Chapter Two

SELENE

"Draven Nightbane. Have you heard of him?" Becky's voice was laced with curiosity as we arranged books back onto the dusty shelves of Ashville Library.

I barely paid attention, my fingers tracing the intricate golden embossing on an old leather-bound book that stood out among the rest. Something about it called to me.

"Not really," I muttered absentmindedly.

Becky gasped dramatically. "Are you serious?" she cried. "Wolves from other packs call him the Devil Wolf!"

That made me chuckle. "Devil Wolf? What's with that?"

She stared at me like I had grown a second head. "You really don’t know what a Devil Alpha is?"

I crossed my arms, fixing her with a look. "Why don’t you enlighten me?"

She smirked, leaning against the bookshelf. "Fine, I’ll tell you." Her voice lowered slightly, almost as if she feared someone might overhear.

"In the hierarchy of Alphas, there are five distinct ranks. You probably already know them, but let me break it down anyway."

She held up one finger. "First, the Lunaris Alphas. Their speed is unmatched, faster than the wind itself."

A second finger. "Then, The Behemoths—brute strength incarnate. Your uncle is one, and trust me, he could crush a boulder with his bare hands." She giggled, and I rolled my eyes.

"Next, The Apex Predators—strong, fast, and immune to most weaknesses. Your dear fiancé, Kaith, is one of them."

I scoffed, uninterested, but she pressed on.

"Then there are the Moonborn Kings. They have a mystical connection to the moon and can manipulate its power. Some say they can even control minds."

She leaned closer now, lowering her voice to a whisper. "And finally, the rarest of all... the Oblivion Alphas. Legends say they wield ancient, forgotten power that even the gods fear."

I sighed, stepping past her. "Becky, I know all of this. Every graduating Lunar has to learn our heritage. You're not telling me anything new."

"Ah, but there’s one thing the school refuses to teach."

That made me stop. I turned to face her. "What do you mean?"

A mischievous smile curled on her lips. "There’s a secret rank… one that’s been completely erased from history. They call them—" she paused for effect, "Devil Alphas."

The name alone sent an eerie chill crawling down my spine. "Devil? As in, like the actual devil?"

She nodded. "That’s right. They are beasts—monsters in every sense of the word. They say a Devil Alpha is unlike anything ever recorded. They don’t just belong to one category—they are all the categories combined."

I stared at her, dumbfounded, before bursting into laughter. "You do realize how ridiculous that sounds, right? No wolf can possibly possess all that power. That’s just—impossible."

Her expression remained eerily serious. "And yet, one exists."

I scoffed. "Let me guess—Draven Nightbane?"

She grinned. "You catch on quick."

"Becky, that sounds like absolute nonsense." I shook my head, placing the leather-bound book back on the shelf. "The Nightbanes were exiled from Royal City ages ago. If they had such a powerful Alpha, why haven't they attacked? Why remain in the shadows? Your story sounds more like a fairytale than reality."

She sighed, crossing her arms. "And yet… every fairytale comes from some truth, Selene. If you ever run into him, you’ll realize that the monsters they whisper about in the dark?" She took a step closer, her voice barely above a breath. "They're very, very real."

"Alpha King Draven Nightbane has marked you as his."

The words crashed over me like a wave, drowning out every rational thought. My breath hitched, my mind spiraling. Danger. It radiated from him, seeped into the very air between us. Was it fear clawing at my chest? Or was it something far worse?

Becky’s ridiculous story was true. Staring at this monster in front of me. The terrifying aura coming from him was like nothing I have ever seen.

But—

Deep breath.

This wasn’t a myth. This monster was real. And he had just claimed me.

Why? Why me?

Before I could process it, a jolt of electricity shot through me, white-hot and relentless. It tore through my veins, spreading like wildfire. It felt like invisible shackles latching onto my soul, binding me to something far greater than I could comprehend.

A sharp gasp tore from my throat. My wolf stirred, restless—thrilled. My senses exploded. My vision blurred, tinged with gold as if the world itself was shifting. Every scent sharpened, every sound intensified, my heart hammering so fast it felt inhuman.

I dropped to my knees.

The pain was unbearable, raw, unrelenting.

“The first phase of the bond.”

