Chapter 1: The Wolf in the Garden
The night in Elaris Village was quiet, almost unnervingly so. The wind whispered through the trees beyond her cottage, carrying a faint chill that made Elara pull her shawl tighter around her shoulders. Most nights, the forest that bordered the village was silent, save for the occasional rustle of small animals or the hoot of an owl. But tonight… something was different.
She had been tending to her herb garden, carefully trimming the leaves of valerian and chamomile, when a sound made her pause. A low, guttural growl, deep and resonant, echoed from the edge of the woods. Her heart thudded violently, and she dropped the basket of herbs. The clatter of roots and soil filled the air, but curiosity, as always, won over fear.
Elara stepped cautiously toward the edge of the forest, the moonlight painting silver streaks across her dark hair. Every instinct in her body screamed for her to turn back, yet something pulled her forward — an unexplainable fascination, as if the night itself had whispered her name.
Through the misty veil of the trees, she saw him.
At first, she thought it was a man, wounded and lying amidst the ferns. His chest rose and fell with shallow, uneven breaths. Blood streaked his pale skin, and his body was tense, every muscle taut with pain or fear. Yet it was his eyes that made her stop completely — a fiery amber that burned through the darkness, wild, untamed, and impossibly alive.
"Stay… back," he growled, his voice low, rough, and threatening.
Elara's hand froze mid-step. "I… I'm not going to hurt you," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. Her healer's heart, ever compassionate, overrode her fear. "You're hurt… you need help."
A snarl rumbled from his throat, but it lacked conviction. His eyes darted toward the woods, then back to her. "You don't understand… I'm not—"
Before he could finish, the light of the moon fell fully upon him. His form shuddered violently. Fur sprouted along his arms, spine, and jawline, his hands elongating into clawed paws. In seconds, the man she thought she had seen was gone. In his place was a wolf — enormous, with fur as dark as midnight, and eyes that still held the same molten gold intensity.
Every instinct screamed at her to run. But instead, she did the unthinkable. She stepped closer, her trembling hand brushing against the coarse fur.
"It's alright," she murmured, more to herself than to him. "You're safe here."
The wolf shuddered beneath her touch, a low whine escaping its throat. Elara's heartbeat pounded in her ears. She could feel his pain, raw and unfiltered, and despite the danger, an odd connection formed between them. The creature lowered its massive head to her lap, shivering violently.
For hours, she tended to his wounds in the dim moonlight, using herbs and poultices, murmuring soft words to calm him. She didn't sleep, not entirely, not with the wolf pressed against her side and the eerie quiet of the forest around them. When the first hints of dawn broke over the horizon, the wolf stirred, shifting and contorting in a way that made Elara gasp.
By the time the sun's first rays filtered through the trees, the wolf had transformed. Standing before her was a man — tall, silver-haired, and impossibly lean. The raw strength of the beast still lingered in his posture, in the slight tension of his shoulders and the sharpness in his golden eyes.
Elara's cheeks flushed. She hastily draped her shawl over him, feeling heat rise to her ears. "You… you should have stayed in the forest," she said softly.
He sat up slowly, as if every movement was measured. "And die there? No. You shouldn't have found me." His gaze was sharp, suspicious, yet laced with something that hinted at wariness rather than malice.
"Then you would have bled to death," she whispered, keeping her hands clasped tightly to hide the trembling.
He paused, studying her. His golden eyes, so human despite the beast that still lingered in his movements, softened for a brief heartbeat. "You… you shouldn't care."
"I do," she said simply. She had never known such an instinct to protect someone, and yet she couldn't deny it. Something about him, about the way the moonlight caught in his hair and eyes, called to her.
A sudden breeze stirred, and Elara noticed something she hadn't before — a strange mark on her wrist, glowing faintly silver in the morning light. The moment his gaze fell upon it, his expression changed. Fear, recognition, and a shadow of pain flickered across his features.
"That mark…" he murmured, his voice breaking slightly. "It shouldn't exist anymore."
Elara frowned, holding her wrist tightly. "What do you mean?"
