The forest smelled of iron and ash. My lungs burned as I ran, branches whipping at my arms, mud pulling at my boots with every desperate step. Behind me, the sound of growls split the night-low, guttural, merciless. They were hunting me. My name is Ivy, the daughter of nobody important, born at the bottom rung of pack society. For as long as I could remember, I had been the weak one, the forgotten one, the wolf-less girl who couldn't shift, couldn't fight, couldn't even defend herself. The pack said I was cursed. My mother used to whisper that I was "waiting for the right moment." But she was gone now, and her words felt like ashes on my tongue. And tonight, under the weight of the full moon, I knew the pack had been right all along. I wasn't a wolf. I was prey. The rogues' snarls drew closer. My heart thundered in my chest as I stumbled down the slope toward the river. If I could make it across, maybe-just maybe-I could lose them in the current. My body screamed in protest, but I forced my legs to move faster. Then, without warning, a shadow burst from the trees ahead. He was massive-bigger than any wolf I had ever seen, his fur dark as obsidian and his eyes glowing like molten gold. Power rolled off him in waves, drowning the air, making my knees weaken. This wasn't a rogue. This was... something else. My breath hitched. An Alpha. The wolf snarled once, and the rogues behind me froze, whimpering. Then, in a blur, he launched himself at them. I should have run. I should have thrown myself into the river and prayed. But instead, I stood frozen, watching as the dark Alpha tore through my hunters like they were nothing more than twigs. Every movement was brutal grace-snapping jaws, raking claws, glowing eyes that never faltered. When it was over, silence reigned. The Alpha turned his head, and his gaze landed on me. The force of it was like being struck by lightning. My chest tightened, my skin prickled, and my legs refused to obey when I tried to step back. My heart whispered a truth I wasn't ready to hear. Mate. "No," I breathed, shaking my head as the wolf shifted. Where the beast had stood, now there was a man. He was tall, broad-shouldered, his chest bare beneath the torn edges of his black trousers. Dark hair fell messily across his forehead, and those same molten-gold eyes locked onto me like a predator sighting prey. "Found you," he said, his voice a low growl that curled around my spine. I swallowed hard, every instinct screaming to flee, but my feet wouldn't move. He stalked closer, each step measured, deliberate. "Who-who are you?" My voice cracked. "Arthur," he said simply. The name vibrated with power, heavy and commanding. "Alpha of the Black Thorn Pack." The Black Thorn Pack. Whispers of them had traveled even into our small territory. Ruthless. Unforgiving. A pack that crushed anything in its path. My stomach dropped. "Stay away from me," I whispered. His lips curved into something that wasn't quite a smile. "You're mine." Before I could react, before I could even breathe, he closed the space between us and pressed his mouth to my neck. My pulse stuttered, panic clashing with something far more dangerous-heat. The next moment, sharp pain flared as his teeth sank into my skin. I gasped, a cry tearing from my throat. Fire exploded through me, burning in my veins, clawing at every nerve ending. My body arched against him involuntarily as my vision blurred, and then- A voice. Soft. Fierce. Ancient. "Finally, you called me." My eyes widened. The voice wasn't Arthur's. It wasn't mine either. It echoed from somewhere deeper, somewhere that had always been silent before tonight. "Who-who are you?" I whispered in my mind, choking back a sob. "Selra," the voice answered. "Your wolf. The one they said you would never have. I've been waiting, Ivy. Waiting for him to mark you so I could awaken." Shock rattled through me, but before I could process it, another wave of fire surged, binding me to the man holding me. The world tilted violently, and when Arthur finally lifted his head, blood stained his lips. "You belong to me now," he said. Tears blurred my vision. I shoved at his chest, my hands trembling with fury and fear. "I didn't ask for this! I didn't want this!" His eyes softened for only a fraction of a second, then hardened again. "It doesn't matter. The bond is sealed. You're mine, Ivy. My mate. My Luna." "No," I whispered brokenly. "You've made a mistake." But the bond pulsed between us, undeniable, unyielding. My skin still burned with