His voice slithered through the chaos in my mind. Steady. Amused. So sure.

My head snapped up as Draven strode toward me, his presence suffocating. Unshakable.

“Time to take you home, mate.”

Home? My stomach twisted. “What? Home?” The words barely left my lips, strained and breathless. “Whose home?”

He chuckled, a dark sound that sent shivers down my spine. “Mine, of course.” His fingers curled around my wrist, his grip unyielding. "My home is where you belong now, mate."

Panic flared in my chest. “I don’t—”

I didn’t get to finish.

With a smirk, he lifted me with effortless strength, tossing me over his shoulder as if I were weightless.

Then he moved.

The wind howled past me, his speed unlike anything I had ever experienced. The world blurred, trees turning to streaks of darkness.

And then, I heard it. The distant, eerie howls.

We weren’t alone.

“We have company.” His voice held no fear. Only amusement.

And he ran faster.

This scent…

It clung to the air, weaving through the chaos in my mind like a whisper from the past. Familiar.

I knew it.

My heart leaped in recognition, a flicker of hope igniting in my chest. James.

He came after me.

For the first time since this nightmare began, a light—small but stubborn—burned inside me. Maybe they can save me. Maybe I could go back to where I belonged.

But—

"Save? Where you belong?"

Draven’s voice cut through my thoughts like a blade, low and taunting. His steps halted abruptly, and before I could react, he set me down.

His grip was on me instantly, fingers curling under my chin, forcing me to meet those abyssal eyes. Trapping me.

"You still don’t get it, little wolf," he murmured, his breath warm against my lips, his hold unyielding. "You are mine now. You can only belong next to me."

A shudder coursed through me, but before I could respond—

"Get away from her!"

The command rang through the trees like a battle cry.

James.

He stood mere feet away, his form brimming with tension, golden eyes blazing with fury. Behind him, three Omegas flanked his sides—Scot, Gavin, and another I didn’t recognize. Their presence was a shield, their bodies coiled and ready for war.

“Are you okay, Selene?” James asked, his tone sharp with worry. “I’m sorry I’m late.” His gaze flickered to Draven, who still held me in a vice-like grip.

His jaw clenched.

“Has that bastard done anything to you?”

Before I could answer—

Draven chuckled.

Slow. Sinister. A sound that crawled under my skin like a warning.

“She is undergoing the first phase of the mate bond. Does that signify that I have done something to her?”

The air thickened with tension.

James stiffened, his brows knitting in alarm. "What?" His voice was laced with disbelief.

His head snapped toward me, searching my face for confirmation, for some sign that this was wrong.

"What did you just say?" His voice dropped, lethal. "What have you done to her, you bastard?"

Draven smirked. “Sorry, but she belongs to me now. She’s my mate.”

"You—!!"

The rage that burst from James was instant, feral. His eyes bled red, his wolf surging forward in raw fury. The wind around us howled, a gusty, violent force mirroring the storm inside him.

He was about to shift.

I opened my mouth— "James—"

And then—

It happened.

Something that defied logic.

Something impossible.

A blur. A flash of movement—too fast, too unreal.

One second, James stood strong, ready to transform. The next—

He collapsed.

A sharp, strangled cough tore from his throat, blood spewing from his lips, staining the dirt beneath him crimson.

His hands clutched his stomach, his entire body trembling as he growled in pain.

"You… bastard—" His voice was raw, hoarse.

The other Omegas lunged toward him in alarm. "James!"

I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe.

What the hell just happened?!

I didn’t even see him strike. Didn’t even blink.

Could Draven… control minds?

No. No, that wasn’t it.

Then how?

How could someone move that fast?

What had he done?

Draven sighed, his grip on me tightening as he pulled me flush against his chest, his body a wall of heat and dominance.

"You should take him back," he said smoothly, as if the sight of James writhing in agony meant nothing. "Because of his stupidity, he won’t be able to use his wolf for months."

His gaze flickered toward the Omegas, then settled back on me. A slow, deliberate smirk stretched across his lips.

"And give this message to Bruce."

The air in my lungs turned to ice.

Bruce.

He spoke my uncle’s name so casually.

Like he knew him.

Like he had power over him.

