The Red Haired Woman

The next morning, Lily came into my room carrying a dress that shimmered so beautifully. It was silver, thin, and sleeveless, with threads that glowed faintly under the sun. When I touched the fabric, it felt cold against my skin.

“You’ll wear this tonight,” she said, placing it on the bed. “For the full moon ceremony.”

I frowned. “What exactly is the ceremony?”

Lily hesitated. “It’s the night your bond is shown to the pack. The Alpha introduces his mate under the moon. They must accept you… or not.”

“Or not?” I repeated, alarmed.

She looked away. “The pack is loyal to Carlos, but they’re wolves. If they sense weakness or if they think you don’t belong here, it won’t be easy.”

I didn’t ask what “not easy” meant. I already had a bad feeling in my chest.

***

Carlos didn’t say a word to me all day. He was busy getting ready with his Beta, someone I hadn’t seen yet. Still, I could feel when he was nearby. It was strange, but the collar on my neck would get warm whenever he was close, almost like it was alive.

By evening, the lights in the mansion grew dim, and a silver light filled the sky. The full moon had risen.

Lily came back to help me get dressed. She tied my hair up, slipped the silver dress over my body, and gave me a necklace with a small moonstone on it.

“You look like you belong,” she said quietly. “Now we just have to hope the pack thinks so too.”

I wanted to ask her if Carlos ever had doubts about me, if he thought I didn’t fit in here. But I couldn’t get the words out.

I wasn’t ready to hear the answer.

Carlos was waiting for me at the front door, dressed in black. His coat was long, with silver buttons. He didn’t speak at first. He just looked at me.

“Do I look okay?” I asked with a nervous smile.

His eyes shifted slightly. “You look like someone they’ll remember.”

I couldn’t tell if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

He offered me his arm. I paused, then gently placed my hand on it.

Together, we walked out into the cold night.

The ceremony took place in a stone courtyard behind the mansion. Torches lit up the area, with long shadows over the trees. Dozens of wolf members stood in a wide circle, watching. Their faces were hard to see in the torchlight, but I could feel their eyes on me.

Carlos led me to the center of the circle. His hand rested firmly on my back, helping me stay steady.

“She belongs to me,” he said loudly. “By blood, by name, and by law.”

The trees rustled in the wind, but no one said anything at first.

Then, a woman stepped forward.

She was tall, with long red hair and light-colored eyes. Her dress was short, showing a silver mark on her leg.

I didn’t know who she was, but her eyes cut into me like a knife.

“She’s human,” the woman said. “She doesn’t smell like one of us.”

“She doesn’t need to,” Carlos said. “She smells like me.”

The crowd gasped.

The woman gave a cold smile. “Let’s hope she survives longer than the last one.”

Carlos’s hand pressed more firmly on my back.

I didn’t say a word, even though my heart was racing too fast. I felt their judgment, but I knew this was a test.

Suddenly, a howl rang out, then another and another.

The wolf members were accepting me.

Or at least… They were accepting Carlos’s decision, for now.

Carlos leaned down and spoke softly near my ear. “You did well.”

“I didn’t even do anything,” I whispered.

“You didn’t run,” he said quietly. “That’s more than most.”

His words made my heart skip a beat.

****

The celebration was over, but my heart was still beating fast.

Carlos walked beside me back to the mansion without saying a word. But something about him felt different like he was holding something back.

When we got to the front steps, I finally asked, “Who was that woman?”

Carlos stopped, his jaw clenched.

“The red-haired one. She seemed like she knew you,” I added softly.

He didn’t look at me. “Her name is Celina. She’s among the Council. A strong she-wolf from an old and powerful family.”

“And you two… were you two…?”

He cut me off with a quiet voice. “We were once engaged, but that was a long time ago.”

Then he walked inside without saying any more words.

That night I couldn’t sleep. Celina’s cold and sharp voice kept replaying in my head and filled with something that felt like jealousy… or maybe hate.

And what did she mean by “the last one”?

Has Carlos been with another human before me aside me? Maybe even married her?

The thought made my chest ache. I reminded myself this was only a contract deal, just business, and I wasn’t supposed to care.

But I did.

The next day, the mansion felt heavier, like the air was thick. Carlos was already gone when I woke up. No one told me where he went, and the silence made me uneasy.

So I wandered again.

This time, I found a hallway I hadn’t seen before. It was narrow, quiet, and dim. At the end was a wooden door that was slightly open.

I paused, then gently pushed it open.

Inside was a study filled with old books, maps, and papers. It smelled like cedarwood and dust. On the desk, there was a thick book with a silver wolf symbol on the cover.

I knew I shouldn’t touch it, but I did.

When I opened it, I saw drawings of family trees, strange signs, and names I didn’t know. Then I saw a name that made my heart skip:

Selene Dominic.

That was my last name.

Under it, it said: Moon Priestess. Lost Bloodline.

The door creaked behind me, so I turned quickly, my heart racing.

Celina stood there, arms crossed.

“You shouldn’t be in here,” she said coldly.

“I was just looking…”

“For answers?” Her voice was sharp and straight. “Be careful, human. Some truths hurt.”

“I didn’t mean to…”

“I know who you are, Sarah.” She walked in slowly, her heels tapping on the floor. “I know what’s in your blood. But that doesn’t mean you’re strong.”

I clenched my fists. “If you know something, then tell me.”

She tilted her head and gave a small smile. “Do you really think Carlos chose you just for the money? Or Just for the contract?”

She stepped closer. “He smelled your blood, girl. He sensed it. The power inside you, it’s dangerous. Even to me.”

I felt a lump in my throat. “Then why haven’t you gotten rid of me?”

“For now?” Her smile turned cold. “Because if he fully bonds with you and if the connection becomes complete, you’ll be protected. No one can touch you again. But right now, you’re just playing pretend to be his Luna. And I’m watching.”

“Watching for what?”

“For you to mess up.”

Then she turned and left, leaving me standing there, full of questions I didn’t have answers to.

That night, Carlos came back.

He didn’t knock. He just walked into my room and closed the door.

“You went into the study didn't you?,” he asked quietly.

I sat on the bed. “I saw my name in one of the books.”

He nodded. “I thought you might.”

“Is it true?” I asked. “Am I not fully human?”

He looked at me for a while before saying, “No. You’re not.”

I stopped breathing for a second from the shock.

“You’re from a bloodline of Moon Priestesses,” he explained. “They were powerful women, part of the old wolf clans. They didn’t shift, but they were deeply connected to the moon. We don't even understand everything about them.”

“So... I’m like a witch?”

“No. You’re something even more rare.”

He moved closer and knelt in front of me. “That’s why you’re drawn to the forest. And why the moon affects you. It's also why the collar I gave you warms up when I’m near.”

I touched the leather strap on my neck.

“I didn’t choose you just because of the contract, Sarah,” he said gently. “I chose you because I had no choice. Your blood called to me.”

“But you don’t want the bond,” I said quietly.

His eyes darkened. “The bond means fate. And fate means I lose control.”

“Is that what you’re afraid of?”

“No.” He stood up slowly. “What I’m afraid of… is what you’ll become when the bond is complete.”