He stood abruptly, moving toward the edge of the forest, his posture tense. "You have no idea what you've done, human," he said, his voice both warning and pleading.
Elara's heart pounded. "Wait — who are you?"
He glanced back, just once, and she caught a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. Something ancient. Something sorrowful.
"My name is Kael," he said finally, his tone carrying a weight far heavier than mere words. "I am the last heir of the Moonfang Clan — the cursed beasts your kind hunted for generations."
Her breath caught in her throat. She had heard the stories, the whispered warnings of humans who had vanished into the wild, of beasts that were more than animals, of princes and warriors with golden eyes and claws that could rend flesh. She had always dismissed them as myths. Now, standing before her, Kael was proof.
A silence stretched between them, heavy and charged. The forest seemed to hold its breath. Finally, she dared to speak.
"I… I didn't know," she whispered. "I just… I couldn't leave you to die."
Kael's expression softened slightly, but his gaze remained guarded. "Your mercy is… dangerous," he murmured. "The mark on your wrist — it is a sign, a bond older than you know. You have been chosen, whether you like it or not."
Elara's heart skipped a beat. "Chosen? For what?"
"For the Moon," Kael said simply, lifting his gaze to the rising sun. "For the curse that binds my clan. And perhaps… for me." His voice dropped, almost hesitant, as if revealing a secret too fragile to speak aloud.
Elara's fingers itched to reach for him, to touch, to understand, yet she stopped herself. There was an invisible line drawn between them, one she felt more than saw. It was dangerous, intoxicating, and terrifying all at once.
"You're a beast," she whispered, almost to herself. "How… how can anyone love a beast?"
Kael's eyes softened, a faint, almost sad smile brushing his lips. "Perhaps that is why love is so rare," he said. "Because it must be chosen, willingly, despite fear."
The forest around them seemed to fade, leaving only the two of them standing at the precipice of something impossible. Elara felt the stirrings of something deep inside her — fear, yes, but also awe. Desire. A strange, aching need to protect this wounded creature, this cursed prince, even if it meant stepping into a world she didn't understand.
And Kael… Kael seemed to feel it too. The way his gaze lingered, the way his golden eyes searched hers, as though he could see not only her, but the life she had yet to live, the choices she would make, the bond forming between them, fragile yet unbreakable.
A sudden rustle in the trees reminded them both that danger was never far. Kael stiffened, the predator in him resurfacing, alert, wary. "They'll come for me," he said, voice low. "And if they find you… it won't end well."
"I can handle them," Elara replied, her voice steadier than she felt. "I'm not afraid."
Kael's golden eyes studied her, and for a fleeting moment, vulnerability replaced caution. "You should be," he said softly. "But… I am glad you are here. More than I should admit."
The sun fully rose, casting golden light across the clearing. Kael turned, slipping into the forest's shadows, yet he paused one last time. "Stay close, human," he said. "You have been marked by fate. And now… so have I."
Elara's heart pounded as she watched him disappear among the trees. A part of her knew that her life would never be the same. She could feel the mark on her wrist pulsing faintly, as if in response to his presence. And in her chest, an unfamiliar warmth grew — a fragile, trembling hope that one day, the beast before her might not just be a creature of the moon, but a companion of the heart.
As she turned back toward her cottage, she whispered into the wind, hoping he could somehow hear her:
"I'll find you… Kael."
And somewhere in the depths of the forest, a pair of golden eyes shone, unwavering and watchful.
Part 2: Whispers Beneath the Silver Sky
The forest was silent after he left.
Elara stood at the edge of the clearing, staring into the shadows where Kael had vanished. The early morning mist curled around her like ghostly fingers, whispering through the trees as though the forest itself mourned his departure.
She should have gone back to her cottage. Should have locked her door, boiled tea, and convinced herself that what she had seen was a dream. But no dream left claw marks on the soil, nor blood-stained herbs scattered across the path.
Her wrist tingled faintly where the silver mark glowed beneath her skin. Every time she looked at it, she heard his voice echo in her mind — You have been chosen.
"Chosen for what…" she murmured, clutching her wrist.
The mark pulsed again, soft but insistent, like a heartbeat.
