Eden
The moon hung high in the velvet sky, a luminous orb casting silver light over the sprawling forest, its ancient trees swaying like sentinels, their branches whispering secrets only the night could understand. I stood at the edge of the woods, my heart pulsing in rhythm with the earth beneath my feet. The forest, always alive with energy, seemed to breathe with me, its soothing melody drowning out the distant laughter of the Crescent Moon Pack gathered around their bonfire.
They were celebrating again. Another victory for the soldiers of the pack against rogues. I had tried to join them before—had tried to stand in the light of their revelry—but I always ended up in the corner, overlooked, as if I were part of the shadows. It was pointless. No matter what I did, I would always be the small, delicate girl in their eyes.
So here I was, perched on a moss-covered rock, the cool air wrapping around me like a comforting shroud. It felt safer here, far removed from the chaos that filled the night with its warmth. The sounds of howling laughter and clinking mugs drifted toward me, taunting me with their bond that always felt just out of reach.
The Crescent Moon Pack prided itself on being a tight-knit family, a bastion of strength, loyalty, and tradition. They were fierce and unified—everything I wasn't. To them, I was a gentle spirit, too fragile, too small to ever truly be one of them. And it wasn't just my stature. My mother, who I had never known, was fae—an anomaly, a mystery within a world that valued strength above all. Only the former alpha and a handful of my father's closest allies knew of my mixed bloodline. My father had been a great soldier, a pillar of strength who had fallen in battle, and his legacy, instead of elevating me, seemed to loom over me like a shadow, amplifying my isolation.
The moonlight tonight cast a silvery glow over the forest, and a familiar unease twisted in my gut. It wasn't just the exclusion or loneliness; something else stirred. A whisper of danger, a hum beneath the surface of the night that beckoned me to listen. But for days, I couldn't put my finger on what was wrong. The earth's energy vibrated more intensely, the air smelled different, and there was the sharp, metallic tang of copper mingling with the scent of the soil.
I closed my eyes, trying to connect with the forest's magic, willing it to reveal its secrets to me. I had always drawn strength from the moon and the earth, a silent symphony that grounded me when everything else felt uncertain. But tonight, that familiar pull felt… different. A chill crawled down my spine as I opened my eyes, scanning the trees for answers. And that's when I sensed her—Mira.
Aunt Mira, though not bound to me by blood, had taken me in after my parents died. She had never had children of her own; her mate had been killed before they had the chance. In her grief, she found a daughter in me. I was her blessing, as she often said, and she, my anchor. She emerged from the shadows now, her face a blend of concern and quiet strength.
"Eden," Mira called softly, her voice threading through the cool night air. "Why don't you come inside? Join the others?"
I hesitated, glancing toward the distant bonfire where the pack celebrated without a care. "You go ahead, Mira. Parties aren't really my thing," I replied, my voice quieter than I intended.
"Leo's there," she added gently, referring to her nephew, the pack's beta, always the life of the party. "I'm sure he'd be more than happy to introduce you to his friends."
Leo and I had grown up together, and back then, when we were children, no one had noticed my differences. But as we aged and the others began shifting, growing into their power, I remained small and out of place. They all became part of a world I no longer belonged to. Only Leo and Mira still treated me like family.
Mira sat beside me on the moss-covered rock, her presence always a comfort. "Does the forest still feel off to you?" she asked, her hand resting on my shoulder.
I nodded, my brow furrowed. "Yeah. It's been this way for days. The smell of copper in the soil is stronger tonight, too."
Before she could respond, a rustling nearby snapped us both to attention. We stood, eyes scanning the trees.
"Someone's here," Mira linked to me, her mental voice sharp. The pack link was how werewolves communicated. The stronger your bloodline is the more people you can link and the farther you can send a message through your mind. The forest was eerily still, and I could feel the tension crackling in the air.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows—a werewolf, battered and bloodied, his body riddled with bite marks. He collapsed before us with a sickening thud.
