The moon hung high in the night sky, a silver eye casting its cold glow over the dense forest. Selena stood at the edge of the treeline, the crisp night air curling around her like an old lover's touch. She inhaled deeply, the familiar scents of the pack lands filling her lungs—the damp earth, the distant howl of wolves, the lingering smoke from the evening's fires. This place had always been home. And yet, it never truly felt like home.
She was an outcast, a bastard in the eyes of her pack. The hybrid.
Selena ran a hand through her thick, dark curls, the strands catching the moonlight with an almost blue sheen. Her hair fell past her shoulders in wild waves, untamed—just like her. Her golden-brown skin was kissed by the sun, a stark contrast to the piercing silver of her eyes, a trait that marked her lineage. Her father's lineage. That was the part no one wanted to talk about.
A fucking vampire.
She clenched her jaw, her sharp canines pressing against her lower lip. It wasn't fair. She had no control over who her mother had chosen to love—if it even was love. The only thing she knew for certain was that her existence was a mistake in the eyes of her pack. The whispers, the side glances, the lingering stares when she walked through the village. The constant reminder that she was different.
Not wolf enough to be one of them. Not vampire enough to belong to the creatures of the night.
She crossed her arms over her chest, letting the cool wind bite at her exposed skin. She was dressed for movement—tight black leather pants clung to her curves, a cropped tank top revealing the defined lines of her stomach. Her body was built for both speed and power, toned muscle shifting beneath smooth skin. The only adornment she wore was a thin silver chain around her neck, her mother's pendant resting just above her collarbone.
A reminder of the woman she never got to know.
Footsteps crunched against the fallen leaves behind her. She knew who it was before even turning around.
Orion.
He moved with an easy grace, confident and effortless. He had that kind of presence that made people stop and take notice. His dark, wavy hair was slightly tousled from the wind, the longer strands brushing against his forehead. His golden-hazel eyes, sharp and knowing, met hers as he came to stand beside her. The slight smirk on his lips—full and tempting—made something stir in her chest.
Orion had always been different from the others.
While the rest of the pack had spent their time sneering at her, whispering behind her back, he had chosen her.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, his body sculpted from years of training. The dark ink of his tattoos peeked from under the sleeves of his fitted shirt, the intricate designs crawling up his forearms like vines. He radiated a natural warmth, one that always made her feel safe, no matter how reckless or wild they got together.
"You're brooding again," he teased, his voice smooth, carrying the kind of deep, lazy confidence that sent shivers down her spine.
Selena rolled her eyes. "Fuck off."
Orion chuckled, his smirk widening. "See? That right there—that's why everyone likes me more than you."
She let out a short laugh. "That's because you're a golden boy. The perfect little werewolf prince."
He snorted. "Right. Because the perfect prince definitely sneaks out in the middle of the night with his hybrid girlfriend to piss off the pack elders."
She shot him a grin, her canines glinting under the moonlight. "That's why we make sense. We're both troublemakers."
He tilted his head, studying her. "You sure you're okay?"
Selena hesitated. Lie or tell the truth?
She sighed, running a hand through her hair again. "I'm tired, Orion. Tired of being the pack's dirty little secret. Tired of the whispers, the stares. Tired of never knowing the full fucking truth."
Orion's expression softened. He reached out, fingers brushing against hers before lacing their hands together. His touch was warm, grounding. "I get it," he murmured. "I do."
She turned to him fully, searching his face. "I need answers. About my father. About everything. And no one is going to give them to me unless I take them myself."
Orion exhaled sharply. "Selena…"
"I know you think it's dangerous," she interrupted. "And I know you think I'm being reckless."
"Because you are reckless," he shot back.
She smirked. "Yeah, well, you love me anyway."
His lips twitched. "Unfortunately, I do."
Selena squeezed his hand. "Come with me."
Orion sighed, his free hand dragging through his hair. "I should say no."
"But you won't."
A muscle in his jaw ticked. She had him.
"Fucking hell," he muttered. "Fine. I'll help you. But if this gets us killed, I'm haunting your ass in the afterlife."
Selena grinned, stepping closer until their bodies were nearly flush. "If we die, I'll make sure it's worth it."
Orion's golden eyes darkened, his grip tightening on her hand. "You're trouble, you know that?"
She leaned in, her breath ghosting over his lips. "And you fucking love it."
His mouth crashed against hers, a kiss that was all heat and teeth and desperation. Orion kissed the way he did everything else—with passion, with purpose, with a fire that consumed. His hands gripped her waist, pulling her against him, the hardness of his body pressing into her own.
Selena moaned into his mouth, fisting the fabric of his shirt as she melted into the kiss.
They had done this a million times before, but it never got old.
Orion was hers. And she was his.
For now
Because deep down, she knew—this journey they were about to embark on? It was going to change everything.
And she wasn't sure if even Orion could stop it.