---
That day passed in uneasy quiet. Elara tried to keep herself busy, but every corner of her small cottage reminded her of him — the shawl she had covered him with, still folded neatly on the chair; the herbs she'd used to clean his wounds, now dry and brittle.
By evening, she sat by the fire, lost in thought. The flames reflected in her eyes, and for the first time in years, she felt something she couldn't name — not fear, not fascination, but something in between.
When the knock came at her door, she jumped.
It was soft at first, then firmer. Three times.
"Elara?"
Her neighbor's voice broke the stillness. Relief washed over her, and she opened the door to find Mae, an older woman with kind eyes and a woven basket in her arms.
"You didn't come to market," Mae said. "I thought I'd bring you bread."
"Thank you, I…" Elara hesitated, unsure how to explain her absence. "I wasn't feeling well."
Mae studied her face, frowning slightly. "You've been pale lately. You should rest. The hunters say a beast was seen near the ridge last night."
Elara's breath caught. "A beast?"
Mae nodded grimly. "Tracks too large for any wolf. They think it's one of the old kind."
The old kind. The word sent a shiver through her. That's what villagers called the cursed ones — the Moonfangs, the beasts of the north.
Elara forced a small smile. "I'm sure it's nothing."
But after Mae left, she couldn't shake the unease. The mark on her wrist was glowing again, faint but steady. She pressed her hand against it, whispering, "Kael…"
Outside, the wind howled — and somewhere deep within the forest, a wolf answered.
---
Kael's POV
He moved silently through the forest, the cold air cutting through his lungs. His wounds throbbed, but they would heal. They always did. What troubled him wasn't pain — it was her.
The human girl.
Elara.
He could still smell her — the faint scent of chamomile and earth, soft and comforting, clinging to his memory. He hadn't meant to stay that long near her, hadn't meant to let her touch him. But the mark… the same mark that had cursed his clan now glowed on her wrist.
"She doesn't know what she's done," he muttered under his breath.
The forest around him stirred, branches creaking. From the shadows emerged another figure — tall, cloaked, with eyes that burned like dim embers.
"Prince Kael," the stranger rasped. "You've been found."
Kael turned, his muscles tensing. "By who?"
"The hunters," the figure said. "They crossed the river this morning. And… the Council knows you live."
Kael's jaw clenched. "Then she's in danger."
The figure tilted its head. "The human? You brought her into this, didn't you?"
"She saved me," Kael growled. "She didn't know what I was."
"That doesn't matter. If the Council learns she bears the Moon's Mark…"
Kael's claws flexed unconsciously. "They won't touch her."
The stranger's voice softened, almost pitying. "You cannot protect her, Kael. You couldn't even protect your clan."
Kael's golden eyes flared. "Leave."
The figure bowed slightly and melted into the mist.
Alone again, Kael pressed a hand to his chest. Beneath his palm, the same mark glowed faintly — a mirror to the one on Elara's wrist. The ancient bond of the Moonfang had chosen her. He didn't know why. But fate, cruel and relentless, had begun to weave its threads once more.
---
Back to Elara
That night, Elara dreamed of silver forests and blood-red moons. She saw Kael standing on a cliff, his body half-shadow, half-light, his eyes full of sorrow. He called her name, and when she reached for him, her hand turned to light.
She woke with a gasp. The mark on her wrist burned.
She sat up in bed, heart pounding. Outside, the world was eerily silent — until she heard it.
Footsteps. Slow. Heavy.
Elara reached for the iron poker by the fireplace and moved to the window. A shape moved in the darkness, too tall to be human. For a moment, her fear froze her — but then the shape turned, and the faint light caught the gleam of gold eyes.
Her breath hitched. "Kael?"
The figure moved closer, stepping into the moonlight — it was him.
But before she could open the door, he raised a hand, signaling her to stay back. His face was drawn, his expression tense. "They're coming," he whispered.
"Who—"
"Hunters."
The word dropped like ice into her chest.
Kael's gaze darted toward the treeline. "You need to hide. Now."
Elara shook her head. "No — I can help you!"
