Elijah

  The water pounded against my skin, scalding and relentless, but it did nothing to quiet the storm raging inside me. Last night had awakened something primal—something I’d never felt before. For years, I’d lived in the cold, untouched by the pull of the Moon’s Blessing.

  Moonlight Apathy, they called it. A state where the Moon ignored your existence, leaving you unbound and immune to the mating bond that drove others insane with need. It wasn’t a gift. It was a curse. An exile.

  I've never felt this way before with anyone from my pack, but when I was around Lexi it was different. From the moment I saw her, my instincts flared to life. Her scent—sweet and warm—wrapped around me, consuming my every thought. My control, carefully honed over years, shattered like glass. I gritted my teeth, leaning forward to brace my hands against the cool tiles.

  It wasn’t just the bond that had me on edge. It was the heat.

  My body burned for her in ways I didn’t fully understand. My heart pounded in my chest every time I thought of her, and worse—every time I caught the faintest hint of her scent. My claws itched to emerge, my wolf howled, restless and impatient.

  I slammed my fist against the wall, cracking the tile.

  No. I wouldn’t lose control. Not now.

  I finished my shower quickly, wrapping a towel around my waist before stepping out into my room. The sight of Lexi sitting on my bed, wearing one of my shirts, hit me like a punch to the gut. Her legs were tucked beneath her, and she was absentmindedly playing with the hem of the shirt. She looked... perfect.

  I forced myself to clear my throat. “You called?”

  She looked up, her sharp green eyes locking onto mine. “I need my stuff,” she said bluntly.

  I smirked. “What’s wrong with what you’re wearing now?”

  “Everything,” she shot back. “I’m not about to spend the rest of my day in your clothes. And where's my phone I need to text my aunt she's expecting me today."

  I pointed to the direction of her phone "Already told her that you got preoccupied and cancelled." I took a look at her again "And you can wear my clothes, it looks better on you anyways."

  Her glare could’ve cut steel. I sighed, running a hand through my damp hair. “Fine. I’ll take you back to your place. But I’m coming in with you. No arguments.”

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  She crossed her arms. “You realize how controlling that sounds, right?”

  “Call it what you want,” I said, leaning against the doorframe. “Your scent is... unique. Every wolf in Lunaria is going to notice it. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

  She hesitated, clearly torn. Good. She might’ve been stubborn, but she wasn’t stupid.

  “Fine,” she muttered, looking away. I allowed myself a small smirk.

  Lexi

  The nerve of this guy.

  I crossed my arms tighter, trying to ignore how much space he took up in the room. He was standing there in nothing but a towel, his muscles on full display, and he didn’t seem the least bit bothered by it.

  Of course, he wouldn’t be. Elijah Blackthorn was used to attention. I knew exactly who he was—youngest Alpha in history, heir to one of the most powerful packs in Lunaria. His face had been plastered across every news outlet after he’d taken control of his family’s territory.

  What I didn’t know was why someone like him was tangled up with someone like me.

  “This is insane,” I said, more to myself than to him. “I’m not even a werewolf.”

  Elijah’s eyes darkened, his playful smirk disappearing. “You don’t smell human either.”

  That made me pause. “What?”

  He walked closer, the air around him seeming to shift with his presence. “Your scent. It’s... different. That’s what led me to you in the first place.”

  I stared at him, my mind racing. I’d always been told I smelled nice. Friends, strangers—even the occasional weirdo at a bar—always commented on it. And when I was younger, animals seemed unusually drawn to me. But I’d never thought much of it.

  Elijah’s golden eyes locked onto mine. “I don’t know what you are, Lexi. But you’re not just human.”

  His words sent a chill down my spine. I didn’t know what to say.

  Before I could respond, the door swung open. “Elijah,” a sharp voice called, cutting through the tension.

  I turned to see a woman standing in the doorway. She was tall, elegant, and annoyingly gorgeous, with piercing green eyes and dark hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail. Her fitted black dress clung to her like a second skin.

  “Elena,” Elijah said, his tone unreadable.

  Her eyes flicked to me, and I didn’t miss the way her brows shot up in surprise. “You’re still here,” she said, her voice laced with barely concealed disdain.

  “Yep,” I said, not bothering to hide my annoyance.

  Elena ignored me, turning her full attention to Elijah. “The council is waiting for you. They expected you an hour ago.”

  “I’ve been busy,” Elijah said flatly. Elena’s gaze darted back to me, her lips curling into a faint sneer. “Clearly.”

  I bristled, but before I could say anything, Elijah stepped forward, blocking her view of me. “What do they want?”

  “It’s about her,” Elena said, her tone softening as she looked up at him, then she looked back at me with pure contempt. “You need to come now.”

  He didn’t move. “Tell them I’ll be there when I’m ready.”

  Elena’s expression tightened, but she nodded, her lips pressed into a thin line. “Fine. I’ll let them know.” She turned to leave, pausing just long enough to throw one last glance over her shoulder.

  “Elijah,” she said, her voice low and pointed. “We’ll talk later.”

  Then she was gone, leaving the room with an awkward silence.

  “Well,” I said, breaking the tension. “She seems fun.”

  Elijah ran a hand through his hair, looking uncharacteristically annoyed. “Ignore her.”

  “Easy for you to say,” I muttered. “She looks like she wants to rip my head off.”

  He smirked, his golden eyes gleaming. “She wouldn’t dare.”