Shadowed Paws, Shattered Lights

The scent of pine, moist dirt, and blood hung in the air, a bittersweet reminder of the forest's savage and uncontrolled character. The moon dipped near the horizon, its glow faint but steady on the dense canopy, throwing elongated shadows over the dense foliage. For most people, the forest represented home-a place of safety and family. For Selene, it was nothing more than a distant memory, a chapter of her life she had long since closed.

Once, she had been a part of this world-an integral piece in the heart of a pack. But all that had changed the moment Alpha Orion had cast her aside. His rejection was abrupt, cold, and shattering, leaving her to fight for herself in a world where wolves like her were chased down, avoided, and misjudged. Orion had chosen Lila-ambitious, clever, and power-hungry-over her, and that choice had irreversibly altered the trajectory of Selene's life.

She was feeble back then, a mere ghost of who she is today. Selene had been neglected, cast aside, and banished from the only life she had ever known, and she discovered how to survive the hard way. The human race had not welcomed her kindly, but it was a world she could comprehend-one in which surviving depended on intelligence, strength, and strategy. She created her empire in the shadows, a quiet queen who ruled over a realm of secrets and darkness. No longer was the submissive mate Orion had once discarded, Selene now a weapon- sharp, lethal, and untouchable.

But regardless of the distance she had run, the tug of her history would never let her go.

Selene sat in the gloomy office of her underground sanctuary, the flashing lights on her computer screen illuminating her distinctive features. Her reign was enormous, yet in the quiet moments when the world outside became still, she couldn't help but remember the pack she had abandoned. The wolves-her people-had been her family once. They were now only a distant memory, a terrible reminder of what had been snatched from her.

A light knock on the door interrupted her daydream, and she straightened up, her senses alert.

"Come in," she said, her voice deep and forceful.

The door pushed open, showing one of her most loyal lieutenants-a slender man with dark eyes and a cunning gaze. He was one of the few humans who had gained her trust, and she rarely welcomed strangers. He clutched a sealed packet in his hand, and the weight of it was evident in his posture.

"What's this?" she asked, receiving the packet from him.

"It's from the human scavenger," he explained, his voice straining. "They've been targeting the wolves again. They've found something. Someone. I thought you might want to know."

Selene felt her heart skip a beat. Human scavengers had been an obstacle in her side for years, but their unexpected concentration on wolves had intensified in recent months. She ripped open the envelope, her fingers working quickly as she read its contents. The words made her catch a cold

Alpha Orion is in danger.

The message was brief, cryptic even. But it was clear. Someone-or something-threatened the pack she once called home. She could feel her old scars reopening, fury and betrayal rushing through her like a tsunami. Orion, the alpha who had thrown her away. And now he needed her help?

"Get me a vehicle," Selene said, rising from her desk. The burden of the past was heavy on her shoulders, yet it was nothing compared to the enormity of this new knowledge. She couldn't let her past define her, but if Orion's pack was in jeopardy, she was unable to disregard it. Not completely.

The lieutenant hesitated for a moment, sensing the conflict in her eyes. But he knew better than to question her. With a quick nod, he turned and walked down the corridor.

Selene looked out the window, her eyes narrowing. Her mind raced. The wolves of the pack were still scattered across the forests, divided by years of turmoil and Orion's obsession with control. But that was not her concern anymore. She had a life to protect, a kingdom built from the shadows, and she wasn't about to let anyone-especially Orion-tear that down.

Regardless, the prospect of getting back to the wolf world stirred something profound within her. It had been decades since she had visited their territory, and the prospect of meeting Orion again sent thrills down her back.

No. She wasn't returning for him. She wasn't going back for anything other than the chance to eliminate the threat to her empire. If Orion was truly in distress, she would provide him with necessary aid-but only on her stipulations.

Her hand constricted into a grasp, her nails cutting into her palm as she readied herself for what was about to happen. Whatever happened next, she couldn't imagine allowing herself to be vulnerable again. The girl who had been cast out by Orion was gone. In her place stood a lady who had learnt survival and command skills.

As she was about to go, her thoughts were disturbed by the abrupt ring of her phone. She answered without looking, her voice icy.

"Selene," said the sound on the other end, and her blood froze.

"Orion," she said, her voice full of hate.

"I need your support," he stated, desperation clear in his tone. "The pack... we're under attack. I don't know how much further we can keep resisting each other. Please, I need you.

Selene felt a bitter laugh rise in her throat, but she stifled it. She sensed the rush in his tone, but she wasn't going to let him off that easily.

"You need me?" she replied, her voice full of scorn. "After all the harm you have caused me, after you ditched me, now you've turned to me for support?"

"I was wrong," Orion said quickly. "I know that now. But this is bigger than us. But this is beyond us. There's a new adversary, one who will exterminate us all if we fail to defeat him. I... "I have no one else to turn to."

Selene's eyes narrowed. It was exactly what she had expected-a desperate plea from the alpha who had once held all the power. Now, he was weak, helpless. And he was asking for her help.

But could she have neglected the wolves she once considered family?

"I'll think about it," she replied, her voice bitter and impersonal. She hung up without saying anything else, her thoughts already going to the work at hand.

There was something strange about Orion's message. Something that didn't sit right with her. Who could be powerful enough to bring an entire pack to its knees? And why was he only now asking for help? Something about this didn't add up.

Just as she was about to leave, a knock echoed through her office door again. But this time, it wasn't her lieutenant. It was a shadow-a big and powerful person silhouetted by the hallway's faint lighting.

Selene felt her heart skip a beat.

"Aiden," she said softly, her tone scarcely audible.

The assassin remained at the doorway, his eyes steely and calculating. His mere presence made her feel weak, but there was something else-a recognition in his gaze that shot shivers through her chest.

Aiden stepped forward, his actions slow and deliberate. He was clothed in black, blending in with the darkness. But there was no misunderstanding his intention. He was just here for one thing.

To kill her.

But as his eyes met hers, Selene noticed a spark. Hesitation. Confusion.

"I'm sorry," he continued, his voice gruff; "but I have orders."

Orders. The word sliced through her like a dagger.

"Do you?" she asked, raising her eyebrow. "And who gave you those orders?"

Aiden didn't answer immediately. He stood still for a minute, his eyes fixed on her. There was something in his eyes-a glimmer of recognition that chilled her blood.

Then, in an instant, he lunged. But he suddenly hesitated. His dagger was just inches from her throat, but he couldn't force himself to strike.

For a minute, neither of them reacted. It seemed like time had ceased.

And then, in a voice hardly above murmur, Aiden said the words that altered everything.

"I'm your second-chance mate."

She released a gulp as the impact of his words gushed over her like a tsunami.

But before she could react, he acted too quickly and suddenly, and everything was engulfed by darkness.