the echo of his bite, my wolf-Selra-still humming with new life inside me. Arthur cupped my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. "Fate doesn't make mistakes." The sound of twigs snapping behind us made me flinch. Arthur's head whipped around, a snarl ripping from his throat. And then, from the shadows, another figure emerged. This one was different. He was tall, too, but leaner than Arthur, his dark hair falling neatly around piercing blue eyes that caught the moonlight. His aura wasn't oppressive like Arthur's, but it was steady, controlled-a dangerous calm. "Arthur," the newcomer said, voice cool. "You never could resist taking what isn't yours." Arthur stiffened, his arm tightening around me possessively. "Michael," he spat. Michael's gaze flicked to me, and in that instant, I felt it-another pull. Not as fiery, not as consuming as Arthur's, but something gentler, steadier, like the promise of freedom instead of chains. Confusion twisted in my chest. Two pairs of eyes-one molten gold, one piercing blue. Two wolves. Two paths. Arthur growled low in his throat. "Stay away from her. She's mine." Michael's eyes never left mine. "She doesn't look like she agrees." Selra stirred inside me, her voice like velvet and steel. "Two Alphas, Ivy. Two fates. But only one choice." My knees buckled, and Arthur's hold kept me upright. The forest swayed, the bond seared through me, and Michael's presence pulled at something deep in my soul. And for the first time in my life, I realized the truth: I wasn't cursed. I was caught between two Alphas. And the night was only the beginning.

The forest had never felt so alive. Ivy's lungs burned as she slowed her frantic sprint, the earth soft under her bare feet, damp with dew. The night air clung to her skin, heavy with pine and something wilder-something that wasn't hers. Selra. The name echoed in her mind like a drumbeat, foreign yet familiar. Her wolf. The part of her she thought she would never have. You are not weak, Selra's voice whispered again, low and fierce, like the growl of a caged beast that had finally broken free. Ivy leaned against a tree, her chest heaving. "Where were you all these years?" she asked aloud, though she knew the answer was not simple. Sleeping. Waiting. You were not ready, Ivy. But now... fate has left us no choice. The memory of Arthur's touch seared her mind-the way his mark burned into her skin, as though chains had been branded into her soul. Alpha of the most ruthless pack in the region. The man everyone feared, the man who had claimed her without her consent. And yet... the bond pulled at her, demanding she feel something beyond rage and fear. "Damn him," Ivy hissed, digging her nails into her palms. A rustle in the shadows made her head snap up. She bared her teeth before realizing how strange the reaction was. It wasn't her-Selra was pushing forward, urging her to fight, to defend, to bite if she must. But the scent that drifted closer wasn't Arthur's. It was warmer. Calmer. Familiar. "Ivy?" The voice was soft, almost hesitant. She turned sharply to see Michael emerge from the trees, his eyes catching the faint silver of moonlight. Her heart lurched. Michael. The Beta's son. The boy who had always treated her with kindness when others looked down on her. "What are you doing here?" Ivy's voice was sharper than she meant, edged with the leftover bite of Selra's growl. Michael raised his hands slowly, as though approaching a wounded animal. "I followed your scent. You ran so fast, I thought something was wrong." "Something is wrong," she snapped. He tilted his head, his gaze lowering to her neck. The mark. Arthur's mark, still red and angry against her skin. For a moment, Michael froze, and then his jaw tightened. "He did it," Michael whispered, more to himself than to her. "Arthur marked you." Ivy's throat tightened, shame and fury warring in her chest. She wanted to cover the mark with her hand, to erase it, but it throbbed as if mocking her. "I didn't ask for it," she said bitterly. "I know." Michael's voice was steady, but his hands were trembling. "He had no right." Ivy looked away, biting back tears. "It doesn't matter, does it? The bond is sealed. I'm his now. His mate." The words tasted like poison. Michael stepped closer, his scent brushing against her like a balm, softer than Arthur's overpowering dominance. "Ivy... you're more than a mark. You're more than what he tries to make you." For a second, his words carved through the chains that had wrapped around