My wolf charged through the forest, and as my paws pounded against the muddy ground, I faded into darkness.

My heart raced, propelled by a sudden surge of adrenaline that pumped through my veins and gave me the strength I needed to reach Blackstone Lake.

But as the adrenaline wore off, I felt a searing agony in my side. The wolfsbane was still coursing through my body, and my wound was still bleeding.

I had no idea how much longer I could go on in my current state, and each step became more agonizing than the last.

Not too far behind me, Donavan and the pack howled. Their large paws thudded against the ground as they closed in fast. I had no choice but to push my body to its limits, and my muscles burned from exertion, and I panted loudly as my lungs strained for air.

My movements became sluggish and uncoordinated and unable to handle my weight, my front legs gave way. I tumbled over. My snout planted hard against the ground as I skidded through the mud, and I yelped as more pain shot through my open wound.

Out of breath, I lied in the mud. My body was limp and unmoving.

I whimpered, feeling scared and alone as my sight blurred and darkness threatened to consume me.

Don't give up. I urged myself to keep going.

I couldn't give up when Blackstone Lake was so close. I had to keep moving. With the last of my remaining strength, I managed to raise one paw and then the other, pulling myself up into a shaky stance and pushing myself forward, determined to find Lucius.

I managed to build up speed once again. My pace at first was a slow run but quickened, and my mind focused on one thing: Lucius.

Lucius, Lucius, Lucius.

Then, like a shadow emerging from the darkness, Donavon smacked into me with such bone-crushing force that the collision sent us hurtling down the bank.

As we grappled with one another, we were a tangle of fur and muscles, claws and snarling teeth, colliding together in a whirlwind of fury.

As we thrashed and rolled against one another, we picked up the dirt, filling my nose with the earthy aroma of damp leaves and pine needles. The overwhelming smells disoriented my senses, allowing Donavan to get the upper hand and tear his claws across my open wound.

A shrill howl, visceral in nature, tore from my lungs as I tumbled further down the bank. Each impact sent shockwaves of pain coursing through me.

Our clash came to a halt on the shores of Blackstone Lake, and the moon illuminated the still waters in a sinister light.

My movements were slow and uneven as I tried to restore my balance. But before I could fully recover, Donavan's enormous paws held me down with a weight like a mountain.

I was lying beneath him, exhausted and panting, and my chest was heaving from the exertion of trying to breathe.

The sight of Donavan's fearsome snout made my heart race as he revealed sharp, ivory teeth glistening with strings of saliva. His head tilted to the side, his powerful jaw closing around my neck, about to shred my throat.

In a desperate attempt to survive, I lashed out and scratched Donavan. My claws cut deep into his face, leaving a deep gash on his snout, and he squealed like a puppy.

With my brother distracted, I rolled back onto my feet, raced along the shores, and charged down the wooden diving pier. I launched myself into the lake, plunging into its icy waters.

My fur grew heavy with water, pulling me deeper into the freezing depths where the darkness suffocated me. My heart pounded, the panic echoing in my ears as I sank deeper into the abyss.

The water seemed to press down from all sides, blinding my vision in the darkness. And the longer I stayed under, the colder I felt and the more clouded my thoughts became.

My lungs screamed for air, but there was none to be found. I frantically struggled, my limbs thrashing against the water in a desperate attempt to find the surface.

And just when I thought I had lost all hope, the water shimmered with moonlit ripples as the surface was cleanly cut in two and the silhouette of a wolf descended into the water.

As my savior swam closer, the moonlight illuminated his body. I instantly recognised his familiar presence. His wolf form was as large as mine, if not larger, and his midnight-black fur and silver eyes mirrored my own features. It was Chase.

I was saved.

With a firm grip, Chase's jaws locked onto the scruff of my neck, and with large paws, he swam up. Together, we breached the surface, and I gasped for air, allowing the oxygen to fill my lungs.

Still too weak to swim, my cousin carried me on his back, swimming us both over to the sandy shores on the opposite side of the lake. My breaths were labored as we staggered onto the sandy shore, but I welcomed the feeling of relief.

Donavan watched us from the other side. His eyes glowed in the night and burned with rage. But he was too afraid to swim across the lake into Dark Moon's territory. His furious howl pierced the night air, and the pack joined in chorus.

A chill passed over me, but not from the cold. This night was far from over.

Donavan would stop at nothing to seek his revenge for Hayley's death. But for now, I was safe, thanks to Chase. I snuggled my cousin in thanks, and he returned the gesture.

We both watched as Donavan bolted, his pack hot on his heels, tracing the lake's perimeter. It stretched for miles, and eventually it would intersect the boundaries where the Dark Moon, the Black Wood, and the Silver Moon Packs converged. At his speed, it would take him an hour's journey before he would confront us on the opposite shore.

