Moonbound :The Alpha's Curse

led through the trees like a mourning spirit, whispering warnings the forest dared not speak aloud. The trees

aside,

neath the ragged cloak she used to shield her from more than just the cold. Blood smeared her cheek from a fresh cut, the copper sc

s muscles rippled under tight leather armor, and her glowing eyes shone with fury. She had been humiliated, Aria had

u belong here?" Zara hissed, taking another threatening s

ood her ground, her heart pounding like a drum in her chest. She had been stepped on her entire life beaten, ridiculed, discarded like

stomach instinctively, and

oice calm, though her legs trembled. "But

will you do, huh?

once been ordered to execute her months ago. He'd been the only one to show mercy, sparing

the tension, the

d, his voice lost in th

already mad

ped into

murmurs. Zara laug

ng to en

her claws out, aime

ven herself. Her reflexes had sharpened in recent weeks. The moon no longer weakened her, it

palm into Zara's ribs. A small burst of

, blinking, She wasn't

within her, wild and hot, like it had a mind of its own. Elemental? Or something else? S

hifted midair and lunged in wolf for

eyes... and r

nt Zara's massive wolf body lunged, Aria vanished, reappea

t tele

appened, only enough to kick Zara stra

d from the yo

ft back, but Elric stepped

ted but humiliated

unded pride more pa

heart thundering, and

He had always been kind, quiet, protective, one of the only

s were not

.. on the way she had clutched her stomach jus

la

ssion, confusion, dawning real

ly, stepping closer

lips parted, but the

s jaw ti

else h

with it, held the power to

ickened with unspoken questions and looming danger. The secret she had tried

voice barely above a whisper, "Pl

owing. "How could you hide t

. Scared you'd hate me. Scared they

o a thin line. "You'

ht of her secret pressing dee

the tense silence. It cut through the ni

ed toward the sound.

t, he grabbed her arm g

g and dancing beneath the cold moonlight. The tension was thick, almost suffocating. At the edge of the clearing, they found the pack in chaos. Wolves shouted, weapons were dr

shouted. "I want warriors at every entrance! I

his voice low. "You need to be in

. "I'm not safe any

ened, but he

trees, snarling and fierce. Their eyes glowed red

s er

run, but her legs betrayed her. The wolf was too fast. Instinct took over.A force she had never felt before surged inside her. Her hands

for a heartbeat. Elric's

k, her breath comi

?" a young war

e felt it,the strange energy hummin

er abdomen. She doubled ov

ation tore through her,

de instantly, concern

What

head, strugg

now," she

ed, radiating o

her, bathing her in a radiant glow.The wolv

Hold on, Aria. We'll get you help."She

"The baby, it's waking." Finnick

is is, you'r

surged again,

f witches and rejects, the hate and scorn, none of it

hem all, or destroy e

wls breaking the night like thunder, and the ba