her seat with a determined look. “Papa, I’m going out for a bit. Dawn is restless—she wants to see the moon.”

He glanced at her, thoughtful. “Alright. Just don’t go too far.”

“We’ll stay by the river,” she promised, grabbing her cloak.

The air outside had cooled, and the moon was just beginning to rise—a bright, silvery orb hanging like a guardian in the sky. The sound of flowing water called to her, and Selene sprinted toward it, her feet light, her soul heavy with anticipation.

Once she reached the riverbank, she paused, breathing in the scent of wildflowers and the earthy perfume of damp soil. The moon's glow bathed everything in silver. She slowly removed her clothes and stepped onto the soft moss by the water’s edge.

Closing her eyes, she let go of her human form.

Bones shifted. Muscles stretched. White fur bloomed across her body. A soft shimmer wrapped around her as she transformed into a four-foot-tall she-wolf with seven elegant tails fanning behind her.

Her reflection stared back at her in the crystal-clear water—white fur that glowed under the moonlight, silver eyes that shimmered with mystery and power.

“Beautiful,” she whispered aloud.

“No—we’re gorgeous,” a voice inside her replied, laced with smug confidence.

Selene chuckled. “Hello again, Dawn.”

Her wolf—her other self—purred with contentment. “Sorry for being noisy earlier, but you know how I get when the moon’s full.”

“I know. I’m sorry I don’t let you out more often.”

“It’s alright. I understand. We can’t risk exposure.”

Selene’s eyes softened. “If people ever found out what we really are…”

“They’d come for us,” Dawn finished. “But the Moon Goddess watches us. We are not alone.”

A silence followed, peaceful and reflective.

Then Dawn asked, voice unusually soft, “Selene… do you ever wonder if we have a mate?”

Selene sighed, eyes drifting to the stars. “Of course. It’s hard not to.”

“Then… when do you think we’ll meet him?”

“I don’t know, Dawn. I really don’t. Sometimes I wonder if he even exists.”

“He does,” Dawn replied firmly. “I can feel it.”

They fell silent again, watching as the moon ascended higher.

Then, something shifted.

“Selene!” Dawn gasped. “Something’s wrong! I feel… strange.”

“What do you mean?” Selene asked, heart starting to race.

“Look! The moon—it’s turning red!”

Selene’s breath caught. “A blood moon…”

The calmness shattered like glass. A chill crept up her spine, and dread knotted in her stomach. She turned toward the house—but before her feet moved, she heard it.

Screams.

Not distant. Not muffled.

From home.

“No,” she whispered, the word barely leaving her lips.

Then she ran.

Faster than she had ever run in her life. Her paws slammed into the ground. Her tails streamed behind her like a comet trail.

But nothing could prepare her for what she saw.

The door of their home was wide open, hanging off its hinges. The air stank of blood. Her heart pounded so loud she could barely hear her own thoughts.

And then she saw them.

Her mother—her gentle, loving mother—lay on the ground, blood staining her white dress. Her father, strong and kind, was collapsed beside her, eyes wide open in a lifeless stare.

Selene froze. Time seemed to stop. Her world cracked open.

“INA! AMA!” Rose’s voice screamed.

Selene turned toward her. Her baby sister was curled up in a corner, trembling. Around her were three massive wolves, their fur dark as night, eyes glowing with cruelty. They laughed—laughed—as they circled the terrified girl.

Selene's vision darkened.

Her eyes turned pitch black. A low growl erupted from her chest.

Without another thought, she launched herself at them.

She wasn’t an ordinary wolf. She was something ancient—something divine.

Claws slashed. Teeth tore through flesh. Blood spilled like wine on the wooden floor. The attackers hadn’t expected resistance. They certainly hadn’t expected her.

One by one, she took them down. Fast. Merciless. A storm of white fury.

She stood in the silence that followed, panting, soaked in blood.

Rose crawled to their parents and sobbed uncontrollably, shaking their motionless bodies.

“Mother! Father! Please don’t leave us!”

Selene dropped to her knees beside them, still in her wolf form, unable to shift back. “Please… wake up,” she begged, nuzzling her father’s hand. “Don’t leave us alone…”

But the warmth never returned to their skin.

Then she felt it.

A presence.

A low growl rumbled behind her.

Selene stiffened.

Slowly, she turned her head.

From the shadows, a pair of glowing golden eyes locked onto hers.

A figure emerged—tall, powerful, his form cloaked in darkness but radiating an aura unlike anything she had ever felt.

His hair was dark as night, and his bare chest bore the mark of an ancient lineage—an intricate sigil that pulsed like a heartbeat. His eyes—those golden eyes—seemed to pierce through her soul.

He stepped forward, and the floor beneath him creaked. Every step he took echoed with power, dominance, and mystery.

Selene’s breath caught in her throat.

And in that moment, despite her pain and fury, her wolf whispered only one thing:

“Mate.”