Fated by Blood and Moon

Chapter 4: The Silver Shadow

Night had fallen, casting the world into an eerie, quiet stillness. The trees stood tall and dark, their branches stretching like skeletal fingers toward the starless sky. The wind had died down, leaving only the distant sounds of the pack preparing for their night duties. For them, it was just another night.

For me, it was everything.

I crouched behind the storage shed, my heart hammering in my chest as I glanced at the sky. The moon hung low, shrouded behind thick clouds that blocked its light. It was almost time.

Evelyn had told me to wait until just before dawn, when the guards would be at their weakest, but every minute felt like an eternity. The air was thick with anticipation and fear, my senses heightened to every small sound. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig sent a fresh wave of adrenaline through me.

Stay calm. You can do this.

Lyra’s voice was calm but firm in my mind. She had been quiet for most of the day, perhaps sensing my nerves, but now, with the moment upon us, she was fully alert.

We have to be smart, I thought, feeling her agreement.

The plan was simple: slip past the guards during the shift change, cross the border, and run straight for Silvermoon territory. The reality, however, was far more dangerous. If I was caught, if anyone even suspected what I was doing, I wouldn’t make it out alive.

Taking a deep breath, I stood up, my legs trembling slightly from the nerves. I pressed my back against the cold wall of the shed and listened to the faint sounds of footsteps in the distance. The guards were still in place, but they wouldn’t be for long.

Then, a sound caught my attention—a faint rustling in the woods just beyond the pack’s border. My body tensed as I strained to listen. It wasn’t the wind or the usual sounds of the night. This was something… different.

I took a hesitant step toward the treeline, my eyes narrowing as I scanned the darkness. The rustling grew louder, but there was no sign of movement. I could feel my heart pounding in my ears, but something about the noise called to me, pulling me toward it.

Maya, be careful, Lyra warned, her voice low with caution.

I ignored her. I had to know what it was.

As I inched closer to the edge of the forest, the rustling stopped abruptly, replaced by a strange, almost electric silence. My breath caught in my throat as I froze, waiting.

And then, out of the shadows, it appeared—a large, silver wolf, its eyes glowing like twin moons in the darkness.

My heart skipped a beat. It was massive, larger than any wolf I had ever seen, its fur shimmering under the faint light of the moon that had finally broken through the clouds. Its presence was overwhelming, exuding power and dominance. But there was something else—something familiar. A pull, like gravity, that tugged at my very soul.

Who…?

The wolf stood still, its gaze locked on me, watching, waiting. I should have felt fear, but instead, there was a strange sense of calm washing over me. This wolf was not like the others I had encountered in the pack. It didn’t radiate malice or cruelty. There was something… protective about it. Something that felt like a promise.

But before I could take another step, the wolf turned and disappeared back into the trees, as if it had never been there.

My heart raced as I stood frozen, staring at the spot where it had vanished. What had just happened? Who was that wolf? It couldn’t have been one of the Bloodfangs. No one in the pack had silver fur that gleamed like that. And yet, there was an undeniable connection, something deep inside me that recognized the wolf on a primal level.

We need to go, Lyra urged, breaking me out of my trance.

I shook my head, trying to focus. Whatever that was, I couldn’t dwell on it now. I had to stick to the plan. But the image of those glowing eyes stayed with me, haunting my every thought as I turned back toward the packhouse.

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The next few hours passed in a blur. I waited, hidden in the shadows, as the guards made their rounds, my heart in my throat with every step they took. I could hear them talking quietly, unaware of my presence, and I held my breath, praying they wouldn’t notice me.

Finally, the moment came. I saw them exchanging words, and the first set of guards began to retreat toward the packhouse, their replacements not yet in sight. This was it—the window I had been waiting for.

Without hesitating, I bolted from my hiding place, moving quickly but silently across the courtyard. My heart pounded in my chest as I slipped past the gates, my eyes darting back and forth, scanning for any sign of movement. So far, so good.

But just as I reached the edge of the woods, a voice rang out behind me.

“Stop!”

My blood ran cold. I turned to see one of the guards—Darius.

He was standing at the gates, his eyes narrowing as he spotted me. “What are you doing out here, mutt?” he sneered, stepping closer.

Panic surged through me, but I forced myself to stay calm. “I… I was just—”

“Save it,” Darius growled, cutting me off. “You think I don’t know what you’re up to? You’re trying to run, aren’t you?”

I took a step back, my mind racing. This wasn’t part of the plan. I had to get away, but Darius was faster, stronger. If he caught me, it would be over.

But then, something shifted in the air, a faint rustling in the trees just behind me. Darius’s eyes flicked toward the sound, and for a moment, his confidence wavered.

I turned just in time to see a flash of silver fur darting between the trees—the silver wolf. My heart leapt in my chest. It was him again.

Darius hesitated, his gaze following the wolf, and in that split second, I saw my chance.

I ran.

My legs moved faster than they ever had before, my feet pounding against the forest floor as I sprinted deeper into the woods. I could hear Darius shouting behind me, but I didn’t look back. The trees blurred around me as I pushed myself harder, the silver wolf’s image guiding me forward.

I didn’t know where I was going. All I knew was that I had to keep running.

And then, just as I thought my lungs would give out, I saw it—a break in the trees, the edge of the Bloodfang territory. Freedom was just ahead.

But before I could reach it, the silver wolf appeared again, emerging from the shadows like a ghost. It stopped in front of me, its eyes locking with mine once more.

I froze, my breath coming in ragged gasps. The wolf stared at me for a long moment, its gaze intense and unreadable.

And then, it turned and disappeared into the night.

I didn’t wait to understand. I ran past the border, into the unknown, leaving the Bloodfangs behind.