Chapter 5: Alpha Ragnor

Val's POV

 “Oh, Selene…” I whispered, closing my eyes as a prayer slipped from my trembling lips. I begged the Moon Goddess for mercy—not for salvation, but for the courage to face whatever fate awaited me. If this was the end, I only hoped it would be swift, sparing me the cruelty my imagination conjured. 

I didn’t regret saving the pup earlier, nor did I regret running into the woods, even if it had brought me here. My only regret was the life I had lived until now—one ruled by terror, devoid of joy, and shadowed by the constant fear of my own existence. If this was how it ended, perhaps it was better this way. A final escape from the relentless weight I carried. 

But then, something shifted. 

“What… what’s happening?” My eyes snapped open, disbelief flooding my senses. 

The rogue wolf, moments ago snarling and ready to strike, was now pinned beneath a larger, more powerful wolf. Its feral growls turned into pathetic whimpers under the crushing dominance of the new arrival. 

This was no ordinary wolf. Its fur shimmered with an inky black sheen, but what captivated me was the glowing blue streak along its back—like embers caught in moonlight. Its presence was electric, emanating a power that made the rogue look small and feeble. 

Recognition struck me like lightning. That aura. That strength. 

Ragnor. 

The Alpha of the Blue Fire Pack. 

The rogue thrashed beneath him, but Ragnor’s control was unyielding. His movements were precise, every strike a testament to his supremacy. The air trembled with their clash, growls echoing through the forest like a storm. 

I clutched the pup to my chest, unable to look away. The raw intensity of the battle, the sheer force of his dominance—it was terrifying and hypnotic. 

Finally, with a wounded snarl, the rogue broke free, tail between its legs as it fled into the shadows. 

Ragnor stood tall, the moonlight illuminating his broad figure. His fur pulsed with that eerie blue glow, an ethereal aura of power. Then his golden eyes locked onto mine, and my breath hitched. 

I froze under his gaze, clutching the trembling pup closer. For a moment, he didn’t move, his piercing eyes assessing me as though seeing straight into my soul. 

Without warning, his form began to shift. The wolf melted away, replaced by a man—a man whose presence was no less commanding. 

“Are you alright?” His deep voice rolled through the clearing, grounding and overwhelming all at once. 

“I… I’m fine,” I stammered, though the bruises and torn fabric of my clothes betrayed my words. 

Ragnor stepped closer, and I finally took him in. Tall, broad-shouldered, with dark hair and piercing green eyes that seemed to flicker like embers. His chiseled features radiated strength and authority, but his gaze carried a heat that made my cheeks flush. 

“You’re not fine,” he said, his voice low as his eyes scanned me. His hand brushed against my injured shoulder, and I winced. His frown deepened. “You did this for that stupid creature?” 

He glared at the pup in my arms, his eyes flaring red for a moment. 

“It’s not stupid,” I said defensively, clutching the pup closer. The thought of him discarding it—of his wrath turning toward this innocent creature—sent a chill through me. 

“You risked yourself for this?” he growled, his hand gripping my shoulder lightly, though it sent a jolt of heat through my bruised body. 

“I couldn’t just leave it,” I whispered. 

Ragnor’s jaw tightened. “Do you have any idea how reckless that was? Do you even think about yourself?” 

“I—” 

“You should have told me. I’m your Alpha,” he snapped, his voice cutting through the silence like a whip. “You should report to me before stepping beyond the border!” 

His words hit like a blow, and I lowered my gaze. He was right. I had acted impulsively, but his anger was a sharp reminder of my place in the pack—and in his eyes. 

“I’m sorry, Alpha,” I murmured, the title tasting bittersweet on my tongue. He was my Alpha… and my mate. Though he’d rejected me, the bond still pulsed faintly in my heart, a painful reminder of what could never be. 

“I won’t tolerate this disobedience again,” he growled. “Next time, you’ll face punishment. Do you understand?” 

“Yes, Alpha,” I whispered, my voice trembling. 

Ragnor sighed, his hand leaving my shoulder as his expression softened, but only slightly. “You’re hurt. Let me help.” 

Before I could protest, he pulled me closer. My breath hitched as his face hovered inches from mine. His scent—earthy and wild, tinged with the faintest trace of pine—wrapped around me, intoxicating and impossible to ignore. 

“You’re hurt too,” I said softly, my hand reaching out on instinct. 

His cheek bore a shallow gash from the battle, and without thinking, my fingers brushed against it. A surge of warmth rushed through me, and I gasped as the cut began to heal before my eyes. 

“What are you doing?” he snapped, pulling back abruptly. His eyes blazed, but there was something else beneath the surface—a flicker of uncertainty, almost fear. 

“I…” My voice faltered. “I don’t know.” 

He stared at me for a long moment, his gaze unreadable. Then, as though remembering himself, he stepped back, the space between us cold and vast despite the heat lingering in the air. 

“This conversation isn’t over,” he said, his tone hardening. 

And before I could respond, the pup let out a sharp whine. 

Ragnor’s head snapped toward the sound, his entire body tensing. “Stay here,” he ordered, his voice a low growl. 

The shadows of the forest thickened, and an unmistakable sound pierced the stillness—a chilling howl, echoing from somewhere deeper in the woods. 

I froze, clutching the pup tighter as my blood ran cold. 

Ragnor’s gaze darkened. “We’re not alone.”