Chapter Four
Seraphina
The forest hummed with life, the sounds of chirping birds and buzzing insects filling my wolfish ears. I had already bid farewell to my friend’s family back at the castle, but Selina insisted on accompanying me to the forest’s fringes.
She tightened the strap of the small saddlebag on my back. I would be traveling in wolf form, covering the vast distance to the Silver Moon Pack over the next few days. My saddlebag, clipped across my furry chest and back, held only the essentials—clothes, crystals, and, of primary importance, the letter from Alexis detailing everything the Black Moon prisoner had said during the interrogation. I knew well that the word of the child of traitors wouldn’t be trusted alone.
“Does that feel secure?” Selina asked, her bright green eyes as vibrant as the green of the forest around us.
I nodded, feeling the weight of both the saddlebag and the task ahead.
With tenderness, Selina kneeled and wrapped her arms around my furry neck. “You’ve always got a home here if you ever want it,” she murmured.
She had already said as much back at the castle, and when I’d glanced at her normally austere husband, Alexis, he had actually smiled . It meant the world to have such friends, and my heart swelled with gratitude for their support as I prepared to leave.
With a heavy heart, I cast one last glance back from beneath the forest canopy, seeing Selina standing amidst the lushness of her territory. Summer here—so close to the sea—had melted the snowfields entirely, and I felt a pang of reluctance to leave both the warm temperatures and the nurturing friendships I had formed. Blinking back emotions, I turned to continue my journey, thoughts shifting to the lands awaiting me—where even summer air chilled to the bone and the snowfields persisted.
Determination surged within me as I ventured onward. For two days, the dense forests of the Shadow Moons provided ample burrows and dens for resting at night. On the second day, when hunger gnawed at me, I caught the fresh scent of a deer and stalked it through a clearing. With precision, I brought it down, savoring the rich, gamey meat that filled my belly.
As dawn broke over the horizon on the third day of my travels, soft rays of gold washed over a blanket of snow. I stood atop a small hill and marveled at the breathtaking sight—the boundary of the Silver Moon lands lay before me once again.
My heart thumped with nervous energy, and I quickly shifted into my human form, pulling on the warm clothes and sturdy boots from my bag. The shadowy leathers of the Shadow Moon Pack were durable but stark against the brightness of the snowy plains. But I reminded myself that I wasn’t trying to go unnoticed. I had every right to return to the Silver Moon Pack. As apprehension thrummed through me, the familiar sensation of magic tingled at my fingertips. Each step deepened my reconnection to the territory that had once been my home, yet anxiety twisted tighter with every footfall. The air buzzed with electricity, whispering that company would find me soon—I was sure it wouldn’t be long before I was challenged by the Silver Moons guarding the borders.
Less than half an hour into my journey, shadows flickered from the treeline. Silvery wolves glimmered between the trunks. As I continued my approach, a small force of six emerged onto the snowy plains.
My heart quickened at the sight of their leader, wondering if it was Tyler. But as my gaze traced the outline of the wide head and sharp muzzle, I knew it wasn’t him.
In a blur of motion, Logan shed his silver pelt, his human form materializing into existence. I remembered how strong he had been when I left, and now he stood even broader—a testament to the passage of time.
But his cold, dark eyes bore into mine, contempt radiating off his wide face. My heart thundered, and memories of torment bubbled to the surface, raw and stinging.
“Seraphina.” His voice cut through the morning air, dripping with disdain. “How predictable—like a rat drawn to rot.”
Confusion sparked within me . “Rat” was a new term, but I supposed it wasn’t so different from “traitor.” I understood the jagged edges of his hatred; after all, one of the many scars left by the invasion had been the loss of his parents, and I realized those scars ran deep.
But as I stood beneath his disdain, I thought of the letter tucked safely in my bag, signed by Alexis. It was my proof—an ember of hope that could cut through the thick fog of ignorance and hatred surrounding my family.
“I have a message from Alexis, the Shadow Moon Alpha. I need to see Alpha Tyler,” I declared, striving for steadiness despite the tension tightening around us.
