I thought I could leave the past behind and avoid the packs, especially the ruthless Shadow-claws. But when I accidentally cross their borders one night, I find myself face-to-face with Damon, the one person I swore to despise forever. Damon's not just any alpha; he's powerful, relentless, and dangerously possessive. Our shared history is stained with rivalry and resentment, yet I can't deny the intensity that crackles between us now. There's something darker in his gaze, something that tells me he won't let me go this time. But I can't ignore the strange pull Damon has over me, even as I try to fight it. His obsession with me runs deeper than I understand, and each encounter only strengthens his hold. As his enemies circle closer, I realize that Damon's need for me is no longer just about rivalry; it's a craving, a hunger that threatens to consume us both. I know I should escape, but every time I'm near him, I find myself drawn deeper into his world, into his obsession. Now, I have to make a choice: resist Damon's dangerous addiction or risk everything for a bond that might be my undoing.
Chapter 1 Into the Wolf's Den
Ella's POV
The wind howled through the dense forest, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine. The night pressed against my skin, cold and foreboding, as I sprinted through the underbrush, my breath coming in ragged gasps.
I wasn't supposed to be here.
Shadow-claw territory.
The name alone sent a shiver down my spine, dredging up memories I had spent years trying to bury. Memories of him. Damon Shadow-claw, the monster I had sworn to never see again.
Yet here I was, deep in the heart of his land, my luck run dry.
I hadn't meant to cross the border. The rogue attack had sent me running blind, my only thought to survive. But now, the air was different. Heavier. Marked. Every inch of this territory belonged to Damon, and he would know-he would sense me the moment I stepped foot here.
A crack of a branch behind me made my heart slam against my ribs. I turned sharply, ears straining for any sign of movement. The forest was still. Too still.
I had been hunted before. This was different.
This was primal.
A low growl echoed through the trees, so deep it vibrated through my bones. My wolf bristled inside me, torn between fear and something far more dangerous.
"Running already, little wolf?"
The voice sent ice through my veins.
Deep. Rough. A cruel edge of amusement was woven through every syllable.
I whipped around, and there he was.
Damon Shadow-claw.
A nightmare carved into flesh.
He stepped from the darkness like a predator savoring the chase. He was taller than I remembered, broader, his body coiled with restrained power. The moonlight caught the sharp lines of his face, midnight eyes, chiseled jaw, and lips that had once curled in arrogance but now held something far more menacing.
The years had changed him. He wasn't just the heir to the Shadow-claw pack anymore. He was its Alpha. And judging by the way he was looking at me, that title had only made him more ruthless.
"Damon," I forced out, my voice steady despite the rapid beat of my heart.
His gaze flicked over me, slow and deliberate. "Ella."
I hated the way he said my name. As if he owned it. As if he had been waiting to say it again.
"You shouldn't be here," he murmured, taking a step closer.
I mirrored him, stepping back. "I didn't come by choice."
His lips curved into something that wasn't quite a smile. "No? Then tell me, little wolf, why do I smell fear on you?"
I clenched my fists. "Because I know what you are."
His expression darkened. "And what am I?"
"Cruel," I whispered. "Heartless. A monster."
A muscle in his jaw ticked, but instead of anger, amusement flickered in his eyes. "And yet," he said, tilting his head, "you're standing here, breathing the same air as me. Do you know how many wolves have crossed into my land and lived?"
The answer was obvious. None.
I swallowed hard, forcing my chin up. "I'm not one of your pack. You have no claim over me."
His smirk was slow, lethal. "You were never just a rogue, Ella."
His words sent something cold slithering down my spine. No. He couldn't know. He couldn't possibly know the truth.
I took another step back, but Damon was faster.
In a blink, he closed the space between us. One hand caught my wrist, his grip unyielding, the heat of his skin branding mine. I jerked away, but he didn't let go.
"You ran from me once," he murmured, his voice dangerously soft. "Tell me, little wolf... will you run again?"
My breath hitched.
Yes.
I should. I should have been fighting, clawing, anything to escape his grip. But my wolf traitorous, weak, was frozen beneath the weight of his dominance.
Damon's fingers traced my wrist, a featherlight touch that sent fire licking up my arm. "You feel it, don't you?" he said, voice dark with satisfaction.
"No," I lied, even as my body betrayed me.
He made a sound deep in his throat, something between a growl and a chuckle. "Liar."
His grip shifted, yanking me forward. My breath caught as my chest nearly collided with his. He smelled of cedar, smoke, and something wild, something dangerous.
"You don't belong to them," he murmured. "You never did."
I swallowed hard. "And I don't belong to you either."
His smirk vanished. For a heartbeat, something flickered behind his gaze, something unreadable. But then, just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by the cold, ruthless Alpha I had always known.
"You crossed into my land, Ella." His grip tightened just enough to make my pulse jump. "That means you're mine now."
My breath stilled. "You wouldn't dare."
His smile was slow, deliberate. "Wouldn't I?"
Then, before I could move, before I could even think, Damon lifted me effortlessly into his arms.
I gasped, thrashing against him. "Put me down, you arrogant-"
"Save your breath," he cut in, his grip unyielding as he carried me deeper into Shadow-claw territory. "You're not leaving."
Not this time.
And no matter how much I fought, I knew one terrifying truth.
Damon Shadowclaw never let go of what was his.
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