Bound by Moonlight: The rejected Luna's rise.

st beyond sight. The moon filtered faintly through the branches, ca

of a twig beneath her boots made her flinch. She trailed behind Marcu

o follow. Marcus's warning

t distant howl pulled at her instincts

he air felt-thick with tension and so

ambles. Her breath came in soft, shallow bursts as she

in the undergrowth. Beyond him, Aiden stood in human form, h

g her back to the bark as she str

red, his tone cold and sharp as a

his fur rippling as he turn

tinued, eyes scanning the darkness. "Rog

udded louder

g the

ghtened aro

pacing along the ridge. Aide

voice darkened. "And they kno

e sti

mean by that

"We're vulnerable. After the last attack, it's only

ng with ease under the pale moonlight. "Then

rrowed. "It's n

ou're starting to

hardened at the m

," Aiden said carefully. "But if these rog

ill in his voice s

his head snapping toward the

ze, her breath catc

r eyes stared back at

ro

wolf sprang forward, tearing through the underbrush in pursuit of the intrude

tional part of her screami

ing held h

ward the ridge, heart po

lingered in the ai

small, unimpressive blade she'd barely used. But the weigh

and Marcus had taken, moving

nt, the quieter t

ow, guttural growls ech

, peering throug

wolf circled the rogue, his fur

and fast, snapping viciously at

ogue twisted sharply, lunging to

rcu

h the clearing before

the rogue's claws raked across hi

before her mind

belt, heart hammering wildl

ze to her, eyes burning

ing to intercept, b

th its swipe, driving the blade upward

k deep into th

bling backward as blood

asted n

of black fur, jaws locking

the rogue fell l

, save for her r

g blood from his jaw as h

to stay in t

gger, refusing to look away. "I cou

is eyes narrowing. "You

she shot back, ge

his side, smirked fain

ensed, but he

, her chest rising and f

ak as you thin

with something she

he wanted to argue-but instead, he t

. We're d

for a moment b

thoughtful. "You know," he said quietly, "most pe

him. "I'm not

. "No, I suppo