Logan sneered, stepping closer, his breath warm against my face. “You’re going to feign innocence, then? The pack’s been struck by a mysterious illness. We’ve already suffered many deaths.”
My heart plummeted at his words: “deaths.”
“This illness is tied to dark witchcraft,” he plowed on. “And now we find you lurking here. I always say the simplest answer is usually the right one.”
A wave of disbelief washed over me. Dark witchcraft? He thought I’d caused this and that I had slain packmates. Indignation ignited within me, fueled by the knowledge that his hatred was unfounded. My parents had been framed and were innocent of the sins attributed to them. My body hummed with righteous anger, ancient energy swirling just beneath the surface, drawing from the life pulsing through the snow and ice of our lands.
But beneath that fury lingered a tug of worry. A mysterious illness? How many were ill? My heart clenched with concern for Tyler despite the rift that had grown between us.
“Maybe I can help,” I began, forcing the words out. But Logan moved even closer, and his grip tightened painfully around my arm.
“Oh, you think I’m going to take you near people you’ve already harmed?” His growl held a menacing edge, each word laden with a fury that simmered just beneath the surface.
Defiance surged within me. “I haven’t got anything to do with this,” I denied fervently.
But Logan only gritted his teeth, maintaining his resolved scorn. Dread coiled in my gut. He wasn’t going to take me to Tyler, not willingly. My body thrummed with untapped energy, an instinctual pulse urging me forward. Channeling my magic, I felt a luminous energy envelop me, crackling at my fingertips. In a rush, I thrust Logan away, propelled by the shockwaves of power that rippled through the snow-laden landscape.
Seizing the moment, I turned and ran. My breath came in sharp gasps as I sprinted into the forest, dodging low-hanging branches and leaping over roots that thrust up like grasping fingers. The world around me shuddered, and adrenaline surged through my veins, sharpening my instincts as I heard Logan bellow behind me.
“Don’t let her get away!”
The warriors of the Silver Moon Pack roared in response—the rhythm of their paws crunched through the melting snow, forming a sinister percussion echoing behind me.
Every footfall reverberated with urgency, the remaining minutes of grace slipping away. They wouldn’t grant me a fair hearing, blinded as they were by their thirst for vengeance. Just as my parents had experienced, the pack would enforce its own brand of ruthless justice—with no mercy for the innocent.
Panic clawed at my throat as I sensed them tracking me. I longed to shift into my wolf form, to reclaim the speed and agility that had carried me most of the way here, but my magic was my best chance against six wolves. I fought the instinct to yield to my wolf’s urges, remaining firmly in human form. I couldn’t risk letting go despite the uncertainty clawing at me.
As I zigzagged through the trees, I concentrated on my center, harnessing the aura of my magic. But the panic within me churned, and my wolf growled as it begged me to shift and defend myself. Her instincts whispered dangerously that one misstep could mean my tender flesh would be torn apart. The odds were insurmountable. One against six Silver Moon wolves was not a battle my wolf could win.
Logan and his guards encircled me, their movements balletic and predatory. I pivoted to face them, backing against a wide tree, shielding myself. The magic pooled behind my eyes like a brewing storm, crackling at my fingertips.
The first warrior lunged, a flash of silver against the vibrant white of the melting snow. Grounded by fear yet rallied by instinct, I raised my hands, channeling magic into a shimmering barrier. The surge collided with the warrior, knocking him backward and leaving him breathless as he crumpled into the icy ground.
Barely allowing myself a moment of relief, the second wolf charged, jaws snapping, ready to take me down. Dread coiled within me, and I summoned another rush of power, unleashing a torrent of blinding light that shot forth like a sunbeam. It struck him square in the chest, sending him tumbling to the ground with a pained yelp.
A third wolf lunged toward me. As I grasped for strength, I felt the first signs of overexertion. My magic hummed with fatigue, warning me that I needed to draw on a source of energy. I cursed myself for not having retrieved the crystals from my bag; their power lay trapped within the depths of fabric too thick to access.
But the ancient energy from the land called to me. I sensed the shards lying beneath the ice, dormant but pulsating with vitality—a gift from the Moon goddess flowing like blood through the veins of Silver Moon territory. Focusing on their essence, I called forth the vibrations from beneath, amplifying my magic as their power harmonized with mine.