As the sound of Donavan's footsteps faded into the distance, my limbs grew heavy, and I collapsed with a loud thud. Exhausted, I lay motionless, my body wracked with pain.

The wolfsbane still burned through my veins and drained the last of my strength. I was so very tired. All I wanted to do was rest for a little while and deal with all my problems later. I closed my eyes, surrendering myself to the darkness.

***

A low, rumbling growl greeted my awakening senses, along with the dull ache of a pounding headache—a lingering gift of the Wolfsbane. My eyes fluttered open, struggling against the haze of disorientation.

Chase's wolf loomed before me, his massive form standing sentinel amid a pack of approaching wolves.

"Chase?" I called out over our shared mind link, a telepathic connection that all wolves could use to communicate.

Chase's growls faded, his ears relaxed, and his silver eyes softened with relief.

"You're awake," he said, as he turned around and nuzzled my ear.

I struggled to sit, wincing at the twinge of pain that shot through my body.

"What's happening?" I asked.

My side seared like a blazing fire, my wound refused to heal. Why hadn't I healed? Was it the wolfsbane?

I struggled to stand, my limbs trembling as I fought to get back on my feet. However, my muscles refused to cooperate, and I stumbled, my movements clumsy, and I collapsed again.

Chase came to my aid, offering his support. He gently crouched down beneath my torso, and lifted me up from beneath my chest. I leaned heavily against him, grateful for his help as he guided me onto all fours.

"I dragged you from the lake and carried you inland," Chase explained. "But my pack has cornered us."

I met his gaze, realizing the new danger I was in. A wolf emerged from the depths of the forest, towering and powerful, commanding respect from all who saw him. He pushed his way to the front of the crowd, his dominant growl compelling the pack to move aside.

The pack immediately bowed out of the way as he passed with regal grace.

His fur was a mix of deep charcoal and silver, and glistened under the moon's ethereal glow. Each strand seemingly alive with energy and his eyes gleamed a dark brown.

Thaddeus.

Behind Thaddeus stood Alpha Blake, Chase's father. His entrance and impact on the pack was underwhelming in comparison to his predecessor. But that was expected of Alpha Blake, he could never quite reach up to the same expectations and reputation as his father.

A wimp and a coward, Blake was no more than Thaddeus's puppet. If Thaddeus could have his way, he would still be the alpha of the Dark Moon pack but the Elders' made it so no pack could have an alpha over the age of sixty. It was to prevent dictatorships and to pass on the mantle to the next generation.

As Thaddeus prowled through the pack, his wolf's muscles rippled beneath his fur. His snout tapered to a sharp point, flanked with rows of gleaming white teeth, capable of tearing through meat with ease. Every movement was calculated and deliberate, a display of power and intimidation.

This is what it meant to be an Alpha.

Thaddeus's wolf stood tall, easily reaching the same height of a horse. His limbs were robust and well-built, designed for fast and lethal strikes. Each paw was adorned with razor-sharp claws, capable of ripping through flesh and bone with deadly precision.

But perhaps the most striking feature was his aura of primal power. An undeniable presence that commanded respect and fear in equal measure.

"You're in quite the predicament," Thaddeus spoke within the mind link. His wolf's head lowered to my height and snarled with flaring spit.

"I don't need one of your lectures right now. If you're going to kill me just do it already," I sneered.

"Killing you would be a waste when you have so much potential." His wolf stopped snarling as he inhaled sharply. A look of disgust like he just smelt excrement flashed across his face. "Wolfsbane. A deadly way to die."

"Can you save him!" Chase interjected.

Thaddeus growled at him for the interruption and Chase cowered.

"Unfortunately, I can't do anything. Nate has to fight off the infection by himself, but only a strong wolf is capable of such a feat." Thaddeus took a step forward. "And you are barely alive right now."

"Please, at least let me stay in your territory for the night."

"I will let you enter." He stepped closer. "On the condition that you join Dark Moon's pack."

My prideful self couldn't allow myself to join him, not when there was an underlying tone to his request to join. I shook my head.

"Then you have no choice but to leave before we're seen as harboring a banished wolf." Thaddeus stomped a large paw against the mud, his decision final. "Leave, or join us. You have one hour to decide."

He turned around, the mind link between us breaking off as he communicated with the rest of his pack in private. They left, leaving me alone with Chase. I let out an exhausted sigh and staggered. Chase jumped forward to support me.

"I'll protect you." Lucius' words echoed in my mind.

Lucius.

"I need your help," I turned to Chase. "I need to get to Black Wood's territory."

Chase's eyes widened in alarm as he met my gaze.

"Are you mad?" he protested. "We would have to cross Silver Moon's territory to get there. We'll both be killed. Don't be stubborn, just take Grandpa's offer and join Dark Moon."

"I have to get to Black Wood," I insisted.

"And what makes you think you'll be any better there?" Chase countered.

