Ronan’s POVSleep didn’t come easily last night.Not when my wolf was restless, pacing inside me, growling in frustration. He wanted to be near her. He wanted to protect her. And no matter how much I tried to shove him down, to fight the pull, I found myself outside before the sun had even fully risen.Watching.Waiting.Her house stood quiet, the sky still dusted with the last traces of night. A single light flickered on from inside, and a moment later, I caught the faint sound of movement.She was awake.My wolf let out a satisfied rumble, but I ignored him, staying in the shadows as I waited. The front door finally opened, and Raine stepped out, shoulders tense, moving cautiously. She kept her head down, her eyes scanning the street as if she expected something to jump out at her.She should be afraid.Something had been out there last night. And if I hadn’t been so—stupid, I could’ve—I clenched my fists, pushing the thought away.Instead, I stayed out of sight, my steps silent as
Raine povThe walk home with Lena was quieter than usual. The weight of the morning’s events still pressed heavily on my chest—the announcement of the attack, the unease that had settled over the town, and the way Ronan had watched me like ….I didn’t want to think about him, though. I didn’t want to think about how his presence haunted my every step or how his heated gaze left something unfamiliar curling inside me.Instead, I focused on something else. Something darker.The thing that had attacked the town. And the fact that I had been right there when it happened."Okay," Lena finally said, breaking the silence. "We need a plan."I glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. "A plan?""Yes," she said firmly, tucking a loose strand of dark hair behind her ear. "Something attacked the town last night. We both know it wasn’t a rogue. And you—" she turned, jabbing a finger at me, "—were in those woods when it happened. If we don’t figure this out now, we’ll be stuck waiting for something wors
Raine POVThe night air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine as Lena and I slipped through the trees, our footsteps barely making a sound against the forest floor.It had been a battle just to get out of the house unnoticed. Brielle had been lurking in every damn corner, watching me like a hawk, waiting for me to slip up. But I hadn’t. I knew how to move quietly. How to disappear when I needed to.And now, here we were—back in the woods where the attack had happened.Where I had been the night before.A shiver crawled down my spine.Lena moved beside me, her sharp gaze scanning the darkness. “Alright,” she whispered. “We find clues, figure out what the hell happened, and then get the hell out of here before anyone realizes we’re gone.”I nodded, but my stomach churned uneasily. This wasn’t just about figuring out what attacked the town.This was about what had happened to me.The strange pull. The way my body had felt... different.But I wasn’t ready to say that out loud. N
Raine povThe forest felt alive in the worst way.A slow, crawling sensation prickled along my skin as I locked eyes with the glowing red orbs in the darkness. A deep, guttural sound rumbled from the shadows—not quite a growl, not quite a snarl.It was something else.Something unnatural.My pulse hammered against my ribs, my breath shallow as my fingers twitched at my sides. Every instinct screamed at me to run.But I couldn’t.Lena was frozen beside me, her breathing sharp, barely audible. I knew she felt it too—the wrongness.The thing in the shadows took a step forward, and the weight in the air doubled. My muscles tensed, like something unseen was pressing down on me, pinning me in place.“What the hell is that?” Lena whispered, her voice tight.I didn’t answer.I couldn’t.Because , I felt like prey. And that thing is my predator.The creature—whatever it was—didn’t fully emerge. It lingered in the darkness, just out of reach of the moonlight filtering through the trees. But I c
Ronan’s POVSomething is wrong.My wolf is restless, pacing in my mind like a caged beast. My heartbeat pounds like war drums, fast and erratic, as if I’ve just run for miles. A sick, sinking feeling settles in my stomach."Raine is in danger," my wolf growls, the words laced with fury and desperation.I try to fight him, to keep control, but I know it’s pointless. My wolf is stronger when it comes to her. He won’t stop. He won’t let me ignore this.The shift takes over before I can stop it, my bones breaking, rearranging, my senses sharpening like a blade. The moment my paws hit the earth, I bolt, running toward the forest with one thought pounding in my head.Find her. Protect her.The scent hits me before I even reach the trees—hers. But it’s laced with something that makes my vision blur with rage.Fear.It’s thick, suffocating.And she’s not alone.Lena Monroe is with her. But there’s something else. Something dark. Something is wrong."The creatures," my wolf snarls.Those creat
Raine’s POV“That prick,” I muttered under my breath, kicking a loose rock as Lena and I made our way back to town. "I swear, I like him better in his wolf form."Lena snorted, giving me a knowing look. “You know, you might be the only person who thinks that.”I rolled my eyes. “That’s because you’re all blind. He’s just a big, arrogant mutt.”“Mm-hmm.” She hummed, smirking. “A mutt that seems to be softening toward you.”“In your dreams.”“His wolf definitely adores you.”“Shut up.”We continued walking, but I could feel it—Ronan’s presence behind us. He wasn’t even trying to hide the fact that he was following. His footsteps were too measured, too calculated. I refused to turn around, but the weight of his gaze pressed against my back like a tangible force.What the hell was his problem? One minute, he was my tormentor, the next, my shadow.When we reached the outskirts of the forest, my stomach dropped. Bad luck must have been written all over me tonight because standing there, lea