Draven’s fingers curled possessively around my waist, his next words a lethal declaration—

“His niece belongs to me now. And if any of you city wolves are stupid enough to try taking what’s mine—”

His smirk deepened, voice thick with promise.

“I’ll show you just how foolish that would be.”

Then, smoothly, he takes both of us off. So fast—so impossibly fast—that it feels like we flew. The wind howls in my ears, and the world blurs, stretching into streaks of color until, in a single blink, we land.

A stormy wasteland.

The ground beneath me is cracked and dry, the air thick with the scent of death and decay. The sky looms above, an endless swirl of bruised grays, heavy with the weight of an impending storm. A place devoid of life, yet something about it breathes menace.

I swallow hard. My throat is dry, my pulse erratic. "Where the hell is this place?" I ask, fear clawing its way into my voice.

"The Lost Plains." He answers casually, as if the name itself doesn’t carry the weight of something forbidden.

Then, he whistles.

From the horizon, shadows twist, forming into something solid. Two trucks materialize, rolling forward in perfect synchronicity, their black metallic bodies gleaming under the sparse lightning streaks cutting through the heavy clouds. The riders, all towering figures radiating the scent of dominance, step out, and my heart clenches.

Alphas.

Not one. Not two. All of them. Each movement they make drips with unspoken power. Yet, the second their feet hit the ground, they lower themselves into deep bows.

"Welcome back, Lord!"

"Welcome back, Lord!"

Their voices rise in perfect unison. Then, as if commanded by some invisible force, their heads snap toward me. Their stares are sharp, dissecting, filled with unreadable thoughts.

I freeze.

"Let’s head out," Draven commands, tugging me toward one of the trucks.

The moment the doors close behind us, the world outside disappears. The darkness inside is absolute—thick, swallowing, a void of nothingness. No light. No sound. Just the faint sensation of movement. Then, just as suddenly as before, the darkness shatters.

A city unfolds before me.

But not just any city.

Beyond the enormous metal gates, an entire world thrives. The streets stretch out, illuminated by floating light bulbs and warm wood-lamped glows. Scents of spicy food, roasting meat, and something rich, something unfamiliar, mix in the air. People—so many people—move through the streets, dressed in dark, fitted clothing. The second they notice the truck rolling through, everything halts.

One by one, they bow.

Whispers ripple through the crowd, hushed yet electric, eyes flickering toward Draven with reverence. Not just respect—worship.

I sit frozen as the truck pulls in front of a colossal mansion. Twelve stories high, its black marble exterior gleams under the floating lights. The sheer presence of the building alone is enough to suffocate.

Draven yanks me down, and the second my feet hit the pavement, a row of maids—dressed in flawless red uniforms—line up with perfect precision. They bow in unison, voices ringing like a hymn.

"Welcome, My Lord!"

He brushes past them, his stride effortless, exuding an aura of absolute command.

I feel it too.

The sheer weight of his presence. The power thrumming beneath his skin like a caged beast, restrained but never truly tamed. He walks with the confidence of something untouchable, and the alphas standing at the gates—strong, imposing figures—lower their gazes in submission.

What the hell kind of place is this?

Then, we stop.

Ahead of us stands a group of elders. Their hair is silver, their eyes aged yet piercing, their very existence radiating a force so thick it coils around my lungs, making it hard to breathe. I recognize this presence. The kind only possessed by those who have seen centuries, the kind that demands obedience.

But Draven?

He doesn't waver.

He lifts his chin, his voice slicing through the air like a blade.

"This is Selene." He roars, deep and terrifying, shaking the very ground beneath my feet. "She is my mate!"

The shift is instant.

The air thickens, charged with hostility. I feel it—rage, disgust, rejection. It’s suffocating, pressing against my ribs like a vice. Their stares burn into me, some filled with quiet disapproval, others with open contempt.

My stomach churns.

But Draven doesn't falter. If anything, he stands taller, eyes flicking over them with the confidence of someone who fears nothing.

"You shall treat her with the utmost respect," his voice deepens, leaving no room for challenge. "Because once we complete the bond, she will be your queen."

Silence.

Nothing but silence.

Then, he turns to me, his golden eyes gleaming under the dim city lights, a smirk ghosting his lips.

"Welcome to Nightbane City."