"My mate."

I said with such ease I was starting to enjoy calling Lucius my mate.

"I thought you said the Lunar Goddess had it wrong," Chase teased.

"I'm warming up to the idea," I admitted. "Besides, what other choice do I have left?"

"Who is he?" Chase curiously asked.

He knew I'd found my mate when he read my spirit but I was still yet to tell him.

I couldn't help but pull my wolf's lips back into a wicked grin when I said, "Lucius Nightshade."

***

For hours, Chase and I ran through the forest, taking small rests only when the pain became too much to handle. As we came to a halt by a rocky outcrop, I realized we had arrived at the disputed borders of the packs.

The area was historically significant. Where the first werewolves of Havenwood arrived from Europe before relocating the town south. Some of the old, ruined dwellings could still be seen today, as could the site of the original Lunar Goddess' temple.

It was why the area was heavily disputed; no one knew who owned the piece of land, so it was left to rot while the packs fought over it.

Today, the land was used to host illegal parties in the temple's ruins. One party ended with the wolves in attendance claiming to have seen the spirit of the Lunar Goddess, but I believed they were drunk and possibly high.

As I settled down by a large gray boulder, I realized we were getting close to Black Wood's territory. I could feel the magnetic bond of my mate pulsing inside of me.

However, we weren't safe yet. I still had to cross a mile of Silver Moon's land, before reaching Black Wood. I scoffed at what my life had become. When did I become afraid of passing through my own territory and instead felt safe hiding in enemy territory?

Chase stood in deathly silence, guarding me while I rested. His silver eyes narrowed as he peered into the darkness of Silver Moon's territory. His black fur ruffled in the soft breeze and his hackles erected, as his body haunched into a protective stance.

"Donavan is near!"

With Chase helping to hoist me back onto my feet, we passed over the border line. There was no turning back now.

We raced through Silver Moon's terrain, diving through the shrubbery and zigzagging our way through the trees. 

My senses were on high alert, as I saw movement ahead of us. A silver wolf emerged from the darkness and he charged over a boulder. His back paws pushed down against the rock, creating momentum to spring off it like a diving board and he leaped across the sky. His sharp claws cut through the air, aiming for Chase's throat.

"Chase!" I cried through the mind link and barged into Chase, knocking him to the ground and taking the full force of Donavan's attack.

I clawed and scratched at Donavan as he snapped his jaw, biting and ripping at my fur. Purposely clawing at my weeping wound. It reopened, bleeding once again.

"I'm okay!" Chase rolled back onto his feet, and he raced through the rocks and tackled my brother to the ground.

His howl roared with anger as he clawed at Donavan's body. Chase fought valiantly, his claws scratching and fangs snapping between heated growls.

But he was still young and not strong enough. Donavan clamped his teeth around Chase's neck and shook him violently and threw him to one side and his back smacked into a large rock. Chase crumpled, whimpering in pain and unable to move.

"Chase!"

Before I could run over, Donavan's massive form lunged at me, his claws slicing through the air. Pain erupted along my flank as his attack landed, knocking me off balance and sending me crashing to the ground as he pinned me down.

Donavan went for me, attacking with merciless precision. Pain seared through every fiber of my being as I struggled to fend off his relentless onslaught.

I couldn't take this anymore. I could feel my body shutting down and my vision blurred.

"You're finished, Nate!" he snarled.

But before he could land the finishing blow, a savage beast, seemingly coming from the darkness, tackled Donavan to the ground and roared.

It was the black and tan wolf from my dreams.

Donavan cowered down from his sudden appearance and appeared shell shocked as the new player clamped their large paw down on my brother's chest. His claws curled into Donavan's fur and pierced his flesh. Donavon squealed as fear shone within his eyes.

"I told you, I would kill you if you ever touched him again!"

The world spun around me as I fought to stay awake, to find out who the wolf was that saved me, but my strength was waning, slipping through my fingers like grains of sand.

With a final, desperate effort, I tried to summon the energy to stay awake, to push away the pain. But it was useless. My body rebelled, betraying me as it succumbed to exhaustion.

The last thing I heard was the distant sound of Donavan's crying whimpers as he begged for mercy. The black and tan wolf fiercely scratched my brother. Donavan writhed in pain, followed by a high pitched squeal, then deadly silence.

Donavan's body lay limp.

The wolf roared. A howl that filled the night sky. The Silver Moon pack that had been watching from the shadows of the forest scattered away into the night, fearful of the newcomer.

The wolf walked over to me as he affectionately nuzzled my snout.

It really was the black and tan wolf from my dreams. He even had the same left floppy ear from my drawing. The same wolf who'd saved me from Sebastian and guided me back home to Havenwood. All this time he was real.

"It's you, you're real," I said before passing out, and fell into a deep slumber, reliving my time with Sebastian and reawakening repressed memories.