"Oh my god," Mira whispered, her voice tight with shock. My senses heightened, and in the distance, I saw a flicker of movement—red eyes gleaming from the darkness. They locked onto mine for a split second before the figure darted away, fast as lightning.
Without thinking, I leaped from the rock to follow. "EDEN! NO!" Mira's voice called out, but I was already in motion.
"Don't run…" A voice whispered in my head, one that wasn't my aunt's. It was ancient and soft, like leaves brushing against stone. I froze, heart pounding, searching for the source of the voice. There was no one.
"Eden, get back here!" Mira's voice brought me back to the present. "This man's hurt, and you're not strong enough to fight whoever did this."
Reluctantly, I turned back. The injured man groaned in pain as Mira knelt beside him, inspecting his wounds. "Do you know him?" I asked.
"No. He's not from our pack, but whoever did this didn't hold back. He's barely holding on," Mira muttered. "Help me move him."
I nodded, doing what I could to help stabilize him, but when I lifted the man's leg, I nearly gasped—the wound was gaping, far too severe for normal werewolf healing.
Leo arrived, his usual smile wiped clean as he surveyed the scene. "What the hell happened?" he asked, his voice grim and he kneels alongside us beside the man.
"We don't know," Mira replied. "But he's in bad shape."
Leo linked to Cassian, the alpha, and within moments, the alpha himself appeared, his presence immediately commanding attention. "I heard what happened... did you guys see clearly what the attacker looked like?" Cassian asks.
"No, he was too fast and it was too dark" Mira replies
When Cassian approached, his gaze swept over the scene, assessing everything with sharp intensity.
"Let's carry it back to the clinic. Mira and Eden, I think you guys head back we got it from here" he added. Cassian nodded, his jaw tightening with a sense of urgency. He walks towards my side and as I was trying to finish up wrapping the injured guy's bleeding leg, my hand brushed against Cassian's when he tried to carry the bottom half of the guy. The moment our skin touched, a jolt of electricity surged through me, as if the very air between us crackled with energy.
Startled, I pulled my hand back, my pulse quickening. Cassian's eyes widened for a moment, and when he looked at me, it was with an intensity that stole my breath. I glanced at my hand, still tingling from the contact. My heart raced, and confusion crept in. I never felt that before. Was it only me who felt it?
"Are you both okay? What happened?" Mira asks.
I look up to her then at Cassian. He also looked in disbelief as he was looking at his own hand too. It's probably nothing. Maybe the injured man was attacked with magic. There has been recent reports of witches attacking rogues.
I brush it off and nodded my head. I finish up wrapping his leg but my attention was once again interrupted when more of the stronger fighters walked in and started to carry the guy's body away.
Leo probably linked them. I start to walk with them ignoring Cassian's energy but I was caught off guard when he calls my name "Eden".
My breath got caught in my throat and I look back at him. Did I mess something up? The electricity wasn't my doing. I thought to myself.
Cassian stood tall, radiating an intensity that seemed to fill the space. His green eyes pierced through me, locking onto mine with a depth that made my pulse quicken. Time froze, and the world around us faded away, leaving only the electric charge between us. Even the forest's energy changed and it suddenly became warmer.
"Did you feel that?" His voice was low, resonant, sending another shiver down my spine.
"Y-yeah," I stammered, unsure what had just happened. "But it wasn't me… I didn't do anything."
Cassian's gaze was unwavering, his green eyes piercing. "I think it has everything to do with you."
Confusion gripped me as Leo burst into a wide grin, clapping his hands. "Well, look at that! Congrats, Eden," he teased, his voice brimming with amusement. It broke the tension and I look at Cassian again. I couldn't tell by his reaction what's happening. I don't know whether he's sad or confused.
"Mira, did I do something wrong?" I look at Mira worried and she shooks her head. "No, honey but I do think you two should talk" she says smiling.
What the hell is happening? Leo walks up to me and put his arm around my shoulders "You've got yourself a mate, Eden" He says smirking. I frowned and I look at him.
I blinked in disbelief, my heart racing. What did he mean? Cassian couldn't possibly—
Cassian. The alpha. Is my mate?