He took a step closer, his presence filling the doorway, his voice low but fierce. "You don't understand. If they see that mark, they'll kill you too."
Elara's hand rose instinctively to her wrist. The mark was glowing brighter now, as if answering his fear.
"Kael…" she whispered, "what is this mark? Why do I have it?"
His expression softened, just slightly. "It's the bond of the Moonfang. It links two souls — a guardian and a chosen. I thought it died with my people, but…" His gaze flicked to her wrist, almost reverent. "It's alive again. Through you."
A sharp crack sounded outside — branches snapping. Voices.
Kael's head whipped around. "They've found us."
Before Elara could react, he grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the window. "Stay behind me," he ordered, eyes blazing.
The door burst open.
Three figures entered, cloaked in dark leather, silver-tipped spears gleaming under the firelight. The crest of the Hunter's Guild was etched onto their armor — a wolf's skull pierced by a blade.
"Well," one of them sneered, eyes landing on Kael, "look what crawled out of the woods."
Elara's breath caught. Kael's muscles coiled, ready to strike.
"Leave," Kael warned.
The hunter laughed. "Or what, beast? You'll tear us apart like your father did?"
Kael's eyes darkened, rage flickering like wildfire. The hunters raised their weapons — but before they could lunge, the mark on Elara's wrist blazed, flooding the room with silver light.
The hunters froze. The air trembled.
Kael turned sharply — the glow now extended to his chest, connecting to hers like a shimmering thread. His eyes widened. "The bond… it's awakening."
Elara barely had time to process it before the light exploded outward, hurling the hunters back through the doorway. They crashed into the ground outside, their armor smoking from the burst of energy.
Elara staggered, gripping the table for balance. "What… what was that?"
Kael looked at her, awe and confusion warring in his eyes. "It's you," he whispered. "You called the Moon's power."
"But I didn't do anything!"
He shook his head. "The bond reacts to danger. It protects its chosen."
The hunters groaned outside, struggling to rise. Kael turned to her, urgency flashing across his face. "We have to go. Now."
Elara hesitated, staring at her home — her herbs, her little bed, everything she had ever known. Then she met his eyes — fierce, wild, and strangely full of trust.
She nodded. "Alright."
Kael's lips curved, barely a hint of relief. "Stay close to me."
He shifted — bones cracking, fur rippling down his arms. The transformation was smoother this time, less painful, but still awe-inspiring. The beast stood before her again — tall, powerful, beautiful in his wildness.
Elara reached out, her hand brushing his fur. "I'm not afraid," she whispered.
He lowered his head slightly, golden eyes gleaming. You should be, his voice echoed faintly in her mind. But I'll protect you anyway.
And together, they vanished into the silver shadows of the forest.
Shadows of the Moon
The forest swallowed them whole, the silver moonlight filtering through the thick canopy of pines and birches. Elara's heart pounded with every step, her palms sticky with sweat as she clutched Kael's massive arm. He moved silently, every step precise, like a shadow gliding across the earth.
"You… you move like a ghost," she whispered, struggling to keep her breath steady.
Kael's golden eyes flicked to her. "A predator does not stumble," he said softly, though his tone carried an edge of amusement. He turned his head, brushing a lock of her hair that had fallen across her face. "Stay close. Don't look away."
Elara's stomach twisted with a mixture of fear and something else — something strange and tender that she hadn't felt before. His warmth radiated through the moonlight, and the scent of him — earthy, wild, faintly metallic — settled deep into her senses.
They moved deeper into the forest. The trees here were ancient, their gnarled roots curling across the ground like sleeping serpents. Shadows clung to every corner, but Kael's presence made her feel strangely protected.
"You've never been here before, have you?" he asked quietly, almost to himself.
"No," she admitted. "Not past the ridge. Why?"
"Because no human should," he murmured. His gaze darted to the shadows again. "The forest knows. It will protect… or test you."
Elara swallowed hard. "Test me?"
Kael didn't answer, his attention already scanning the treeline. He moved with the quiet certainty of a hunter, muscles rippling beneath his fur as he leapt over roots and rocks. Elara stumbled behind him but didn't dare let go.
