(Chloe’s POV)The cabin was too quiet. The sounds of the fight still echoed in my ears—Alaric’s snarls, the crash of bodies slamming into the walls, the vicious growl of Lucian’s wolf as he tore into his enemy. But now, all that was left was the crackle of the fire and the sound of my own ragged breathing.I stood frozen, my eyes locked on Alaric’s limp body sprawled on the cabin floor. His chest was still rising and falling, but each breath was shallow, labored. Blood trickled from the deep gashes Lucian had left across his chest, pooling beneath him in dark, crimson streaks. My hands trembled at the sight, a mixture of fear and adrenaline still coursing through me.Lucian stood over Alaric, his chest heaving with the effort of the fight, his body still coiled with tension. Even in his human form, he looked wild, dangerous—his skin slick with sweat, his fists still clenched at his sides. He hadn’t moved since Alaric had passed out, like he was waiting for him to spring back to life a
(Chloe’s POV)I should’ve known something was off the moment I drove into Blackthorn Ridge. The town looked like it had been plucked straight from the set of a horror movie—gray clouds permanently hovered in the sky, and the only gas station attendant I’d met so far looked like he belonged in a Stephen King novel.The road into Blackthorn Ridge felt like it was leading me to the edge of the world. The deeper I drove, the more it seemed like civilization was being swallowed by the thick woods that lined either side of the narrow two-lane road. The trees pressed in close, their branches intertwining overhead, creating a canopy that blocked out the afternoon sun.I glanced at the dashboard clock. 4:37 p.m. Not too late, but somehow the dim light made it feel like it was midnight. Maybe it was the oppressive, brooding forest that loomed on either side of the road like it was waiting to swallow me whole. Perfect. Exactly what I needed—some creepy, backwoods mystery town to launch my journa
(Lucian’s POV)I smelled her before I saw her.Even from the edge of the forest, miles away from the town, the sharp scent of the city drifted into the air—faint, but unmistakable. It clung to her, a mixture of car exhaust, perfume, and something else, something distinctly human. She wasn’t like the others in Blackthorn Ridge, the ones whose lives were tangled in the earth and the forest, whose scents were woven into the bones of this place. No, this one... she was foreign. Too clean, too polished, too sharp.I stood at the crest of the ridge, overlooking the town as dusk began to fall. The sun dipped lower, casting long shadows over the forest, turning the sky a burnt orange. The familiar pull of the moon thrummed beneath my skin, not strong enough to force the change, but enough to make my muscles tighten and my senses sharpen. The full moon was coming, only days away, and with it, the hunger that lived in every bone of my body.The air around me was heavy, thick with the scent of d
(Chloe’s POV)By the time I finally made it to the diner, the town was almost entirely swallowed by night. The fading daylight had given way to deep shadows, and a mist was creeping in from the forest, curling around the buildings and settling into the cracks of the cobbled streets.The neon sign outside the diner flickered weakly, casting the word DINER in a pale, sickly green light. Not exactly the most inviting beacon of comfort, but my stomach didn’t care about aesthetics. I hadn’t eaten since breakfast, and the growl in my stomach was starting to outmatch the eerie quiet of the town.I pushed the door open, and the little bell above it chimed, though the sound was swallowed almost immediately by the thick silence inside. The place was practically empty, save for a grizzled old man nursing a coffee at the counter and a gum-popping waitress leaning against the wall, idly flipping through her phone.The diner had a retro vibe to it—faded vinyl booths, checkered tile floors, and a ju
(Chloe’s POV)The door to the diner closed behind Lucian with a soft jingle, but it felt more like he’d slammed a hundred-pound weight onto my chest and walked out with a final warning that still lingered in the air. I stared at my half-finished coffee, trying to process what just happened. My mind was racing, but my body? Yeah, my body was doing that thing where it totally ignored logic and decided to respond to Lucian’s smoldering eyes, low voice, and annoyingly magnetic aura with reckless enthusiasm."Get it together, Chloe," I muttered under my breath, picking up my coffee cup just to give my hands something to do. "You can’t be drooling over a guy who walks into diners and starts talking about 'danger' like it’s some sexy game of truth or dare."But was it sexy?Ugh, yes. Of course, it was. The man had the kind of brooding intensity that would make a nun rethink her vows. And that voice—like whiskey over gravel—was doing things to my brain that made logical thought almost impossi
(Chloe’s POV)Mornings in Blackthorn Ridge had a distinct mood—bleak and gray, with a side of get out while you still can. The mist hadn’t lifted when I woke up, and the oppressive quiet that had settled over the town yesterday still hung in the air, like a bad hangover that just wouldn’t quit.I rolled out of bed, rubbing my eyes as I stared at the dusty beams of light sneaking through the edges of the heavy curtains. A half-decent night’s sleep hadn’t done much to calm the buzzing in my mind. Between Lucian’s ominous warnings and the strange sense of being watched, I felt like I was slowly unraveling a mystery where the prize was... my own doom.Fun times.I glanced at my phone—no signal, as expected—and then at the clock on the nightstand. It was still early, and the town probably wasn’t exactly brimming with activity yet, but I had work to do. And I wasn’t going to find answers by hiding in this room, no matter how tempting that might be.I grabbed my notebook, jotting down a quic
