Jane looked out the window and watched as the full moon rose high in the sky. She knew what it meant - another cruel night of transformation. Every time the moon was full, her alpha's animalistic side would take over, and he would become a werewolf. It was a dangerous time for all shape-shifters, as they were prone to losing control and causing untold destruction.
But tonight, there was an added danger. Jane had heard rumors that a group of human hunters were in the area, targeting shape-shifters with their weapons. She knew that her alpha would not take this lying down, but she was worried that he would not be able to control his rage in the face of such a threat.
As the moon rose higher, Jane could feel the tension in the air. Her alpha paced back and forth in their small cabin, grumbling under his breath. She tried to talk to him, to soothe him, but he was not in the mood for talking. He was on edge, waiting for danger to strike.
It was then that a knock came at the door. Jane's heart leaped into her throat as she wondered who it could be. Was it the hunters? Had they found them already?
But when she opened the door, her fears were momentarily relieved. Standing on her doorstep were two new characters - a man and a woman, both dressed in black leather and looking as though they had just ridden straight out of an action movie.
"Who are you?" Jane asked, her hand hovering over the handle of the door. She could feel her alpha's wolf growling inside her, demanding that they be let in or dealt with swiftly.
"We are here to help," said the man. "My name is Marcus, and this is my partner, Lara. We were sent to protect you from the hunters."
Jane didn't know who had sent them or why they had been chosen to protect her, but she could tell that the two of them were skilled fighters. Perhaps they would be useful, after all.
She led them inside and introduced them to her alpha. He was skeptical at first, but soon warmed up to the idea of having more fighters on their side. The four of them spent the rest of the night fortifying their cabin and preparing for the worst.
As the moon rose higher, the danger grew closer. They could hear the sound of footsteps outside, the glint of weapons in the darkness. Jane's heart pounded in her chest as she realized that the hunters were finally here.
Her alpha transformed first, bursting out of his skin and into his wolf form. He snarled and lunged at the door, his jaws snapping at the wood. Jane and Marcus stood on either side of him, ready to fight.
But it was Lara who surprised them all. She pulled out two silver-lined pistols from her belt and began shooting through the door, her eyes glinting with a fierce determination.
The hunters didn't stand a chance. In a matter of minutes, they were all dead or fleeing for their lives. Jane's alpha retook his human form, his chest heaving with exertion. They had won.
It was then that Jane realized that the danger had not come from the hunters at all. They had been nothing more than a diversion. The real threat was much closer to home.
As she turned around, she saw someone she had never expected to see again. It was her ex-boyfriend, Tyler. He had always been jealous of her alpha, and now he had come to try and take her back.
But he had underestimated the power of her love for her alpha. She would never leave him, and she would never let anyone hurt him. Jane grabbed Tyler by the arm and pulled him outside, where Marcus and Lara were waiting.
"Take care of him," she said, her eyes locked on her alpha's. "I'll be right back."
She transformed into her wolf form and raced off into the night, following the scent that had been calling to her all along. She knew where she had to go - to the source of the danger, to the place where her heart had been held captive for far too long.
As she ran, she felt the power of her moonlit heart growing stronger with every step. She knew that nothing could stand in the way of her love, no matter what dangers lay ahead. And that was the greatest strength of all.