BETWEEN PACKS AND PROMISE

As I saw the full moon rise over the horizon and illuminate the battlefield with an unsettling silver light, I mumbled, "I don't believe this." The thought of making the agreement that would bind me to Demon, the Alpha of the Blackfang Pack, a guy I hardly knew, makes my fingers tremble. He was meant to be my partner. That's what the elders insisted on, however.

My hair was being pulled by the wind, which made me shiver. Tension permeated the air, the type that caused my inner wolf to prowl uneasily. The distant wolves' howls, which served as a chilling reminder of the danger, reverberated through the woods.

I looked at the ladies and men standing in the clearing's shadows, their eyes darting with doubt and mistrust. Our packs' peace accord was precarious; one mistake or ill-chosen phrase might cause everything to fall apart. It was more than simply a pact; it was a lifeline that would either ensure our continued existence or bring about our extinction. And the secret to that survival was myself.

The earth under my feet became a silvery-white mirror as the moon shone on the clearing. It was this. The day would come when everything will be different. The day I would become the mate of an Alpha I had never met and embark on a new life and destiny.

My thoughts were interrupted by a low, menacing voice. "You're anxious."

My father was standing behind me, his eyes focused in that calculating manner he usually had, when I turned around. In reality, I was afraid, but I didn't want to seem weak in front of him. I forced a grin to hide my tears as I responded, "I'm fine."

"You don't appear well." He kept looking at me, evaluating, looking for any hint of uncertainty. "Keep in mind that this is a political action. You are not getting married for love. You're getting married to stay alive.

I wanted to quarrel with him and let him know that this was more than a simple transaction. But I couldn't get the words out of my throat. Could I honestly tell him that I was concerned about our impending bond? That becoming a Demon's mate was more than simply a two-pack alliance-that it was an unknown, a scary secret that would alter my identity forever?

"You must do this," he said in a firm voice. "For the group. For us.

I didn't answer. Rather, I gazed out into the distance, seeing the shadows of the individuals rising from the tree line against the starry scenery. The Blackfangs.

They were present.

Demon was, too.

As they drew closer, their presence imposing, their footfall heavy, I swallowed the lump in my throat. The tension in the air crawled beneath my skin like static, and I could feel my heart racing. I was curious about the character of the guy I was about to commit myself to. Was he really as vicious as his reputation implied? Was he as frigid as the battlefield now bathed in moonlight? Or did something else exist, something concealed behind that tough exterior?

One person appeared higher than the rest, distinguished by his wide shoulders and assured gait. His movements were almost ethereal, and his eyes were calculating and piercing. He was a giant. Despite being partly hidden by the darkness, his face seemed to be chiseled out of stone, with his lips tight and his jaw set in a solid line. Demon.

I became cold. I felt a shock of recognition-not from any past experience, but from something more profound, something primordial. My inner wolf awoke and realized the truth before I did. This guy, this Alpha, was my mate.

As if it had known what was coming all along, the full moon overhead appeared to mock my uneasiness.

My father's voice interrupted my thoughts as he steadied me with his hand on my shoulder and said, "Lyra." "Perform your duty."

I nodded, the treaty's phrases already circling around in my head. Power, peace, and alliance. However, none of them seemed to be as significant as the odd attraction I had for Demon, the bond that hung between us like an unseen thread. I was unable to ignore or push away the emotion. Even though I didn't want to experience it right now or here, it was unavoidable.

Demon's voice cut through the quiet, powerful and authoritative, "Lyra." "Come on over."

For a time, I was immobile, my legs immobilized. But suddenly, as if under the influence of some invisible power, my feet began to advance, and with each stride, the gap between us became smaller. I could feel the fire and strength rushing through me as soon as our eyes met. It was simultaneously like cold and fire. Despite my desire to take a step back, my body resisted. My wolf wanted to charge at him, to give in, to take him for himself.

However, I was unable to. Not quite yet.

I halted a few steps from him, gasping for air. His dark, unblinking eyes were fixed on me, yet there was something there that almost looked... familiar. I had never met him before, yet it was the oddest feeling ever.

We could feel the tension between us, as thick as the fog that rolled in from the mountains. At that moment, my father's voice was low and tinged with power. It's Lyra here. My daughter. Our pack's future.

Demon didn't answer right away. He just stared at me, his hard, impenetrable look. I couldn't take my eyes off of him, but I'm not sure what he saw when he glanced at me. The curse that had tied our destinies together, the full moon overhead, seemed to be becoming brighter by the moment.

Then Demon spoke again, in a voice that seemed to reverberate across the clearing. We'll uphold the treaty, but know that our relationship won't be as straightforward as you may believe. There is no assurance that you will be my partner. If you can prove yourself, you may be able to get your spot.

I was shocked when he spoke those things. A problem. He was putting me to the test to see whether I would concede. However, I was unable to. Not right now. Not with all that I had ever known about to change. I started to reply, to say anything at all, but the words froze in my throat.

And then I heard it behind me. It was a deep growl, a sound that only a wolf-not me-could make.

A lone figure sprang out of the shadows, gliding with the fluid elegance of a predator, as I turned, my heart thumping in my chest. His fangs bared in a threatening growl, and his eyes shone with an unearthly golden light. This wolf wasn't your typical one. It was an Alpha.

Demon's muscles coiling like a spring, his posture changing, his gaze flashing toward the intruder. "No," he snarled in a low, menacing voice. "Now is not the moment."

The wolf ignored it. Rather, it sprang forward, its cry resonating with a sound that appeared to have immense strength. Then there was darkness. As the combat started, the earth shook under my feet.

I couldn't see Demon in the confusion. As I attempted to make sense of the wolf maelstrom that around us, my pulse raced. The luminosity of the full moon overhead was now almost blinding. Then I experienced it-a searing, piercing agony in my chest.

The sound was broken by the demon's voice. "Lyra!"

However, it was too late. The world became dark.