POV: Aira Moonstone
Darkness.
Aira stirred, her eyes fluttering open with effort. The ceiling above her was jagged stone, barely lit by torches flickering from far-off walls. Her head throbbed, and her body felt heavy—like it had been filled with lead.
She shifted slightly—and winced.
Cold, biting pain shot through her wrists.
She turned her head groggily to the right. Her hands were shackled… chained to the wall behind her. Thick cuffs, silver-lined.
Silver.
A cruel material for any werewolf—burning and weakening the bond between wolf and human. She could feel it sapping her strength, like poison seeping into her veins.
She tugged against the restraints once. Twice. But it was no use.
Her heart pounded as she looked around.
"Where… am I?"
She turned her head to the left and saw a familiar figure slumped beside her. Her heart jumped. "Lila…"
She leaned toward her, but her chains clinked loudly, pulling her back.
Still unconscious.
Aira tried to speak inside her head, to reach her wolf. "Nina…?"
Silence.
Nothing. Like shouting into an endless void.
It wasn't just exhaustion. Nina wasn't asleep. She was—unresponsive.
It felt like her soul had curled in on itself.
What did that rejection do to us…?
Her eyes scanned the room, adjusting slowly to the dim torchlight. That's when her breath caught in her throat.
There were other girls—lined along the wall. Maybe a dozen… maybe more. Some were stirring weakly, others still completely unconscious. Most were around her age.
Her classmates.
Her pack sisters.
She recognized a few—girls from science class, one from her history class. Another she'd once passed in the hallway who never even glanced at her.
All now looked as helpless as she felt.
"What is this place…?"
A soft groan beside her broke the silence.
Lila.
Aira shifted quickly. "Lila! Are you okay?"
Lila blinked slowly, her pupils adjusting. "Ugh… my head…"
She squinted at the chains. "Why am I tied up? What is this—?"
Aira shook her head. "I don't know. I woke up a few minutes ago… I think we've been taken somewhere."
Lila looked around, eyes wide with horror as she recognized the others. "Oh my goddess. That's Arlene… and Marcy… and isn't that Kara from Mr. Stefford's class?"
Aira nodded slowly, dread creeping deeper into her chest.
"Why only us?" she whispered. "Why only the girls?"
Lila's face twisted in realization, panic flashing in her eyes. "You don't think they're planning to… to use us to breed… do you?"
The word hit like a slap.
Aira's breath caught.
"No," she said quickly, shaking her head. "They wouldn't…"
But they both knew—rogues had no rules. No honor.
Suddenly, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from the other side of the stone door.
Aira froze. Lila's eyes snapped to her.
The footsteps were getting closer.
"Pretend to be unconscious," Aira whispered, her voice trembling.
Lila gave one quick nod, then slumped over again.
Aira followed, letting her body go limp, head tilted, eyes almost closed. Her heart pounded so loudly in her ears she feared the intruders would hear it.
The door creaked open.
Boots scuffed against stone.
Two male voices whispered in rough tones.
"…found them near the east ridge. The white wolf might be one of them…"
"…the King will decide when he sees their eyes."
King?
Aira's blood turned cold.
Then one of the men muttered something that made her heart stop.
"She better be the one. The prophecy speaks of her… born under the Blood Moon… with power in her blood and a wolf as white as death."
Then the door closed.
Silence again.
But everything had changed.
Aira dared not move, even as sweat trickled down her spine.
They were looking for her.
And they would stop at nothing to find out which one of them she was.