Raine POV The world had already decided my place. At the bottom.Whispers followed me like shadows as I walked down the crowded school hallway of bloodmoon academy, the weight of stares burning into my back. I knew what they were saying. I'd heard it all before."That’s her… the wolfless girl.""She shouldn’t even be in this school.""What kind of werewolf doesn’t have a wolf?"Each word was a dagger, sharpened by years of disappointment—not just from my classmates, but from the entire pack.I wasn’t just an outcast. I was an embarrassment.I kept walking, chin up, even though my chest tightened with the familiar ache of being unwanted. It wasn’t just school— I felt it at home, too.Once, I had been someone’s world.My father had never looked at me like I was broken. He used to tuck me into his arms, brushing his calloused fingers over my hair, whispering, “It’ll come, little wolf. Some take longer.”But then he died, and with him, so did the last person who ever believed in me.My m
Raine POV I wandered aimlessly after school, I can't go home now because I don't have the patience and strength to take my mum and sister piercing gaze and their sniding remark that I'm yet to feel my wolf.I just can't, I might snap at mum, and that will make dad really disappointed in me.There is only one place to go that will welcome me with open arms. “The Nightshade forest”I hated the pack’s territory.Hated the way everyone looked at me. Hated the way even the air felt suffocating.But the forest? The forest was mine.It was the one place no one followed me. The one place I could pretend i wasn’t an embarrassment.The scent of pine and damp earth filled the air as i walked deeper, inhaling the crisp coolness. The full moon was rising, and in the distance, I could hear wolves shifting, running through the trees.I tried to picture myself among them.I had spent years wondering what it would feel like.To belong. To feel the power of my wolf, wild and unshackled, surging throu
Raine’s POV“That prick,” I muttered under my breath, kicking a loose rock as Lena and I made our way back to town. "I swear, I like him better in his wolf form."Lena snorted, giving me a knowing look. “You know, you might be the only person who thinks that.”I rolled my eyes. “That’s because you’re all blind. He’s just a big, arrogant mutt.”“Mm-hmm.” She hummed, smirking. “A mutt that seems to be softening toward you.”“In your dreams.”“His wolf definitely adores you.”“Shut up.”We continued walking, but I could feel it—Ronan’s presence behind us. He wasn’t even trying to hide the fact that he was following. His footsteps were too measured, too calculated. I refused to turn around, but the weight of his gaze pressed against my back like a tangible force.What the hell was his problem? One minute, he was my tormentor, the next, my shadow.When we reached the outskirts of the forest, my stomach dropped. Bad luck must have been written all over me tonight because standing there, lea
Ronan’s POVSomething is wrong.My wolf is restless, pacing in my mind like a caged beast. My heartbeat pounds like war drums, fast and erratic, as if I’ve just run for miles. A sick, sinking feeling settles in my stomach."Raine is in danger," my wolf growls, the words laced with fury and desperation.I try to fight him, to keep control, but I know it’s pointless. My wolf is stronger when it comes to her. He won’t stop. He won’t let me ignore this.The shift takes over before I can stop it, my bones breaking, rearranging, my senses sharpening like a blade. The moment my paws hit the earth, I bolt, running toward the forest with one thought pounding in my head.Find her. Protect her.The scent hits me before I even reach the trees—hers. But it’s laced with something that makes my vision blur with rage.Fear.It’s thick, suffocating.And she’s not alone.Lena Monroe is with her. But there’s something else. Something dark. Something is wrong."The creatures," my wolf snarls.Those creat
Raine povThe forest felt alive in the worst way.A slow, crawling sensation prickled along my skin as I locked eyes with the glowing red orbs in the darkness. A deep, guttural sound rumbled from the shadows—not quite a growl, not quite a snarl.It was something else.Something unnatural.My pulse hammered against my ribs, my breath shallow as my fingers twitched at my sides. Every instinct screamed at me to run.But I couldn’t.Lena was frozen beside me, her breathing sharp, barely audible. I knew she felt it too—the wrongness.The thing in the shadows took a step forward, and the weight in the air doubled. My muscles tensed, like something unseen was pressing down on me, pinning me in place.“What the hell is that?” Lena whispered, her voice tight.I didn’t answer.I couldn’t.Because , I felt like prey. And that thing is my predator.The creature—whatever it was—didn’t fully emerge. It lingered in the darkness, just out of reach of the moonlight filtering through the trees. But I c
