Fated by Blood and Moon

Chapter 6: The Wild Awakening

The air was thick with tension, and my heart still raced from the events that had unfolded. The silver wolf stood protectively over me, his eyes locked on mine, as if daring anyone or anything to challenge our newfound connection. The weight of his single word—Mate—lingered in the air, and I struggled to process what it meant.

The forest around us was eerily silent, the aftermath of the brutal fight between him and Darius’s pack still hanging in the atmosphere. My body ached from exhaustion, the adrenaline fading and leaving me drained, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the wolf.

He didn’t move, didn’t shift back into his human form. Instead, he stood still, watching me intently, as if waiting for something. The realization that this powerful creature was my mate made my breath catch in my throat. All the stories I had heard about meeting one’s mate flashed through my mind—the connection, the pull, the instant recognition. But nothing had prepared me for this.

“Lyra,” I whispered, hoping to feel my wolf's presence at this crucial moment. The bond between us sparked to life, and I felt her stirring within, ready to lend me strength.

I tried to rise to my feet, my legs trembling beneath me. The wolf, sensing my struggle, stepped closer, nudging me gently with his massive head. His touch was surprisingly soft for such a formidable creature, and the warmth of his fur soothed my aching body. He was different from any other wolf I had encountered—stronger, more commanding—yet there was a tenderness in the way he looked at me that left me speechless.

I reached out, hesitating only for a second, and placed my hand on his head. His fur was soft, and he leaned into my touch, a low rumble of approval vibrating through him. Lyra responded, a soft howl echoing in my mind, a chorus of affirmation that told me everything would be okay.

“Who are you?” I whispered, even though I knew he couldn’t answer in his wolf form. But I needed to ask, to break the silence that had stretched between us since he had spoken that single word.

His eyes softened, and for a brief moment, I thought he might shift back, revealing the man behind the wolf. But instead, he lowered his head and nuzzled me again, the bond between us almost palpable. I didn’t know his name, didn’t know where he came from, but the bond… that was unmistakable.

Just as I was about to speak again, a rustling sound echoed from the treeline. My instincts flared, and I quickly withdrew my hand, my body tensing. The silver wolf snapped his head toward the sound, his stance shifting from calm to protective in an instant. His growl was low and menacing, and the air around us thickened with the threat of danger.

Emerging from the shadows was a group of unfamiliar wolves, their eyes gleaming in the moonlight. They approached cautiously, their gazes shifting from me to the silver wolf, clearly wary of his presence.

I felt the tension in the silver wolf’s body as he moved in front of me, positioning himself as a shield between me and the approaching wolves. His growl deepened, a clear warning to the newcomers.

One of the wolves shifted back into his human form, a tall man with dark hair and piercing eyes. He stood confidently, but there was a hint of uncertainty in his posture as he addressed the silver wolf. “Alpha, we’ve been searching for you,” the man said, his voice respectful but tinged with concern. “We didn’t expect to find you here… with her.”

Alpha?

My heart skipped a beat as the word sank in. The silver wolf—my mate—was an Alpha? That explained the power radiating from him, the way the other wolves regarded him with such respect and caution. But why hadn’t I known? Why hadn’t I felt his presence before now?

The silver wolf growled again, a short, sharp sound that silenced the man instantly. He didn’t shift back to respond, but his message was clear: he was in control here, and there would be no interference.

The man raised his hands in a gesture of peace. “We mean no harm, Alpha. We came to check on you. There’s been… unrest back home, and we feared something had happened.”

The silver wolf’s eyes flickered with something I couldn’t quite place, but he remained focused on the threat—or lack thereof. I could feel the tension radiating off him, like he was barely holding himself back from ripping into them if they made the wrong move.

I stood there, unsure of what to do, caught in the middle of a situation I barely understood. These were his packmates, I realized, and they were looking at me with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. What did they think of me? Did they see me as a threat? Or worse—would they try to take me away from him?

After a long moment of silence, the man spoke again, his voice softer this time. “Alpha, you’ve found her, haven’t you? Your mate?”

The air seemed to grow heavier as his words hung between us. The silver wolf didn’t respond, but his gaze flickered back to me, his eyes softening once again. He didn’t need to answer—the truth was already written in every movement, every glance.

Lyra stirred within me, her energy pulsing as if to remind me that I was not alone. I swallowed hard, my mind racing. This was happening too fast. I had spent my entire life as an outcast, a reject of my own pack, never once believing that I would find my mate. And now, here I was, standing before a powerful Alpha, a wolf I had never met until tonight, yet somehow felt irrevocably connected to.

The wolves surrounding us seemed to sense the shift in the air, and one by one, they began to retreat. The man who had spoken nodded once, his expression softening as he gave us space.

“We’ll wait for you at the edge of the territory, Alpha,” he said quietly before turning and disappearing into the shadows, the rest of the wolves following suit.

Silence returned, the only sound my own ragged breathing. I turned back to the silver wolf, unsure of what to say or do next.

He stepped toward me again, this time nudging my hand with his nose as if encouraging me to stand tall. The warmth from his touch grounded me, and I found myself taking a deep breath, letting the fear and uncertainty melt away—if only for a moment.

“Lyra, stay with me,” I whispered, feeling her energy surge in response.

I didn’t know what the future held, but I knew one thing for certain: I wasn’t alone anymore. I had found my mate, and even though we had barely spoken, the bond between us was undeniable.

For the first time in years, I felt a spark of hope ignite within me. Maybe this was the beginning of something new—something better.

And maybe, just maybe, I could finally leave the nightmares of my past behind.