I threw my arms wide, and roots erupted from the ground, reaching out from beneath the snow like skeletal fingers, ensnaring the warrior before me. Like ink splattered on a white canvas, the roots snarled and twisted around him, pinning him to the cold earth.
Yet each spell drained my energy further, and a creeping exhaustion wrapped around my chest. My senses began to blur. The icy forest felt more like a predator now, as if it were ready to consume the last breath left in me.
The first wolf was already rising, shaking off the daze. I aimed only to stun them—I couldn’t endure the thought of my magic inflicting real harm upon them, even as they threatened me.
Logan and the fifth wolf still hadn’t attacked, and I turned to them as the air thickened with anticipation. My heart raced, and I could feel the magic coiling in response, warning me that I had depleted my reserves.
Leaning deeper into the haze, fatigue tugged at me—every spell siphoning energy I could not replenish. The crunch of snow underfoot faded beneath the roar of my heartbeat.
Suddenly, just as Logan and another warrior lunged toward me, a low, commanding voice shattered the forest. “Stop!”
Electricity surged in the air as Logan and the other warrior jerked mid-pounce, skidding to a halt as they turned to gaze upon a figure that had forced them into submission. Alpha Tyler emerged from the trees—imposing and regal, he was the embodiment of the Silver Moon Pack’s strength.
His presence, once a comfort, now radiated a fierce intensity. His eyes gleamed with protective fury, drawing my attention. Relief and hope swirled within me at the sight of him, grounding me amidst the tension.
Even in this critical moment, I found myself admiring his tall, muscular figure. He was dressed in jeans and a plaid shirt, hinting that he had raced from somewhere. His disheveled hair only added to that impression. A flash of memory struck me—how sweet it had felt to run my fingers through that hair, hearing a groan of contentment escape him. But now, knowing he was mated, that warmth twisted into a bitter ache in my chest. I swallowed hard, pushing the memory down, fighting against the butterflies swirling in my stomach, a painful reminder of what could never be.
“Leave Seraphina alone!” Tyler commanded, his powerful voice rippling through the air, settling against the fraying edges of my nerves like a caress.
Shock rippled through the warriors. Their pointed ears folded back against their heads as brittle silence coated the forest, freezing the tension in place.
My heart fluttered, caught between relief and disbelief at the effect Tyler’s arrival had wrought.
In a heartbeat, Logan stood again in human form, his voice sharp like splintering wood. “Seraphina’s a skilled witch. You really think her showing up here is a mere coincidence?” He moved forward, angling his robust body between us as if he intended to impede my approach to Tyler.
“No.” Tyler’s response was direct, a fierce determination etching every line of his face. Shock overwhelmed me again at that single word, fear mingling in my chest. Surely, Tyler didn’t think I meant any harm. Surely, he didn’t doubt my intentions.
Then, Tyler moved past Logan, his vivid blue eyes meeting mine, searching. “I don’t believe Seraphina’s return is a coincidence. The Moon goddess has brought her back to us in our time of need.” His gaze softened as it searched me, uncertainty flashing for just a moment. “Please tell me you’ll come to the pack and see if you can help?”
I looked between Logan and Tyler, a tumultuous swell of emotions crashing within me. Tyler stood as an unwavering shield while Logan’s taut fists and clenched jaw contorted with unresolved anger. In that charged moment, the forest held its breath—awaiting our next actions, the tension palpable.
“It’s not why I came,” I said, finally breaking the silence. “But I will help if I can.”
Tyler’s face lit up, and my heart warmed at the affection evident in his expression despite our troubled past. I quickly turned my gaze back to Logan, whose barely contained anger anchored me to the present.
“Lead the way,” Tyler said, gesturing to Logan and the rest of the patrol. “I’ll escort Seraphina from here.”
Logan looked as if he meant to argue again, but Tyler was the pack’s alpha. After a tense moment, Logan bowed his head in acknowledgment of Tyler’s command. Turning, he shifted into his wolf and led his warriors ahead, leaving me and Tyler to walk alone together.