---
The first hours passed in tense silence. The only sounds were the soft snap of twigs underfoot and the occasional distant howl. Elara's mind raced, trying to process everything — the golden eyes, the glowing mark, the Moonfang curse Kael had mentioned.
Finally, they reached a small clearing beside a stream. The water reflected the moon in a perfect circle, and Kael paused, crouching beside it. "Drink," he said, dipping his hand into the cool water and offering it to her.
Elara hesitated but took it, feeling a strange warmth seep into her body with every sip. She realized she hadn't realized how thirsty she was, how tense her muscles had become. The water soothed her — and yet, something about this place, about him, felt alive. Almost magical.
Kael crouched near the bank, his eyes reflecting in the stream like molten gold. "You're marked," he said after a long pause. "I can feel it stronger here. The bond… it awakens in places of power."
Elara frowned. "What does it mean? Why me?"
Kael's jaw tightened. "I don't know. But the Moon chooses. The Moon does not make mistakes."
Her fingers twitched, reaching for the mark on her wrist. It pulsed faintly, almost like a heartbeat, and she could feel it tugging her toward him. A strange shiver ran down her spine.
Kael noticed. His gaze softened, but the faint edge of warning remained. "Do not touch the mark now," he murmured. "Not yet. If you do, it will draw things here… dangerous things."
Elara nodded, though her curiosity flared. The mark was part of her now, and she couldn't ignore it.
---
Night deepened, and Kael finally settled against a tree, the wolf within him settling into a low growl, more for comfort than threat. Elara watched him, feeling the pull again — not just from the mark, but from the man beneath the beast. He exuded power, yes, but also… vulnerability.
"Kael," she said softly, stepping closer. "Do you trust me?"
He didn't answer at first, eyes narrowed, scanning the forest edges. Then he sighed, a low, almost inaudible sound. "I don't trust humans easily," he admitted. "But… I trust you."
Her heart leapt. "I'll stay. I won't leave."
He looked at her then, really looked, and something unspoken passed between them. His golden eyes softened, and for a moment, the beast inside him receded, leaving the man — tall, powerful, and painfully alone — vulnerable.
"You shouldn't feel… safe here," he murmured. "The bond… it changes things. Dangerous things. Hunters. Clan remnants. Even the Moon itself may test you."
Elara shook her head. "I don't care. I'll face it."
Kael's lips curved, almost imperceptibly. "You are braver than any human I've known," he said. His voice lowered. "And perhaps… that is why the Moon chose you."
The air between them thickened. Every movement, every breath, felt charged with something unspoken. The forest around them seemed to hum faintly, leaves rustling though there was no wind.
Elara's fingers hovered near her mark, the pulsing growing faster. Kael noticed the slight tremor in her hand. He reached out, resting a massive, careful hand over hers. The warmth of his palm was electric, sending a shiver through her.
"You feel it too," he said softly.
She nodded. "Yes… it's like it's calling to you. To us."
Kael's gaze locked on hers, intense and unyielding. "Then we are bound, Elara. By the Moon, by the bond, and… perhaps by something neither of us fully understands yet."
The wind rose suddenly, rustling through the trees and carrying a faint howl from the distance. Kael stiffened, ears twitching — wolf and man alert simultaneously.
"Hunters," he whispered. "We should move again. Now."
Elara followed silently as he led her deeper into the forest. Every step, every glance shared between them strengthened a connection that words could not yet define. Fear, yes. Wonder, yes. But beneath it all — a seed of trust, and perhaps, something far more dangerous: the beginnings of love.
The forest stretched endlessly, shadows weaving and twisting under the silver moon. And as they disappeared deeper into the night, neither fully realized how irrevocably their lives had intertwined.
The bond of the Moonfang was awakening… and with it, the first threads of a story that could either save them or destroy them both.
The Hunters' Shadow
The forest had grown darker, the trees pressing close as if to hide them from the world. Elara's hands trembled slightly as she followed Kael, her heart still racing from the strange pulse of the Moonfang bond. Every sound seemed amplified — the crack of a twig, the rustle of leaves, the faint snap of a distant branch.