Raine POVThe night air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine as Lena and I slipped through the trees, our footsteps barely making a sound against the forest floor.It had been a battle just to get out of the house unnoticed. Brielle had been lurking in every damn corner, watching me like a hawk, waiting for me to slip up. But I hadn’t. I knew how to move quietly. How to disappear when I needed to.And now, here we were—back in the woods where the attack had happened.Where I had been the night before.A shiver crawled down my spine.Lena moved beside me, her sharp gaze scanning the darkness. “Alright,” she whispered. “We find clues, figure out what the hell happened, and then get the hell out of here before anyone realizes we’re gone.”I nodded, but my stomach churned uneasily. This wasn’t just about figuring out what attacked the town.This was about what had happened to me.The strange pull. The way my body had felt... different.But I wasn’t ready to say that out loud. N
Raine povThe walk home with Lena was quieter than usual. The weight of the morning’s events still pressed heavily on my chest—the announcement of the attack, the unease that had settled over the town, and the way Ronan had watched me like ….I didn’t want to think about him, though. I didn’t want to think about how his presence haunted my every step or how his heated gaze left something unfamiliar curling inside me.Instead, I focused on something else. Something darker.The thing that had attacked the town. And the fact that I had been right there when it happened."Okay," Lena finally said, breaking the silence. "We need a plan."I glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. "A plan?""Yes," she said firmly, tucking a loose strand of dark hair behind her ear. "Something attacked the town last night. We both know it wasn’t a rogue. And you—" she turned, jabbing a finger at me, "—were in those woods when it happened. If we don’t figure this out now, we’ll be stuck waiting for something wors
Ronan’s POVSleep didn’t come easily last night.Not when my wolf was restless, pacing inside me, growling in frustration. He wanted to be near her. He wanted to protect her. And no matter how much I tried to shove him down, to fight the pull, I found myself outside before the sun had even fully risen.Watching.Waiting.Her house stood quiet, the sky still dusted with the last traces of night. A single light flickered on from inside, and a moment later, I caught the faint sound of movement.She was awake.My wolf let out a satisfied rumble, but I ignored him, staying in the shadows as I waited. The front door finally opened, and Raine stepped out, shoulders tense, moving cautiously. She kept her head down, her eyes scanning the street as if she expected something to jump out at her.She should be afraid.Something had been out there last night. And if I hadn’t been so—stupid, I could’ve—I clenched my fists, pushing the thought away.Instead, I stayed out of sight, my steps silent as
Raine povSleep had been a lost cause. Every time I drifted off, flashes of last night came back—shadows stretching between the trees, the low growl that curled around my spine.I woke up tangled in my sheets, the early light creeping through my window. My limbs were stiff, heavy with exhaustion, but I forced myself up. Staying in bed meant risking my mother barging in, and after last night’s argument, I wasn’t in the mood for another round of her bickering.Moving quietly, I slipped out of my room, careful to avoid the floorboards that creaked. The house was silent, my mother and sister still asleep. By the time I stepped outside, the cold morning air helped shake off the last remnants of my restless night. But something else clung to me—a strange, lingering awareness I couldn’t shake.Halfway to school, I felt itA Presence That Should Terrify Me—But Doesn't.A prickle at the back of my neck. The heavy weight of a stare pressing between my shoulder blades.I didn’t turn around.My
Raine's POV I slammed my window shut with more force than necessary, the glass rattling in its frame. My breath came in sharp, uneven gasps, my hands trembling at my sides. I hated him. God, I hated him. It should've been impossible for a person to feel this much rage without bursting apart. My chest burned, my skin was hot, and my mind spun with too many emotions to contain. Why? Why was he like this? Ronan had stood beneath my window like a ghost haunting the night, his dark fur blending with the shadows. For a second-just a second-my heart had stilled at the sight of him. He hadn't moved, hadn't made a sound, just watched me with those piercing golden eyes, the same eyes that had always been filled with malice. And then, like the absolute bastard he was, he had shifted-just to mock me, to tear me apart all over again. "Do you think I care enough to check up on you?" His voice had been so cold, so sharp it could've sliced through steel. "You're being delusional." I clench
Ronan pov The night air was crisp, the scent of damp earth thick after the evening’s storm. I moved silently through the shadows, my paws pressing into the soft dirt as I padded through the dense forest that bordered Raine’s house.My wolf had been restless all night. The meeting had ended hours ago, but no matter how much I tried to ignore it, the instinct still burned deep in my bones—I had to see her.I had to make sure she was safe.I had to breathe in her scent, see her chest rise and fall with sleep, confirm that nothing had taken her away from me while my guard was down.Pathetic.I clenched my jaw, shaking the thought away as I emerged from the trees, stopping just within the shadows at the edge of her home.The house was dark except for the faint glow of a lamp from her bedroom window. I lowered myself to the ground, ears twitching, watching.Just one look. That was all. Then I’d leave.Except my wolf wasn’t satisfied with just watching.I didn’t realize I had moved closer u