Elara crashed through the dark bush, branches slapping her face as she ran. Behind her, she could hear the guards yelling and crashing through the underbrush. They were getting closer.
"Find her! Alpha Kael wants her alive!" a voice called out.
Alive. At least they weren't trying to kill her. Yet.
Elara's lungs burned as she pushed herself harder. If only she could shift into her wolf form, she could run faster, but she'd never been good at changing when scared. That was another way she was different from other wolves.
A root caught her foot, and Elara fell down a steep hill, rolling over rocks and leaves until she splashed into a cold stream at the bottom. The shock of the water shocked her for a moment.
As she stood up, soaking wet, she realized she didn't hear the guards anymore. The fall had helped her flee. But for how long?
Shivering, Elara looked around. She needed to find this person called Calla from the White Rock pack. But how? And what had Zane meant about her not being a real omega? None of it made sense.
A twig snapped nearby. Elara froze.
"I can smell you, little omega," said a deep voice that made her heart skip. Alpha Kael.
He stepped out from behind a big oak tree, his golden eyes glowing in the darkness. He didn't look angry, which shocked Elara. He looked... worried?
"You shouldn't run," he said, walking slowly toward her like she was a scared animal. "It's not safe in these woods at night."
"Stay back!" Elara warned, backing away. "I heard what Serena said. You want to eliminate me because of some promise!"
Kael stopped, his eyebrows pulling together. "What? No, that's not..." He shook his head. "Serena doesn't speak for me. No one is going to hurt you."
"Then why did you have guards drag me to your cabin? Why is everyone acting so strange about my dreams?"
Kael took another step forward. "Because you're special, Elara. More important than you know. And there are wolves who fear what that means." He held out his hand. "Come back with me. I promise you'll be safe."
Something in his voice made Elara want to believe him. But then she remembered Zane's warning.
"Why should I trust you?" she asked.
A small smile touched Kael's lips. "Most omegas wouldn't dare talk to me like that."
"I'm not most omegas, apparently."
"No," he agreed. "You're definitely not."
Suddenly, a howl cut through the night – the sound of a wolf calling for help. Kael's head snapped in that direction.
"Zane," Elara whispered, recognizing the howl of her friend.
Kael's eyes narrowed. "You know Zane well?"
"He's my best friend."
Something dark passed over Kael's face. "Zane is dangerous. He's been hiding things from you."
"He said the same about you," Elara shot back.
Another howl, more desperate this time.
"I need to help him!" Elara cried, starting to move in the direction of the sound.
Kael grabbed her arm to stop her. The moment his hand touched her skin, something extraordinary happened.
A jolt like lightning shot through Elara's entire body. Images filled her mind – a moonlit ceremony, wolves running together, Kael's face close to hers, a baby crying. The visions came so fast she couldn't make sense of them.
Kael jerked back, his eyes wide with shock. He stared at his hand, then at her, his mouth open.
"What was that?" Elara gasped.
"The bond," Kael whispered. "It's true. It's really you."
Before Elara could ask what he meant, the forest around them exploded with movement. Wolves burst through the trees – not Kael's guards, but strangers with angry eyes and bared teeth.
"North Pack," Kael growled, stepping in front of Elara protectively.
A large wolf with gray fur stepped forward and changed into human form – a tall man with a scar across his face.
"Hello, Kael," the man growled. "Fancy meeting you here with your little secret."
"Darius," Kael's voice was cold. "You're trespassing on my territory."
Darius laughed. "I'm just retrieving what belongs to us." His eyes settled on Elara. "The omega comes with me."
"She belongs to my pack," Kael said, his hands twisting into fists.
"Not by birth she doesn't," Darius replied. "We've suspected for years that the lost child was hidden in your pack. Now I have proof."
Elara's head spun. Missing child? Was Darius saying she belonged to his pack?
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, her voice shaking. "I was born here."
Darius smiled, but it wasn't friendly. "Is that what they told you? Interesting. Did they also tell you about your real parents? About what makes your blood so special?"
"Enough!" Kael roared. His body began to change, muscles shifting under his skin as he prepared to turn into his wolf.
Darius signaled his wolves to attack. "Take her! Kill him if you must!"
Everything happened so fast. Wolves jumped toward them from all sides. Kael shifted fully into his massive black wolf form and flung himself at Darius. Elara tried to run, but a wolf cut her off, growling.
Just as the wolf lunged for her, another wolf – tiny but fierce – slammed into it from the side. The new wolf had familiar blue eyes. Zane!
In the chaos, Elara felt someone grab her from behind. A cloth covered her nose and mouth. A sweet, strange smell filled her lungs.
"Don't fight it," a female voice whispered in her ear. "We're taking you home, princess."
Princess? The word rang in Elara's mind as darkness started to close in. She felt herself being lifted, carried away from the fight.
Through blurry eyes, she saw Kael in wolf form notice her being taken. He howled in rage and tried to break free from the wolves circling him, but there were too many.
The last thing Elara saw before losing awareness was Kael's golden eyes locked on hers, filled with desperation and something else she couldn't name.
When Elara woke up, she was in a moving vehicle – something wolves rarely used except for long trips. Her hands were tied in front of her, and her head ached. Outside the windows, unfamiliar scenery rushed by.
"She's awake," said a woman's voice.
Elara turned to see a beautiful woman with gray hair sitting next to her. Despite looking only middle-aged, the woman's hair shimmered like moonlight.
"Who are you?" Elara asked, her voice rough. "Where are you taking me?"
"My name is Calla," the woman said gently.
Elara gasped. "Calla? Zane told me to find you!"
The woman looked shocked. "Did he now? Interesting. Zane was always cleverer than the others gave him credit for."
"Please," Elara begged. "What's happening? Why did that man call me princess? Why did Alpha Kael behave so strangely when he touched me?"
Calla studied her face. "So many questions. But the most important one is the one you haven't asked." She leaned closer. "Don't you want to know who you really are, Elara?"
"Yes," Elara whispered.
"You are the daughter of the Moon Queen," Calla said, her eyes sparkling silver in the dim light. "The last of the royal family. And your touch can either save our kind or destroy us all."
Before Elara could process this shocking news, the vehicle screeched to a stop. Shouts came from outside.
"They've found us already," Calla mumbled. "He's coming for you."
"Who?" Elara asked, heart racing.
Calla's eyes met hers. "The one you're connected to. The one who will either be your biggest love or your deadliest enemy. Alpha Kael."