(Lucian’s POV)I shouldn’t have gone to the library.Hell, I shouldn’t have gotten anywhere near her after last night. Every instinct I had told me to stay away, to let her dig around for her stories and eventually leave when the walls of Blackthorn Ridge closed in around her. Outsiders never stayed long. They always ran when the town started to show its teeth.But Chloe Reynolds wasn’t like most people who stumbled into this place.There was something about her, something wild. Even as I walked away from the library, her scent—sweet and sharp, like jasmine on a crisp fall night—still clung to my senses, making it impossible to focus. My body was buzzing, every nerve on edge. Being near her wasn’t safe. Not for her. Not for me.But I couldn’t stop.The full moon was coming. I could feel it building inside me, a relentless pull in my blood, in my bones. And with every passing day, Chloe was getting closer to the truth. She was right there, on the edge of discovering everything—things I
(Chloe’s POV)“Well, that’s comforting,” I muttered under my breath, crossing my arms over my chest as I stared at Lucian’s brooding face in the dim light of the forest. “You’re not exactly helping my confidence level here, you know.”Lucian narrowed his eyes, clearly not appreciating my sarcasm. “I’m trying to keep you alive, Chloe. You might want to start taking me seriously.”“Trust me, I’ve been trying,” I shot back, lifting an eyebrow. “But every time you say something cryptic and stalk off into the shadows like Batman, it kind of makes me wonder if I’m supposed to be worried or just impressed.”He took a step closer, and I immediately felt that tension crackle between us again—like the air was charged with static, the kind that prickles along your skin. “This isn’t a joke.”“Who said I was joking?” I asked, keeping my voice steady, even though my pulse was racing. “I came here to find answers, and so far, all I’ve gotten are half-truths, spooky warnings, and the vague promise th
(Chloe’s POV)The cabin was too quiet. The sounds of the fight still echoed in my ears—Alaric’s snarls, the crash of bodies slamming into the walls, the vicious growl of Lucian’s wolf as he tore into his enemy. But now, all that was left was the crackle of the fire and the sound of my own ragged breathing.I stood frozen, my eyes locked on Alaric’s limp body sprawled on the cabin floor. His chest was still rising and falling, but each breath was shallow, labored. Blood trickled from the deep gashes Lucian had left across his chest, pooling beneath him in dark, crimson streaks. My hands trembled at the sight, a mixture of fear and adrenaline still coursing through me.Lucian stood over Alaric, his chest heaving with the effort of the fight, his body still coiled with tension. Even in his human form, he looked wild, dangerous—his skin slick with sweat, his fists still clenched at his sides. He hadn’t moved since Alaric had passed out, like he was waiting for him to spring back to life a
(Chloe’s POV)The cabin was quiet, the only sound the faint crackle of the fire Lucian had lit. The dim light from the flames danced across the walls, casting long, flickering shadows that made the small space feel even smaller. My mind was spinning, racing with everything that had happened over the last few hours—the confrontation with Alaric, Lucian’s promise to protect me, and now, this eerie calm before the storm.The air was thick with tension, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being watched. I kept glancing toward the windows, even though they were boarded up, half-expecting to see a pair of glowing eyes staring back at me from the darkness. But there was nothing. Just the quiet, suffocating silence.Lucian had been pacing for the last twenty minutes, his movements restless and agitated. I could see the tension in his body, the way his muscles coiled tight beneath his skin, ready to spring into action at any second. His wolf was close to the surface. I could feel it
(Lucian’s POV)I’d known from the start that bringing Chloe into my world would put her in danger, but hearing Alaric say the words out loud had made it real. Caius didn’t just see her as leverage anymore—he saw her as a threat. She was marked, bound to me in a way that made her more than just an outsider. She was part of this now. And Caius would never stop until he got what he wanted.He won’t touch her, I promised myself, my jaw tightening as I stared into the fog where Alaric had disappeared. I’ll kill him first.But it wasn’t just Caius. It was the pack. It was all of them. Alaric had been the messenger, but Caius’s influence was everywhere, spreading through the town like poison. The wolves here weren’t just loyal to Caius—they feared him. And that fear would drive them to do whatever it took to please him.I turned back to Chloe, who was standing by the doorway, her arms wrapped around herself as she stared out into the night. I could feel the tension in her, the weight of ever
(Chloe’s POV)The world felt different now.I lay in the quiet stillness, my breath still coming in slow, steady waves as I tried to process everything that had just happened. My body was still humming, every nerve alive, every inch of my skin sensitive to Lucian’s touch. I could feel the weight of him beside me, the warmth of his body pressed against mine, and yet, something deeper had shifted.The bond.It wasn’t just a physical connection anymore. It was something much more intense—something I couldn’t quite explain, but could feel with every heartbeat. The mark on my neck still tingled, a constant reminder of what had just happened, of the moment Lucian had claimed me as his own. His bite was a symbol of the bond we now shared—one that was permanent, unbreakable.I turned my head slightly, glancing at Lucian. His arm was draped over my waist, his breathing slow and even, but I knew he wasn’t asleep. There was a tension in him, a kind of quiet conflict that I could sense even now.
