The creature tilted its head as if it could hear it, too.
Then its silver eyes darkened.
Selene gritted her teeth and gripped her dagger tighter. She didn't know what the voice was or why it was inside her head. But right now, she had only one goal—**survive.**
The creature lunged again. This time, Selene was ready.
She twisted, dodging its claws, then **drove her dagger straight into its throat.**
A terrible shriek filled the air. The Hungry One thrashed, black blood spilling from its mouth, its claws flailing wildly.
Selene didn't let go. She twisted the blade deeper, her wolf howling inside her.
Then—**the creature stopped moving.**
Its body convulsed once. Then it collapsed into the snow, twitching.
Selene stumbled back, panting. The whisper in her head was gone. The air was still.
Damien, now in human form again, kicked his own creature's lifeless body. "They're not invincible," he muttered. "But they're damn close."
Selene wiped the black blood from her blade, forcing herself to steady her breathing. "We need to tell my father. Now."
Damien nodded. "And the Silverfangs. If these things are loose, the war doesn't matter anymore."
Selene hesitated. For years, she had been raised to hate Elias Stormbane. To dream of the day she could put a blade through his heart.
But now?
Now, there was something much worse than the Silverfangs lurking in the dark.
And if they didn't stop it, no one—**Nightshade or Silverfang**—would survive the Blood Moon.
---
Do you want me to continue with **Chapter 7**?
# **Blood Moon Betrayal**
### *Chapter 7: A Fragile Alliance*
Elias Stormbane stood at the heart of the Silverfang stronghold, staring at the map spread across the wooden table. His warriors surrounded him, tension thick in the air. The reports of **slaughtered patrols** had reached them at dawn.
Something unnatural was hunting in Black Hollow.
His father, **Gregor Stormbane**, had dismissed the reports as Nightshade ambushes, but Elias knew better. **This wasn't war. This was something else.**
Before he could voice his concerns, the heavy doors of the war hall burst open. The warriors growled, hands flying to their weapons.
Two figures stood at the entrance.
Selene Nightshade.
And Damien Blackwood.
Elias' eyes locked onto Selene's, the hatred between them crackling like fire. For years, they had dreamed of tearing each other apart.
But tonight, she wasn't here for war.
She was here for **survival.**
Gregor's voice boomed through the hall. "You dare enter our territory?"
Selene met his gaze without flinching. "Shut up and listen, old man. We don't have time for this."
The warriors snarled at her disrespect, but Elias raised a hand, silencing them. He stepped forward, his silver eyes sharp.
"Speak."
Selene's lips curled. She hated being here. Hated needing them. But she swallowed the bitterness and said the words she never thought she'd say.
"The war is over," she said. "We have a bigger problem now."
Elias frowned. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Damien stepped forward, his usual smirk replaced by something grim. "The Blood Moon has awakened something ancient," he said. "Something that doesn't care about your little war."
Elias didn't react, but something in his chest tightened.
Selene dropped something onto the table with a **thud.**
A severed limb. **Not from a wolf.**
The warriors recoiled at the sight of the twisted, blackened flesh, the elongated claws, the **inhumanity of it.**
Elias stared at it. The stench of rot filled his nose.
"This killed our packmates," Selene said. "It killed yours too, didn't it?"
Elias' jaw clenched. He thought of the **mutilated Silverfang warriors** they had found just outside their borders.
Gregor scoffed. "A trick," he muttered. "The Nightshades are trying to weaken us."
Selene **snapped.**
"You stupid old fool! If we don't stop this, there won't be any Nightshades or Silverfangs left to fight!"
The hall went silent.
Elias studied her, searching for deception. But all he saw was something he had never seen in Selene before.
**Fear.**
He exhaled slowly, then looked at his father. "She's telling the truth."
Gregor's eyes flashed with fury. "Elias—"
"We can't ignore this," Elias cut him off. "If we don't work together, we're dead."
Silence.
Then, finally, Gregor sneered. "Do what you want," he said, pushing himself to his feet. "But I won't waste Silverfang blood on Nightshade lies."
Elias watched him go, something inside him twisting. His father was powerful, but he was **blind.**
Selene scoffed. "Great. Your father's as useless as mine."
Elias turned back to her. "Then we do this without them."
Damien raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
Elias nodded, his gaze never leaving Selene's.
**"I'm saying we fight together."**
For the first time in their lives, the heirs of the Nightshades and Silverfangs stood on the same side.
And as the Blood Moon rose higher in the sky, they knew one thing for certain—**this was only the beginning.**
---
Do you want me to continue with **Chapter 8**?
# **Blood Moon Betrayal**
### *Chapter 8: The Pact of Shadows*
The wind outside the Silverfang stronghold howled like a chorus of dying wolves. The Blood Moon loomed overhead, casting an eerie red glow over the war hall.
Selene crossed her arms, glaring at Elias. "If we're doing this together, we do it on equal ground. No Silverfang orders. No Nightshade traditions. A true alliance."
Elias smirked, but there was no humor in his eyes. "You expect me to trust you after generations of bloodshed?"
Selene stepped closer, her voice low. "I don't trust you either. But I trust survival more."
Damien sighed dramatically. "You two have the worst mating tension I've ever seen."
Selene and Elias snapped their heads toward him, both growling at the same time.
Damien grinned. "See? That's cute."
Ignoring him, Selene turned back to Elias. "We need a plan."
Elias ran a hand through his dark hair, tension radiating from him. "The patrols outside our borders were slaughtered. No survivors. Whatever these things are, they're spreading fast."
Selene nodded. "We barely killed two of them. If more are waking up, we won't stand a chance alone."
Damien leaned against the table, fingers tapping against the map. "We need numbers. And there's only one place where both packs will listen."
Elias' expression darkened. "The Gathering Grounds."
Selene's stomach tightened. The **Gathering Grounds**—a sacred meeting place between all werewolf clans. It was neutral territory, but that didn't mean it was safe.
Elias' eyes locked onto hers. "If we call for a gathering, we're calling for more than just Nightshades and Silverfangs. The other packs won't be happy to see us together."
Selene smirked. "Let them choke on their pride."
Damien clapped his hands together. "Fantastic. So, we're gathering the most violent, stubborn packs in existence and asking them to work together. What could go wrong?"
Elias rolled up the map. "Everything. Which is why we need leverage."