Kael moved like liquid, every step silent yet precise. His golden eyes scanned the shadows, the wolf inside him alert, tense. "Stay close," he whispered. "The hunters are near."
Elara nodded, gripping her shawl tighter. Fear clawed at her chest, but there was also a thrill — a dangerous excitement she couldn't name. Every time she looked at him, she saw both the beast and the man: powerful, untamed, yet strangely protective.
Then she heard it — a low whistle, almost imperceptible, coming from deeper in the forest. Her stomach dropped.
"They know we're here," Kael murmured, his voice a low growl. He crouched behind a tree, gesturing for her to do the same.
Elara obeyed, pressing herself against the rough bark. Her pulse pounded in her ears as she watched the shadows stretch and move. Three figures emerged, cloaked and armed, their silver-tipped spears gleaming faintly in the moonlight.
Kael's claws flexed, the wolf inside him stirring. He didn't move immediately, only observing. The hunters spoke in low tones, their eyes scanning the forest. One of them paused, noticing a faint glimmer on the forest floor — the trail of the glowing mark on Elara's wrist.
Kael's eyes narrowed. "They see it," he whispered.
The hunters' leader, a tall figure with a scar across his cheek, pointed toward her. "There," he said. "The mark. That's the one."
Elara's blood ran cold. She had only touched her wrist, and yet the hunters knew. Kael shifted, his massive body tense, ready to spring.
"Move," he hissed, placing a hand on her back. "Follow me. Do not look back."
They slipped silently through the trees, Kael leading her down a narrow ravine where the forest grew thick and the shadows deep. The hunters moved after them, but Kael's knowledge of the forest gave him an edge. Every step, every leap, was calculated.
Elara stumbled once, and Kael caught her. His hand brushed hers, and a jolt ran through her, the bond pulsing stronger than ever. Her breath hitched.
"You feel it too," he murmured, his voice low. "The bond… it's stronger when you're close."
"Yes," she whispered, her fingers brushing against his arm unconsciously. "I feel it… pulling me toward you."
Kael didn't answer, only continued moving, but his gaze lingered on her hand, the faint glow of her mark mirrored by the golden light in his eyes.
---
They reached a small cave hidden beneath the roots of an ancient tree. Kael pushed her inside, pressing a finger to his lips. "Quiet," he warned.
Elara crouched, heart hammering. The cave smelled of earth and moss, the walls damp and cool against her skin. Kael knelt beside her, his wolf form partially surfacing as he sniffed the entrance.
"They'll search for hours," he whispered. "But the Moon protects us while the bond awakens. You're safe… for now."
Elara looked at him, her chest tight. "Why me?" she asked again, her voice trembling. "Why this bond? Why did the Moon choose me?"
Kael's golden eyes softened, a flicker of vulnerability surfacing. "Because… you have something the Moon recognizes. Courage, compassion… and perhaps a soul that can endure what mine has suffered for centuries."
Her heart ached at his words. "I'm not strong," she said softly. "I'm just a healer. I've never faced anything like this."
He reached out, gently brushing a lock of hair from her face. "Strength isn't measured by what you survive. It's measured by what you protect. And you… you protect even when you're afraid."
Elara's breath caught. She wanted to say something, to reach out and touch him, but fear and wonder tied her tongue.
Kael's gaze dropped, then lifted slowly, meeting hers again. "The bond…" he murmured. "It will grow. And when it does, it will demand more than either of us can imagine."
Elara swallowed hard, unsure whether to feel fear or excitement. "I'll face it," she said. "Whatever comes, I'll face it with you."
For the first time, Kael allowed himself a faint, almost imperceptible smile. "Good," he whispered. "Because you're already part of it, whether you know it or not."
Outside, the wind carried faint echoes of the hunters' voices, but inside the cave, time seemed to slow. Two souls, human and beast, sat together under the silver glow of the Moon — bound by fate, by courage, and by something deeper neither fully understood.
The forest was still, the bond pulsing between them like a heartbeat. And in that fragile silence, both Elara and Kael realized that their lives had changed forever.
The Moon had chosen.
And it had chosen them together.