her soul since that moment in the clearing. Selra stirred inside her, growling low, as if warning her that things were not so simple. This one cares for you, Selra murmured. But the mark is dangerous. The Alpha will not let you go. Not now. Ivy's pulse raced. "Michael, if Arthur finds you here-" "I don't care," Michael interrupted, his voice suddenly sharp. His eyes darkened, filled with a resolve she had never seen in him before. "I won't stand by while he traps you. You deserve a choice, Ivy. A real one." Her lips parted, stunned by the force of his words. "A choice?" "Yes." He took another step, so close now that she could see the rise and fall of his chest. "Arthur may have marked you, but that doesn't mean he owns you. The bond may tie you to him, but it doesn't erase what you feel." And what did she feel? Confusion. Anger. The strange pull of Selra rising within her, demanding freedom. And beneath it all... a spark of something she had buried long ago whenever Michael smiled at her. But Arthur's voice haunted her memory. His claim. His power. His promise that she belonged to him. "You don't understand," Ivy whispered. "The mark-it hurts. It's like fire under my skin. Like it's trying to force me to want him." Michael's face hardened, his hands curling into fists. "Then I'll fight him for you." Her heart stopped. "Michael, no-" "I mean it," he said firmly. "If he thinks he can claim you by force, then he's wrong. You are not his possession. You never will be." For a moment, she couldn't breathe. The forest seemed to hold its breath with her, the night unnaturally still. Selra snarled within her, caught between anger and approval. This one is bold, Selra said. But the Alpha is stronger. If they fight... blood will fall, Ivy. Perhaps yours. "I don't want anyone to die because of me," Ivy whispered, her voice cracking. Michael's gaze softened, though his jaw remained set. "Then let me protect you before it comes to that. Come with me, Ivy. We'll figure this out together." Her chest ached. She wanted to say yes. She wanted to run far from Arthur's mark, from his shadow that loomed over her every breath. But the bond tugged at her heart, cruel and unyielding, whispering Arthur's name even when she wished to forget it. And then-like a storm rolling through the forest-she felt it. His presence. Arthur. The air thickened, her mark searing against her skin as though it had been branded anew. Ivy gasped, clutching her neck as heat shot through her veins. Michael stiffened, his hand flying to hers, but it was too late. A growl thundered through the trees, deep and commanding. Leaves trembled. Birds scattered into the night. "Ivy," Arthur's voice cut through the darkness, sharp and dangerous. "Step away from him." Michael's body tensed, but he didn't move. His eyes locked with hers, silently asking the question she was too afraid to answer: would she choose to stand by him, or yield to the bond Arthur had forced upon her? Selra's growl echoed in her skull, urging her to fight. Her heart split in two. And for the first time, Ivy realized this was only the beginning of the war inside her.

Arthur's voice tore through the forest like a storm, deep and commanding, leaving no room for disobedience. "Ivy," he growled again, each syllable edged with power that made the ground seem to tremble beneath her feet. "Come. Now." The bond pulsed inside her like molten fire. Ivy's knees almost buckled as the mark on her neck seared, dragging her body toward him even as her heart screamed in protest. Selra snarled within her mind, resisting the pull. No. Do not bow. Do not yield. But her wolf's growl was drowned out by the primal magic of the Alpha's command. Arthur's power wasn't just authority-it was instinct, woven into the marrow of her bones. Michael stepped forward, placing himself between her and the darkness where Arthur's silhouette now appeared. His chest rose and fell with a steady defiance Ivy had never seen in him before. "She's not a possession, Arthur," Michael said, his voice shaking only slightly. "You can't just force her to obey." Arthur emerged fully into the clearing, his presence suffocating. Tall, broad-shouldered, his dark eyes burned with a fury that made the air itself heavy. Even the shadows seemed to retreat from him. He stopped only a few feet away, his gaze locking on Michael like a predator sizing up prey. "Step aside," Arthur ordered, his tone flat and deadly. Michael didn't move. The silence stretched, thick as smoke. Ivy's heart pounded, torn