(Chloe’s POV)I was pretty sure no one had ever told me I’d be claimed by a werewolf. But, to be fair, I hadn’t exactly planned on falling for one either.Lucian’s hands were still gripping my hips, his breath warm against my skin, and I couldn’t help but smile at the wild look in his eyes. There was something unfiltered about him now, something that said he wasn’t playing by the usual rules. His wolf was close, and I could feel it—not just in the way his touch sent fire through my veins, but in the way he was looking at me. Like he’d finally stopped holding back.“Well,” I said, my voice soft but teasing, “when you said you had a complicated past, I didn’t realize you meant this level of complicated.”Lucian let out a low chuckle, his grip tightening just slightly. “You have no idea.”“Oh, I think I’m starting to get the idea,” I replied, raising an eyebrow. “Marked by a werewolf, bound to you for life. This is definitely a step up from dating a guy who never called back.”Lucian’s l
(Lucian’s POV)I’d marked her. Without even meaning to, without a bite, without even taking her to bed—I had claimed Chloe, and now there was no turning back.Standing there in the mist, with Chloe in my arms, I could feel the bond pulsing between us, alive and undeniable. It wasn’t just the heat of the moment or the intensity of the danger that had forged it. It was deeper than that. Primal. The wolf in me had recognized her as mine long before I was willing to admit it, and now the truth hung in the air between us like a dark promise.She was mine.And I couldn’t stop the guilt gnawing at me. I had brought her into this world—this dangerous, brutal world—where the pack would see her as nothing more than a weakness. A point of leverage. Something to exploit if they ever wanted to come after me.But the wolf didn’t care. He saw her, felt her, and the bond between us was more powerful than any warning or threat from the pack. It was part of me now. Part of us.“I’m yours,” she had whis
(Chloe’s POV)We stood there in the middle of the street, the mist swirling around us like it had a mind of its own, but all I could focus on was Lucian—his arms around me, his breath soft and steady against my hair. The warmth of his body was the only thing keeping the chill of the night at bay, and for a moment, I let myself sink into the feeling. The danger had passed, at least for now, but the tension between us was still thick, like an invisible thread tying us together, pulling us closer.I didn’t know what had just happened with Caius, didn’t fully understand why he’d called me Lucian’s “pet” or how I could possibly be “claimed” by a man I hadn’t slept with. But I knew one thing for sure—I wasn’t going to let Lucian push me away again. Not after everything we’d been through. Not after the way he’d protected me, the way he’d held me like I was something precious.But there were still questions. Too many questions.I pulled back slightly, just enough to look up at him, and saw th
(Chloe’s POV)The air felt like it had been sucked out of the world. For a second, I couldn’t move. My body went rigid, the icy knot of fear tightening in my chest as the words echoed in the mist.The lone wolf and his little pet.The three figures stood in the street like shadows come to life, their glowing eyes locked on Lucian with predatory intent. They moved in sync, their bodies fluid, graceful, and there was something in the way they carried themselves—something dark and dangerous—that sent a shiver down my spine. I could feel it in the pit of my stomach: these weren’t just men.They were like him. Wolves.Lucian stood in front of me, his back to me, but I could feel the tension radiating off him in waves. His body was coiled tight, his fists clenched, his breathing slow and steady, but I knew better. He was holding himself back, barely restraining the wolf inside.I swallowed hard, my pulse racing as I took a step closer to him, wanting to feel some kind of connection, some ki
(Chloe’s POV)I paced back and forth in my room, my mind racing in a thousand different directions. The adrenaline still hadn’t worn off, and neither had the heat from Lucian’s kiss, the ghost of it lingering on my lips like a spark waiting to ignite. I pressed my fingers to my mouth, trying to calm the flutter in my chest, but every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was him. His hands on my waist, his body pressed against mine, the way he looked at me like he was about to lose control.But there had been something else, too. A shadow behind his eyes. A warning.Something was out there. Something dangerous. And Lucian had practically ordered me to stay put, to stay safe, like he was expecting whatever it was to burst through the walls at any second. It should have scared me. Hell, any normal person would have been terrified.But I wasn’t normal.I was... curious. Too damn curious for my own good.I stopped pacing, running a hand through my hair as I stared at the door. Every inst