between fear and an unfamiliar surge of pride at Michael's bravery. Arthur's lips curved into something between a snarl and a smile. "You're either bold... or stupid. Do you truly think you can stand between me and what's mine?" Michael's fists clenched. "She's not yours. Not if she doesn't choose you." The words hit Ivy like lightning. Not if she doesn't choose you. Her chest ached. Could she really have a choice? Or had Arthur's mark already stolen that from her forever? Arthur's gaze flicked to her, the bond between them thrumming with heat and command. "Ivy," he said, softer this time, yet more dangerous. "Tell him. Tell him you belong to me." The fire of the bond seared through her veins, urging her lips to form the words. Her throat burned with the need to say yes, to surrender. But deep inside, Selra's voice rose in a furious snarl. Fight it, Ivy. Do not give him your submission. You are more than his mark. "I-" Her voice cracked. She staggered back, clutching her neck. "I don't... I don't know what I feel." Arthur's expression darkened. The ground beneath his boots seemed to shudder with the force of his contained rage. Michael's hand reached for hers, steadying her trembling form. His warmth cut through the fire in her veins like water over flame. "You don't have to decide right now," he said softly. "Don't let him corner you." Arthur's growl ripped through the night, primal and furious. "You dare touch her?" His voice dropped lower, colder. "Remove your hand. Or lose it." Michael didn't let go. His jaw was tight, his voice steady even as danger closed around him. "If you want her, Arthur, then fight for her the way a true Alpha should. Not by branding her against her will." The forest stilled. Even the wind seemed to vanish, as though nature itself waited for the explosion to come. Arthur's eyes burned, his aura of dominance expanding like wildfire. The bond yanked at Ivy again, harder this time, making her stumble forward. She bit her lip until she tasted blood, forcing her legs to resist. Selra howled inside her, furious. He will crush the boy. He will break him. You must stop this, Ivy! Her mind screamed, but her body was caught between two worlds-the chain of Arthur's bond and the fragile sanctuary of Michael's defiance. Arthur's hand lifted, his power rolling off him in waves. "Last warning," he said. "Step aside, or I'll tear you apart." Michael swallowed hard, but his grip on Ivy's hand only tightened. "Then do it. But I won't move." Time fractured. The night collapsed into silence. And then- Arthur lunged. Ivy cried out, instinct shoving her body forward, Selra exploding inside her with a savage roar. Heat and silver light flared under her skin, her wolf clawing for freedom, demanding to be unleashed. For the first time, Ivy felt her bones shift, her blood burn with the ancient call of transformation. Her scream merged with Selra's howl as power surged through her body. Arthur stopped mid-strike, his eyes snapping to her with shock and something darker-satisfaction. "She's awakening," he breathed, his lips curling into a fierce smile. Michael's eyes widened in awe and terror as Ivy's form flickered with the half-bloom of her wolf. Her nails lengthened, her irises blazing with Selra's silver fire. "Ivy..." Michael whispered, his voice breaking. But Ivy couldn't hear him anymore. Selra was in control now. At last, Selra growled through her lips, her voice layered over Ivy's own. You will not hurt her, Alpha. Not while I breathe. Arthur's expression hardened, but his eyes gleamed with hunger. "Yes," he said softly. "That's it. That's the wolf I knew was hidden inside you." He stepped closer, his dominance pressing harder against her. "You are mine, Ivy. Body and wolf. Selra will learn that, just as you will." Selra snarled, lowering their body into a defensive crouch. Over my dead body. Michael's voice rang out desperately, breaking the deadly standoff. "Ivy! Fight him! Don't let him win!" The sound cut through the fog of rage, pulling Ivy back for the briefest moment. Her human side clawed upward, struggling against Selra's wild fury and Arthur's suffocating bond. Her heart hammered. Her body trembled. And then, as if the night itself split open, she collapsed to her knees, torn between three impossible forces: the wolf who demanded freedom, the Alpha who demanded obedience, and the man who demanded she choose herself. The forest roared with silence. And Ivy realized that whatever path she chose, there would be no turning back.